“For twenty-four years of my blindness journey I wandered around this world pretending I was sighted. I wouldn’t use a cane, I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, I didn’t want to identify as somebody with a disability,” but then Gina Martin says, “In 2015 I met two women who were both confident and blind and it actually blew my mind”.

This week on Outlook we’re speaking with Gina with an emphasis on out-of-the-box thinking and the shift” which leads to action which leads to change, leading the disability awareness charge with her company: Diverse Abilities. It’s a disability awareness education program she offers, with everyone from children to seniors, in schools, workplaces, and retirement communities and community centres where she teaches about the diversity to be found in disabilities and the people living life with them.

From power tools to axe/dagger throwing, this Canadian is up for it all. This advocate, teacher, and our guest states: Rather than saying “I’m losing my sight,” I refrained it as “I’m gaining my blindness.” She does this by focusing on exploring the other, non visual senses with her audiences, but by also doing it with her partner, friends, and others in her personal life.

With some tough words from our guest for Canadian society, it’s a truly international discussion as we learn more about Gina’s months-long blindness skills training in Louisiana and what that felt like and how it has prepared Martin for living her best blind life ever since. We’re, all three, the rest of us curious about how those centres work and we pose the question as to why our guest thinks Canada does not offer structure discovery in the same way.

And we hear from Barry, who’s Irish, about the language we use in North America, specifically the word “handicapped” in terms of things like a parking pass or public bathroom, that this word is no longer acceptable or common over there. Gina shares about the language she prefers in her own life and in the work that she does teaching kindness, given and received.

Our guest says: It’s IDEAL - Inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and language.

So check out Gina Martin and more about her programs by going to Diverse Abilities:

https://diverseabilities.ca

And follow her on Facebook for such excellent informative posts:

https://www.facebook.com/DisabilityAwarenessConsultant/