Employers will say: you have an excellent resume, an excellent cover letter, but the problem is you’re blind. I go from being a qualified applicant to just: blind. And they don’t look past that.
Transcript
Lisa Kidder: You can change barriers in physical environments, say for instance, by putting in a wheelchair ramp or putting Braille signage up, but it isn't as easy to change people's attitudes.
Host: This is Keep Moving Forward.
George H.W. Bush: Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.
Host: Exploring the legacy and promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Lisa Kidder: My name is Lisa Kidder. I’m a political science major at the University of Minnesota. And I'm totally blind. I think of myself as just a person who can't see. It isn't how I define myself.
We live in a society where it seems like almost everything is based on looks. I've experienced situations where people will say: you have an excellent resume, an excellent cover letter, but the problem is you're blind. So, you might be one of the best-qualified applicants who has the most experience, but you go from being a qualified applicant to just: blind. And they don't look past that. And it shouldn't matter, if someone has a disability, as long as you're effective.
Host: Keep Moving Forward is supported by The Minnesota Council on Disability, The Minnesota Humanities Center and the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, online at Ampers.org.