March 4, 2025 • 28 mins
Lizzie Eastham presents Studio 1 - Vision Australia Radio’s weekly look at life from a low vision and blind point of view.
On this week’s show
"International Women's Day"
Lizzie is flying solo this week, giving Sam a poorly deserved week off.
In honour of International Women's Day Lizzie speaks to two blind women who have different but inspiring stories to tell.
Studio 1 welcomes any input from our listeners. If you have any experience or thoughts about issues covered in this episode or believe there is something we should be talking about.
EMAIL: studio1@visionaustralia.org or leave comment on the station’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VARadioNetwork
Thank you to Anne and Shaleah.
Vision Australia gratefully acknowledges the support of the Community Broadcasting Foundation for Studio 1.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:05):
This is studio one on Vision Australia Radio.
S2 (00:12):
Hello, I'm Lizzie Eastham and you're listening to Studio one,
Vision Australia Radio's weekly look at life from a blind
and low vision point of view. On this week's show,
we're celebrating International Women's Day, which falls on March the 8th.
And in light of this most auspicious occasion, I've taken
the reins and I'll be flying solo. We hear from
(00:34):
an instagramer who has made it her mission to bring
awareness to brand accessibility in Canada and Australia, who has
faced systemic barriers head on. As we always say at
this point, please do get in touch with the show.
Whether you have experience with any of the issues covered
on this week's episode of Studio One, or if you
think there's something we should be talking about. You never know.
(00:56):
Your story and insight may help someone who's dealing with
something similar. You can contact us via email at studio
One at Vision Australia. Org. That's studio number one at
Vision Australia. Org or perhaps you can drop us a
note on our Facebook page by going to facebook.com slash
via Radio Network. Hello and welcome. As stated in the intro,
(01:20):
it is International Women's Day, which is a day to
recognise the achievements of women across the globe, from the
boardroom to the basketball court and everywhere in between. Let's
be honest, one day isn't exactly enough to appreciate the strength,
resilience and brilliance of women. But hey, we'll take what
we can get. Joining us today are two incredible women
(01:43):
who are making an impact in their own unique way. First,
we'll be hearing from Anne Mock, a social media content
creator who is using her Instagram platform to highlight brands
that are both accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities
in Canada. If that name sounds familiar, we did interview
her a few weeks back. So if you wish to
(02:04):
listen to that interview, please do go to your favorite
podcast platform and look for the show there. We'll also
be chatting with Shalia, an African American woman who has
faced systemic barriers firsthand. She'll be sharing her experiences and
how her faith plays a role in keeping her strong
and positive. Because sometimes the world throws obstacles our way,
(02:27):
and faith is the only thing that's keeping us going.
So whether you're celebrating International Women's Day by lifting up
the women in your life, advocating for change, or just
treating yourself to an extra shot of coffee such as myself,
do stick around. This is a show you don't want
to miss.
S3 (02:49):
Thank you so much. Lizzy, thank you for having me
here today.
S2 (02:52):
So the reason that I wanted to get you on
the program. Well, you approached me when I initially put
out the feelers about this show for International Women's Day,
and he led me to a very interesting Ted talk
that you'd done. And I was so captivated and moved
by the story that you told and what you had
to say. So talk a little bit about where you
(03:13):
grew up and, um, you're moving from Malaysia to Canada.
S3 (03:17):
So my family immigrated from Malaysia to Canada when I
was just two years old. And my parents, you know,
they worked really hard and they were really proud when
they were finally able to buy their first home here.
And it was home in a picture perfect neighborhood. It
was just a few minutes walking distance to the local school,
(03:38):
and my parents just wanted us all to belong and
be part of a community.
S2 (03:43):
So did your moving from Malaysia to Canada have anything
to do with your vision impairment or, um, like lack
of accessibility in Malaysia for you?
S3 (03:51):
No, I wasn't diagnosed until adulthood with my vision loss,
but growing up I had always worn glasses since I
was three years old.
S2 (04:01):
And how did people act towards you? Because, like, obviously
not not everybody wears glasses. So already there, there's a
difference between you and other people. And how did the
people around you react to that? I was called.
S3 (04:13):
Names when I was a kid, so with my vision, um, struggles.
I wear those Coke bottle thick lenses and I would
be called Four Eyes. I was short, so I would
be called names because I was short. And then also
because of my culture, I was also called names as well.
(04:36):
So it was a real struggle. And then going through school,
I just didn't do as well as probably my brother
and sister did, and they wore glasses too. And so
my family never questioned further my vision loss and being
new immigrants to the country, we just went along with things, uh,
(04:57):
you know, not making any fusses or noises and of course.
S2 (05:01):
Yeah. And in the Ted talk, you also told the
story you opened with this really moving story about having
rocks thrown through your window. So just tell us that story.
And what led to this and what were the repercussions afterwards?
