[Tn-talk] Tennessee Voice Volume 1 Fall 2013 email edition
Dwight Johnson
dwightej7 at comcast.net
Sat Oct 19 01:58:36 UTC 2013
Tennessee Voice Vol. 1
Fall 2013, Dwight Johnson, Editor
Distributed by email and Braille by the National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee.
James Brown, President
4113 Tea Garden Way
Antioch, TN 3 7 0 1 3
Telephone: (615) 412-9632
Email Address: president at nfb-tn.org
Website Address: www.nfb-tn.org
Letters to the president, address changes, and subscription requests should be sent to
Dwightej7 at comcast.net
Articles for the Tennessee Voice and letters to the editor may be sent to
Dwight.johnson at mtsu.edu
Thank you for your interest and support. By donating to the NFB of Tennessee, you can help make a significant difference in the lives of blind people across the great state of Tennessee.
Please make checks payable to NFB of TN and send them to
National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee
1429 Reata Pass
Memphis, TN 38109
The National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee is a non-profit organization of the blind working together to improve the quality of life for all blind people in Tennessee.
Flash Back to the Past
We hope you enjoy this section that will always highlight a famous Federationist. This quarter we profile a most important leader in the march toward true equality for blind Tennesseans.
Mr. Lev Williams
Mr. Lev Williams, President of the Memphis Federation of The Blind, transitioned on June 11th of this year. He was the eighth of ten children born on April 9, 1936 to Henry and Laura Black Williams who were tenant farmers in Columbus (Lowndes County), Mississippi. He was a retired educator from Memphis City Schools (June 1998) as a Special Education Supervisor of the Visually Limited Program K-12 system wide along with the Physically Handicapped Program and Shrine School.
At an early age, he joined Trinity C.M. E. Church of Lowndes County with the rest of the Williams family. He joined Sanders Chapel C.M. E. Church along with the family when it relocated to the City of Columbus in December 1943. God was always a central force and strength for Lev as well as his mother, Ms Laura.
Lev graduated from R.E. Hunt High School in 1956 in Columbus, MS. He then went on to college at Mississippi Industrial College in Holly Springs, MS. In 1958, as a 21-year old student, Lev was the victim of a freak accident. He and some friends were walking on campus at night when an unknown assailant fired a shotgun into the group. He was hit in the face and later became totally blind because of the injury.
After a year out of school and several months of training at the Arkansas Center of the Blind in Little Rock, Lev decided it was time to continue his education. He probably would have been able to see out of one eye afterwards, but Lev was so determined to get back into school, that the strain caused the one good eye to fail.
In 1962, he completed requirements for a BS degree in Psychology from Tennessee State University in Nashville. He was selected as "Mr. Brains" by the senior class. Under a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, he attended graduate school at the University of Kentucky & Washington University of St. Louis, Missouri. In 1964, he received a Master's degree in Psychology from Washington University. He later attended graduate schools in the fields of special education & administration at Memphis State University and George Peabody College.
In 1965, Lev came to Memphis from Columbus, MS. He immediately began working as a resource teacher of the visually impaired in the Memphis City School System. After 1 ½ years, he became an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired. In 1973, he was promoted to supervisor & served in that capacity for the next twenty-five years. At all levels, Lev was actively involved in the National Federation of the Blind. He was also an active member of Mount Olive Cathedral CME Church.
Lev was married in 1966 to his devoted wife, Barbara Davis Williams for 47 years. She was his "partner" for life as he so often called her. She was always by his side. They were like two peas in a pod. The marriage produced a stepson (William Kelly Davis) and a biological daughter (Constance L. Williams King). His son died in 1994.
He is predeceased by his parents, Henry and Laura Black Williams; his siblings- Johnnie B. Williams, Izella Williams Bennett, Estella Williams, Virginia Williams Follins, Jim Henry Williams, Willie Lee Williams, Freddie C. Williams, Jimmy Lee Williams, Joseph Williams, and son, William Kelly Davis.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Davis Williams, daughter, Constance L. Williams (Sam) King, grandchildren, Laura Carolyn King and Samuel Scott King, II and Gerald A. Davis; two sister-in-laws Geraldine Rosemary (Gerald) Johnson of St. Louis, Mo; Janet Davis of Columbus, MS. A favorite niece, Delphine Williams of St. Louis, MO, niece Katrina Williams & nephew Jimmy Williams both of Atlanta, GA, and a host of nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends.
LIFE REFLECTIONS
Lev was an advocate for the blind. He was very active with the National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee and the Memphis Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. He was also a lifetime member with the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association and Memphis Chapter.
Lev organized and managed the nationally recognized Comprehensive Vision Center which provided visually limited services, utilizing the most up-to-date equipment and technology for developing mobility and independence for blind and visually impaired students. Under his supervision, the center provided Braille books for the blind and large print books for the visually limited in all subject areas.
Blind and low vision students were transported from their home schools to the center for specialized vision training. The areas included typing, Braille reading & writing, orientation and mobility, use of adaptive aids and technology, home functioning, and wood shop. He was also the liaison for MCS with the Tennessee School for the Blind located in Nashville, TN.
Lev was totally blind and traveled independently throughout the city from school to school working with teachers, students, and administrators.
