Talking to Americans: On Advocacy and Blindness in the United States

In this 66th episode of Triple Vision, the team talks with Jeff Tom, a retired lawyer for the California legislature, and past President of the California Council of the Blind. Jeff is also a current Board member of the American Council of the Blind, and the Chair of it’s Advocacy Steering Committee. For some time now Triple Vision has wanted to know about some of the differences in advocacy and social participation in the US compared to Canada. Now seemed like a perfect time as blind Americans are facing down a federal administration which has it’s sights on rolling back diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This episode is being hosted between Karoline and guest host Sylvia Jonas, Sylvia herself having been born and raised in California, and now living in Canada for the past 15 years. Tune in for an interesting look at the history of blindness advocacy in the United States, and the current pressures that that advocacy is now under.“Clearly in the united States, for a long, long time, interest group politics has been the way things get done. Interest group politics within the two-party system construct does promote the ability for all groups, if they can advocate harmoniously and really get themselves together to make a difference, especially around the margins”.