S3 (05:19):
Yes. So at the time in my school community, there
were only two Chinese families, one Japanese family and one
Southeast Asian family. My brother is about three years older
than me, so by the time he was in school,
he was constantly bullied. As an Asian kid, me being
a youngster, I didn't really know what was going on,
(05:41):
and I remember distinctly when I was about three years
old and I was sitting in one of the rooms
and I was just playing on the floor in the carpet,
and I remember feeling that warm sun on my back,
and there was a window that overlooked the street. And
then suddenly the glass just shattered and there was a
(06:01):
rock beside me and terrified, I just ran from the room.
You know, when you're young, you don't question where you
belong or when differences are pointed out. It's until someone
tells you that you don't belong. This moment. That Shattered
Glass was my first real introduction to being seen as other.
(06:24):
And those rocks were just a one time thing. It
happened over and over again. Our home, our place that
was supposed to be our safe haven, was a target,
and I was just too young to fully understand why.
But I felt it. I felt the unease, the fear,
the constant reminder that we were seen as outsiders and
(06:46):
that rock wasn't just a piece of stone. It was
a message. A message that said that you don't belong here.
And I already felt like I didn't belong because of
my visual impairment. And then adding the cultural background was
another layer, and I didn't know anyone who looked like
me who had a disability. I didn't see representation in
(07:06):
the media, in my community, or even in my old
reel circles. And even though my parents had raised us
very westernized, it's still ingrained in the culture that disability
isn't something that is talked about. And in fact, disability
is seen as being broken in the culture.
S2 (07:24):
So as you grew up and these differences kept getting
pointed out, what impact did your not belonging or not
having a sense of belonging have on your like your
mental health and just the way that you functioned daily?
S3 (07:40):
Um, I became very quiet. I became extremely shy. I
would go days at school without even speaking, and I
wouldn't even raise up my hand to answer questions. I
was always the kid on the report card that said,
you know, I would do much better if she could participate,
but I never did. I just didn't want to draw
any attention to myself. I already felt like I stuck
(08:04):
out like a sore thumb. You know, people kids would
get I would get picked on, you know, be picked
on last for sports. Um, I wasn't even good at
math or good at piano. The the things that an
Asian kid is expected to be good at. And I
really struggled with that. And then as I moved into
(08:27):
my teenage years, there were more Asians immigrating to Canada.
But I felt even more of an identity crisis. I
was too Asian to be fully accepted as Canadian, but
I was too Canadian to fit in with the Asian people.
So I felt very lost. Life may throw these things
at you, but you are the author of your own story.
(08:50):
You can rewrite your life and you can turn the
page on that chapter. And so that's what I did.
I really just dug deep into myself.
S2 (08:58):
So how was it that you found Instagram and how
did that lead to you using that platform to promote
accessible and inclusive brands?
S3 (09:09):
My phone was a lifeline. I needed it to order groceries,
things like that. I still like shopping, so I'd be scrolling,
and I noticed that website in accessibility was a huge issue.
And then the pandemic hit and it became even more
of an issue. And I really realized, like, what can
(09:31):
I do to help make a change? And with the pandemic,
small businesses were also struggling. So I thought, you know what,
I'll go on Instagram. I don't know anything about social
media at all, but I knew that Instagram is a
visual medium and I really wanted to challenge it. I
wanted to show that we can make it as accessible
(09:51):
as possible. We can create accessible content, and I can
use that to support small businesses as well, because I
still like to shop, I still shop, and then I
would tag the small business and then I would like
post a photo of it. And it actually turned into
very healing for me. And because I looked at if
I create a post, it's one day a week I
(10:14):
can get up. I'll take a shower because it was
so hard to do that at the time and you know,
to curl my hair or put on some makeup and
then take a photo and then I'd rest. And then
the next day I might write a caption, and then
I'd rest, and then the next day I would, you know,
post and then, you know, engage on social media. And
(10:35):
that helped me to get some sort of purpose. And
that was just one small thing that I did, but
it became a snowball effect. People started to notice and
suddenly the sighted community was interested in the accessibility brands
were interested in the accessibility, and I was showing up,
(10:57):
and that's when things really changed for me. And it
was this particular moment when a young girl from another
continent reached out and said, I've never seen anyone that
looks like me using a white cane. And that, to me,
was the moment I realized how important representation is, how
(11:19):
important it is for me to show up and keep
doing the work so that we can create ripple effects
of change. I've had a number of community members, followers
who have followed me very quietly, and they were in
that point of I need to use a cane, but
I'm afraid to use my cane because of the stigma.
And just watching me go out and just be unapologetically me.
(11:45):
I'm swinging my cane and then dressing up. It gave
them that that push to say, yeah, I can do
this too. And it doesn't change anything more about me.
I'm still me. And my motto right now is like,
if people are going to stare at me, I'm going
to give them something good to stare at. So I
have a very, you know, I will just go out
(12:07):
there and walk. Walk it.
S2 (12:09):
What would be your message to other women that are
going through similar crises? Maybe not, you know, in terms
of vision loss, but maybe with their cultural identity or
their faith or anything. What's your message to women.