Lev became the first black member in the Memphis Lion's club and went on to form the Memphis Blind Lion's Club-the first and only one in the state to date. Lev also served in leadership positions with the National Federation of the Blind at the local, state and national levels. He had published historical papers of significant importance in these organizations publications.
He was Supervisor of the Visually Limited Program for Memphis City Schools. He was the first blind teacher in the Memphis City Schools. He also organized and taught basic adult education for the adult blind-the first of its kind in the nation. Lev also taught at then, Memphis State University, the courses on Visual Impairment which was the certification required for Visually Handicapped teachers.
Lev had the indisputable reputation for being the legal advisor, historian, and general expert in all matters pertaining to the history and development of Special Education laws and services for the handicapped for Memphis City Schools.
Through all of the foregoing he remained dedicated to the well-being of his family. The family was an intricate part of and was always supportive in all of the activities.
Acknowledgements
The family of Lev Williams acknowledges with sincere and heartfelt appreciation every act of kindness and love shown to us during this period of bereavement for our family. It has been a comforting blessing to each of us. Your prayers, cards, flowers, telephone calls, visits, fruit arrangements, and other kind expressions of sympathy have served as a source of strength to us.
Daddy
I will always be your little girl. You have taught me so much & always made me think things through. Your wealth of knowledge and determination was amazing and to know that I had a personal walking book of knowledge was great! You were always a phone call away. Although one of my physical rocks has been moved, when I look in the mirror I see you. I knew you were totally blind (many would say you could see a little), but my only wish is that you had an opportunity to see me just once.
Love,
Connie
Editor's note: If you have any suggestions or articles for our flash back section, please forward it with haste.
Summer 2013 Profiles
Stephanie DeLuca, AL - TN, Graduate level - PhD.
See attached photo.
(Now in her fifth year of graduate studies in structural biology at Vanderbilt University, Stephanie is writing computer software that will help scientists understand the molecular basis of disease by allowing them to see what biomolecules look like. Her career goal upon receiving her Ph.D. is to use her background in science to implement and improve public policy concerning STEM research and education.
Stephanie, one of this year's tenBroek fellows, is president of the TN Association of Blind Students, and an active participant in the work of the local NFB chapter of Middle Tennessee. She is particularly involved in assisting the NFB of Tennessee's legislative committee and attended the NFB Washington Seminar in 2013.
In addition to her Ph.D. research and NFB activities, Stephanie "beams" STEM labs to rural, often underprivileged K-12 students across the United States by volunteer-teaching STEM labs through videoconferencing. To improve her own public outreach skills, Stephanie volunteered as a GED tutor at the Nashville YWCA from 2012-2013 and is currently developing a public exhibit on her own research through the Nashville Adventure Science Center's Science Communication Fellows Program. In order to gain more experience in program administration and management, she has taken the lead, under faculty supervision, in organizing and implementing a science communication certificate program targeted at graduate students in STEM disciplines.
Concerning her own field of research, Stephanie's advisor, Dr. Jens Meiler, wrote, "Stephanie joined my laboratory in April 2009 after expressing her interest in computational protein structure prediction and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. . . . And she performed a year-long computational research internship in Germany." He notes, "She is either primary or co-first author on four peer-reviewed research articles and has given both oral and poster presentations at nineteen scientific conferences." This includes an invited oral presentation at the Biophysical Society's Membrane Protein Folding Meeting in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2013.
Heather Rasmussen, TN - DC, Senior.
See attached photo.
(This fall, Heather will continue working toward a bachelor's degree in International Studies with a focus on Peace and Conflict Resolution and a minor in Spanish, plus many credits in Criminal Justice (by 2014). After graduating from high school, Heather attended CCB, followed by acceptance at American University in Washington, DC, with its top reputation for her field.
Heather may have grown up on a goat farm in rural Tennessee, but she has always been interested in foreign languages and cultures. She spent most of a summer during her high school years with a sister in Geneva, Switzerland, studies Spanish for her required other language on the college level, and last summer, completed an internship with the nonprofit American Association of People with Disabilities. To augment her studies, Heather spent the past academic year studying abroad in Galway, Ireland. Whether in DC or in Galway, she regularly attends conferences and seminars on politically-oriented topics. Other interests are listening to Celtic music; reading high fantasy; enjoying her friends, animals, and the natural world; and cycling.
Heather's interest in prison reform began with a service project with a local group that assisted people newly-released from prison past the many barriers in our society as they attempted to readjust to life in the community. Since then she has researched systems in other countries around the world, especially in Scandinavia. Heather is debating whether to aim for a job in international conflict resolution or American prison reform, and whether to look for a nonprofit advocacy organization to hire her with her bachelor's degree or continue on to graduate school. As she says, her main goal is to instigate positive change in the world.
Stephanie Zundel, NJ - TN, Freshman.
See attached photo.
Stephanie is moving from graduation in 2013 in New Jersey to Vanderbilt University in Nashville for a double major in speech pathology and psychology (graduation in 2017). Her goal is to become a speech pathologist. In addition to earning the grades in honors and AP classes that made this college offer her an early acceptance, Stephanie has been active in karate (earning a black belt), is an accomplished boxer, was elected secretary and treasurer for the student council, is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, ran with their Winter Track, and participated in two choirs. She was a part of several school theater productions, including a musical, and she tutored elementary students.
