What's Next in 2023 for CAA?

DeAnna Pursai • January 7, 2023

What's Next in 2023 for CAA?

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”- Paulo Coelho.

When Dr. Pamela Lindsay and DeAnna Pursai co-founded College of Adaptive Arts in 2009, certainly this notion was predicated on a dream of new educational possibilities for adults who historically have not had access. College of Adaptive Arts opened its door in the summer of 2009 to 12 adults enrolled in the 1 summer class in a rented dance studio in south San Jose. Fast forward to Winter Quarter 2023 CAA is enrolling over 190+ adults in 70+ weekly course online & in-person offerings across 6 states and is positioned on the beautiful community college campus of West Valley College.

What’s next in 2023? CAA is actively forging Inclusive Collegiate Partnerships, striving to serve as a value-add program for the 
West Valley College students for service-learning, work-study, and leadership training opportunities. CAA is excited to launch into the space of workforce development as we find our most outstanding W2 employees to be individuals who have also been historically marginalized in typical workforce environments. Our professors and staff are the thought-leaders, visionaries, and heavy-lifters who believe steadfastly in the abilities of CAA’s adult students with intellectual disabilities.

We cordially invite you to sign up virtual and/or in-person
tour each Friday school is in session and meet our student ambassadors and help us build this expanded layer of higher education for adults who historically have not had access.

This is a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN inclusive collegiate partnership model for 1) adults with disabilities, 2) for their parents and careproviders, 3) for CAA’s faculty and staff, and 4) for host-campus .edu institutions of higher learning. CAA's vision is to show how this expanded layer of college education can become as widespread and accessible in the education space that Special Olympics so effectively provides in the athletic space.

Paulo Coelho also stated, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." It's really happening here at CAA. College of Adaptive Arts is so grateful for the ever-growing community of dreamers, believers, and supporters striving to help bring this innovative equitable collegiate model to full fruition.

Learn how you can conspire
here.


#community #highereducation #school #work #training #learning #development #leadership #help #opportunities #grateful #leaders #partnerships #students. 😊

By DeAnna Pursai June 8, 2026
Ravinder has done *so much* to Move the Mountain for College of Adaptive Arts :)
By DeAnna Pursai June 1, 2026
Jonathan strives to be an NFL Cheerleader one day.
By DeAnna Pursai May 25, 2026
When Samuel Hinojosa first discovered his passion for videography and the performing arts, a passion he says is in his genes because he has family who are also in the arts, participating in theater productions and expressing himself through dance became a part of his daily routine. But when he turned 22, he suddenly aged out of the programs he had come to love, leaving a gap in both his routine and his creative outlet. That’s when a chance meeting completely changed his life. Samuel was in an Angels on Stage production when he just so happened to meet DeAnna Pursai and Dr. Pamela Lindsay in the audience. Realizing he was about to age out of Angels on Stage, they encouraged him to explore the opportunities available to him at CAA. Their guidance led him to finding a new beginning. At CAA, Samuel quickly found a place where he could continue to grow creatively. He enrolled in videography, acting, and dance classes, reconnecting him with his passion for performing. After taking many performing arts classes, Samuel started exploring what other classes CAA had to offer. He has joined the CAA Go Green Climate Action Class, where he did a phenomenal presentation on UNESCO and how climate change is impacting his native roots community in Mexico. Now in his second semester at CAA, Samuel has expanded his interests beyond just the stage and production lens. He’s developed an interest in bodybuilding and nutrition, exploring what those classes can teach him and how he can use that new confidence to improve his life. CAA’s supportive environment has allowed Samuel to continue exploring his passions, while also discovering new ones. It doesn’t matter if he is behind the camera, performing, or focusing on his health and fitness goals, CAA is constantly pushing Samuel to try new things and grow. For Samuel, CAA is not just a place for him to take classes, it is a community where he can express himself, try new things, and keep moving forward. — Written by Nina Pal Volunteer

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