S3 (12:25):
Amid a surge would be, I think, to, you know,
any person that's out there who feels like they don't belong,
whether it's because of disability or cultural identity or both,
I really want them to know you are not alone.
And I know what it's like to feel different, to
feel like you have to shrink yourself, to fit in,
(12:47):
to wish you could change the very things that make
you you. Just to be accepted. And for many years
I tried to stay quiet. I didn't want to stand
out as the only Asian girl in the room. I
didn't want to be noticed for struggling to see. I
just wanted to blend in and be invisible. But here's
what I wish someone had told me back then, is
(13:08):
that the things that make you different are actually the
things that make you powerful.
S2 (13:21):
What an insightful conversation with Anne Mok. It's inspiring to
see how she's using her platform to make brands pay
attention to accessibility issues in Canada. Now, before we jump
into our next interview, let's take a moment to appreciate
just how far we've come and how far we still
have to go when it comes to gender equality. Did
(13:43):
you know that the first International Women's Day was celebrated
in 1911. That means we've been at this for over
a century, and yet to this day, no country has
achieved true gender equality. But progress is being made slowly
but surely. For example, in 2023 women held approximately 29%
(14:06):
of leadership positions globally, which is better than it has
ever been. But when it comes to pay equity, the
global gender pay gap is still estimated at around 20%,
which means that on average, women earn $0.80 for every
dollar that men earn. This shows that we've made significant progress,
(14:27):
but we've still got some way to go. One of
the biggest factors that influence a woman's ability to succeed
is systemic barriers, whether it be workplace discrimination, unequal access
to opportunities, or social expectations. These challenges can shape a
woman's entire journey. That brings us nicely to our next guest, Shalya,
(14:52):
an African American woman who has faced systemic barriers head on.
And today she shares her story. What's truly inspiring is
how she stayed strong throughout it all. Faith plays a
major role in her life, giving her the strength and
resilience to keep moving, even when it seems that all
(15:14):
of the odds are stacked against her. Shelia, welcome to
studio One. It is so good to have you here.
S4 (15:25):
Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited
to be interviewing with you.
S2 (15:29):
Growing up as an African-American woman with a vision impairment,
how did your cultural background shape your experience?
S4 (15:38):
My culture is all about like dancing and how one
looks and appearance, and I think the way that it
shaped me is unlike so many people with vision impairments
that I've encountered in the past, I actually, like, am
really very self-conscious about my appearance. So even when I'm
dressed not very fancy, I take it very seriously that
(16:01):
everything matches, that everything is presentable, that my hair is
done because my family cared and I was the only
blind person in my family. And because they cared, I
had to care even if I couldn't see what I
was caring about. So I think that's one of the
biggest things. Um, another way that I believe being an
African American woman shaped my experience as a blind person
(16:24):
is I had a higher appreciation for music because music
is such a huge part of my culture. I mean,
a huge part of my culture. And if you turn
on the radio, you'll hear a lot of us on
the radio. It doesn't matter what country you're in, you'll
hear us, because music is such a big way that
we express ourselves. So from a very young age, I
was singing, I was making music, I was writing songs.
(16:47):
I was deeply entrenched in the music business.
S2 (16:51):
What was your family's attitude towards your blindness, and did
they encourage your independence, or was there some hesitancy about
what you could achieve?
S4 (17:01):
My family was all about my independence, especially my mom.
She found out I was blind at first. She got
really upset. She was devastated. And then she got over
it because my family's very much God centered. We're very
big on on Christianity. We love God. We love Christ.
And my mom told me this story before that when
I was about six months old, they tried to do
(17:22):
a surgery on my corneas to give me a transplant,
and they told my mom it wouldn't work because of
the glaucoma in my eyes. I have a condition called
Peter's anomaly, which basically culminated in glaucoma and cataracts in
my eyes. And my eyes were a little misformed, so
my father side stepped out as soon as he realized
I had this disability, but my mom was very much involved.
(17:44):
My grandparents were very much involved. My mom's sisters, my aunts,
they were very much involved. So when I told her
that they couldn't fix my eyes and I would just
be blind, she said first she cried and then she
heard a voice that said, don't cry, she'll be fine.
I've got you and I've got her. And she told
me that she knew without a doubt. And this was
before she became like a huge believer that it was
(18:07):
God talking to her not to worry, be still and
have peace, she said. And I'll be darned if I
didn't just suddenly have peace. I was just filled with peace.
She was like, and and I knew you would be
okay because, like, I was worried about you doing normal
baby things like rolling over or walking or. But I
did all of it. I rode bikes, I did everything,
you name it, like I was a very normal kid.
(18:29):
I was such a normal kid that when my mom
sent me to the blind school, they called her freaking out,
saying that I didn't know I was blind. Yeah, and.
S2 (18:36):
I love the fact that you were able to have
normal Childhood in that sense as well. Like you are
able to participate in the same things as other kids
growing up.
S4 (18:45):
Yeah, I played with kids who could see.
S2 (18:47):
In some cultures, disabilities can carry stigma or misconceptions. Did
you experience any of that either within your family or community,
and if so, how did you navigate it?