An active member of the NFB of New Jersey and the New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users, she participated in their teen LEAD Program and, during her junior year, in a Youth Slam (NFB's national math-science camp for blind teens).
Stephanie founded and was the president of her high school's group called PAWS (Promote Animal Welfare for Salvation) which raises funds for a local animal shelter and assists the staff with caring for the animals. She was awarded the Junior Hero Award presented by the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey. And Vanderbilt gave her a positive response when she asked to organize PAWS at the university. This summer, Stephanie is working at a dog day care and boarding facility. One of the few granted a guide dog while in high school, Stephanie and her guide dog will come to convention.
State News
MTSU's Harris to retire after 27 years
Written by Middle Tennessee State University, News and Media Relations
Published in The Daily News Journal
Aug. 13, 2013
http://www.dnj.com/article/20130813/NEWS/308130039/MTSU-s-Harris-retire-after-27-years
A framed photograph titled 'Window of Opportunity' is located in the
office of John Harris, director of Disabled Student Services. Blind
since birth, Harris always has looked forward to the opportunities he
has encountered. He calls his job 'the best thing that ever happened
to me.' Harris, an MTSU alumnus and native of Munford, Tenn., will
retire Thursday after 27-plus years on the job.
MURFREESBORO - Blind since birth, John Harris attended MTSU in the
late 1970s and later returned to become the university's first
Disabled Student Services Director in 1985.
This week, Harris will be retiring from the job he
Calls "the greatest thing ever to happen to me" after 27-plus years of
service as an iconic member of the university staff.
A native of Munford in Tipton County, Harris officially will retire
Thursday, but will stay on in a part-time capacity while a replacement
is found. The university held a celebration for Harris on Tuesday in
the Keathley University Center.
One of the most treasured people on campus because of his outgoing
personality, attitude and how he treats others, Harris said it was
time to leave.
"Sometimes you kind of need to know when it's time to do something
different or move in another direction," he said. "Two questions I
kept asking myself were, 'Do I have enough money to live on and could
I wake up every morning at 7 or 7:30 and not have anywhere to go?' For
27 years, I had this job. How am I going to manage that?"
Factoring into his decision was changing
Technology "What I do best is sitting down with students and mapping out a
strategy for life," he said. "You don't have a lot of time to do that.
Things just move too fast."
Harris, who turns 62 on Oct. 27, leaves a lasting impression on his
superiors and colleagues for his efforts in administering the
Americans with Disabilities Act and his being in the corner for
Students with disabilities. The MTSU program recently had 770 students with
disabilities that range from vision, hearing, physical, psychological,
learning and others.
"John is like an ADA celebrity within the state," said Watson Harris,
ADA coordinator and director of MTSU's Academic Technology Planning
and Projects. "And he deserves this celebrity status. He is an
excellent advocate for students with disabilities. His heart is in
helping these students survive not only college, but pushing them to
be successful in life."
National News
>From India with Hope
by Deborah Kent Stein
Syed Yousufuddin
>From the Editor: Debbie Stein is a leader in the Illinois affiliate and a professional writer. She often uses her talent to introduce us all to interesting Federationists. Here is another profile that will inspire and encourage us all. Meet Syed Yousufuddin:
Syed Yousufuddin grew up surrounded by an aura of privilege. In a family of six children, he was the only boy. Sons were prized in south central India, and Syed was the prince of the household. The girls went to public schools, but Syed was sent to an expensive private academy run by Christian missionaries. At school he fell in love with the game of cricket. He even slept with his cricket bat beside him.
In 1986, when Syed was in ninth grade, he developed cataracts. The right eye was most severely affected. Surgery proved unsuccessful, and he lost the vision in that eye. Life quickly returned to normal. Syed learned to drive a car and even rode a motorcycle.
Syeds father wanted him to go into engineering, but he struggled with math courses. Finally he decided to major in business. While he was still in school, he took a job selling educational products. He continued in this position after he obtained his bachelors degree in 1992. The job required extensive travel, and he visited cities all over India.
In 1991 Syed noticed a slight blurring of his vision. The doctor was shocked by what he saw--a major retinal detachment in Syeds left eye. He could not understand how Syed was managing so well. Half-joking, Syed replied, I am courageous. Syeds father rushed him to the city of Madras, where he saw a specialist at Indias finest eye hospital. The doctors said there was still a 50/50 chance that Syeds vision could be saved; surgery was his only hope. He underwent the operation to reattach his damaged retina. When the doctors removed the bandages, he could not see a thing. The doctors assured him that his vision would recover slowly.
Syed returned home, where his friends and family waited on him as though he were royalty. Someone was always standing by to cut up his food, do his laundry, even to escort him to the bathroom in his own house. He scarcely took a step on his own. As the weeks passed, the doctors predictions came true. Little by little Syeds vision began to return. Eventually he went back to his studies and his sales job.
