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SALT LAKE CITY — There are times Milla Ingles is a little confused why her father, Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles, is suddenly around so much.
"Milla keeps saying every morning, 'Daddy, you are still home,'" Joe Ingles said during an Instagram live chat on Thursday. "I’ll probably be home for a little while."
But when Ingles and the rest of his Jazz teammates return to the court, their home arena will be a little different.
On Thursday, during World Autism Awareness Day, the Jazz and KultureCity, a national nonprofit that helps promote acceptance and inclusion for people with sensory needs, announced a partnership to make all events at Vivint Smart Home Arena sensory inclusive.
"This certification from KultureCity reaffirms our commitment to better understanding our guests with sensory sensitivities through specific staff training and proper resources," said John Kimball, president of Vivint Smart Home Arena.
All arena staffers will receive training from leading medical professionals regarding how to recognize guests with sensory needs and handle a sensory overload situation. Guests attending events at the arena will have the option to visit the Vivint Gives Back Sensory Room or borrow sensory bags equipped with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards and weighted lap pads.
"We appreciate the home arena of the Utah Jazz taking the steps to be sensory inclusive and KultureCity certified," said Ingles, who is also a KultureCity board member. "This is an important movement that not only impacts individuals with autism but also dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions. No doubt, Vivint Smart Home Arena can be loud with our fans, but the presence of a sensory room from Vivint Gives Back and additional tools from KultureCity will help guests better enjoy the experience."
Since finding out their son Jacob was on the autistic spectrum, Joe Ingles and his wife Renae have been leaders and advocates for autism awareness. They’ve used their large platforms to tell other family's stories and help with inclusion.
In August, the Ingles worked with KultureCity to ensure the arenas in his native Australia were sensory inclusive ahead of the two USA and Australia exhibition contests, and he wanted to see the Jazz do the same thing.
"To ask a team to do something to help so many people and to follow through and do it so quickly, it makes me proud," Ingles said.
