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Advocacy

Persistence Over Ignorance

apple store

“Honestly, it’s not that great,” the sales rep told me last week. He was trying to make me go away.

This was at my local Apple Store, where I was hoping to try the accessibility features of the new Apple Watch. If the device turned out to be as life-changing as the iPhone, it would certainly be worth the price tag. The display models at Apple currently run a video loop, demonstrating — for those who can follow along visually — how the Watch’s features work. But for anyone who wants to use the accessibility features — VoiceOver, zoom, and voice commands — you need a fully-enabled Watch, tethered to a real working phone.

But this guy wasn’t selling anything; he would rather I walk away. When I asked for a fully-enabled version, as I’d read is available, he balked. He said they didn’t have anything like that at that store, and he could get someone to show me the demo version, but it wouldn’t be any good for me. “Honestly,” he said, “the accessibility features are not that great. It’s just VoiceOver, and a couple other things.” He obviously didn’t know what VoiceOver meant to many people.

Perhaps the Apple Watch wasn’t the right product for me — or anybody for that matter — but somebody else was not going to make that decision for me.

I was miffed, but resolved to try again a few days later. In the meantime, I got an emotional email from a blog reader, responding to our post from the week before where we reported that Apple wants blind people testing the Watch. This particular person had followed our instructions and called the Apple support line to see about scheduling an appointment to test the accessibility features of the Watch; but got no help at all.

“I was very embarrassed,” they wrote to me, still annoyed from their interaction with Apple, “the man that I spoke with acted like I didn’t know what I was talking about.”

Normally I would turn on my journalistic skepticism here, but after my experience the day before, this sounded all too familiar. Still, I was hearing conflicting reports. Multiple readers wrote in to say they walked into their local Apple Store, many without any appointment, and were taken through all the accessibility features, with no problems whatsoever. What explained this gap in treatment from place to place? For Apple being the biggest, most tightly controlled corporate chain in the world, it almost seemed like we were dealing with different companies.

A few days later, I was back at the same Apple Store. I asked a sales rep the same questions — could they please show me a fully enabled Watch? — and got the same, uncertain answer: Let me show you to one of our trainers, and they’ll show you the demo version. I allowed myself to be led over, and once I got to the different person, I asked again. She gave the same, canned response, but I kept my cool. This wasn’t her fault, she just didn’t know, I told myself. “I’ve been told that every store has a fully enabled Watch,” I suggested, “I read online that Apple wants blind people to be able to test the Watch.” She didn’t know about it, but I had checked my facts, so I kept asking, politely, and in different words each time.

Finally there was a tipping point. She paused, thinking more creatively. She thought for a moment and came up with a different answer.

“We have a workshop model…” she said slowly. She said it was for the store employees to experiment and learn with. That sounded like a better lead than any. “Let me go ask if it’s available,” she said.

She came back in two minutes with the workshop model, beaming, “I asked my manager if we could borrow the workshop model to show you accessibility, and he said,” — wait for it — “that’s exactly what it’s for.” All along, there was a simple solution, but having not yet encountered a blind customer, hardly any of the employees knew about it. I was vindicated, and she seemed relieved to have been able to help.

“We have all these guidelines that we’re given,” she admitted candidly, “but we go around them all the time.”

As for the Watch, it’s fun, but I can’t weigh in yet. The accessibility features are very similar to the iPhone, and if you’re already used to operating the phone without looking while it’s in your pocket, or under a table, strapping a new screen to your wrist does at this point seem a little redundant. Also, if you’re like me and the biggest pain about VoiceOver is taking ear buds in and out, you’d be much better off investing in a nice wireless headphone setup than immediately springing for a new piece of hardware like this one. I still need to be convinced that the Watch is a useful tool, and that might not happen until my friends start showing them off.

I tell this story not to advertise the Watch or disparage Apple, but to remind everyone that when it comes to dealing with the blind and visually impaired, most people are terribly ignorant. It’s not that they have a vendetta against the disabled, or a superiority complex, they’re just uninformed about how to reach the right solution. Even at Apple, one of the most tightly-managed shopping experiences in the world, there is still a widespread lack of understanding and training about how to treat those with disabilities.

To be served, we have to push. Not aggressively or with self-righteous assertions, but patiently, quietly and with purpose. The solutions are there, the answers are relatively easy, the gatekeepers just don’t know it yet.

