Joe Strechay

Thursday, April 25, is Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day How many of you are thinking about bringing your son or daughter to work? My opinion? I think you should speak to your workplace to see if you can bring your child to work on that day. "Hey AFB, can I bring my Australian Shepherd to work? So, she may not be a human child, but I pretty much treat her like my child." On a serious note, I can tell you a little bit about why I believe this day is so important to me and for children…

One issue people with disabilities often face (and, granted, this is sometimes self-imposed) is isolation. In the case of individuals who are blind or visually impaired, this could be related to mobility or transportation. The good news is, with technology, we have the opportunity to connect with others in so many different ways. The American Foundation for the Blind offers a whole collection of message boards covering all kinds of topics and for different audiences. These message boards are…

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story titled "When It Comes to Hiring, Blind Workers Face Bias." It examines a study conducted by our friends at the National Industries for the Blind, and the many misconceptions employers (and hiring and HR managers) have when it comes to hiring potential employees with vision loss. They are just that—misconceptions. NIB's president and chief executive, Kevin Lynch, had a few interesting things to say on the matter, and I agree wholeheartedly. The…

Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct the first of six teen employment workshops for students who are blind or visually impaired. These workshops are being held in multiple states, the first of which was with the Overbrook School for the Blind (www.obs.org) in Philadelphia. The workshops allow me to work with teens and associated professionals on self-awareness, career exploration, pre-interview skills, and the job interview. They are really focused on the needs and present levels of the…

Veteran's Day is November 11, and I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of the persons who have served our country, including my father, uncle, grandfather, and many friends. I also want to thank all the soldiers still protecting us, at home and abroad. As with our friends at the honorable Blinded Veterans Association, the American Foundation for the Blind values our veterans, and we offer great resources that are utilized by persons with vision loss, veterans especially. AFB has a…

Warning: this post contains a handful of self-promotion. That said, what do Christine Ha, Erik Weihenmayer, Geri Jewell, and Marlee Matlin all have in common? Well, they are all mentioned in an article I wrote titled "The Media’s Impact on Public Perception of People with Disabilities" for the October 2012 AccessWorld. In the article, I cover some of the major portrayals of persons with disabilities that had an impact on my perception thereof, both good and bad. It's no secret I'm a fan of…

As you might have read, October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but in conjunction with this month-long observance is also National Disability Mentoring Day—which is October 17. I believe far too many people don't realize the impact mentoring can have, both on others as well as themselves. We all have been impacted by mentoring, whether we know it or not. We have family members, friends, coworkers, and other persons who are or have been mentors to us. I can personally tell…

October 15th is White Cane Safety Day, and my white cane, Slim, and I are celebrating out in the community. Yes, I have a nickname for my long white cane, and yes, it is Slim. I am a white cane man, and I don't leave home without him. In all seriousness, I am psyched to be trained to use my long white cane, as it allows me a feeling of comfort, safety, and confidence when I am traveling through the community or even around the country. No, I don't fly on my white cane like a witch flies on a…

With October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), I am ready to give my standing ovation to a few groups these next few weeks. I will be providing a few posts during this stretch, and they all will relate to National Disability Employment Awareness Month in some way. I am not trying to take anything away from our friends, Major League Baseball, but as CareerConnect Program Manager here at AFB, this month is like the playoffs for me. (Although, as a Yankees fan, I'm…