[Nfb-or] Fw: A Somewhat Secret Call + An Invite to PDX Blind Cafe 2!!!
T. Joseph Carter
carter.tjoseph at gmail.com
Sun Nov 14 07:55:04 UTC 2010
So I was at a state convention—Colorado 2006. There was a woman
there whose son had no usable vision. He was ten. And he was
allowed to do nothing on his own, because mommy was always there to
keep him from actually experiencing life.
I was there because Julie Deden asked me to speak in a panel
discussion for a parents' group about the effects of growing up as a
"partially sighted" child, living with the deficit thinking we all
understand all too well. I was there a bit early for the panel
discussion.
I arrived just as the NFB was about to talk with these parents about
travel skills. Now, we know how the NFB talks to sighted people
about cane travel, right? The discussion begins something like,
"Here, take this cane and blindfold. We're going for a walk." Since
I had nothing better to do, I tagged along. Turns out I was with
this woman who had been so overprotective.
She was extremely unsure of herself. Her travel instructor had
managed to convince her to walk down the corridor, a straight line,
and that was it. She fumbled her way past the chairs and out into
the corridor, and we began walking.
Despite her uneasiness, I've got to say that she was a natural cane
user. She seemed to have her cane pretty well centered, and was
walking in-step just fine. The only problem was that she would
frequently stop and then start moving again. Then she asked, "How do
you...is it actually possible to walk in a straight line?"
Of course, she had a travel instructor with her, but far be it from
me to keep my big mouth shut, right? So I answered her: "Yes, and in
fact you're doing a pretty good job of it. Don't trust the tiles in
the floor, though, they're at an angle." She answered that she
hadn't realized that, and began walking again, no longer stopping.
She was doing a better job of it than I did the first couple of DAYS
under sleepshade.
As we reached the end of the corridor, where it zigs and then zags,
the mother stopped again and said, "This is where the hallway turns."
"Yes it is," I answered.
"It sounds more open on the left now."
"Yes it does."
"I never knew a blind person could tell this much about what was
going on around them!"
In that moment, how this woman would raise her son changed. I know
that to be true. From there, she decided that instead of turning
around, she wanted to follow the hallway as it zigged. When we got
to the zag, she opted to walk instead out the doors we found into the
parking lot.
We explored the parking lot and found the sidewalk next to the
street. We found the (non-trivial due to construction) intersection,
and we stood there as she tried to determine traffic patterns. And
just about when we'd figured it out, we realized that we needed to
make our way back inside.
As we entered the building, I told her, "Another ten minutes, and you
would've been crossing that street."
She answered, "Another ten minutes, I think I could've done it."
How blind people do the things they do shouldn't much matter to the
sighted world, but if the sighted do not believe a blind person CAN
do them, those who manage to do the seemingly impossible are magical
super blind people. We know that's not true, but they don't know any
better.
When sighted people do begin to understand how it is that we do what
we do, and how common and ordinary it truly is, we all profit from
the demystification.
Joseph
On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 09:08:47PM -0800, Mike Freeman wrote:
>I remain unconvinced. Moreover, I am not at all convinced that the
>sighted need "greater understanding" of how the blind function. I
>don't give a fig how a sighted person functions; it's enough for me
>to know that s/he does. Same oughtta go for the sighted wrt the
>blind.
>
>Mike
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Chrys Buckley"
><lotusmoonflowering at hotmail.com>
>To: "NFB Oregon" <nfb-or at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 7:36 PM
>Subject: Re: [Nfb-or] Fw: A Somewhat Secret Call + An Invite to PDX
>Blind Cafe 2!!!
>
>
>
>I have never been to a dinner in the dark, but I have heard the same
>thing as what you just described, Joseph. In fact, someone was saying
>that at the last Rose City meeting (I don't think you were there),
>that they thought that the sighted people who went came away with a
>greater understanding of blindness, and also that the sighted people
>seemed to have a better grasp on what blindness skills are all about.
>I guess it was a bit of a role reversal, where the sighted people
>realized they, not having the same types of skills, were at a bit of
>a disadvantage and that the blind people were getting along just
>fine, not just in eating, but also in navigating, etc.
>
>But, as I said, I've never been and haven't experienced it firsthand,
>so I am only relaying what I heard from someone else.
>
>Chrys
>
>
>
>>Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 18:44:19 -0800
>>From: carter.tjoseph at gmail.com
>>To: nfb-or at nfbnet.org
>>Subject: Re: [Nfb-or] Fw: A Somewhat Secret Call + An Invite to PDX
>>Blind Cafe 2!!!
>>
>>I dunno, the last time I took someone to a Dinner in the Dark sort of
>>event they came out of it with a greater understanding of blindness.
>>
>>Granted, it probably helped that I was there to explain a couple of
>>things to the poor sighties, but they'd have managed okay on their
>>own. We even managed to eat our food rather than wearing it (which
>>was a surprise for me, as I'm a bit clumsy, having little to do with
>>blindness.)
