Another Federationist at Work

Another Federationist at Work

Another Federationist
at Work: Gail Bryant Honored
From the Editor:
Every time a blind person ventures out into the world, he or she teaches others
something about blindness. Sometimes we wish those lessons had not been taught,
and sometimes the lessons are wonderful demonstrations of ability, good sense,
and dedication. The following article came from Ed Bryant, the President of
the Diabetes Action Network and Editor of the Voice of the Diabetic.
In this case he is also the proud husband of a dedicated Federationist who
was recently honored. The NFB is mentioned only once, but our philosophy and
view of the world shine in every sentence. The piece was written by Qingchun
Guo and Holly Surbaugh and appeared in the March 2, 2000, issue of the Columbia
Missourian.
Teaching the
Blind
Gail Bryant teaches
people to read and write. Her students range from grade-schoolers to senior
citizens. They receive one-on-one instruction in school or in their homes.
They are also blind or
visually impaired. So is Bryant.
Bryant recently received
the Missouri Small Business Development Center's 1999 Excellence in Business
Award for her small enterprise, Columbia Braille Teaching Services. Her first
reaction when she heard the news was utter astonishment.
"I was shocked,
flabbergasted, because I was just out there doing my job," Bryant said,
"I don't think of myself as extraordinary. I don't think of my job as
extraordinary, and I don't treat my students as extra-special or extraordinary."
Others, however, find
her accomplishments impressive.
"She inspires everyone
she meets, both those who assist her and those she assists," said Lil
Ferrell, a former SBDC counselor/instructor who helped Bryant start her business.
Blind from birth, Bryant's
disability has worked to her advantage in connecting with her students. She
not only teaches blind and visually impaired people Braille but also trains
them in computer software and home management skills. Hers is the only such
business in the state to serve both children and adults.
Bryant started when the
Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, a subdivision of the Jefferson City
Department of Social Services, sought individual contractors to teach the
blind.
"I really didn't
think it would grow into a full-fledged business," Bryant said. "As
things developed, it sort of mushroomed."
With Ferrell's help
Bryant jumped through the typical hoops for starting a new business. She came
up with a business plan and scouted for potential clients at local schools.
She also hired a driver and completed training in using and teaching Window-Eyes,
computer software designed for the visually impaired.
"Really, she was
just like another client starting a business," Ferrell said. Funds from
Rehabilitation Services for the Blind helped supply equipment and start-up
costs.
"Ms. Bryant is an
excellent example of a professional business person and a successful instructor,"
said Jim Brinkman, a counselor at Rehabilitation Services for the Blind.
Bryant got her first
client in mid-1997. Since those first lessons Bryant has taught visually impaired
adults and children to deal with more than one kind of blindness. She often
finds herself educating school teachers, staff, and families in the right
way to work with blind people. She said the most difficult part of her job
is changing the attitudes that the blind cannot have meaningful lives and
that they require special treatment.
"A lot of my job
is teaching confidence," Bryant said. "I have to come in and work
with them, and I have to do it so that the child, the parent, and the school
can all maintain a certain level of dignity and respect."
Bryant still struggles
for that same respect herself as a fledgling entrepreneur. "I'm not taken
seriously," Bryant said. "In some circles I'm just this nice lady
who comes to teach little Johnny Braille."
Bryant hopes this award
will add to her credibility, but she will not rest on its strength alone.
She has also just commissioned a new marketing brochure, and she is considering
enrolling in college classes to get Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education certification in her field.
The former housewife
already has a master's of education in rehabilitation counseling. Her advocacy
work with the National Federation of the Blind and volunteer service, such
as working with battered women at The Shelter, has given her a wealth of experience.
And her background in counseling has given her skills she now uses to get
her message across to anyone who would doubt a blind person's capability.
"Anybody who has
a child, regardless of their handicap or disability, should not be afraid
if they want their child to go to a public school," Bryant said. "It
should never be viewed as a statement of hopelessness or helplessness. By
the same token, if there is someone who is newly blind as an adult, they shouldn't
be afraid to ask for help."