Let’s Get To Work! Podcast

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In 1928, a young blind man named Morris Frank traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to work with Dorothy Harrison Eustis at her school in Switzerland, where she was training dogs to help soldiers blinded in the war. The ship’s owners were uncomfortable with a blind person traveling alone, so they made him travel as cargo. Staff on the ship escorted him around the dock once per day for exercise, and other than that, he remained in isolation.

This is not a promotional blog about guide dogs or a patriotic political statement about our guide dog school of choice. As members of the American Council of the Blind’s Employment Committee, we start this write-up with this anecdote because as we introduce Let’s Get to Work, a podcast celebrating success, and it is humbling to recognize the current of stigma that has pulled against us for centuries.

We blind/ low vision people feel this stigma when people avoid us, talk about us in hushed voices, call us “inspirational” simply for breathing, or when we are overqualified for jobs we can’t seem to reach. This is the stigma, and it is real. But fortunately, and resoundingly, the stigma is not the end of the story! 1929 Mr. Frank partnered with Ms. Eustis to co-found the Seeing Eye. Like Morris Frank, we find unique solutions, overcome challenges, and succeed. We are bankers. We are healthcare workers. We are scientists and chefs, coaches and athletes, childcare workers and lawyers. We are creative, determined, and resilient and find strength in numbers. We serve as role models and mentors. We share our stories to motivate, inspire, and support each other to create these solutions.

This journey continues. As the ACB Employment Committee moves forward, we have observed a critical missing link available to many in other underrepresented groups but largely missing in the blind/ low vision community: stories of blind people who have carved out successful paths in careers ranging from forensic psychology and financial analyst to daycare provider and 911 operator. Our podcast Let’s Get to Work features two interviews per month of people employed in careers that many find hard to believe blind people can navigate successfully. We believe these podcasts augment our mission: to increase access to work opportunities by providing resources and skill-building sessions for blind/low-vision people, professionals serving us, and employers.

You can find the podcast HERE. Please enjoy these interviews of blind or low-vision individuals from all walks of life as they share their journeys, offer advice, and walk alongside us as we carve a path against the stigma that makes it harder for us to get to work. We encourage you to share these stories widely and welcome reactions and suggestions, which can be emailed to [email protected]

Let’s get to work!