I’m hoping that “header” will get your attention.  Cause you to stop, look and think.   Recently in Newport, it was “Persons with Disabilities Awareness Day.”   I was asked to help emcee the program.  Believe me, I learned a great deal more that after about living with a disability and how we can all do more to understand.

       Monica (I won’t use last names) is blind and chooses to use a seeing eye dog rather than a white cane.   She’s a strong woman with strong opinions.   I said she scares me just a little and if you had heard her, you might say the same.    Monica says just because she cannot see, does not mean she cannot think, cannot work, cannot excel in so many areas.   A challenge for her is that new appliances and even new technology comes with flat screens, such as the stove, DVD players, washers and dryers.   They all lack a tactile surface or a voice activated control.   Knowing Monica, every major appliance company will develop those features quite soon.   Monica says, just because she is blind, does not mean she can’t communicate.

     Steve (again no last name) on the other hand is deaf.  He signs. He’s been deaf since birth, but his intelligence speaks volumes.   Steve talked about the need for “captioning” at movie theatres and a desire for a greater understanding from the public that just because he cannot hear, does not mean he cannot read (he gave  a very funny example  about a flight attendant handing him a book/magazine in braille which he handed back and indicated he could see, he just couldn’t hear.  The flight attendant never returned with anything for him to read).   Oh, and yelling really does not enhance any understanding of what you might say to him. 

  “Pro”  is in a wheelchair because he has a little-known phenonmenon called “postpolio” syndrome.   He manuevers his chair quite well and is an outstanding public speaker.

     Each person has a disability, but each one is a strong individual.  Sometimes, I think we forget that and only focus on one thing such as  the seeing eye dog; the wheelchair; the signing.  

    Meeting Street held its  Prom tonight.   These are young people with various disabilities, some much more severe in medical terms than others.  But on this night, they are all just teenagers listening to loud music,  wearing their “prom” outfits and enjoying the night.  

   We all need to spend a day walking around a community with a blindfold on, or heavy earplugs to block out sound or in wheelchair and see what we can do to better understand the need to reduce the barriers and make every place accessible.

They did that in Newport – it was a great idea.   And kudos to Richard and Maria Korn who made the decision to make their businesses accessible way before the American Disabilities Act was signed into law.  They were honored for thoughtfulness and understanding.  So if you head down to Newport, stop in at “Yesterday’s” and thank Richard – although we all call him “Biggie” for being the type of guy who doesn’t believe in barriers!