In 1995 Syed started his own investment business, buying and selling stocks. About a year later he again noticed fuzzy vision in his left eye. When he went back to Madras, the specialist told him that he had glaucoma. This time the doctors advised against surgery. They thought the condition could be controlled with drops. The drops did not seem to help. As his vision faded and his pain increased, the doctors grew evasive. They never gave him straight answers. They simply increased the dosage of his glaucoma medication.
Once more Syeds devoted sisters were there to help him. They led him from place to place and waited on him day and night. Syed assured himself that his vision would begin coming back as it had after his surgery years before. But as the months passed, he could see less and less. He could no longer read print or recognize faces. He could not see steps or obstacles in his path. Finally he had to admit to himself that he no longer had any useful vision.
Syed knew he could not spend the rest of his life being waited on. He had to do something constructive. When he heard that a friend was selling a small business, he purchased the company, which trained students to use computers. Unfortunately the business was shaky when Syed bought it, and it failed within six months. Once more Syed was in limbo.
Surely, Syed thought, somewhere there must be a cure for his blindness. He knew he had exhausted the medical resources in India, but perhaps a doctor in the United States would be able to help him. His doctors in Madras did not offer much hope, but reluctantly they gave him the names of a few American ophthalmologists. Syed wrote first to a doctor in New York; he had a friend in Connecticut who could provide him with a place to stay if he went to consult with her. The doctor wrote back and asked to see Syeds medical records. For the next year they exchanged letters and even phone calls while the doctor weighed the question of whether it would be worthwhile for Syed to make the trip. At last she agreed to see him, and he hurried to the U.S. consulate to obtain his visa. Eagerly, fearfully, he prepared for a solo journey halfway around the world.
Since losing his sight, Syed had never traveled alone, not even in his own town. Now his family drove him to the airport and left him in the hands of a friendly flight attendant. To his relief the journey was a smooth one, and his friend was there to greet him at the airport in New York. The next day Syed went to see the ophthalmologist. He had come so far to see her that he was convinced she would be able to work a miracle. But after she examined his eyes, her voice was grim. She could do nothing, she told him somberly. His blindness was irreversible.
Syed was still not ready to give up. His father had a longtime friend who lived in Chicago. Syed contacted his fathers friend and arranged to stay with him while visiting a doctor there. The ophthalmologist in Chicago was a bit more encouraging and suggested that Syed might eventually be a candidate for laser surgery. However, it would take time. First they would have to bring down the pressure in his eye; then they would find out what could be done.
Syed had a number of relatives in the Chicago area. As soon as he arrived, distant cousins and their families began dropping in to visit him. Everyone made a great fuss over him. Again and again he heard what a poor fellow he was and what a burden it must be to live as a blind man. Their words grated on his soul. He did not want anyones pity. Blind or sighted, he wanted to rebuild his life.
To get to know people in Chicago, Syed began to visit an Indian community center. People there told him about an Indian man named Naweed who was blind and worked as a computer programmer for All-State Insurance. It was the first time Syed had heard of a blind person who lived independently. He called Naweed, and they had a long talk. Naweed gave him a list of resources, and Syed started making phone calls. One of the organizations on Naweeds list was the National Federation of the Blind.
The national office put Syed in touch with Steve Benson, then president of the NFB of Illinois. Syed told him he wanted to learn to get around on his own, and Steve promised to find some people to help him. Syed had no idea that the NFB is an organization of blind people. It never occurred to him that Steve Benson was blind himself.
A few days later two members of the NFB Chicago chapter appeared at Syeds door. Steve Hastalis and Steve Handschu had come to give him his first lesson in cane travel. When he discovered that both of them were blind, Syed was astonished. How had they found his house? And how would they be able to teach him the things he needed to learn? They had brought him a long NFB cane. When he took it in his hands, Syed felt a change come over him. He had never wanted a cane before, but now he realized it was the key to freedom. Out on the street with his two new friends he explored the sidewalk and the grass and noted curbs and driveways. After his second lesson he began exploring on his own.
In May of 2001 Syed Yousufuddin attended his first NFB chapter meeting. Suddenly he was in a room with dozens of blind people who led interesting, productive lives. Vileen Shah, a chapter member who was also from India, showed him the Braille alphabet. When he gave him a week to memorize the Braille symbols, Syed protested that it would be too hard. Well, if thats too hard, I guess you wo not learn Braille, Vileen said. Syed took it as a challenge. By the next day he had learned the Braille alphabet by heart.
One day Syed received a surprise call from Steve Benson. Syed, Steve said, How would you like to go to BLIND, Incorporated, in Minnesota? Syed had only the vaguest idea what the NFB training centers were like. He had never imagined that he could attend one. Somehow Steve Benson and Joyce Scanlan had made all the arrangements. On June 15, only a month after he attended his first NFB meeting, Syed entered boot camp for the blind.
Syed stayed at BLIND, Incorporated, for six months, learning Braille, travel, computers, and a host of daily living skills.
Taped speeches by Dr. Kenneth Jernigan and Dr. Marc Maurer impressed him deeply. Seminars and informal discussions transformed his attitude about blindness. He returned to Chicago, confident in his abilities and eager to make his mark on the world.
While searching for a full-time job in sales, Syed sells products for a cosmetics company. He volunteers at the Lutheran Ministry in Chicagos Uptown neighborhood, teaching English and minding the desk. He would love to work at an NFB center some day, teaching the skills he learned in Minnesota.
