[ND-Talk] FW: Advocacy

Mon Jul 1 15:05:07 UTC 2019

From: The Blind History Lady <theblindhistorylady at gmail.com> 
Sent: Monday, July 1, 2019 4:40 AM
To: mota1252 at gmail.com
Subject: Advocacy

May and Mothers Day 

. 

Hello All;

This month is the annual conventions of the two major national blind consumer groups. During the week, much discussion will revolve around learning to advocate for ourselves. Sometimes, it seems as though the idea of self-advocacy is a new one.  I recognize that for many newly blinded persons, they are still figuring out what their new achievable-goal in life will be and the paths to travel to reach their destination.

Advocacy is as old as time. The definition of advocate is to speak in support of an idea or course of action. When I think of advocacy, I think of my daughter growing up, I think of how she advocated for herself at an early age to get her bottle, blanket, favorite doll and later, cookies, stories, lunch at Dairy Queen and more. She experimented with many different methods of advocacy on all those around her. She learned that smiling sweetly to grandpa could get her ice cream, cuddling with Daddy usually reached her objective and Mom was not persuaded at all by tears, threats or yelling. To achieve certain goals, it was best to gain the support of one parent over the other to get her way. Seems that advocating for herself came before speech. 

So, why is it that we think as blind people we need to have others advocate for us? Or that advocacy as a blind person is so different? We definitely need to do our research on blindness. We need to know the laws that affect us and the rules under which the laws are carried out. We need to learn how to be a successful blind person We need to observe and connect with our peers to learn their tricks and observe their results. The rules governing advocacy have not changed, just the strategies.

I found an example of advocacy from the past that demonstrates how the blind of 100 years ago became their own self advocate. 

Harry E. Robinson lost the vision in one eye as a teen and the other eye soon followed. He consulted doctors whose advice was just to stop using his eyes, rest them, to avoid any further vision loss. He did not seem to reach out to the blindness associations in the city of New York, rather rested on the support of his many doctors and friends.

Taking the professional’s advice became debilitating to his spirit. For too long, Harry passed up opportunity after opportunity in order to save his sight. He had only a narrow field of opportunities that he could take, and they were not sufficient to support himself. Just as his vision was decreasing, so was his world, his finances and his control over it all. 

Being short on money, he looked fast and hard at himself. He realized that he needed to gain back his respect for himself as a man and find a way to find dignity in himself as a blind man. After much self evaluation, he determined that he could not rely on others as it stripped him of his self respect.  

A newspaper reporter asked Harry in 1912 what it was like trying to maintain his vision. Harry replied, “Within these limitations for a number of years, I attempted to earn a living and at the same time conserve my eyesight, with he pleasant result of seeing myself standing still. I would have done better had I not always been filled with the force-sapping fear of the entire loss of my eyesight”. 

Much of his working years, he had been a salesman of some sort. When Harry decided to move forward, he went back to selling. Turning to friends for suggestions, he evaluated the ideas based on his friendship. Several of these ideas were most unsuccessful. In particular was the selling of hosiery. Harry let a friend set him up with a “deal” that would provide him in bulk, hosiery that he would sell door-to-door. The quality of the hosier proved to be unsatisfactory. Many complained. But not to him.

The complaints were to their sighted friends. So, if he made a sale, it was due to the charitable moment of the purchaser. When Harry discovered this, he dropped the line. 

He found that it was a rare exception that a sighted person wanted to buy from him as a straight business deal as they would have with him when he was sighted. Most of the people he dealt with expected very little from him and if he did exceed their expectations, they did not notice. 

Harry said the hosiery taught him a valuable lesson. He told that same reporter, “He (a blind man) cannot succeed by selling the same goods as anyone else for less money—they must not only be cheaper, but better”. As a blind man, he had to be better or he would live down to the charity standards set for him by his neighbors. 

For several months, Harry sought out different manufactures for better hose. He purchased a sample, tested it and determined its viability on his own,  Finally, he found a superior quality product, but it was more expensive. He hoped that he could convince his previous customers that this new product would be cheaper in the long run as it would last longer. 

He struck out on his old rout. Many of his old customers did not have time to listen to his pitch. Those answering the door said the persons he was looking for had moved, well, maybe. The previous attempts of selling a product he had not thoroughly examined had ruined his door-to-door opportunities. 

Next he opened a newsstand. This was a different type of selling. Customers came to him at his locations. The stock was the products that were the same as the sighted. But how to attract a loyal customer base and distinguish himself as a preferred salesman. An ordinance had been passed that allowed blind men to operate a newsstand and also sell other goods, thus, giving the blind news dealer an advantage. 

Just as all of the news dealers were required, Harry went down to City Hall to obtain his permits to operate news stands under the elevated railroad stations. He asked that the permits include the ability to sell candy, hose and other goods at his stand. He did receive the permits for the newspapers and magazines, but that was all. Knowing the regulations, Harry appealed the decision. Again, he was denied. 

Harry then asked for assistance from Maurice Blumenthal a former Assistant Attorney General. Blumenthal reviewed his case and found that the statutes did allow for the sale of newspapers and magazines as well as “other goods” as long as the owner of the stand was blind. Harry should be allowed to sell candy, pencils and other small goods. After the letter of determination was given to the city, Harry received his permits. 

Incidentally, with a better attitude and taking control of his business, Harry now had money put away, extra money to give to help others and was back to a comfortable standard of living.  

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