Contact Will Butler at communications@lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse Legacy Society: Be a Changemaker, Improving the Lives of Blind and Low Vision People for Years to Come

In the LightHouse’s 113 year history bequests and other types of planned gifts have been transformative, allowing the LightHouse to flourish and grow as a leader in programs to empower the Blind Community. Over 500 gifts from estates, from small to large have been contributed to the LightHouse.

We are now launching the LightHouse Legacy Society for those who have chosen to include the LightHouse in their will, living trust or other estate plans. LightHouse Legacy Society members will be recognized (if they wish) on the LightHouse web site, in our annual report, LightHouse News and on a special donor wall in braille and tactile letters. And LightHouse Legacy Society members will be invited to exclusive events, to meet peers and get an insider’s look into emerging technology and programs for the blind.

As you can tell, it’s an exciting time at the LightHouse. As we grow and aim to serve three times as many members of the blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind community, from small children to elders, your involvement is essential. Our leadership in the field and our ground-breaking programs are possible because of donors like you.

Are you interested in being an inaugural member in the LightHouse Legacy Society? Or would you like information about including the LightHouse or Enchanted Hills in your Estate Plans? Contact Jennifer Sachs at 415-694-7333 or jsachs@lighthouse-sf.org.

Jessica Veklerov Finds a Great Job Through LightHouse Employment Immersion Program

jessicav2Jessica Veklerov was born in the Bay Area and graduated in 2013 with a BA in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz. She has always been committed to a work ethic of that includes being of service.

“I started out majoring in Science but it didn’t feel like a good fit. One day a friend of mine was ill and asked if I would go to her Psychology class and take notes. That was it – I was hooked. I’ve always enjoyed helping people and Santa Cruz has a huge emphasis on social justice and psychology so I decided then to pursue a Psychology degree.”

Jessica has had a number of part-time paid and volunteer work experiences while in school, but she, like many, found it challenging to find a full-time job in our just recovering economy. In addition, although her low vision had been well accommodated for during her school years, she found that not all companies were willing to consider the simple accessibility adjustments she would need to work for them. That’s when her DOR counselor, Sylvia Oberti, recommended that she enroll in the LightHouse Employment Immersion Program.

Jessica told us, “The Employment Immersion Program was great. I made a bunch of friends and loved being around people who were all going through the same thing. The whole group was so encouraging. When I started I thought I knew all the ways to apply for a job because I had been doing it for years. But through the program I learned how to search for jobs more efficiently. I also learned about job websites I’d never heard of, like the USAJOBS site I used to find the job I have now.”

Jessica has just started working for the Social Security Administration as part of Pathways, a Federal government sponsored program that brings recent graduates into internships that “provide meaningful training and career development opportunities for individuals who are at the beginning of their Federal service.” (www.usajobs.gov/studentsandgrads/)

Her official title is Social Security Administration Benefits Authorizer. The position begins as a paid internship, at a salary that is a step up from entry level. It includes on the job training and mentorship and after two years it becomes permanent, or she can look at other government positions she might like to try for.

“Jessica combines a thoughtful and warm personality with a passion for helping people,” says LightHouse Employment Immersion Program Leader Kate Williams. “Her goal has always been to be in social services, and I think our program helped her to learn a good deal about effective interviewing and how to show that warmth and caring and make it a primary asset for prospective employers.” “I would really like to thank Kate Williams,” Jessica said. “She goes to great lengths to help the people in the program and her encouragement and energy was so much appreciated.”

Are you new to the working world and not sure how to get started? Or do you just want to kick your career up a notch? Our next Employment Immersion session will run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday beginning May 5 through May 28, at the LightHouse at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley. For more information, please contact Kate Williams at kwilliams@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7324.

Attention Parents – Register Now – In Two Weeks Your Child Could Be Looking at a Career in STEM

The LightHouse encourages school-aged students and their families to attend this important event organized in part by LightHouse Board President Josh Miele.

The great jobs of tomorrow will be in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). But people with disabilities are currently underrepresented in these fields despite recent advances in the accessibility of information technology and other tools used by working professionals.

The STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities is an educational event where attendees meet role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM fields. Hear from different speakers, meet other students and families, and learn from interactive science demonstrations. Students will leave with a better understanding of the many professional possibilities available and the inspiration to pursue STEM careers.

When: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 1 to 3:00 p.m.
Where: The Lawrence Hall of Science, 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720
No cost to register. Pre-registration is required.

