Alyssa Dominguez | Contributing Writer
FIU’s Disabled Student Union (DSU) hosted Disability in Context: Visual Impairment, discussing what it means to be a disabled student in today’s world.
Hosted by Adam Wolson, the focus of the event was to spread awareness regarding visual impairment and Adam’s lived experience with it.
“Just like these events centering around education on disability from the perspectives and experiences of the disabled people with lived experience and focusing them as the experts rather than like medical books that are about people in a very sterile way.” said Kenneth Lopez member of DSU.
“I’ve always said this, a medical textbook or diagnosis is great, but your lived experience is much more valuable.” added Wolson.
Wolson began with a presentation, delving into how visual impairment is defined, common misconceptions around visual impairments and the spectrum that is visual impairment.
“I have visual impairment myself that’s the main thing. Also, I think telling people the reality of what often people ignore. Trying to get the message across that we’re our own person, we’re unique. We have our own interests, our own wants, own desires, and our own problems, like anyone else,” said Adam in response to a PantherNOW question about the importance of the event.
A standout point in the presentation was the coverage of “Do and Don’ts” when interacting with visually impaired individuals, emphasizing inappropriate questions.
Wolson shared his personal frustration with questions such as “How many fingers am I holding up?” or “What do you see?”
“I’ve been told ‘I couldn’t live if I saw like you’ and that is just disheartening and basically my life is worth less than yours,” said Wolson.
He opened the floor for attendees to ask questions.
“FIU, in my opinion, has done a pretty decent job overall trying to accommodate disabled students, I’ve always had a pretty good experience with my professors and with the DRC,” said Wolson when asked if he believes disabled students are fairly represented at FIU.
Other members of DSU present for the event offered additional insight.
“I think with the creation of the Disabled Student Union it helps to serve as a medium to feel represented within the university. It is a department that exists to represent a population and so I think it is a work in progress,” added Hua Hui Vogel, president of DSU.
“There are still things that are needing improvement and I think the Disability Resource Center helps with that but I also think that it’s a lack of education and awareness, both within the administration and in the student body,” said Vogel.
Wolson concluded, surmising with a call to action.
“Don’t assume anything about anyone just generally speaking and especially with disabilities, don’t assume what we can’t do. I think that’s the biggest thing like don’t assume, ask, and let the person lead that you’re trying to help,” said Wolson.
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