[nabs-l] Wanted to share my experience living at Friedman Place, a supportive living community for blind adults in Chicago

Kaiti Shelton crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
Wed Apr 10 18:31:01 UTC 2013


Hi all,

Robert brings up a great point.

Personally, I do align pretty closely with the NFB philosophy.  I do
my own laundry, clean and maintain my living spaces, and am learning
more and more recipes so I can independently cook.  I find enjoyment
in doing these things both because things like cooking are fun and
there is a sense of pride in keeping things clean for me, but also
because I can do them myself and don't have to rely upon or wait for
others to help me do them.  However, that was just how I was raised
along with my sighted siblings.  I wasn't taught that things like
doing your own laundry were signs of super-independence, just a part
of life that most people have to do on a weekly basis or so.  Same for
cooking or at least finding a way to independently feed yourself like
if it involves independent travel to somewhere to order it.  They're
just things most people in general do and that's how I was taught.

However, I recognize that other people may have different needs
separate from the visual.  I also see independence in the way that
Robert does; it's not defined by how much you can do on your own for
every single person.  It might be more that way than not for me, but
just because that's how I was taught it doesn't make others who don't
fall into that belief system or less independent than I am because
they're independent in the sense that they're choosing what they want
to do and how they want to live their lives.  Robert is also right
that the NFB philosophy is not set on measuring each person's
independence quotient or something in terms of a number or percent,
but we are about changing conceptions of the blind and making life
better for blind people, and in order to do this there is strength in
numbers.  So, is it right to ostricize or exclude people from that
effort just because they might not do as much for themselves as
others?  Is what we do or don't do for ourselves individually more
important than the common goal we are trying to achieve?  I know that
even if I had a friend who barely did anything for themself, but
supported other blind people in terms of independence in the work
place, or accessibility in college classrooms, I would accept that
help gladly.  And, to me a person like that who is willing to fight or
support independence related to things they themselves may not ever
want or need to do on their own is just as supportive and important to
the causes we fight for.  Not to mention that supporting things others
 might want to do, even if it doesn't apply to them, speaks volumes
about their character.

On 4/10/13, wmodnl wmodnl <wmodnl at hotmail.com> wrote:
> I love youre response.  Keep up the hard work.  That is what we all need,
> perseverance.  Let's connect, I am working with a group of people to start a
> group.  One that is a cross of both NFB, ACB, and some own
> Independant-thinking behind what and how we should become more united within
> the blindness community, not divided.  Have a good day.
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Apr 9, 2013, at 9:11 PM, "Robert William Kingett" <kingettr at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I too am a member of Friedman place and a competent member of the
>> blindness community, even if I have someone cook for me. I've raised money
>> to donate to the NFB and ACB to help their cause, even supporting my
>> fellow peers with advocacy related matters. I believe that Friedman place
>> is just the right fit for me. What I don't agree with is the notion that
>> people, and yes, I've looked at the archives, have tried to make others do
>> what they deem as independent. I have to ask this very simple question.
>> What is independence anyway? I believe independence is freedom,
>> individuality, liberation. I believe that it is freedom from dependence on
>> or control by another person, organization, or state. I'm both a member of
>> the NFB and ACB, and I have been nominated to be president of the LGBT
>> chapter in the ACB, even though I live in a place that fosters stereotypes
>> and makes people think blind people can't take care of themselves,
>> apparently. Independence, as stated above, is very different for people.
>> Someone who's independent is free, and that, I believe, should be
>> celebrated and applauded. Since a lot of people have said that the NFB is
>> the optimal way to live I don't understand something. This is my
>> understanding of the NFB, and correct me if I'm wrong. The mission of the
>> National Federation of the Blind is to achieve widespread emotional
>> acceptance and intellectual understanding that the real problem of
>> blindness is not the loss of eyesight but the misconceptions and lack of
>> information which exist. We do this by bringing blind people together to
>> share successes, to support each other in times of failure, and to create
>> imaginative solutions. Acceptance is a key part of showing sighted people,
>> and people who have stereotypical perceptions that the NFB are a powerful
>> organization and not just an organization to adopt a one size fits all
>> policy. Instead, as I have said before and state again, independence
>> should be celebrated. We’re paying our bills and we’re paying for our
>> food. When we rise in the morning to brighten up the world we choose, with
>> care, the clothes we wear even if we have help with washing them. No one
>> dictates my path and I have achieved my level of independence that I'm
>> very satisfied with. Ii have my own apartment and I'm a very strong
>> advocate for both the LGBT community and the blindness community as well.
>> When I hear that someone is living on their own and paying their own
>> bills, even if they have someone cook for them. There independent and it
>> makes me happy. Why? Because that’s a blind person that has broken down
>> the stereotype of living at home with their parents all of their lives,
>> and I celebrate that with congratulatory words all the way. They're an
>> independent person, living how they want to live. It sure does feel good.
>> As I have said, that's something to be celebrated because, they're
>> changing what it means to be blind, those beautifully independent people.
>>
>>
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-- 
Kaiti




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