S4 (19:01):
Not until I got older, not until I became an adult,
because I wanted to be in the work industry. I
wanted to, you know, have a job and make a
difference and encourage change in the world. That was always
something I wanted to do. I wanted to do music,
but I also wanted to work. The stigma was kind
of twofold for me because out in the community, if
I walk into an interview, I have to use a cane.
(19:22):
The first thing they think before they even speak to
me is liability. The problem with first impressions is no
matter how well I dress, no matter how nice I look,
no matter how cute I am and how bright my smile,
I'm blind and I can't hide that. And that is
the first thing people see. I have an impeccable resume,
(19:42):
but I walk into an interview with a cane in
my hand and it's oh no, she's blind. Oh, no.
What do we do? And of course, they can't say
we can't hire you because of your disability. They say
things like, we found someone better suited for the job.
But you said I was perfect for the job. And
in my family, it was. You're not even trying to
get a job. Now I went and I got employment training. Okay.
(20:06):
I trained on how to interview. I did an externship.
I mean, I have done all of the things that
it is possible to do to make sure that I
am as prepared as possible to be in the workforce.
It is not my fault these people call me in
and then change their mind when they see this cane.
I'm having a hard time getting a job because these
people think I'm a liability. They're calculating the cost of
(20:28):
screen readers and fancy special equipment, not knowing or even
asking about programs like the Vocational Rehabilitation rotation program which
is designed to cover that cost and cushion that particular
liability so that they don't have to worry about that stuff.
The vocational rehabilitation program is designed to make sure that
(20:50):
we get into work. That's the part that's really irritating
is it's like, okay, you've got all these great programs
and we're not ungrateful for them. We're just saying, why
don't you tell the employers so that they know they exist?
S2 (21:03):
Were there any specific expectations placed on you as a
blind woman that differed from what other women in your
family were expected to do?
S4 (21:13):
I always felt pushed a little harder than my siblings.
I always felt like more was expected out of me,
especially when it came to education. Maybe that's because she
recognized that I would need to prove myself more once
I got in the world, I don't know, but I
always felt that, education wise, she placed way more importance
(21:33):
on my grades and my schooling and all that. Then
she did anything else. If I said I wanted to
do music, she gave me that. But there was a
sort of if clause. If you don't get good grades,
you lose your music lessons. If you don't bring home
a good report card, no more piano lessons. So I
felt pressured a lot more than my siblings probably did.
(21:56):
My siblings say that my mom gave me more attention.
I say to them, you don't want the attention and
time I was getting, because what I wanted from her
was physical affection, and what I got from her was push, push, push, push, push.
Do I appreciate the music lessons? Absolutely. They shaped me
into who I am. They gave me the skills that
(22:18):
I've got. I'm not saying I'm ungrateful for any of it,
because I love the fact that she poured so much
into me. I feel very much like there's this huge
divide between me and my siblings now because of how
hard she pushed me, and I don't know how to
close that gap. That's the kind of thing you got
to work on when you're younger. And I didn't know
what I was doing. I didn't know how to do that.
(22:39):
I was the big sister, and I had no idea
how to be a big sister, because that wasn't what
I was being taught.
S2 (22:43):
As someone who is balancing multiple passions music, ministry and entrepreneurship,
how do you manage your time and energy?
S4 (22:52):
I don't. Honestly. I recently had a chat with my
mom who I live with at the moment. She's been
helping me raise my little girl, and one of the
things she pointed out to me is that I don't
manage my time and energy as well. Or at least
I wasn't until I started going to church again. I'm
(23:13):
finding more motivation to do things and more energy, and
I'm finding it easier to manage just because I have
that community that I can lean on now that I
didn't have before, for one. But I think now the
answer would be I pray. And I lean very heavily
on my Savior and I let him guide me, because
(23:35):
if I don't, I will try to do everything and
then I will burn out, which I have done before.
S2 (23:40):
How has your faith shaped the way that you see
your disability? Because it's very easy to ask, why me?
S4 (23:48):
Oh yeah it is. God has always been a very
big and very important part of my life, and because
of that, I never really had time to say why me?
Not about the blindness. My why me was about other things,
life experiences, and even then, coming out of them and
being on the other side of them. Now I can say, okay,
this is why me? I know that even things that
(24:10):
seem devastating and heartbreaking and terrible and tragic, there's always
a positive, there's always a good that comes from it.
And as long as I can be patient and get
through the trial, then when I'm done with that, I'll
feel and see and know the blessing, and then I
can spread that with I can share that with others
(24:31):
And I love evangelizing. I love sharing my testimony. I
love sharing the good news with people. I love, love,
love doing it.
S2 (24:39):
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced as
a blind woman pursuing higher education and entrepreneurship?
S4 (24:47):
So I've been trying to pursue higher education since I
was in my early 20s. One of my most recent
difficulties is there's a school that I'm trying to go
to here. Um, it's a Christian college called Grace College,
and they have a rule that if you're over the
age of 25, they need you to live off campus.