Syed is profoundly grateful to the many people who have helped him along the way. His cousin Azra Qadri and her husband Namadh Qadri have been a source of boundless support. Patti Chang and Joyce Scanlan gave generously of their time and expertise. He is especially grateful to the three Steves--Benson, Handschu, and Hastalis--who gave him his first taste of Federationism and helped him understand that it is respectable to be blind.
Changing What It Means To Be Blind in Tennessee
Turning a Blind Eye to Inequality
by James Boehm
Member of the Stones River Chapter
Your boss just handed you a check for a weeks worth of work. The payment reflects a week worth of work consisting of an eight to five time frame. As you glance down at the the piece of paper, looking at the total amount, you notice a minute total of $1.35. You rub your eyes to ensure that your vision is not playing tricks on you. As you verify with the calendar to your left, you verify that, yes, it is the year 2013, not 1803. How is this possible? Can such a form of recompense for services rendered be justified legally?
Now consider this: You have just become a proud parent of a beautiful baby girl! The newborn portrays a perfect balance of her parent's features. What a proud moment in a new parent's life! You hold your new addition to your family and observe this little one, who at first sight of his new parents, presents a smile of contentment. Soon, the nurses proceed to take the child from the delivery room and prepare the child for the nursery. You did not know as the physicians file out of the room, this will be the last time you would see your child for quite some time. In fact, later on you are notified that you are not perceived to be a capable parent, and thus the child has been put in the care of a stranger rather than you. What an indescribable feeling that words of pain and sorrow cannot even begin to portray!
No one would think, especially now in our advanced and civilized society, would such circumstances occur. Yet such occurrences are experienced by individuals with visual impairments so frequently it terrifies even the most courageous. Blindness should not be a factor in determining if a person is capable of raising a child. Such issues arise due to the misconceptions of abilities of the blind. When considering the qualifications for employment or parenthood, blindness should not be a determining factor.
There have been many advances in education and laws that uphold the unalienable rights of the blind and disabled. It was not until the second half of the twentieth century that attention was brought to the protection of rights of the blind in various aspects. In 1990, the statutes of the ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, outlined numerous regulations on healthcare, accessibility in transit, public education, housing, and labor, to name a few. While there have been many strides towards equality, the common discrimination brings to light the need to educate the public that there is still a lot of work to do. Many organizations, including the NFB, National Federation of the Blind,The American Council for the Blind, ACB, and The American Foundation of the Blind ,AFB, actively take part in education, training, and legislation for the visually impaired. Likewise, these organizations educate the public on the misconceptions of blindness. History and numerous examples have shown that people who are blind, with the proper training, education, and tools, can competitively work along side the sighted public.
The blind have the right to receive fair and competitive wages in their employment. Sub-minimum wages are being paid to blind and disabled persons in the work force. According to the Braille Monitor, a 78 year old provision called the Fair Labor Standards Act, permits United States companies to receive certificates from the government when the company has hired a blind or disabled person, . With such a certificate, a person can be paid sub-minimum wages. Companies like Goodwill advertise and boast about their hiring of disabled workers. Nevertheless, these same companies have been documented as paying absurdly low hourly rates." Goodwill affiliates operate manufacturing operations that employ people with disabilities under special wage certificates at wages as low as 22 cents per hour." . Organizations, such as the National Federation of the Blind, and American Council of the Blind, protest against and boycott such companies, exposing the companies' inequitable standards. In the aforementioned article, director of public relations for the National Federation of the Blind, states, "Don't donate to or purchase goods from Goodwill until it adopts a responsible corporate policy to pay its works with disabilities at least the federal minimum wage." Current legislation is in the works to amend the ADA so companies will no longer take advantage of the laws that actually were set forth to protect the disabled. The discriminating employers argue that changes to current legislation would create a financial hardship , causing them to either to shut down or terminate employees. Such idiotic reasoning is attempting to frame the employers as victims. How can employers consider themselves victims when the revenue they collect is beyond the income derived from the actual productivity of the worker who is disabled? Such companies that give the perception that they are helping the disabled community receive tax benefits, public funding, donations, preferred contracts before one of their employees even step foot into the factory. In contrast, such justification exposes the perverse exploitation the existing provisions authorized by the Fair Wages Act.
Now, another misconception that negatively affects the blind community is in parenting. Blindness should not be a determining factor in establishing if a person is capable of raising a child. According to The Huffington Post, in 2012, parents with disabilities "continue to be the only distinct community has to fight to retain and sometimes gain custody of their own children" . A Time Magazine article entitled "Rocking the Cradle- Ensuring the Rights of Parents," notes that parents with disabilities face discrimination when the welfare of a child or family law, becomes an issue as well as adoption . In 1990, The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed by Congress, implemented to protect parents with disabilities. Yet, the ADA at times has fallen short, pushing visually impaired parents into legal quicksand. Two thirds of state child welfare law list some type of disability as grounds for removing a child from the confines of a parents care and terminating the parental rights.
