[stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field

Mon Feb 18 19:01:40 UTC 2013

Wonderful! My son has his MS in Education Counseling - and works at a high 
school in MD.  -  very good field.

Lynda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "justin williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 12:51 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field

> Thank you.  I appreciate that.  Yes, I am in school right now.  Masters of
> rehabilitation counseling with a wish to obtain my phd afterwards in
> counseling education.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda 
> Lambert
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 12:49 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>
> Excellent if far more desirable than "good."
> Good ends up being Plan B or Plan C.
> Go for EXCELLENT! You are a very sharp young man - go for EXCELLENCE.
>
> Lynda
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "justin williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 12:30 PM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>
>
>> Yeah, I am inclined to agree.  Plan a is usually the best path in the 
>> long
>> run.  Of course, that changes as you gog through your different stages of
>> life.  I would always encourage someone to take your skill set, develop
>> it,
>> then put yourself in the best possible chance to succeed.  I firmly
>> believe
>> in what Jim Brown said.  "You just got to be good."
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda
>> Lambert
>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 12:24 PM
>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>>
>> I recommend the book, "Cockeyed" - which is available through library of
>> congress for the reading machines we have - a teenager who was going
>> blind,
>> and became a professor of English - it is super funny - and yet so
>> enlightening as to the high goals a person can achieve by never settling
>> for
>> Plan B.
>> My advice, is, those who plan for Plan B, end up being there instead of 
>> at
>> Plan A where they really wanted to be.
>> I do not believe in settling for anything less than the absolute desire 
>> of
>> your heart - Plan A is the only acceptable plan in my own life. I am an
>> advid believer in being completely outside the comfort level for as long
>> as
>> it takes to achieve your goals. And, once you are "there" you continue to
>> work your butt off without any excuses.
>> Excellence is the only path worth following.
>>
>> Lynda
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "justin williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
>> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 10:52 AM
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>>
>>
>>> New Braska is all kinds of awesome.  Some states are better than others.
>>> Any field is open, but you may have to move to find it.  Aiwa is another
>>> good state.  Leaving out the venders and customer service reps, no
>>> disrespect to any of the people in those fields, human service or
>>> computer
>>> programming fields followed by professors  and lawyers seem to be where
>>> totals or braille users work.  This is by no means cut and dry, and I am
>>> not
>>> including lo vision applicants, because the better your sight, the more
>>> likely you will be to have a job which is outside of that block of 
>>> fiends
>>> that I just mentioned.  I've met braille users in just about every type
>>> of
>>> career field, but keep in mind that a person who is blind does develop
>>> and
>>> emphasize a slightly different skill set which naturally fits them 
>>> better
>>> to
>>> certain fields.  Going outside of those fields generally speaking, will
>>> force the person to have to constantly perform at a higher level of 
>>> skill
>>> just to have a chance of success.  Of course, that is possible.  But
>>> remember, I am making a basic statement.  Feel free to enlighten me
>>> further.  Remember, I am saying this with the caveat  that anything is
>>> possible, and I have met Blind teachers, mechanics, business owners who
>>> are
>>> not venders, cabinent makers, among others.  Not all of the teachers 
>>> were
>>> teachers of the bisually impaired.  Some taught in standard classroom
>>> formats.  I have heard of blind electricians, met travel agents, there
>>> you
>>> go, travel agent is another field for the blind, and even read the
>>> article
>>> on the blind doctor. I think he is somewhere in canada.
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert
>>> Leslie
>>> Newman
>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 9:14 AM
>>> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
>>> Subject: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>>>
>>> Guys
>>> Back when I started working for the commission for the Blind here in
>>> Nebraska, back in the seventies, our federation had the mindset (this is
>>> a
>>> generalization) that if you as a blind person had one of those jobs, 
>>> then
>>> you were suspect, as in you had gone over to the other side, that of the
>>> enemy! (This was the state of relations between the progressive blind 
>>> and
>>> the rehab services.) Boy, back then, in a NFB chapter around here, you
>>> mostly weren't encouraged to try and become an officer, because it was
>>> feared that you would be a spy for the rehab side, and would be pushing
>>> their (the bad guys) agenda. But --- this all changed. Here in Nebraska
>>> and
>>> in New Mexico and maybe in some other states, the NFB got the bad agency
>>> head folks fired and had a hand in who and what changes had to occur ---
>>> and
>>> so the NFB philosophy got the upper hand. And then, it became respectful
>>> for
>>> NFB members to be part of the rehab scene. (Here in the Omaha chapter we
>>> still have one older member, like in the 80's who doesn't like seeing a
>>> rehab professional being in a leadership position.)
>>>
>>> Think of it, one of the larger and more active NFB Division's is the
>>> Rehabilitation Professionals.
>>>
>>> #2 Taking a serious look at job opportunities for the blind in blind
>>> related
>>> professions --- count up the number of rehab agencies and/or other
>>> services
>>> around the country and add up how many blind folks are working within
>>> them
>>> and I bet that number is not as great as you think!!! Consider, that in
>>> general, the not so good agencies who have low expectations are the ones
>>> that will more than likely hire only a few token blind workers. And the
>>> better rehab services, which are the minority in this nationwide group
>>> that
>>> we are looking at --- sure, they may have more blind guys on staff.
>>> (Nebraska at present has 1 blind related rehab service only. They have a
>>> total staff at the commission that numbers around 55 and 17 are blind.
>>> All
>>> other employed blind people work in a variety of other jobs; Nebraska is
>>> one
>>> of the better states for employment of the blind and there are a bunch 
>>> of
>>> folks that are doing all kinds of jobs.) So watch that thought of yours,
>>> that there are a big number of blind folks working in blind related
>>> jobs ---
>>> for either reason of- A. That is where they are accepted. Or B. That it
>>> is
>>> the job that the blind think of first as to what they can do.
>>>
>>> (Just my rambling for this morning.)
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 7:08 AM
>>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Working in blindness field
>>>
>>> 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
>>>> Message-ID:<D073072BEB3F4E1F938EB6B7A6FF190A at OwnerPC>
>>>> 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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>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
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