[NFBF-L] Why I Identify as Blind When I Can (Kinda) See | by Lisa Ferris | Medium

Mon Oct 19 22:37:07 UTC 2020

Glad we have had some good discussion concerning the article.

Denise Valkema, President  National Federation of the Blind of Florida 
(305)972-8529
president at nfbflorida.org
www.nfbflorida.org
Follow us @nfbflorida
You can live the life you want.
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

> On Oct 18, 2020, at 10:14 PM, Diana1 via NFBF-L <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Kaye,
>  
> Thank you, again, for voicing my thoughts. I am no longer in Florida but my friends always have a place in my heart.
>  
> You really expressed what I feel as a high partial.
>  
> Things about high partials, at least my experience is, our sight capability varies according to light, distance, environment, and many other factors. So difficult to explain to people I cannot see under some circumstances and can move around and see under others.
>  
> I don’t have any progressive disease in my retina. But due to so many surgeries to repair retinal detachment I have lots of scars. That prevents me to see well in the dark. I’m totally blind when coming from light to dark. I have trouble following a helper inside the store because they walk too fast and I cannot follow them. So I’m learning to speak up and educate people.
>  
> If you educate them, they will work with you. My own sons cannot relate to my deficiencies. I educate them all the time. And their girlfriends. It’s part of our mission.
>  
> I don’t mind people trying to help me when I use my ID cane. I appreciate their concern with my well-being. We must accept our limitations, because we do have them, and welcome sincere people who just want to help. They usually don’t have a hidden agenda. Sometimes we do.
>  
> Being independent doesn’t mean we cannot ask or accept help. Dr. Schroeder always makes that point during his speeches. We can “feel” the difference between sincere concern and contempt.
>  
> These are my two cents.
>  
> You are awesome Kaye! I miss you.
>  
> Warmly,
> 
> Diana Oliveira
> NFBV Potomac Chapter, member
> NFBF Legislative Committee, member
> NABS, member
> NFB Employment Committee, member
> (305) 988-2713
> dianaoliveira58 at gmail.com
>  
> From: Kaye via NFBF-L
> Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2020 7:08 PM
> To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List
> Cc: kaye.j.zimpher at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [NFBF-L] Why I Identify as Blind When I Can (Kinda) See | by Lisa Ferris | Medium
>  
> I have always been “considered” totally blind, even though I have some light perception, and can see some shadows, objects and colors. Even those are going away as age sets in. Many times I have dealt with folks who were confused because I say I am blind, but can walk down a hall way alone, or can go to the doctor by myself. “Vision is not what makes a person capable of doing those things,” I tell them, and at times, to make others understand a little differently, I say I am totally blind with a bonus. This is a topic that is near and dear to me as like many of you, I have been trying to educate the public all my life and sometimes with little success 😊
> I think one thing we in an organization like the NFB have to be careful of is how we treat each other. I have been looked down on by many “high partials,” who simply just did not know, or want to know what a blind person is capable of because of their own fear. We have to educate the fearful, and encourage those around us that do have more vision to have higher expectations of us even if that scares them.
>  
>  
> From: NFBF-L <nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Judith Hamilton via NFBF-L
> Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2020 4:31 PM
> To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Judith Hamilton <hamilton.j.r.2309 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NFBF-L] Why I Identify as Blind When I Can (Kinda) See | by Lisa Ferris | Medium
>  
> I can relate to this. I have spent most of my life "sitting on the fence" Never feeling like I fit in the  fully "sighted group" due to the vision I don't have; nor the totally blind group because I do have some vision with magnification. I have been confronted by strangers who would say "You're not blind". Our society puts a lot of emphasis, possibly too much, on appearance. Now that I am in Act 3 of my life, I have come to terms with these issues by connecting with my NFB family and learning tools to put in my box so that the struggle is not so tough. It does not go away, but it is less. I am still progressing.
> Respectfully,
> Judy Hamilton
>  
> On Sun, Oct 18, 2020 at 3:29 PM Ryan Mann via NFBF-L <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> i agree. Even though I have a little bit of vision, I tell people that I am blind.
>  
> Get Outlook for iOS
> <248424E0011240B780C04FA5F38A7360.png>
> From: NFBF-L <nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of PLipovsky via NFBF-L <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2020 3:15:49 PM
> To: 'NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List' <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: PLipovsky <plipovsky at cfl.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: [NFBF-L] Why I Identify as Blind When I Can (Kinda) See | by Lisa Ferris | Medium
>  
> Agreed.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> From: NFBF-L <nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of DENISE VALKEMA via NFBF-L
> Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2020 2:59 PM
> To: NFBF <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; NFBF <nfbf-leaders at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: DENISE VALKEMA <valkemadenise at aol.com>
> Subject: [NFBF-L] Why I Identify as Blind When I Can (Kinda) See | by Lisa Ferris | Medium
> 
>  
> 
> Kimberly shared this with FPOBC on Facebook. I relate. What are your thoughts? 
> 
>  
> 
> “If you can only read with 20X magnification, you are going to read with incredible effort and incredibly slowly, as compared to the blind people reading braille at 200–300+ wpm. If you are afraid to go out at night because you are night blind, you are going to be more impaired than someone who can use their cane and go anywhere, anytime. If you struggle to find your way around your computer with only 1/9th of the monitor visable (through magnification) you are going to be more strained and tired, and less efficient than blind people who learned to use voice synthesized computer programs. The skills of blindness (basically, non visual methods of doing things) are almost always much more efficient than those that maximize vision, which cause strain, fatigue and can be unreliable. I think most people with some vision use maximizing strategies sometimes, but they gain the most function if they have a full bag of tricks. By not considering those with limited vision as blind, they weren’t considered for blindness skills training. It robbed them of the strategies that would make them almost fully funtional in a sighted world.”
> 
>  
> 
> https://medium.com/@lisaferris/why-i-identify-as-blind-when-i-can-kinda-see-2df3f6af5a0c
> 
> 
> Together, 
> 
> Denise Valkema, President  National Federation of the Blind of Florida 
> 
> (305)972-8529
> 
> president at nfbflorida.org
> 
> www.nfbflorida.org
> 
> Follow us @nfbflorida
> 
> You can live the life you want.
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
> 
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