[Blind-Rollers] Potential Benefits of Super Lidar for Blind Rollers

[Karen Rose]

Hi Shane. For me personally, I completely disagree with this. I am more than happy to do any beta testing, work with developers, etc. completely free! I need this tool. And quickly. I am leaving the hospital March 8 to go home and out into a community! If there is anything I can do to work with your developers, testers etc. right now, I will more than happily devote as much time is needed completely free! Hope that is helpful to someone 

Karen Rose MFT/LPCC www.career-therapy.net

> On Feb 28, 2022, at 9:34 AM, Shane Lowe via Blind-Rollers <blind-rollers at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> To be honest, this is baffling to me. I am the only community
> operations person at Mediate, and have no idea from where they are
> pulling information in regards to our budget. It seems to me there is
> little I can do to actually prove my sincerity, because it appears
> that the only satisfactory response is of monetary value. I fully
> respect and agree with your position, and it is correct as it pertains
> to many companies. I'm afraid it doesn't fit us.
> 
>> On 2/24/22, Starry_sky at live.com <Starry_sky at live.com> wrote:
>> Hello Shane, I floated your email to a friend who is a business
>> strategist (with disabilities).  Here is the reply:
>> 
>> Unfortunately, this is the typical answer "we would like to pay people
>> with disabilities but can't because of [insert excuse here]".  There are
>> different ways to compensate but doesn't sound like they are offering
>> anything.  At least that other company offered a meager gift card.
>> 
>> From what I can piece together, it seems that Mediate has enough funds
>> but it just isn't budgeted to compensate this user community. Mediate
>> chose to pay for a team of five or six "community engagement managers"
>> to find and convince members of the disability community to work for
>> free or to sort through community exchanges to glean ideas.  Then
>> Mediate sell those features and products back to us or profit in other
>> ways.  Then they want more free ideas and free testing from us. The
>> cycle continues as they spend those profits to find more ways to use us
>> without compensating us.
>> 
>> Everyone with and without disabilities should work to change that
>> business model and stop providing excuses to perpetuate it.  Is Shane
>> willing to be a part of the solution?  There needs to be a shift of
>> mindset at Mediate (and all other companies) so everyone benefits.  What
>> if Mediate allocates part of that budget for a program that respectfully
>> compensates people with disabilities' time, skills, and insights?  Then
>> Mediate won't need a team to glean our ideas and convince us to work for
>> free because there would be a line of people w disabilities ready,
>> willing, and able to work with Mediate.
>> 
>> On Feb 23, 2022, Shane Lowe via Blind-Rollers <blind-rollers at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> You have an excellent point,