In a March 2010 ABC news report, a young blind family had just given birth to a lovely baby boy, but were dumb founded to find out that they could no longer have their child, could not hold the newborn, and would have to agree to supervised visits in order to see their son throughout the week . The NFB eagerly and rightfully brought suit against the hospital and child welfare services. The federation was successful in the legal battle, bringing an end to the discriminatory misconceptions expressed towards the capable, blind young family. One of the parents, Erika Johnson, stated after the ordeal, "We're visually impaired, not mentally impaired. And you know we're just like everybody else, we just can't see as well.
Luci Alexander, a blind parent of two children under the age of 10, and the director for blind services in New Mexico, stated in March of 2013 that "blind parents perform the same duties of caring for a child." Blind parents can execute necessary tasks for their children auditory just as well as those who do those same activities visually. A visually impaired parent can tell by sound distinctions if a child has a baby bottle in their hand or toy, to see if the child has acquired an item it should not have. Likewise, no matter if a parent is sighted or not, a child can pick up things off the floor or get into mischief. The point is the parent has to be observant and mindful of the child's behavior. Disability rights lawyer Robyn Powell comments on this in the Huffington Post article previously mentioned saying, "Of course there are going to be some parents with disabilities who would be lousy parents - that's the same with parents without disabilities". Obviously, orderliness, preparation, and a conscientious effort to have a safe home environment is necessary, and all of this can be done quite effectively by the unsighted.
In conclusion, today's misconceptions of blindness cause inequalities in regards to fair wages and employment and the rights of parents. Those who place stereotypes are blinder than the blind themselves. The misconception is if you do not have sight, you do not have the capacity. What people fail to realize is that blind people develop alternate ways of performing day-to-day tasks. Thus, the blind have demonstrated effectiveness and the ability to be beneficiaries of fair wages, employment, as well as not allowing their blindness be a determining factor of if they are a capable parent. Blindness misconceptions must be addressed further because the blind community is growing. According to Tina Lubarsky, an advocate for the ACB and a physical therapist, "Diabetic rhetanopothy is the leading cause for blindness today, affecting thirty percent of people with diabetes." In an article "Don't Blame the Eater, , David Zinzinko stated, "by 2050, one in three adults will suffer form type two diabetes." If such trends continue, this means that one ninth of the population will suffer from diabetic retanopothey or some form of blindness. Urgency is needed to educate the public regarding the many misconceptions of blindness, and that further legislation is needed to protect and uphold the equality of all persons regardless of gender, disability, race, etc. Likewise, blindness should not be a factor when determining employment, fair wages, or distinguishing the capability of a potential parent. The exploitation of the disabled as a resource for charity revenue and fundraising must come to an end! Next time you get your paycheck, remember that the visually impaired are just as capable and deserve the same treatment in all of life's aspects including in employment and parenthood.
Casual Contact As A Way To Educate The Public
By Jeremy Brown
The biggest challenge I have faced as a blind person in the working world is finding sighted people with enough faith to let me work at a normal job. It is not that sighted people are innately mistaken in their initial assessment that blind workers have difficulties. There are frankly some jobs we cannot do: truck driver, brain surgeon, and airline pilot all spring to mind. However, there is a myth that many other jobs are out of reach.
The only way to solve this problem is to educate sighted people. One does this all the time through personal ineractions. My ex-wife is much more considerate and careful of where she places things for our 4 years of marriage. Many of my friends make a point of avoiding vague pronouns or articles in favor of that guy in the red shirt or John or your daughter. All of these are positive impacts. However, the average blind person has casual contact with many people on a regular basis. We can educate even casual contacts by encouraging questions, refusing needless help graciously, and by correcting myths when we encounter them.
The first point is to encourage questions. Some people dislike talking about themselves, but answering questions about how a blind person finds their way, does simple chores, works at a job, or became blind should never be so personal that they cannot be answered as fully and as frankly as time allows. Sighted people are fascinated by blind adaptations, and rightly so. We are, essentially, a tribe with odd customs and habits, and just as we might be intrigued by stories of Inuit peoples living in igloos, sighted people are fascinated by how a blind person moves from point A to point B without getting splatted by a truck. If we answer onestly and fully, more and more sighted people eventually learn our limitations, and this may seep into the general consciousness. Since several well-publicized films and books have come out, people are much more sensitive today than they were 30 years ago, and the more we can get this sort of information into the social consciousness, the better off we will be as a group.
Secondly, we should refuse help graciously. Although we have probably all at one time or another been tired, been lost, or in a similar fix and accepted help we did not technically need, we should resist this temptation whenever possible. By demonstrating independent living skills and more importantly work-related skills, we act as living examples of what can be accomplished with limited vision. However, the second point also includes the word graciously for a reason. If help is refused in an abrupt or rude fashion it negatively impacts that sighted person's impression of the blind, and biases them against us. By refusing politely, and perhaps explaining why the help is unnecessary, we improve the public's understanding, and act as envoys into the sighted world. If you can, allow that helpful person to help you in a way that would not be independently feasible, by reading something for instance.
Finally, much of point 1 covers point 3 as well. Answer questions fully and frankly, but in addition dispel myths when you encounter them. One such is the "do you count steps between buildings" one that I'm sure we've all heard. Another is that all blind people are much more sensitive listeners than sighted people. By dispelling these false ideas, we make room for the palpable truth: a physical blind person, in the room with a sighted person, doing the same things the sighted person is doing. This promotes a sense of equality and furthers our cause far more effectively than any literature.
