Not DISabilities But POSabilites

So often we see people with DISabilities as ‘not able to.’  Instead I see them with POSabilites. As a mother of two wonderful young men, I'm continually amazed at their courage, resilience, and fortitude.  You see they don't 'see' - they're blind.  They face each day not as an obstacle but an opportunity.  With one away at college and the other still in High School, I find myself continually humbled by their ability to adapt in each situation. They are driven to succeed and have the persistence and problem solving skills to overcome any and all challenges. They are my heroes. 

  

In October of every year, Americans are asked to recognize the special contributions and rights of persons with disabilities. The official name is “National Disability Employment Awareness Month.” Coinciding with this important national observance is White Cane Safety Day and Blind Americans Equality Day  on Monday, October 15th.

In 1963, the National Federation of the Blind called upon the governors of the fifty states to issue proclamations designating October 15 of each year White Cane Safety Day. In 1964, Congress passed a joint resolution, making this a national observance and, explaining that the purpose of the resolution was to “make our people more fully aware of the meaning of the white cane and the need for motorists to exercise special care,” President Johnson signed the official proclamation. In his words, “The white cane in our society has become one of the symbols of a blind person’s ability to come and go on his own.”  

Use of the white cane as both a tool and a symbol for those with seriously impaired vision has evolved over time. Some credit James Biggs of Bristol with first conceiving the idea of white canes in 1921 when he wanted to make himself more visible to motorists after losing his sight in an accident. The widespread promotion and general acceptance of white cane use for blind pedestrians has been attributed to Lions Clubs International, whose Peoria chapter president, George A. Bonham, saw a blind man struggling to cross a street using a barely-visible black cane.

White canes for use by blind people differ in style and purpose. The “Long” cane, also known as the “Hoover” cane, was designed primarily as a mobility tool to detect objects in the path of a user. “Identification” or “symbol” canes are often lighter and shorter, and are not useful for mobility. “Support” canes are designed primarily to offer physical stability as well as identification, but have limited use as mobility devices. There are “kiddie” canes for children, and “folding” canes. Some of these canes have red tips for added visibility, but a white cane (whether or not it has a red tip) is understood to indicate blindness. Probably the most intriguing new cane innovation is the “Stichting I-cane.” This device, still being developed, has built-in GPS-navigation and surface-scanning features.

Along with the cane, technology has assisted America's Blind in taking advantage of employment opportunities that in the past might have been inaccessible.  My own sons use computers that speak everything on the screen to them.  They have hand held devices that tell them what color their shirt and pants are so they can dress themselves 'appropriately'.  They have Iphones that talk to them and GPS devices to help them navigate. They use braille and many other electronic tools to help them be completely independent. The use of their White canes has been life-saving, literally.

I hope that you now have an open mind to understand that someone with DISabilities is not necessarily someone who is 'not able to', but someone with loads of POSabilities.