[stylist] Working in blindness field

[Julie J.]

Bridget,

Could it be that more of the state board members and generally more 
really active members of the NFB are working in the blindness field 
because blindness is their passion?It makes sense to me that if 
promoting opportunities for blind people was your life's mission that 
you'd work in that field and be more active within an organization that 
supported you.  I do think all blind people have an interest in 
achieving true equality for blind people. However I think for some it is 
their major life's work, while for others of us it is something we do 
when we can around our other main pursuits. So it makes sense to me that 
there would be a large number of people within the NFB that do or want 
to work in the blindness field.

I've been blind for around 20 years now.  While I do know quite a few 
blind people who work in the blindness field, I'd say I know a larger 
number who don't.  Perhaps that's because I have never been very 
involved in leadership within the NFB.  It does seem that those in 
leadership positions do work in the blindness field much more 
frequently.  Again that makes sense to me due to their strong interest 
and commitment to the cause.

Julie



On 2/17/2013 11:13 PM, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:
> Ashley,
>
> Without actual stats, we can't really debate this, but that being said,
> I beg to differ, at least to a degree.
>
> I don't think anyone here is trying to make generalizations seeing as we
> all are blind, but we are all speaking from our experiences and personal
> observations.
>
> In the ten years I've been blind, which isn't long compared to some,
> I've met more blind people working in a blindness-related field or
> hoping to be employed in a blindness related field. For every lawyer,
> teacher and computer programmer I've met, I've met ten who worked in a
> job relating to blindness.
>
> There's nothing wrong with this, and most of us would agree that blind
> people need to be working in these fields, but I also think it can
> become a safety net for some; not all, but many.
>
> I've been to NFB conventions, and yes, there are people employed in
> various fields, and many scholarship winners plan to, or are, pursuing a
> myriad of career paths, but again, for every one of these people I've
> met, I've met a dozen working in the blindness field. Or many of these
> people end up in a blindness field despite their choice of degree.
>
> And having heard several scholarship winners speak at conventions, a
> good number of them hope to work in some way in a blindness field or
> teaching the blind. Again, nothing wrong with this, and we do need blind
> people doing this, but, for me, it shows how many blind people go into a
> blindness related field.
>
> And in our affiliate, most of the leadership either works in the
> blindness field or hopes too. Of our eleven state board members, only
> two are employed outside of a blindness field, and one is working
> towards a degree so they can work in a blindness job.
>
> More and more blind people are seeking opportunities outside of a
> blindness related career, but many are still drawn to the field for
> whatever reason. Again, we need strong, competent blind people in this
> field, but we also need to consider what we truly want as a person and
> not a blind person.
>
> And a side note, I don't think Lynda meant anything negative by her
> comments nor was she implying all blind people work in a blindness
> related field. She was merely detailing her experience and speaking to
> that experience alone.
>
> Bridgit
>
> Message: 11
> Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2013 22:28:29 -0500
> From: "Ashley Bramlett"<bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List"<stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Sending this again: Article
> 	showingwhatparentsofblindkids are facing
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> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> 	reply-type=response
>
> Lynda,
> I beg to differ. Have you been to a nfb convention?
> There are people employed in all walks of life and most scholarship
> winners
> have a career aspiration in a non blindness field; they include future
> teachers, therapists, researchers,  counselors, and doctors.
> Most blind people I know work either in the IT field as computer
> programmers
> or in the government, far from the blindness
> fields! Read the braille monitor and you will see the wide variety of
> fields
> too!
>
>
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