>>
>>Joseph
>>
>>On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 07:07:19AM -0800, Mike Freeman wrote:
>>>A blind cafe? We ought to protest! I can't think of a worse way
>>to >portray blindness!
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>
>>>On Nov 12, 2010, at 20:39, "Jerry Hathaway"
>>><jerry.hathaway2 at frontier.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Catherine Miller
>>>> To: undisclosed-recipients:
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 6:46 PM
>>>> Subject: A Somewhat Secret Call + An Invite to PDX Blind Cafe 2!!!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dear friends,
>>>>
>>>> Below you will find an up dated press release for a call to
>>Oregon >> artists and writers + fun info about a special event.
>>>>
>>>> We ask that you forward this Email to everyone you think could
>>use this >> information.
>>>>
>>>> A Somewhat Secret Place: Disability and Art is an inclusive show
>>and >> book project that will examine where in the arts disability
>>appears in >> both artistic practice and in representation.
>>>>
>>>> Learn more at www.asomewhatsecretplace.wordpress.com
>>>>
>>>> ----------------------------------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> A Somewhat Secret Call For Artists And Writers
>>>>
>>>> Portland, Oregon November 12, 2010
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "A SOMEWHAT SECRET PLACE: DISABILITY AND ART" is an inclusive >>
>>universally-designed show and book project that will examine where
>>in >> the arts disability appears in both artistic practice and in
>>>> representation. It will investigate the intersection of
>>contemporary >> art and disability in Oregon and demonstrate that
>>the relationship of >> contemporary fine art to disability is valid
>>and accessible to people >> with and without disabilities. The
>>exhibition will open in Portland >> July 2, 2011 and run through
>>July 30 2011.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Applications from the following categories will be considered
>>for >> inclusion in the art exhibition and fine art book: dance,
>>drawing, >> essay, fictional narrative, small-scale installation
>>art. .painting, >> performance art, photography, poetry,
>>printmaking, sculpture, theater >> and video/film. The Application
>>deadline is January 14, 2011. Stipends >> of $100 will be awarded
>>to 12 fine artists, 4 performing artists, and >> 12 writers
>>selected for inclusion in the exhibition and book. At the >>
>>exhibition work will be represented by Mark Woolley. All art work
>>>> submitted must be for sale if the work can be sold.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served
>>basis. >> Applications received after the January 14, 2011 deadline
>>will not be >> reviewed. Application materials will not be
>>returned. Please make sure >> you have duplicate copies.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Application Assistance is available for all artists who are
>>unable to >> organize application materials independently. The
>>deadline for >> Application Assistance requests is December 10,
>>2010. The early >> Application Assistance deadline ensures that all
>>artists using the >> service will have their application submitted
>>by the January 14, 2011 >> deadline.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Applicants must be 18 years or older and live in Oregon or
>>Vancouver, >> WA. No formal art or literary education is necessary.
>>Both disabled and >> nondisabled artists, performers and writers
>>may apply.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Applications may be organized by a second party. Collaborative
>>>> applications will be accepted. Only complete applications
>>received by >> the January 14, 2011 due date will be considered.
>>Applicants must agree >> to the Terms of Application.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Please visit us on YouTube for a 5 part video of A Somewhat
>>Secret >> Place: Disability and Art Call for Submissions
>>Orientation and Lecture >> that took place at OHSU on the 11th of
>>October. CC coming soon!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> CONTACT AND APPLICATION INFORMATION
>>>>
>>>> Download all forms for application(s) at our blog >>
>>www.asomewhatsecretplace.wordpress.com. All applications must be
>>mailed >> or otherwise delivered in duplicate to:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ATT: Catherine J. H. Miller
>>>>
>>>> 1040 NW 10th Avenue #304
>>>>
>>>> Portland, OR 97209
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> If you have questions or comments, please contact Catherine J.H.
>>Miller >> at asomewhatsecretinfo at gmail.com or call 971-219-8302.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> Also, we want to let you know about an amazing event coming Dec.
>>2nd - >> 4th. This project is a big supporter of this event and
>>feel that it >> exemplify much of what we hope to highlight in our
>>book and exhibition >> project.
>>>>
>>>> The event is called The Portland Blind Cafe it is like the cafe
>>n. It’s >> essentially a concert, a community discussion and a
>>dinner that’s held >> in the complete pitch dark! All the servers
>>are blind and it’s >> fundraiser. Our Artistic and Project Director
>>Catherine J. H. Miller >> will be a local hostess, so please join
>>her there!
>>>>
>>>> Check it out:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.portlandblindcafe.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> And here is something fun if you are interested to see how far
>>spread >> this is and how it is different through out the world!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://www.danslenoir.com/london/history.php
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> A Somewhat Secret Place: Disability and Art Team
>>>> www.asomewhatsecretplace.wordpress.com
>>>> Like us on facebook!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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