I am grateful for the people who have given me chances to work. Most of them were pleasantly surprised by my abilities. I hear this often from sighted people who work with other visually impaired workers. The work the NFB and other organizations perform is invaluable, and must continue at the macro level to lobby government and public organizations to become more blind-friendly. However, each of us, on a micro level, has a responsibility to educate the public-even if just in passing.
Clear Your Vision: Lose the Stereotypes
by James Boehm
What did the blonde say when she opened a box of cheerios? "Oh, look! Doughnut seeds!" The above mentioned comment is an example of a stereotype, an attribute given to a particular group of persons. In this instance all blondes are portrayed as air heads Other examples include Asians being good at math, Jews being cheap, African-Americans liking fried chicken and watermelon, men being insensitive, and women being prone to gossip. Stereotype comes from the Greek word "steros," meaning firm and solid, and "typos," meaning impression. Are such solid impressions accurate? Obviously, the bias and prejudice of stereotyping is not reliable. For example, some people think that people who are deaf can not communicate effectively with the rest of society, and that people with artificial limbs cannot participate in competitive sports. Another perception to consider is that the visually impaired are not as capable of being successful as the sighted community. Such an inaccurate thought, as well as the above mentioned stereotypes, exist due to an opinionated misconception, people's ignorance or lack of education.
An underlying thought of some is that the blind in general are helpless, needing their hand held like a small child, because of inadequacies and incapabilities. A visually impaired friend from Indiana expresses,that "The public consciousness as demonstrated through literature and artwork through the ages depicts the blind as poor, beggars, dirty, and dehumanized individuals. The collective social perception may arise because this may allow us to disconnect compassion and remove any feeling of guilt with respect to the individual or their situation that we may not be able to fix or change." Yet another friend of mine, Karen Nelson, a mobility and orientation instructor for the Middle Tennessee area, reminded me of an instance not long after losing my vision.My father and I were in the waiting area at the doctor's office. A gentleman was sitting across from us facing our direction. The man apparently noticed me, but instead of directing his words at me, he proceeded to ask my father, "So is your son blind?" I wanted to say "Yeah, and deaf too." I wondered why the man did not address me. Karen aided me in comprehending the man's actions by expressing that "People often think persons who are blind are unable to do for themselves. What I see that [the] public doesn't approach persons who are blind because they don't know what to do or say. There are not the visual cues indicating it is okay. But someone like you who opens the door verbally when near people helps them know that they are welcome to interact with you." In a sense, it's understandable because I myself had not met many blind people before my vision loss.Therefore, I grasp the uncertainty of interacting with blind individuals.
When it comes to the work place, can the blind provide comparable or even exceed expectations? The visually impaired have proven through many examples that lack of vision is not a issue when it comes to job performance when provided with the appropriate training and technology if needed. Today, numerous blind personalities carry out their own law firms, doctor's practices, or are professional athletes such as the blind golfer Jeremy Poincenot. However, some employers feel, due to the fact that they do not have the sense of vision, they are inferior, and thus they are not qualified to receive competitive pay. In fact, according to current federal laws, an employer can attain a certificate on a disabled individual mandating a wage less than minimum wage. This is justifiable by law. Reports have come to the forefront regarding certain employers, such as Goodwill, paying their disabled employees as little as one dollar or less an hour! Many advocacy organizations, including the American Federation for the Blind and the National Federation for the Blind, are working with legislation as we speak to ratify and provide equal opportunity to all United States citizens, even if they are disabled. A person's disability should not be exploited by multi-million dollar companies who misuse outdated regulations. To abuse the hard work of their employees, pocketing the deserved wages and government incentives for themselves.
I personally know of many fine examples of blind individuals who have such an outstanding determination to vigorously pursue their goals and be an active, productive citizen. The examples I have in mind control their circumstances, and don't let their circumstances control them. Jessica Beecham, a dear friend of mine, has been blind most of her life. Jessica's eye disease has continued to worsen her limited peripheral vision. Has Jessica allowed her" lack of vision" to give her a "lack of vision?" Quite the opposite! I have never met someone with such zeal and devotion to helping others, advocating rights of people with all disabilities, working with troubled children, and assisting students at a university so that they may get the most of their higher learning experience through education and assistive technology. Jessica was one of the first blind individuals I met when I had first lost my vision. At the time, I was uncertain of my future, as well as what I was capable of doing with my life. Jessica's vast knowledge was immediately perceived in speaking with her. Her big heart, and sincere eagerness to assist, moved me more than words can say. Jessica reminds me of "The Energizer Bunny", always on the go, traveling and participating in a vast array of adventuresome activities that most sighted people have not even attempted to pursue or even had the opportunity for that matter. One instance, of Jessica's "always on the go" mentality happened this past summer I called Jessica to see what she plans she had for that day. Jess replied, "Oh, just about to do a little sky diving." She could not be more audacious with such a statement. I am aware I still have a lot to learn, but I owe much thanks for her example, assistance when I needed her viewpoint, and her friendship.