I can't live off campus. And this college is in
a really rural area, right? So they don't have public transport.
(25:10):
There's no Ubers, there's no Lyft. So how am I
going to get around from my off campus apartment, which
I will have to rent to school every single day?
And so I'm rallying for them to make an exception
for me as an accessibility accommodation, a reasonable accommodation for
(25:30):
accessibility under the Ada, which is the Americans with Disabilities Act,
to allow me, even though I'm 36, to live on
campus in an on campus apartment so that I can
get around.
S2 (25:42):
International Women's Day celebrates the achievements of women. So who
are some of the women that have inspired you on
your journey?
S4 (25:52):
Ooh. Let's see. My mom is at the top of
the list. I've watched her struggle through a lot of things,
from relationship troubles to job things. She was a bank teller.
She was a real estate agent. She was a loan officer.
My mom was a black Barbie. Wow.
S5 (26:10):
That's amazing.
S4 (26:11):
She's done a lot of really cool things, and I
have just enjoyed watching her just jump right in feet first.
No shyness. No fear. She's just like my babies need
to be cared for. I need to care for them.
So if I got to try a new job to
do that, then I'm going to do it. She was
always my very first role model. Some of my other
(26:33):
role models were actually people that I watched growing up,
like Whitney Houston. I admire her career. I admire her
singing voice. I admired her personality. She deserved to be honored.
Beyonce is a pretty big role model and influence for me,
but I also love Tasha Cobbs Leonard and her absolute
joy and love for God, my granny. I admire her
(26:56):
a lot too, because she's a strong black woman who
takes good care of her husband, has dementia now, and
she's been taking care of him and I just admire
her faith. She taught me all these wonderful little phrases
that I lean on.
S2 (27:10):
That's a wrap for this week's show. A big thank
you to Ann and Shelia for sharing their stories with us.
And of course, a big thanks to you for listening.
You can find the podcast of this program, including some
extra content on Apple, Spotify, Google, or.
S6 (27:26):
Your.
S2 (27:27):
Favorite.
S6 (27:27):
Podcast.
S2 (27:28):
Platform. On next week's show. Vision Australia Radio is once
again conducting its 100 K Your Way fundraiser. We'll be
talking to a mum and volunteer about how she plans
to get her 100km, but between now and then, please
do get in touch with the show. Whether you have
experience of any of the issues covered on this week's
(27:48):
episode of Studio One, or if you think there's something
we should be talking about. You never know. Your story
and insight may help someone who's dealing with something similar.
You can contact us via email at studio One at
Vision Australia. Org that's studio number one at Vision australia.org.
You can search for us on your social media, whether
(28:09):
that be Facebook or Instagram. At VA Radio Network we
want to hear from you. Bye for now.
S1 (28:18):
Vision Australia Radio gratefully acknowledges the support of the Community
Broadcasting Foundation for Studio One.
This is studio one on Vision Australia Radio.
S2 (00:12):
Hello, I'm Lizzie Eastham and you're listening to Studio one,
Vision Australia Radio's weekly look at life from a blind
and low vision point of view. On this week's show,
we're celebrating International Women's Day, which falls on March the 8th.
And in light of this most auspicious occasion, I've taken
the reins and I'll be flying solo. We hear from
(00:34):
an instagramer who has made it her mission to bring
awareness to brand accessibility in Canada and Australia, who has
faced systemic barriers head on. As we always say at
this point, please do get in touch with the show.
Whether you have experience with any of the issues covered
on this week's episode of Studio One, or if you
think there's something we should be talking about. You never know.
(00:56):
Your story and insight may help someone who's dealing with
something similar. You can contact us via email at studio
One at Vision Australia. Org. That's studio number one at
Vision Australia. Org or perhaps you can drop us a
note on our Facebook page by going to facebook.com slash
via Radio Network. Hello and welcome. As stated in the intro,
(01:20):
it is International Women's Day, which is a day to
recognise the achievements of women across the globe, from the
boardroom to the basketball court and everywhere in between. Let's
be honest, one day isn't exactly enough to appreciate the strength,
resilience and brilliance of women. But hey, we'll take what
we can get. Joining us today are two incredible women
(01:43):
who are making an impact in their own unique way. First,
we'll be hearing from Anne Mock, a social media content
creator who is using her Instagram platform to highlight brands
that are both accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities
in Canada. If that name sounds familiar, we did interview
her a few weeks back. So if you wish to
(02:04):
listen to that interview, please do go to your favorite
podcast platform and look for the show there. We'll also
be chatting with Shalia, an African American woman who has
faced systemic barriers firsthand. She'll be sharing her experiences and
how her faith plays a role in keeping her strong
and positive. Because sometimes the world throws obstacles our way,
(02:27):
and faith is the only thing that's keeping us going.
So whether you're celebrating International Women's Day by lifting up
the women in your life, advocating for change, or just
treating yourself to an extra shot of coffee such as myself,
do stick around. This is a show you don't want
to miss.
S3 (02:49):
Thank you so much. Lizzy, thank you for having me
here today.
