David Steinmetz, Arizona Industries for the Blind
Each October we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) to recognize the talents and contributions people with disabilities bring to the workplace. Have you ever given thought to the level of time, effort and determination it takes for people who are blind to obtain a career?
Looking back at my own professional journey, do I truly appreciate the opportunities for personal and professional development that the Ability One Program has allowed me? As a person who acquired blindness as an adult, I had to overcome not just the physical changes, but also the emotional and mental impact on my life. I am sure you can imagine how difficult it was surrendering my driver’s license and relying on public transportation, but then imagine having someone take a swing at you on the bus to see if you were really blind.
If that wasn’t enough, as a returning student at a local university I had to not only manage work and family life, but I had to advocate for note taking assistance, extra time for exams, in-accessible reading materials and deal with professors who just didn’t get it.
In 2019, 50.4% of working age people who are blind were out of the labor force, meaning they are not looking for a job. I could have been part of this statistic. After obtaining my college degree I set out into the job market. I quickly realized the frustration of looking for a job, countless interviews that led to rejection after rejection.
Fortunately, I found an organization that is able to read between the lines of my resume and after 18 years at Arizona Industries for the Blind I am in the position to change the perception of blindness: one conversation at a time.
I want to reinforce to hiring managers, business owners and corporations as you continue to develop your DE&I recruiting efforts, remember people who are blind have not just the practical skills to “do the job,” but we also have overcome enormous barriers by developing strong communication, problem-solving, negotiation and time management skills that will contribute to the organization’s success. That is what we should be celebrating during NDEAM.
