The Blind At Work: Two Stories, Two Traumas

by Kevin Burton    Just a sampling today, as you carry on with life, of what blind people face every day when they dare go into the workforce.    Our first look is in New Jersey, the second, across the Atlantic in Wales.    I could string all the news like this into a blog …

Giving Women Credit Where Credit Is Due

by Dictionary Scoop    Did you know that women made many scientific contributions, but their names were hidden and their discoveries attributed to men?     This phenomenon is so common that it even has a name: the Matilda Effect. American historian of science Margaret W. Rossiter coined the term in 1993 in honor of Matilda Joslyn Gage, …

Blind Lawyer Pioneer Fought For The Disabled

by Kevin Burton     Here’s the story of a woman I had never heard of before, who could and should be put on a US postage stamp.    As a woman and a disabled person, she was way ahead of her time in effectively fighting the good fight for marginalized people. May God bless any …

Silent Services Are “Introvert Happy Hour”

by Alana Semuels  Time Magazine    It can be easy to go a day without talking to another human, especially if you work remotely. But increasingly, people are avoiding talking to one another when they leave the house, too, thanks to businesses and activities that allow them to request quiet time.    “It’s just the …

Read This Column Now, Don’t Put It Off!

by Kevin Burton    So I’ve had this material for a while. My friend Tracy sent it to me. Jusuuuut haven’t gotten around to posting it yet.    You know, busy, busy, busy.    It arrived under the headline “procrastinator’s creed.”    Did you know that if you rearrange the letters in “procrastinator” you get …

Uber And Lyft Corporations Are To Blame

by Terri Gerstein Slate.com    Last year, former U.S. Circuit Court Judge David Tatel, who is blind, was denied a Lyft ride to court when a driver refused to accept his guide dog.    It should not be necessary to state this, but: People who are blind deserve full access to trains, airplanes, and other transportation …

Humbly Gleaning In God’s Good Field

by Kevin Burton    From the Old Testament book of Ruth comes a message of faithful, steady industry, to the gain of those who walk with God.    Our lesson today is about gleaning.    Ruth is a love story, but without sappy sentiment. It is a picture of what God has done for humanity, …

Feds: Pepsi Discriminated Against The Blind

by Kevin Burton    If you’re looking for something to drink, or somewhere to work, choose Coke, not Pepsi.    According to multiple published reports, PepsiCo hired a blind man for a call center, then fired him rather than get him a screen reader – even after a state vocational rehabilitation counselor offered to buy …

Coffee Chain Creating Jobs For The Disabled

by Karen Shimizu Food &Wine    Bitty & Beau’s is a civil rights movement disguised as a coffee shop.   Bitty & Beau’s has everything you could want from a neighborhood café. The coffee is hot and strong, there’s ample seating, and the free wifi encourages you to linger.    But the experience it offers is rare …

Nebraska Town Divided Over Immigration

by Didi Martinez, Julia Ainsley and  Laura Strickler, NBC News FREMONT, Neb. — Big-city mayors may be complaining about the economic impact of an influx of migrants, but the residents of a small city near Omaha can’t decide how they feel.    Fremont, Nebraska, population 27,000, has three massive meat-processing plants. As young locals leave in …