S2 (02:52):
So the reason that I wanted to get you on
the program. Well, you approached me when I initially put
out the feelers about this show for International Women's Day,
and he led me to a very interesting Ted talk
that you'd done. And I was so captivated and moved
by the story that you told and what you had
to say. So talk a little bit about where you
(03:13):
grew up and, um, you're moving from Malaysia to Canada.
S3 (03:17):
So my family immigrated from Malaysia to Canada when I
was just two years old. And my parents, you know,
they worked really hard and they were really proud when
they were finally able to buy their first home here.
And it was home in a picture perfect neighborhood. It
was just a few minutes walking distance to the local school,
(03:38):
and my parents just wanted us all to belong and
be part of a community.
S2 (03:43):
So did your moving from Malaysia to Canada have anything
to do with your vision impairment or, um, like lack
of accessibility in Malaysia for you?
S3 (03:51):
No, I wasn't diagnosed until adulthood with my vision loss,
but growing up I had always worn glasses since I
was three years old.
S2 (04:01):
And how did people act towards you? Because, like, obviously
not not everybody wears glasses. So already there, there's a
difference between you and other people. And how did the
people around you react to that? I was called.
S3 (04:13):
Names when I was a kid, so with my vision, um, struggles.
I wear those Coke bottle thick lenses and I would
be called Four Eyes. I was short, so I would
be called names because I was short. And then also
because of my culture, I was also called names as well.
(04:36):
So it was a real struggle. And then going through school,
I just didn't do as well as probably my brother
and sister did, and they wore glasses too. And so
my family never questioned further my vision loss and being
new immigrants to the country, we just went along with things, uh,
(04:57):
you know, not making any fusses or noises and of course.
S2 (05:01):
Yeah. And in the Ted talk, you also told the
story you opened with this really moving story about having
rocks thrown through your window. So just tell us that story.
And what led to this and what were the repercussions afterwards?
S3 (05:19):
Yes. So at the time in my school community, there
were only two Chinese families, one Japanese family and one
Southeast Asian family. My brother is about three years older
than me, so by the time he was in school,
he was constantly bullied. As an Asian kid, me being
a youngster, I didn't really know what was going on,
(05:41):
and I remember distinctly when I was about three years
old and I was sitting in one of the rooms
and I was just playing on the floor in the carpet,
and I remember feeling that warm sun on my back,
and there was a window that overlooked the street. And
then suddenly the glass just shattered and there was a
(06:01):
rock beside me and terrified, I just ran from the room.
You know, when you're young, you don't question where you
belong or when differences are pointed out. It's until someone
tells you that you don't belong. This moment. That Shattered
Glass was my first real introduction to being seen as other.
(06:24):
And those rocks were just a one time thing. It
happened over and over again. Our home, our place that
was supposed to be our safe haven, was a target,
and I was just too young to fully understand why.
But I felt it. I felt the unease, the fear,
the constant reminder that we were seen as outsiders and
(06:46):
that rock wasn't just a piece of stone. It was
a message. A message that said that you don't belong here.
And I already felt like I didn't belong because of
my visual impairment. And then adding the cultural background was
another layer, and I didn't know anyone who looked like
me who had a disability. I didn't see representation in
(07:06):
the media, in my community, or even in my old
reel circles. And even though my parents had raised us
very westernized, it's still ingrained in the culture that disability
isn't something that is talked about. And in fact, disability
is seen as being broken in the culture.
S2 (07:24):
So as you grew up and these differences kept getting
pointed out, what impact did your not belonging or not
having a sense of belonging have on your like your
mental health and just the way that you functioned daily?
S3 (07:40):
Um, I became very quiet. I became extremely shy. I
would go days at school without even speaking, and I
wouldn't even raise up my hand to answer questions. I
was always the kid on the report card that said,
you know, I would do much better if she could participate,
but I never did. I just didn't want to draw
any attention to myself. I already felt like I stuck
(08:04):
out like a sore thumb. You know, people kids would
get I would get picked on, you know, be picked
on last for sports. Um, I wasn't even good at
math or good at piano. The the things that an
Asian kid is expected to be good at. And I
really struggled with that. And then as I moved into
(08:27):
my teenage years, there were more Asians immigrating to Canada.
But I felt even more of an identity crisis. I
was too Asian to be fully accepted as Canadian, but
I was too Canadian to fit in with the Asian people.
So I felt very lost. Life may throw these things
at you, but you are the author of your own story.
(08:50):
You can rewrite your life and you can turn the
page on that chapter. And so that's what I did.
I really just dug deep into myself.
S2 (08:58):
So how was it that you found Instagram and how
did that lead to you using that platform to promote
accessible and inclusive brands?
S3 (09:09):
My phone was a lifeline. I needed it to order groceries,
things like that. I still like shopping, so I'd be scrolling,
and I noticed that website in accessibility was a huge issue.
