[Ohio-Talk] Kinshuk Tella's Article is in the body of this email - FYI.

[Carolyn Peters]

Blessings Kenshoc on your continued success keep rising…
Cheerfully, Carolyn Peters

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 9, 2022, at 1:14 PM, ali benmerzouga via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Great job Kinshuk! Keep it up!
> Thanks Marianne for sharing!
> 
> The Article starts here:
> 
> Allyship and Advocacy
> 
> Kinshuk Tella receives an award at Miami University.
> 
> From the Editor: Kinshuk Tella is a junior at Miami University in Oxford,
> Ohio, where he is majoring in geology and environmental science. At the 2021
> NFB National Convention he was awarded an Oracle Scholarship valued at
> $8,000, given to a blind student in a STEM field. 
> 
> 
> I'm sure many blind students can relate to my journey into a STEM field
> (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Like many blind high
> school
> seniors, I researched colleges, visited campuses, and talked to professors
> and disability service officers. By the last semester of my high school
> experience,
> I had narrowed my search down to two schools: The Ohio State University and
> Miami University. 
> To make my final decision, I visited Miami University and met with the head
> of the environmental science department. I'll call him Dr. S. My parents and
> I sat in Dr. S.'s office, talking about my interest in the natural sciences
> and earth science. I explained that I wanted to do research and explore
> various
> possibilities for my career path. 
> Dr. S. recognized my interest, and he was enthusiastic about having me
> enroll. He told me about a wonderful program he organized, taking
> undergraduate
> and graduate students to Zimbabwe. The students worked on hydrogeological
> projects to help local communities. I was sold! I couldn't wait to go to
> Zimbabwe
> with this guy!
> Eventually, however, I had to bring up the issue of disability
> accommodations. At that time I was in a very different place in my life
> regarding my blindness
> from where I am now. I did not even own a cane, let alone use one! In a
> first encounter it was not obvious that I'm blind. Dr. S. was not aware of
> my blindness
> until I raised the topic myself. I had to discuss the access barriers I
> might encounter as a blind student in my major and explain how
> accommodations would
> make it possible for me to complete my coursework. 
> As soon as I mentioned blindness accommodations, the conversation shifted.
> Dr. S. explained that the school offered a less demanding degree in my
> field.
> I could earn a degree that involved less fieldwork, less research, and fewer
> presentations. There was no further talk about Zimbabwe. 
> As I listened to Dr. S., I didn't fully realize what was happening. Later,
> though, on the drive home, I started to ponder. Dr. S. was enthusiastic
> about
> the Zimbabwe trip when he wanted to encourage me to enroll at the
> university. Why did he suddenly change gears and start talking to me about
> easier options?
> I realized the change happened because I had revealed my disability.
> Despite these concerns, I decided to enroll at Miami University. On my first
> day on campus I realized I had to take control of my education. I deserved
> a proper education like everybody else in my class, and to receive that
> education I had to advocate for myself. I had to work on building
> relationships.
> I had to learn to talk to my professors, to engage with them on many levels.
> Through my efforts at self-advocacy, I even managed to change Dr. S.'s mind
> about my potential. He is now one of my advisors, and he has written
> numerous references for me. With his help and the support of the department,
> I have
> been able to travel and present my research on several occasions. Last
> summer, I worked in San Diego for a power company. I worked on issues around
> compliance
> with environmental regulations. I'm now on track to earn a masters and a
> doctoral degree. 
> Geoscience is a tough field, and it gets harder and harder every semester.
> For a blind student, studying in a STEM field 'is very challenging because
> STEM
> subjects are taught very visually. There are endless labs and group projects
> that involve creating charts and diagrams. I remind myself that every field
> has its challenges, and what matters is to follow your passion.
> The field of geoscience is the least diverse of all the STEM fields-and STEM
> is incredibly non-diverse to begin with. I live with the intersection of two
> minorities-I am blind, and I am South Asian. Living and working as a dual
> minority really takes a toll on you! 
> One of the most important things I've learned from my experiences is that
> allyship is your best friend. It's not only important to have allies, but to
> have allies who are active on your behalf. Active allies are those who
> understand your experiences. Not only can they help you directly, but they
> can model
> how others should treat you. One person who really understands you can make
> all the difference! Your ally can be a professor, an advisor, or even a
> peer.
> That person can be a model for others, showing others how to serve you
> better.
> I have learned that proactivity and frequency of contact are vital when I
> communicate with professors and disability services coordinators. I arrange
> my
> first meetings with them even before I register for class. We talk about how
> the class is run and how I can get access to all of the course material. 
> It isn't enough for me to communicate with the professor and disability
> coordinator once or twice at the beginning of the semester. Throughout the
> course,
> I make sure to have frequent communication. We talk about labs and
> assignments. We discuss how my studies are going and ways my access can be
> improved.
> 
> Working out accommodations can be incredibly difficult sometimes! Right now
> I'm taking a structural geology course where the labs are based on
> straight-up
> mapping. It's very difficult for me to navigate my assignments nonvisually!
> We take it lab by lab and find solutions to each problem as it arises. It
> may
> take an extra week or two for me to complete the work, but I make sure I get
> the lab done. 
> If you're a person who is considered diverse in a STEM field, you often have
> to work harder than others to get the same results. Furthermore, you have
> to carry a lot of responsibilities. You may discover that you want to be an
> advocate for other people on your campus and beyond. 
> I have learned a great deal by advocating through NFB and through
> organizations on campus. People in underrepresented groups often are asked
> to serve on
> committees to help make the school more equitable and accessible. When work
> on one committee is completed, another committee pops up. If you're not
> careful,
> you may find yourself spending more time on committees than you spend on
> your academic work. This is where self-care comes into play. You can only
> serve
> other people when you take good care of yourself.
> I'm learning all the time how to advocate for myself and how to advocate for
> other people as well. I truly feel that the NFB is a great community of
> mentors
> and peers, dedicated to supporting everyone. By working together, we can
> take control of our lives.
> 
> End of the Article.
> Ali
> 
> 
> 
> 
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