The goal of this family event is to offer youth with various types of disabilities, the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the many professional possibilities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and the inspiration and strategies to pursue them. After an inspiring keynote speaker and a lively panel of STEM role models, students can interact with different science and math activities, learn about 3D printing, and meet the Lawrence Hall of Science’s animal ambassadors. Members from the STEM community and STEM professionals will be available to speak with younger students about science, engineering, and technology-related careers.

LightHouse Board President Josh Miele featured in Lawrence Hall of Science Program for Scientists-To-Be
A panel of STEM role models with disabilities will discuss such topics as the evolving landscape of STEM fields, overcoming the stigma associated with disabilities and learning the skills required for a successful academic and professional career.

Speakers include the following:

  • Dr. Joshua Miele, President of the Lighthouse Board of Directors and Associate Director of the Smith-Kettlewell Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Blindness and Low-Vision, will share his professional journey in the technology field as well as facilitate an interactive panel.
  • Ronit Ovadia, a healthcare professional working in the area of prenatal genetics counseling and a 2005 National Federation for the Blind scholarship winner.
  • Alex Ghenis, a Fellow at World Institute on Disability, who studies climate change’s potential impacts on people with disabilities.
  • College students with disabilities will share tips for making a smooth transition from high school to college.

How do I register? Go to http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/events/STEMshowcase
How do I find out more? Contact Sherry Hsi at sherryh@berkeley.edu or 510-643-7827, or Emily Arnold at emarnold@berkeley.edu or 510-643-9019.

 

 

 

 

A Few Spots Still Open in Our Innovative Introduction to Blindness Group at Our Napa Retreat

Immersion students and teachers pose next to Lake Lokoya on a crisp, chilly dayAre you an adult who is experiencing changing vision? We invite you to join us for this week-long training in the fresh air and verdant grounds of our Enchanted Hills Retreat. You’ll learn a boatload of best practices for maintaining your independence while enjoying this beautiful setting.

In the last three years the Lighthouse has offered the pioneering Changing Vision Changing Life immersion training programs at our Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa. Each training session brings together up to 25 adult students of all ages, from Northern California and the Central Valley, who are either new to low vision or blindness, or have had a significant change in vision and have requested additional training. We invite adults to join us for this week-long training in the fresh air and verdant grounds of our Enchanted Hills Retreat. You’ll learn a boatload of best practices for maintaining your independence while enjoying this beautiful setting.

These sessions are always free to participants 55 years or older, but you’ll need to make arrangements by calling Debbie Bacon by April 6, 2015.

  • Dates of our next session: April 12 through 17, 2015
  • Transportation is provided from San Rafael, San Francisco, Emeryville Amtrak and Ashby BART
  • There is no cost to attend if you are 55 or older and living in San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Humboldt or Del Norte counties.
  • For more information please contact Debbie Bacon, LightHouse Rehabilitation Counselor, at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org

Some of the areas we’ll cover during the week include ways to read printed materials; understanding how lighting, contrast and magnification can help you every day; suggestions for organizing and labeling in your home or office; best methods for taking notes and keeping a calendar; basic cooking skills; traveling and moving safely and confidently in your home and in the community; managing finances; the joys of an accessible computer and other low tech equipment and more. We’ll also make suggestions on how to talk to your family and friends about what would help you best.

While gaining new skills and confidence with changing vision is the overall theme of the week, the experience of coming together with other adults, both students and teachers, who are low vision or blind, to learn or relearn skills, and to get back into the stream of life remains a pivotal part of the week long experience. And it doesn’t stop there – we will also follow-up with you to see how you are doing and help keep you focused on what you’ve just learned.

Our next Changing Vision Changing Life session is April 12 through April 17. Just call or email Debbie Bacon by April 6 at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org for more information. We look forward to seeing you at Enchanted Hills.

LightHouse High-Tech Navigation Gets National Radio Coverage

bryanbashinhockenberryinterview3_20015Last month Emmy and Peabody award winning journalist and author John Hockenberry interviewed LightHouse CEO Bryan Bashin for his radio show “The Takeaway”. The interview, which was first broadcast on NPR on March 24, highlights the LightHouse’s efforts to help advance blind travel options, including our talking transit maps. The segment begins with a fascinating interview with LightHouse student and blind backpacker Marc Sutton as he takes a journalist on a tour of the BART system using our BART maps.

Listen to the entire segment.

Also on that same webpage, look for the Soundcloud file of another piece of Marc’s interview, or watch Marc as he scales mountains in the LightHouse video “Alive”.

