[NFBMI-Talk] Sharing Something I Did for BEAM

[Deborah Wellington]

Hi John,

Thank you for your kind words. I agree with you concerning what you said about my stepfather. He had done a lot for me during my Tinder years of life and he continues to do so spiritually. Take care and I will see you soon.
Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 6, 2024, at 1:55 PM, John C. Scott via NFBMI-Talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Dear Debbie,
> 
> It is Ok for you to share your story.  The depths of concerns and confusion
> you were required to struggle through is not a new story for a blind person.
> The blessing of a stepfather that believed in your ability to persevere and
> grow not withstanding your disability is heart warming.  I do believe he is
> spiritually looking on now and smiling.   
> 
> Warmest Regards,
> 
> 
> 
> John C. Scott
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBMI-Talk <nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Deborah
> Wellington via NFBMI-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, November 5, 2024 3:16 PM
> To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List' <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: debrag1374 at sbcglobal.net
> Subject: [NFBMI-Talk] Sharing Something I Did for BEAM
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> 
> 
> I wanted to share this before now, but it wasn't ready to be published until
> some time last week. I hope that it is okay to share this here.
> 
> Kari Havenaar from Disability Network that serves Washtenaw, Livingston and
> Monroe counties was working on a project blog for BEAM about people who have
> multiple identities and she asked me if I'd be interested in working with
> her on this project. My story is below.
> 
> 
> 
> Blind and Low Vision Awareness + Intersectionality
> 
> Written by Debbie Wellington and Kari Havenaar, MA
> 
> 
> 
> Image Description: Debbie is sitting on a black leather chair with a white
> wall in the background and is wearing a bright red shirt. Debbie has brown
> eyes and brown hair that is styled in locs. Debbie is looking straight
> forward and smiling.
> 
> Debbie, a blind resident of Michigan, has been a participant in our blind
> and low vision peer group at Disability Network for 2 years. Here at DNWML,
> our blind and low vision support group is open to individuals across the
> state. This is her story.
> 
> ---
> 
> Growing up in a mixed-race family was a blend of interesting, confusing, and
> awkward experiences. I was diagnosed as visually impaired at birth due to
> Retinitis Pigmentosa, and at the age of 37 lost almost all of my vision. My
> mother, a European/Native American from Canada, and my biological father, a
> Black/Native American from Chicago, IL, were not well-versed in raising a
> visually impaired child. I wasn't alone in this; my sister is also visually
> impaired. When my mother married my stepfather, life took a different turn.
> My stepfather, a Black man from Mississippi, became more of a father to me
> than my biological father ever was. He was a strong, determined man who
> never gave up easily. He ensured I attended all my eye appointments,
> received a proper education, and, most importantly, believed in me. My
> mother, on the other hand, shared my biological father's doubts about my
> independence, possibly due to cultural differences or a lack of education
> 
> Junior high school was a challenging time. I was often bullied for wearing
> thick glasses, leading me to fight back and eventually get suspended. My
> mother had to bring me back to school, after my suspension, and her presence
> sparked curiosity and ridicule about my having a white mother. Despite
> attending a mixed-race school, the ones who mocked me were mostly
> Dark-skinned Black girls, while Latino students were generally kind, and
> Black boys were friendly. The presence of colorism was rampant within the
> school system I attended and that shaped my experiences with the school
> system. I also received blatant racism from staff and other students who
> were white as well. One incident that stands out was when my typing teacher,
> (a white woman), upon seeing my mother, asked if I was adopted. Her question
> disturbed me, and I responded, "No, haven't you ever heard of a mixed-race
> person?" My answer clearly unsettled her.
> 
> My stepfather passed away when I was fifteen, but he left me with a lasting
> legacy: the belief that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. As an
> adult, I felt compelled to prove to my mother and biological father the
> values my stepfather had instilled in me. It wasn't until then that my
> mother began to respect me and treat me like my other siblings, a dynamic
> that lasted until her passing in 2007. These experiences have shaped my life
> as someone with intersecting identities.
> 
> My life today looks a bit different in some ways than that of my childhood.
> I am a mother who also has a mixed-race daughter; however, she isn't looked
> at as mixed race because of the darker complexion she possesses. The effects
> of colorism are still prevalent today in my experiences with others. In
> comparison to my young adulthood, I am immensely more confident with myself
> and my disability, even though the community around me still struggles with
> internalized ableism, especially with the blind and or low vision community.
> I am always a work in progress as I learn and grow through the stages of
> life. I also have very creative hobbies today and love to sing and consider
> myself to be quite funny and make others laugh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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