And then the pandemic hit and it became even more
of an issue. And I really realized, like, what can
(09:31):
I do to help make a change? And with the pandemic,
small businesses were also struggling. So I thought, you know what,
I'll go on Instagram. I don't know anything about social
media at all, but I knew that Instagram is a
visual medium and I really wanted to challenge it. I
wanted to show that we can make it as accessible
(09:51):
as possible. We can create accessible content, and I can
use that to support small businesses as well, because I
still like to shop, I still shop, and then I
would tag the small business and then I would like
post a photo of it. And it actually turned into
very healing for me. And because I looked at if
I create a post, it's one day a week I
(10:14):
can get up. I'll take a shower because it was
so hard to do that at the time and you know,
to curl my hair or put on some makeup and
then take a photo and then I'd rest. And then
the next day I might write a caption, and then
I'd rest, and then the next day I would, you know,
post and then, you know, engage on social media. And
(10:35):
that helped me to get some sort of purpose. And
that was just one small thing that I did, but
it became a snowball effect. People started to notice and
suddenly the sighted community was interested in the accessibility brands
were interested in the accessibility, and I was showing up,
(10:57):
and that's when things really changed for me. And it
was this particular moment when a young girl from another
continent reached out and said, I've never seen anyone that
looks like me using a white cane. And that, to me,
was the moment I realized how important representation is, how
(11:19):
important it is for me to show up and keep
doing the work so that we can create ripple effects
of change. I've had a number of community members, followers
who have followed me very quietly, and they were in
that point of I need to use a cane, but
I'm afraid to use my cane because of the stigma.
And just watching me go out and just be unapologetically me.
(11:45):
I'm swinging my cane and then dressing up. It gave
them that that push to say, yeah, I can do
this too. And it doesn't change anything more about me.
I'm still me. And my motto right now is like,
if people are going to stare at me, I'm going
to give them something good to stare at. So I
have a very, you know, I will just go out
(12:07):
there and walk. Walk it.
S2 (12:09):
What would be your message to other women that are
going through similar crises? Maybe not, you know, in terms
of vision loss, but maybe with their cultural identity or
their faith or anything. What's your message to women.
S3 (12:25):
Amid a surge would be, I think, to, you know,
any person that's out there who feels like they don't belong,
whether it's because of disability or cultural identity or both,
I really want them to know you are not alone.
And I know what it's like to feel different, to
feel like you have to shrink yourself, to fit in,
(12:47):
to wish you could change the very things that make
you you. Just to be accepted. And for many years
I tried to stay quiet. I didn't want to stand
out as the only Asian girl in the room. I
didn't want to be noticed for struggling to see. I
just wanted to blend in and be invisible. But here's
what I wish someone had told me back then, is
(13:08):
that the things that make you different are actually the
things that make you powerful.
S2 (13:21):
What an insightful conversation with Anne Mok. It's inspiring to
see how she's using her platform to make brands pay
attention to accessibility issues in Canada. Now, before we jump
into our next interview, let's take a moment to appreciate
just how far we've come and how far we still
have to go when it comes to gender equality. Did
(13:43):
you know that the first International Women's Day was celebrated
in 1911. That means we've been at this for over
a century, and yet to this day, no country has
achieved true gender equality. But progress is being made slowly
but surely. For example, in 2023 women held approximately 29%
(14:06):
of leadership positions globally, which is better than it has
ever been. But when it comes to pay equity, the
global gender pay gap is still estimated at around 20%,
which means that on average, women earn $0.80 for every
dollar that men earn. This shows that we've made significant progress,
(14:27):
but we've still got some way to go. One of
the biggest factors that influence a woman's ability to succeed
is systemic barriers, whether it be workplace discrimination, unequal access
to opportunities, or social expectations. These challenges can shape a
woman's entire journey. That brings us nicely to our next guest, Shalya,
(14:52):
an African American woman who has faced systemic barriers head on.
And today she shares her story. What's truly inspiring is
how she stayed strong throughout it all. Faith plays a
major role in her life, giving her the strength and
resilience to keep moving, even when it seems that all
(15:14):
of the odds are stacked against her. Shelia, welcome to
studio One. It is so good to have you here.
S4 (15:25):
Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited
to be interviewing with you.
S2 (15:29):
Growing up as an African-American woman with a vision impairment,
how did your cultural background shape your experience?
S4 (15:38):
My culture is all about like dancing and how one
looks and appearance, and I think the way that it
shaped me is unlike so many people with vision impairments
that I've encountered in the past, I actually, like, am
really very self-conscious about my appearance. So even when I'm
dressed not very fancy, I take it very seriously that
(16:01):
everything matches, that everything is presentable, that my hair is
done because my family cared and I was the only
blind person in my family. And because they cared, I
had to care even if I couldn't see what I
was caring about. So I think that's one of the
biggest things. Um, another way that I believe being an
African American woman shaped my experience as a blind person
(16:24):
is I had a higher appreciation for music because music
is such a huge part of my culture. I mean,
a huge part of my culture. And if you turn
on the radio, you'll hear a lot of us on
the radio. It doesn't matter what country you're in, you'll
hear us, because music is such a big way that
we express ourselves. So from a very young age, I
was singing, I was making music, I was writing songs.