LightHouse Board President Josh Miele featured in Lawrence Hall of Science Program for Scientists-To-Be

LightHouse Board President Josh Miele featured in Lawrence Hall of Science Program for Scientists-To-Be

School-aged students and their families are encouraged to attend.

The great jobs of tomorrow will be in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). People with disabilities are currently underrepresented in these fields despite recent advances in the accessibility of information technology and other tools used by working professionals.

The STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities is an educational event where attendees meet role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM fields. Hear from different speakers, meet other students and families, and learn from interactive science demonstrations. Students leave with a better understanding of the many professional possibilities available and the inspiration to pursue STEM careers.

When: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 1 to 3:00 p.m.
Where: The Lawrence Hall of Science, 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720
No cost to register. Pre-registration is required.

School-aged students and families are encouraged to attend. After an inspiring keynote speaker and a lively panel of STEM role models, students can interact with different science and math activities, learn about 3D printing, and meet the Lawrence Hall of Science’s animal ambassadors. Members from the STEM community and STEM professionals will be available to speak with younger students about science, engineering, and technology-related careers.

Speakers include the following:

  • Dr. Joshua Miele, President of the Lighthouse Board of Directors and Associate Director of the Smith-Kettlewell Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Blindness and Low-Vision, will share his professional journey in the technology field as well as facilitate an interactive panel.
  • Ronit Ovadia, a healthcare professional working in the area of prenatal genetics counseling and a 2005 National Federation for the Blind scholarship winner.
  • Alex Ghenis, a Fellow at World Institute on Disability, who studies climate change’s potential impacts on people with disabilities.
  • College students with disabilities will share tips for making a smooth transition from high school to college.

A panel of STEM role models with disabilities will discuss such topics as the evolving landscape of STEM fields, overcoming the stigma associated with disabilities and learning the skills required for a successful academic and professional career.

How do I register? Go to http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/events/STEMshowcase.
How do I find out more? Contact Sherry Hsi at sherryh@berkeley.edu or 510-643-7827, or Emily Arnold at emarnold@berkeley.edu or 510-643-9019.

Beth Berenson, Blindness Ambassador

Beth BerensonAnother in a series of LightHouse staff profiles.

As LightHouse’s Community Services and Information and Referral Coordinator, Beth is one of our frontline teachers. “People call with all sorts of questions,” she says, “like ‘Where do I learn how to walk with a white cane,’ ‘How do I tell my university or job I have a visual impairment,’ and ‘Is there a special library with books that I can access?’ Some people new to blindness or low vision are not ready to dive headfirst into blindness skills training, but I can help address their immediate needs. LightHouse maintains a toll-free Information and Referral phone line to make sure that anyone facing challenges because of blindness can access a real, live person to answer their questions. This first phone call or email gets them in the door, and eventually leads them to more of our classes and ultimately independence.”

Beth was born blind and talks about how attitudes towards her blindness strengthened her determination to succeed. “When I was born in the 50’s, parents of blind children were pressured to institutionalize their kids. My mother and I refused, forging our own path using instinct and intuition. I went to a regular elementary school in rural Massachusetts, and learned how to read and write because of the tenacity of my teacher, Miss Packard. Like my mother, she refused to allow me to end up ghettoized in an institution.”

Beth’s fortitude enables her to lead others to a path of independence. “I look for solutions to student’s concerns, wherever those solutions may be. “In addition to providing hundreds of blind people each year with individual attention, Beth coordinates LightHouse special events including our new LightHouse Connect Series, which teaches blind people how to use the latest accessible technology to access print materials, email, text and surf the internet and use GPS and tactile maps to traverse the city and world. She sends out a weekly email, “Beth’s List,” updating the blind community on events happening at LightHouse and nearby. Sometimes she’s able to offer blind students free tickets to some of the biggest shows in the Bay Area, including the San Francisco Symphony, SF Jazz, and the de Young Museum; so, if you’re not already getting Beth’s List in your inbox, email her at BBerenson@lighthouse-sf.org.

Beth also acts as blindness ambassador on behalf of the LightHouse, performing critical trainings to community members and organizations such as the San Francisco Opera, Yellow Cab Corp, de Young Museum of Art, Twitter and Facebook, helping these companies understand and meet the needs of their blind constituents all over the world. “In my experience, people and organizations want to make things accessible to the blind, they just don’t know how, or they’re too intimidated to ask questions. I offer my personal experience and professional expertise to these organizations, working with them to make our world a more accessible place for everyone, including the blind.”

