Abstract
This thesis examines how inclusive community programming functions as a cultural space of belonging for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Sacramento region. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted with Infinite Friends, a community-based organization that provides social, recreational, and skill-building opportunities, this study explores how safety and belonging take shape within a shared community environment.Using participant observation, informal interviews with family members and community leaders, and sustained engagement within the field site, this research centers the lived experiences of adults with IDD, referred to as “Friends.” Rather than treating inclusion as a fixed outcome, the findings demonstrate that belonging is continuously produced through relational practices, shared routines, and ongoing adjustments within everyday interaction. Participation in events such as community dinners, dances, and other social activities creates opportunities for connection while also supporting the development of social engagement and confidence over time. Across these interactions, safety emerges not simply as physical protection, but as a sense of trust, familiarity, and emotional security that is collectively understood and maintained by Friends, families, and community leaders. Communication, including nonverbal and embodied forms, plays a central role in shaping how individuals engage with one another and remain part of the social environment. In this way, participation is supported through responsiveness and flexibility, allowing individuals to navigate the space in ways that reflect their preferences and comfort.
This study draws on anthropological and disability scholarship to argue that inclusion is achieved through interdependence, recognition, and sustained participation. By positioning Infinite Friends as a cultural space, this thesis contributes to broader anthropological understandings of disability, community, and relational personhood. It demonstrates that belonging is not pre-existing, but actively made through everyday social practices, offering insight into how inclusive environments can be intentionally created and maintained.