By: Neisha Mitchell
Bernard Akuoko and I have been members of the sight loss community for most of our lives. As new employees of the CNIB Advocacy Team, we are excited to implement ideas on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within CNIB and to share some of these new initiatives.
Through the new CNIB Diversity and Inclusion homepage, we’ll spotlight diverse individuals and stories. You will find YouTube series, podcasts and panel discussions featuring CNIB participants weighing in on how diversity, inclusion and intersectionality have impacted their lives.
Black Voices United (BVU) celebrated its one-year anniversary this past summer. BVU has become a support system for those who identify as Black and live with sight loss. They meet with their Afro-Canadian sighted supporters to share their feelings and experiences in a safe space. If you are interested in joining or learning more about BVU, please email Bernard.Akuoko@cnib.ca.
In January, we’ll be launching a new podcast, The Lens: Living Diverse. We’ll chat about diversity and intersectionality within the blind, partially sighted, and Deafblind community, and interview community members, CNIB staff and others to gain their insight on diversity, equity, and inclusion from a blindness perspective.
Along with new digital content and the development of support programs, CNIB will provide a platform for diverse voices to be heard and an array of perspectives to be considered, so the CNIB Diversity and Inclusion homepage will celebrate and represent our incredibly diverse population. If you have a programming or group idea, email advocacy@cnib.ca.