The many hats Beth wears at the LightHouse keep her busy, but she always finds time for her first love, dogs. “I don’t have a dog of my own, which means I have more room in my heart for everyone else’s dogs. When I’m not at the LightHouse, I’m usually visiting a canine friend, occasionally also engaging with their owners,” Beth jokes. “I’m also podcast obsessed; dedicated to listening to far too many podcasts to name. They remind me of the bygone era of the radio. I love my podcasts!”

Part Baystater (Massachusetts-ite), Floridian and San Franciscan, Beth loves to wear bright, tropical Floridian colors, while peppering her speech with New England colloquialisms (“It’s a grocery carriage not a shopping cart!”), and a flower-in-hair San Franciscan openness to everyone who walks through LightHouse’s doors. “I think it’s my fusion of various regionalisms that makes me best equipped to adapt to each individual student’s needs.” It is Beth’s uniqueness and moxie that makes her indispensable to the LightHouse because she can relate to just about anyone, whether it’s a student learning to travel with a white cane, or an organization eager to be more welcoming to the blind.

If you or someone you know is blind or has low vision and has questions about LightHouse programs and services, give Beth a call at our toll-free Information and Referral number, 415-431-1481, or email her directly at BBerenson@lighthouse-sf.org. If you’d like to sign up to receive Beth’s weekly events listing, email her and let her know you’d like to keep up-to-date on all the amazing events in our area.

Blind Immersion Training Week Jump-Starts Eleven Students to Success

Immersion students and teachers pose next to Lake Lokoya on a crisp, chilly dayLast month students from the Bay Area and North Coast came together for Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion week at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind. The Immersion is a week-long session where students have a real workout on the skills that will keep them as independent as possible with changing vision, whether it be improving their use of the technology that brings the print world to them or walking with confidence through our beautiful campgrounds.

Why come to Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion? As one student said, “It was time for me. Time to learn how to do things differently, time to become more independent, time to start living.” Each day during Immersion is a long one, but highly fulfilling. Guided by our talented teaching team, participants work individually or in small groups. Bonds of peer support develop, some lasting well beyond the week. The days are punctuated by delicious, healthy meals and bookended by morning yoga and late night walks in the fresh air of Enchanted Hills. The Immersion program is powerful, propelling people forward in their lives, like a rocket booster into the future.

Rocky Camp and his sister, Jane Micks, both have low vision caused by the same eye condition. Rocky told us, “I felt tremendous trepidation before I arrived at camp…But from the moment I arrived, I felt as if I was with my compatriots; those who, from their own personal experience, shared my journey. Your staff was amazing. Right from the very beginning there was just this wonderful lightness, a sense of humor, which really made me feel comfortable. I learned so much…my assessment of the week can be encapsulated in one phrase; life changing.”

The days during Immersion are filled with opportunities for connection. Our new mentor trainers, Gail McGaster and Jeff Buckwalter both have low vision and they shared their experiences and learned from the students’ stories. Six of the students, all who have changing vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, found this commonality led to good conversations and rapport. And LightHouse Board member Jerry Kuns, who was at camp for another project, stopped by to share his experience. The group found it heartening to hear about some of the challenges this seasoned and successful member of the blind community still deals with, reminding us that this journey towards independence is ongoing and ever enriching.

Is your vision changing? Are you ready to make a commitment to yourself, to be the director of your journey? Our next Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training at Enchanted Hills is Sunday, April 12 through Friday, April 17. To participate, contact Debbie Bacon at 415-694-7357 in San Francisco; Janet Pomerantz at 707-268-5646 in the North Coast or Jeff Carlson at 415-258-8496 in Marin. Immersion students come from all over Northern California. Join us!

 

Open House – Spring into Training with the LightHouse Connect Series

For our third installment of the LightHouse Connect series, we’re having an Open House to showcase all the ways you can become more independent and successful as your vision changes. If you’ve been interested in finding out more about our programs including technology training, cane travel training, cooking, braille, our Youth Program, Enchanted Hills Camp and more, our Open House is a great opportunity to chat informally with our friendly staff. As a special bonus attraction, Adaptations will be open late and we’re offering a 10% discount on store sales during Open House hours.

When: Thursday, March 26, 2015 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Light refreshments will be served

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Lisamaria Martinez at info@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-431-1481.