[blindkid] A beautiful speech.

[Deborah Kent Stein]

One of our state fundraisers here in Illinois has been the sale of a T-shirt 
with the logo: "BLIND Is Not a Four-Letter Word, Thanks to the NFB."

Debbie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carol Castellano" <carol_castellano at verizon.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] A beautiful speech.


> Penny,
>
> I remember driving in the car with my sister when Serena was a baby and 
> saying to her, "I can get used to the idea that she can't see, but I wish 
> there were another word that we could use to describe it.  The word 
> "blind" has so many connotations."  And Serena really WAS totally blind.
>
> It was a growth point for me, too, to become accustomed to using the word. 
> NFB literature was a godsend for me because it gave me ways to talk about 
> blindness in a positive manner--blindness is a characteristic, blindness 
> does not have to stop a person from leading a full and normal life, it's 
> okay to be blind.  This in turn helped my family learn not to pity Serena, 
> but to enjoy her as a person and watch her develop and grow as they did 
> all the other new babies born into our family.
>
> Together, all of us in the Federation are working toward reclaiming the 
> word "blind" and making it mean professionals working in offices, 
> mechanics working in shops, scientists in labs, teachers in classrooms, 
> dads & moms taking care of a home and kids, citizens taking part in 
> community life--just regular people leading regular lives.  This is one of 
> the reasons many of us are so passionate about our mission--every time one 
> blind person succeeds, it makes the world a better place for all blind 
> people.
>
> I'm so glad the speech was helpful to you.
>
> Fondly,
> Carol
>
> Carol Castellano
> Director of Programs
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> 973-377-0976
> carol_castellano at verizon.net
> www.nopbc.org
>
> At 12:48 AM 6/23/2011, you wrote:
>>I was looking at the new website the NFB of Utah made that I saw mentioned
>>on the BlindTalk List serve.  While I was looking I found found a speech
>>that brought me to tears. I am assume most of you have heard it.  I am
>>pretty sure I have read it before in one of my many late night research
>>sessions.    I am still wiping the tears from my eyes.  Its a speech by
>>Carol Castellano from the national convention two years ago titled "Why 
>>are
>>you trying to make that child blind"
>>
>>http://blindhow.com/posts/92#content
>>
>>So if you haven't listened to it you really should even it if you have 
>>read
>>it.  I am sure so many of you have already are well aware of this speech
>>already but it really spoke to me.   I actually got in a heated discussion
>>last weekend at a family party with an OLD family friend.  He
>>was insistent my daughter was not blind and completely disagreed with me
>>using that word.
>>
>>Seeing what braille has done for my daughter these past few months have 
>>been
>>amazing. It was one of the most hardest things I have ever heard when my
>>daughters TVI told us that she recommend braille.  (I am so grateful for
>>this teacher today) I wanted to yell in the meeting "but Abby's not 
>>blind".
>>She was 6 and had 20/20 vision a year before. I couldn't even say the word
>>BLIND without gagging  so I kept my mouth shut and listened.  I have not
>>problem at all with someone using visually impaired but calling my 
>>daughter
>>blind and being comfortable just saying the word was such a growth point 
>>for
>>me.   Being able to over come my own personal misperceptions was harder.
>>
>>I got a bit off my point. GO LISTEN to this speech.
>>
>>--
>>--Penny
>>----------
>>Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
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>
>
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