I have certainly been guilty of stereotyping groups of people, even intentionally at times. Human tendency is to prejudge. Everyone who is honest with himself or herself will be humble enough to admit they live up, or better said, live down, to such conduct. However, knowledge is power. Occasionally, interaction with the blind, widening out, making an effort to get to know such ones,can give a person a different perspective. Says one father of a recently blinded son, "My contact with the visually impaired while I was growing up was limited to television and musicians, such as Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Ronnie Milsap. In the 1990's I volunteered at the Guiding Hands for the Blind and worked at a radio station where for several years we read local newspapers to around three hundred local visually impaired individuals. I received feedback from such ones from the blind community who enjoyed my reading, but never had the privilege of meeting a fan face-to-face. As a parent, I had no idea what to do when my son lost his sight. I found through research a tremendous amount of support groups, organizations, and facilities that help parents understand the impact in their life and when an accident that leaves a young one blind and most important, how to get help. When I am with my son attending meetings and sporting events, and getting to know those involved, it is clear that many with visual impairment are very capable in organizational management and pursuing higher education and competitive athletics, with the goal in mind of helping others experiencing the same challenges.. A person who loses his sight or has never had sight can learn to do almost anything anyone else can do. I have witnessed it firsthand."
So, the blind are as incapable and dependent on others, as every blonde when opening a box of Cheerios says, "Look! Doughnut seeds!" Stereotypes are often found unreliable and inaccurate. Never let stereotypes of any individual, color, race, or ethnicity give you a false perspective of one's capabilities, characteristics, or demeanor. The same courtesy should be extended to those disabled, and more specifically, visually impaired. Many blind people have pursued productive careers that many sighted people only dream about having- like the attorney, Richard h.Bernstein from Michigan. Such fine examples have altered the vistas of certain opinionated people and have shown that blindness is not a disability, but a mere issue that becomes a non issue with the proper training , education, and assistive technology. Various governments as well are discerning the true abilities of the disabled and are amending legislation that reflects such truth. The blind do not possess super human capability. Once at Kroger, I approached the counter to pay for my goods. The cashier skipped the whole introduction formality and says, "Hey, so, do you have super duper hearing?"
I kind of laugh to myself, then reply, "Well, I do pay more attention to my hearing as well as other senses to navigate or do other things."
The cashier then replies back by saying, "Well, I just saw the movie Daredevil , and he (the blind character) had super duper hearing. So, umm, tell me what else can you do?"
I had to hold myself from saying, "Leap tall buildings with a single bound and catch a bullet with my teeth!""
Another cashier Behind me finally said to the young man, " Shut up and quit asking him stupid questions."
Hence, are "solid impressions" always as solid as commonly thought? No! The point is the blind are just like everyone else. The blind are not super-humans with "super-duper" sensory abilities; they merely accomplish the same tasks, just in a different manner. Yes! Clear your vision- lose the stereotypes! Never underestimate the underestimated.
Recipes
Its fall, so cozy up under your grandma's favorite quilt and try a recipe or two.
My Mom's Baked Apples
by RACHAEL RAY
Make this dessert a family affair! Help the kids slice the apple and then stuff it up with good stuff like cereal, walnuts and currants. Pop it in the oven to warm it up and cool it down with a dollop of ice cream.
You can also make this recipe with tart Granny Smith apples-just bake them about 15 minutes longer because they're firmer than McIntosh apples.
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 McIntosh apples (all about the same size)
2/3 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (a couple of handfuls)
2 tablespoons dried currants (theyre like mini raisins)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Have a GH (Grown-Up Helper) cut a deep X on the stem part of each apple and trim the bottoms of the apples, if necessary, so they sit upright. Using a small pointy spoon, scoop halfway into each apple to remove the seeds and core and make a hole. Place the apples in a small baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, use your hands to mix the cereal with the cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, butter, walnuts and currants. Stuff the apples with the cereal mixture and bake until the apples are tender when pierced with a toothpick (ask a GH to test them), 30 to 35 minutes. Serve hot, topped with vanilla ice cream, for an upside-down apple sundae. Yum-O!
Buttermilk Pie
Contributed by Nathan Cannon
In loving memory of his wife, Sherrie Cannon
What you will need:
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ stick butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour
1 unbaked pie shell
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream sugar and butter together until smooth.
2. Add flour, vanilla, eggs and buttermilk, mixing well.
3. Pour into unbaked pie shell, and bake 30 to 35 minutes.
Sausage Balls
Submitted by Kathy Jones
Ingredients
1 pound ground pork sausage
2 cups biscuit baking mix
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, combine sausage, biscuit baking mix and cheese. Form into walnut size balls and place on baking sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and sausage is cooked through.
The Tennessee Voice is seeking your suggestions, recipes and articles for next quarter's edition. Please also forward any stories, humorous events or blindness related myths you would like posted in our new humor section. As Always, don't forget to get your Chapter, Division or other calendar events in as soon as you know of them.
If you know of a friend who would like a copy of The Tennessee Voice, please have them send a request to the editor. If you would like to receive your Tennessee Voice at another email address, please send a request to the editor. If you know longer wish to receive the Tennessee Voice, please reply to this message and place Cancel in the body of the message.
The National Federation of The Blind of Tennessee hopes you have enjoyed our newsletter this quarter.
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