This week is a real treat- I found Don McBride’s interview, he was born in 1936. He is a great storyteller and gives amazing insight into what it was like to be blind child in the 1940s and 50s- he became blind at age 11, he attend residential school and so had certain advantages – but, there wasn’t white cane safety at the time and his older brothers were determined to toughen him up which included knocking his head into trees and poles with a warning he better play outside and well… This is part one of his interview  In every accomplishment – the O&M instructor in me wishes more val ..read more

If you want some assurances that growing up blind, waiting until school age to get the first long cane  can result in a well adjusted, fully employed and outgoing adult- then listen to Taletha. She compares working with O&M specialists who were sighted and blind. Overall, she felt she should have had much more time with either one of them – she had a 3 bus a day bus route to school every morning – in Detroit. She described herself as someone who these days preferred para transit, “Because this is a dangerous, cruel, unsafe world we live in.” Her story of being picked up by a stranger ..read more

Patricia Montgomery is a terrific example of the seeds the world has sown. People with visual impairments are expected to be visually capable and blind people are expected to be treated as if they are sighted. Blindness and visual impairment are the most blatant form of stereotyping and marginalizing of a disability group out in the open. Consider the slur, ‘what are you blind?’ Being Blind is a reality for people, and it means they can’t see. It doesn't mean anything else. But when you ask Patricia to describe her vision and then ask her about her travel and cane use – it sounds very conflict ..read more

Maureen Moscato – a really good friend of mine – she is so funny. I found the original tape – It is worth a relisten!! She is much funnier than I am playing her!! Yay!! Maureen is a real treasure – her stories reveal a woman who grew up in the school of hard knocks and her resiliency go her through – but if you’re interested in the pros and cons of dog guides, long canes, waiting for O&M to get out of the house and be independent and blind politics and ADA- this is a really great listen all the way to the end.  Maureen gives us a unique look inside the life of a blind woman, blind fro ..read more

Maureen Moscato – a really good friend of mine – she is so funny. It is a tragedy that I don’t have the original tape – I had to try and recreate my friend’s NY accent. I think if you stick with me – I do get better halfway through. Maureen is a real treasure – her stories reveal a woman who grew up in the school of hard knocks and her resiliency go her through – but if you’re interested in the pros and cons of dog guides, long canes, waiting for O&M to get out of the house and be independent and blind politics and ADA- this is a really great listen all the way to the end.  Maureen gi ..read more

Marcia, born in 1950, is an example of what everyone would like me to understand – she is such a successful person (may she rest). Born blind she was an independent child – from her accounts she hated the long cane as a child, and she didn’t need it. This is the story that every parent wants to hear – that their child will grow up like Marcia – a successful teacher, married and capable of a full, rich life.  But I want to draw your attention to listen between the lines. She got her first long cane in 4th grade, and she hated it, the instructor didn’t relate to kids, and she didn’t underst ..read more

Today I’m sharing the interview with Jerry, conducted March 11, 2001. He is visually impaired, but not mobility visually impaired, except at night. His experiences at night in winter snow demonstrate the resilience of mankind in the face of daunting odds, but also how alone people with visual impairments feel – never once had he considered bringing up his difficulties to a trained professional to seek out additional training and support or new tools to try and make his travel easier.  Jerry grew up with a visual impairment that he felt he was able to move about without a long cane and al ..read more

Betty grew up without a mobility tool – she will not admit to having any difficulties in her life, and on the surface one can attest – she is the embodiment of success. She is educated, she has a job, she is well-spoken and capable. As an O&M instructor – my interest is in the travel decision. She talked about using a guide to move about and she was careful to not say too much about – it  -suggesting that relying on a guide, even though you had no alternative, is somehow taboo – instead of something that should make you feel angry and question why that choice was made for her as a you ..read more

Today’s interview is with Kathleen, born in 1949 with retinopathy of prematurity. Her story life with this vision is one of living in the margins as far as getting services. She had no specialized services as a child, conceivably she was considered to have too much vision – she was not “legally blind”. She got her first cane at age 48 – for protection. She tells of many accidents that resulted from her inability to visually avoid obstacles in her path. Kathleen’s story is a story of low vision and some of the barriers to effective services that existed when she was growing up. Her early experi ..read more

Gloria grew up with low vision, she couldn’t read street signs or see important details but moved about her world with her peers. She remembered having no difficulty getting around her hometown or otherwise, until she lost more of her vision when she was 40 years old. That caused her to lose her job and relearn how to get about places she knew well. It also brought her to a new profession.  Gloria’s memory of her companion encouraging her to use her cane as a turning point in her independence was sincere. She shared how difficult it had been to let go of the person she once was, and embra ..read more