[Nfbf-l] Mark your Calendar for March 15 and join us for Working Blind a Special Presentation on NFB Live

[Alan Dicey]

Working Blind
A discussion panel on employment and blindness
Join us on NFB Live on Sunday March 15, at 3:00 PM Eastern in the Events
Center for an inspirational discussion panel on blindness and employment
titled, working blind.
People with vision loss experience a rate of unemployment that far exceeds
that of the general population. The American Foundation of the Blind reports
that in September 2010, the most recent period for which there is data, 75
percent of the estimated 4 million adults in the U.S. who are completely or
partially blind are not in the labor force. A number of factors contribute
to this high rate of unemployment among the blind, and the exact rate of
unemployment itself is difficult to determine.
Our presentation, Working Blind, will introduce you to four blind or
visually impaired individuals who are currently employed. We will talk with
them about their careers, their lives and the satisfaction their jobs give
them. Our four presenters are a varied group. We will begin with Shelley
Gagnier, who works in Customer Service for Hi-Vee Foods Inc, Ray Wayne, who
is a supervising attorney at the New York City Commission on Human Rights,
Jonathan Brayfield, who is the manager of Southern Pride Vending, and
Charlie Richardson, who works as a Telesales Agent for AT&T.
Each of our guests will talk to us about their road to employment, how they
got their job, what they do, and the challenges and rewards of their chosen
professions.
Shelley Gagnier:
Shelley has been employed for the past six and a half years by the Hy-Vee
Inc. grocery chain. As of February, 2014, Hy-Vee had 236 stores located in 8
states, with more opening each month. Hy-Vee employs over 60,000 individuals
and is the largest employer in the state of Iowa. Shelley works in Customer
Service, answering the phones and responding to the many questions that are
asked by the shoppers stopping by the Customer Service counter during her
shifts. Shelley also prepares the many ad signs which reflect pricing
changes each week.
Shelley graduated from Mount Mercy College in 1980 with degrees in Sociology
and Criminal Justice Administration. She is married with two sons, Scott and
Matt.
Ray Wayne:
Ray is a supervising attorney at the New York City Commission on Human
Rights, where he has worked for over twenty years. He investigates and
prosecutes complaints of discrimination in employment, housing, and public
accommodation. Before moving to the Commission, Ray was a litigation
attorney at the New York City Law Department.
Ray is a 1985 graduate of Harvard Law School.
Jonathan Brayfield:
Jonathan Brayfield is a pastor in his church and is involved with multiple
church activities. He is the manager of Southern Pride Vending and has a
rout and one facility with several satellites. These include a few
facilities that are not state agencies and are more community based. He is a
part of the RSA Illinois Business Enterprise program for the Blind. He runs
one main Facility with several lesser facilities attached for a total of
approximately 30 facilities and 140 vending machines.
Charlie Richardson:
Charlie works for AT&T in one of their national call centers in the wireless
department as a Telesales Agent. His main duties are to sell new lines of
cell phone service and set up new accounts, but can help customers with
general requests. He also cross sells home services. He has been doing this
for almost a year.
We hope that this forum will serve as a springboard to promote discussion
and create interest in employment for the blind.
The blind are not psychologically or mentally different from the sighted. We
are neither especially blessed nor especially cursed. We need jobs,
opportunity, social acceptance, and equal treatment-not pity and custody.
I believe that blindness has no more importance than any of a hundred other
characteristics and that the average blind person is able to perform the
average job in the average place of business, and do it as effectively as
the average sighted person similarly situated.
The above quotes from Dr. Jernigan are found in: KENNETH JERNIGAN, THE
MASTER, THE MISSION, THE MOVEMENT; Compiled writings of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan
with editorial introduction and notes on the text. A publication of the
National Federation of the Blind.
If you require more information on our presentation, Feel free to contact
Julie at:

julie at nfblive.com
If you are not a member of NFB Live, you can join our site by filling out
the form located at:

http://www.nfblive.org/join.htm

You will receive an email with your username and password within 24 hours of
submitting your application.  Please remember that if you have never
accessed a Talking Community before, you will need to download and install
the First time user's plugin to be able to interact in our rooms.  Please
note that you will need a microphone and speakers, or a headset to
participate.

We'll see you on the site.
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Florida