Things to ponder: Thinking of the road ahead

This is the all-important quandary that I find myself in: what could the road ahead be like for me as an advocate?  It has been a very long and traveled one for me but now that my advocacy mentor, Chris Stark, is no longer

here to walk alongside me, this road now seems to be very empty!

It no longer seems appealing to me, now that Chris is gone! He was not just my mentor, but my sounding board! My friend, my conscience, and my belief in myself!

I know that Chris would want me to carry on but with so many apologies to you Chris! I no longer seem to have the passion or energy to do so.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day!

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids, with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter, is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

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Frustrating times! Tired of advocating?

Yes, I sometimes become very tired. But when I stop to think about the reasons I continue to do so, then this is where I stop, think, look left and right, up and down, and remember that I am not just doing it for myself.  I am doing it for others and for our kids of the future.

Advocacy becomes tiring when lawyers deliberately fight against the flow of the current, choosing instead to erect barriers and use the deep pockets of their clients to bully, intimidate, and wear us down.

Advocacy becomes tiring when those in authority knowingly remove our services and products, citing budget constraints and cost cuts.  Advocacy becomes extremely difficult whenever companies believe that satisfying their shareholders is what is needed and then they refuse to involve their shareholders in decisions pertaining to advocacy, choosing instead to make the decisions on their own.

All in a day’s work.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advisor wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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A rare and unique friend: Memories of Coranna

Oh, my dear friend:  It is more than a year now since you left us but I still cannot believe that you are gone.  Little did you know how much I appreciated your friendship and I can only say that you came into my life a bit too late.

You helped to shape my advocacy and you taught me how to stand up for my beliefs and stick to my guns.  You helped me to see things more clearly and you never hesitated to share your opinions with me.

You were always firm in everything that you stood for and I know that, for you, there were many challenges for you to overcome as a vision-impaired lady. But this never stopped you.

Thank you for having shared those special moments and times with me. Rest well now until we meet again and please do not forget to keep a place at your table for me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.takeanother5.com

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

One of my dearest passions: Recruiting kid advocates

Who better than kids to be our messengers?  Who better than them to spread the messages as we have told them to?  Who better than kids to be our advocates?

In March 2016 I spoke to a group of kid advocates at the CNIB and I can tell you that it was indeed one of the best experiences that I have had in such a long time.

Their questions were sharp and on the money.  They listened, reacted, and proacted.  They interacted and were filled with ideas.  They were definitely thinking outside the box.

It sure reminded me of another group of kids whose grade school I visited in 2010, the Grove Community School in Toronto, and like that visit when I walked out of this session I looked up at the sky and wondered whether our next Prime Minister could come from among one of this group.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Self advocacy is for me

There is nothing more satisfying for me than to be able to get involved in self advocacy and nothing is more rewarding than to encourage our kids to do so. As long as it is done with respect, courtesy, and with professionalism, it is perfectly okay.

For it is only me who best understands what I need to advocate for and it is only me who best understands why I need to do it. Self advocacy can be extremely rewarding if it is done in the right way. Plant the seeds and watch them grow is my motto. I guess that in a way we are all self advocates in our own right. I advocate for and on behalf of blind persons and others do the same for their own near and dear causes and passions.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and self advocate. Come by and visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

Strength lies in one voice

As an advocate for the rights and concerns of blind persons, in my country first and foremost and internationally as well, I truly believe that our strength lies in one unified voice. It is often said that strength lies in numbers and it is the same if we are somehow able to present ourselves in one voice. A voice that is strong, unified, and unwavering. A voice that is consistent, persistent, and one that is continuous.

Like many other groups, it is often difficult to present or represent ourselves in or as one voice and it continues to be a challenge but we need to work more on this. Too often, governments and those we seek to engage count on us to be fragmented, and in many instances they are even seen to use the divide and conquer strategy. So forward and onwards!

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to spread my thoughts around to others. Visit www.nfb.org to learn how and why they are so successful as advocates.

Voices Need to be Heard

As I see it:  The only way for blind persons to be able to enrich their lives, break down barriers, build bridges, and overcome challenges, is for us to have our voices heard.  If we do not make the effort to have our voices heard, then how will society know what we are struggling with?  How will they be able to learn more about our world?  How will they know that yes!  We want to be part of the mainstream society; it is our right and we are prepared to reach out and grab it?  

 

We should never assume that the mainstream world knows what we need, what challenges we face, and how we navigate and move around.  It would be foolish to assume this so my answer to all of this is to say to my fellow blind brethren; more voices need to be heard.

 

We need to stand up and be counted.  We need to overcome our fear of speaking up.  We need to become more proactive!  Easier said than done?  Not really!  Just take a deep breath and follow me.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and help bridge the gap.  To learn more, you can contact me at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca.