A historic day: At the Senate Standing Committee hearing

I don’t think that I will ever forget this day: a historical one for me.

Weather-wise, it was a miserable day as Sue drove me to the studio. The rain was pouring and for the good driver that she is, she  got me there on time and safely.

We had to wait for a bit but finally, when I was seated next to the Honourable David Omley, past Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, I was ready to roll as they say!

I hope that I did a good job with my presentation but unfortunately I developed a coughing fit right after I was finished with my presentation and had to take a two minute break. David was very helpful as he went out and fetched Sue who brought me some water. That helped and saved the day for me.

I was really glad that the Honourable David was there beside me as he helped to make things more comfortable and much less stressful.  As a person with a vision impairment, it is always uncomfortable when I sit in a room with cameras facing me and others can see me but, in turn, I cannot see them.

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.

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

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

'Let's Talk Tips' is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy.  http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Are All Blind People Alike?

One of the most embarrassing mistakes that mainstream folks tend to make is this: They seem to think that all blind persons are the same; they look the same, walk the same, and even speak the same. And most blind persons have guide dogs!

A few years ago, a lady at work told me that she had seen me walking along the hallway and I seemed to be lost. She went on to say that when she approached me to render assistance, I rebuffed her and she wanted to know why. She even accused me of being rude. I was quite taken aback and started to rack my brain trying to recall my whereabouts on that day. I became quite perplexed and concerned because almost all of the time, I go to great lengths to ensure that I am polite to anyone offering assistance to me.

After a minute or so, I asked her to describe my physical attributes and what I was wearing that day. I will hasten to add that this conversation took place over the phone.

Just imagine my surprise when she told me the following. She described me as having long blond hair, about five feet six inches tall, fat, and wearing a red suit. I let her finish and when she was done I politely told her that I am five feet two, have jet black hair, and am slim. In addition, I told her I do not own a red suit. Just imagine the silence at the other end. She quickly excused herself and hung up.

You see, much of society honestly believes that most blind persons look alike, but I'd like to dispel this myth. The one thing that blind persons have in common is this: We are all visually impaired but this is where it ends. We do not look alike, we have varying degrees of vision loss, we think differently, we speak differently, and some of us use canes to get around while others use guide dogs. It's like saying that all Americans look alike and speak the same. If you take a minute to think about it, it's absolutely laughable and without logic.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and tell everyone that each blind person has his/her own identity. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

Can We Learn From Susan Boyle?

If you have been keeping up with the arrival/saga of Susan Boyle on the show in Britain, then you'll know of whom I am speaking. If you do not, then here is a brief introduction.

A few weeks ago Susan Boyle made a very unexpected and unheralded entry on to the stage of the British show named "Britain's Got Talent." When the audience and judges first laid eyes on this 47-year-old lady, they did not give her any hope of success. Almost everyone present – judges and audience alike -- started to jeer and snicker, but within seconds Susan changed the entire hall and the world forever. You see, within seconds of beginning her song, both the audience and the judges had been stunned by one of the most awesome voices that they had ever heard. A middle-aged volunteer church worker singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical Les Miserables had done it!

So what am I really getting at you may be asking? Very simple! Most of the world, those with sight enough to see, often judge people by their looks. When the audience and judges first set eyes on Susan Boyle they did exactly that. They did not give this very plain looking middle-aged lady a ghost of a chance of success. Why? Because they felt that she was just a bit too old to appeal to them. She was just too dowdy-looking to be taken seriously. She was just not good enough based on her looks. What a shock when she belted out her first notes.

I am afraid that this is the kind of thing that blind and visually-impaired persons face on a daily basis. We are almost always judged based on our blindness; the inability to see, and the inability to navigate our way like normal persons. Most of the rest of the world judge us on our disability rather than our ability. They do exactly what the audience and judges did to Susan Boyle a few weeks ago. Sometimes, blind and sighted persons do manage to shock their associates and acquaintances, and I hope that Susan Boyle motivates my sightless friends to reach out and provide some timely shocks as she has managed to do.

I am offering to help our sighted readers become less judgmental when it comes to their perceptions and hang-ups about persons who are blind and sight impaired. You can contact me at info@sterlingcreations.ca or if you are curious and open-minded enough you can visit any of these websites: www.nfb.org, www.afb.org, www.acb.org, www.rnib.org, www.cnib.ca.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and suggesting that you should not judge a blind person by their disability. Judge them for their ability.