Some day at Christmas

One of my favourite Christmas carols is "Some day at Christmas," made popular by the late Michael Jackson. Yes, some day at Christmas, when I could wake up on a peaceful morning and welcome yet another special day with my loved ones around me and the Christ Child in my heart. When I would be able to say, "Finally! All is well and now blind kids will have an equal opportunity to be like their mainstream counterparts." When they can play with mainstream toys and be able to use cell phones and IPods just like sighted kids. When they would be able to play with games just like their sighted friends and not have to worry about inaccessibility. When their classrooms and playgrounds would be free of accessibility barriers and they would have an equal opportunity to be just kids!

Some day at Christmas when I could go to bed just before Santa makes his rounds, knowing that all of my wishes have been granted. That all websites have been made accessible. That all supermarkets and stores have been made fully accessible to blind persons. That online courses and distance learning have all been made accessible and usable to blind persons. That blind persons have equal access to all reading materials in the same way that sighted persons do.

Some day at Christmas, after Santa has come and gone leaving a huge package for me under my Christmas tree, I could wake up and say, "Finally! The banks have finally gotten it! Their ATMs are now fully accessible. Blind persons can now access all point of sale devices and touch screens without having to ask for sighted assistance. Blind passengers can now access kiosks at airports, they can enjoy movies on board aircraft, and no more problems at airports, train stations, and bus terminals for them."

Some day at Christmas, as I sit quietly in a church along with others waiting for the Christmas Mass to begin, I could say, "Thank you, God, for ensuring that from now on society will treat blind persons as normal persons who can function on their own and the only thing wrong with them is that they are unable to see."

Some day at Christmas! Ah, yes, it is only my dreams but who says that dreams don't come true? The smell of cookies baking in my kitchen is real! Christmas carols being played around me are real! Children laughing and families decorating are real! Is it too much for me to ask Santa to help make my dreams come true? The late Steve Jobs made some of my dreams and those of other blind persons come true! Dare I dream that there could be another Steve Jobs out there just waiting to bring hope to the blind world?

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, wishing you a very merry Christmas! Joyeux Nočl! Feliz Navidad!
Come by and enjoy some of my audio mysteries at www.donnajodhan.com.

Can All Blind Persons Play Music?

I'd like to clear up one of the more common myths that society is guilty of and it's this; not all blind persons can play music.  Too often, blind persons are classified as all being able to play music because of people like Steavie Wonder, Ray Charles, Clarence Carter, and so on.  These people are blind and they play music but please do not take this to mean that we can all play an instrument or sing.

 

For the record, I play the piano but I do not sing.  True it is that most blind persons possess more than just a bit of a keen sense of hearing, but that does not mean that they can play an instrument or sing.  Being blind does not mean that it is natural to assume that we can play music.

 

I am not sure how this myth originated but there you are.  Just a myth and nothing more.  In the same way, it is not very logical to assume that because the late Michael Jackson was one of the greatest entertainers, it would follow that all black persons should be the same.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and help dispel this myth.  To learn more about blind persons, please visit www.nfb.org.

Barriers to Careers

Now, please do not laugh when I tell you this one! Believe it or not, most of society still thinks of us blind folks as only being able to play music for a living. Really! They think of us as musicians and probably so because of the successes of people like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and so on.

Years ago I went on a trip with my parents to Europe and had just graduated from University. My proud papa was going around telling everyone that I had just graduated. Before he could tell them what degree I had graduated with, one very innocent gentleman piped up and said, "Isn't it nice that she got her degree in music!" I gently told him no, I had just obtained my degree in commerce. My parents later told me that the poor man looked as if he wanted to disappear under the table.

In actuality, blind persons face several barriers to careers. For some reason, society seems to have preconceived notions about what blind persons can and cannot do for a living, or I should say that many persons do not even think that we are able to work. They look upon us as people to be taken care of rather than productive and contributing members of society. They falsely believe that we can only work such careers as: piano tuners, teachers to teach other blind persons, social workers to help other blind persons, basket makers and weavers, and musicians. A very disheartening picture if I may say so.

I'd like you to visit my company's website at www.sterlingcreations.ca to see what I do for a living and if you would like to know more, feel free to send me an email at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your accessibility and special-needs business consultant, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and tell the world that blind persons can do a lot more than just play music or weave baskets for a living!