(16:47):
I was deeply entrenched in the music business.
S2 (16:51):
What was your family's attitude towards your blindness, and did
they encourage your independence, or was there some hesitancy about
what you could achieve?
S4 (17:01):
My family was all about my independence, especially my mom.
She found out I was blind at first. She got
really upset. She was devastated. And then she got over
it because my family's very much God centered. We're very
big on on Christianity. We love God. We love Christ.
And my mom told me this story before that when
I was about six months old, they tried to do
(17:22):
a surgery on my corneas to give me a transplant,
and they told my mom it wouldn't work because of
the glaucoma in my eyes. I have a condition called
Peter's anomaly, which basically culminated in glaucoma and cataracts in
my eyes. And my eyes were a little misformed, so
my father side stepped out as soon as he realized
I had this disability, but my mom was very much involved.
(17:44):
My grandparents were very much involved. My mom's sisters, my aunts,
they were very much involved. So when I told her
that they couldn't fix my eyes and I would just
be blind, she said first she cried and then she
heard a voice that said, don't cry, she'll be fine.
I've got you and I've got her. And she told
me that she knew without a doubt. And this was
before she became like a huge believer that it was
(18:07):
God talking to her not to worry, be still and
have peace, she said. And I'll be darned if I
didn't just suddenly have peace. I was just filled with peace.
She was like, and and I knew you would be
okay because, like, I was worried about you doing normal
baby things like rolling over or walking or. But I
did all of it. I rode bikes, I did everything,
you name it, like I was a very normal kid.
(18:29):
I was such a normal kid that when my mom
sent me to the blind school, they called her freaking out,
saying that I didn't know I was blind. Yeah, and.
S2 (18:36):
I love the fact that you were able to have
normal Childhood in that sense as well. Like you are
able to participate in the same things as other kids
growing up.
S4 (18:45):
Yeah, I played with kids who could see.
S2 (18:47):
In some cultures, disabilities can carry stigma or misconceptions. Did
you experience any of that either within your family or community,
and if so, how did you navigate it?
S4 (19:01):
Not until I got older, not until I became an adult,
because I wanted to be in the work industry. I
wanted to, you know, have a job and make a
difference and encourage change in the world. That was always
something I wanted to do. I wanted to do music,
but I also wanted to work. The stigma was kind
of twofold for me because out in the community, if
I walk into an interview, I have to use a cane.
(19:22):
The first thing they think before they even speak to
me is liability. The problem with first impressions is no
matter how well I dress, no matter how nice I look,
no matter how cute I am and how bright my smile,
I'm blind and I can't hide that. And that is
the first thing people see. I have an impeccable resume,
(19:42):
but I walk into an interview with a cane in
my hand and it's oh no, she's blind. Oh, no.
What do we do? And of course, they can't say
we can't hire you because of your disability. They say
things like, we found someone better suited for the job.
But you said I was perfect for the job. And
in my family, it was. You're not even trying to
get a job. Now I went and I got employment training. Okay.
(20:06):
I trained on how to interview. I did an externship.
I mean, I have done all of the things that
it is possible to do to make sure that I
am as prepared as possible to be in the workforce.
It is not my fault these people call me in
and then change their mind when they see this cane.
I'm having a hard time getting a job because these
people think I'm a liability. They're calculating the cost of
(20:28):
screen readers and fancy special equipment, not knowing or even
asking about programs like the Vocational Rehabilitation rotation program which
is designed to cover that cost and cushion that particular
liability so that they don't have to worry about that stuff.
The vocational rehabilitation program is designed to make sure that
(20:50):
we get into work. That's the part that's really irritating
is it's like, okay, you've got all these great programs
and we're not ungrateful for them. We're just saying, why
don't you tell the employers so that they know they exist?
S2 (21:03):
Were there any specific expectations placed on you as a
blind woman that differed from what other women in your
family were expected to do?
S4 (21:13):
I always felt pushed a little harder than my siblings.
I always felt like more was expected out of me,
especially when it came to education. Maybe that's because she
recognized that I would need to prove myself more once
I got in the world, I don't know, but I
always felt that, education wise, she placed way more importance
(21:33):
on my grades and my schooling and all that. Then
she did anything else. If I said I wanted to
do music, she gave me that. But there was a
sort of if clause. If you don't get good grades,
you lose your music lessons. If you don't bring home
a good report card, no more piano lessons. So I
felt pressured a lot more than my siblings probably did.
(21:56):
My siblings say that my mom gave me more attention.
I say to them, you don't want the attention and
time I was getting, because what I wanted from her
was physical affection, and what I got from her was push, push, push, push, push.
Do I appreciate the music lessons? Absolutely. They shaped me
into who I am. They gave me the skills that
(22:18):
I've got. I'm not saying I'm ungrateful for any of it,
because I love the fact that she poured so much
into me. I feel very much like there's this huge
divide between me and my siblings now because of how
hard she pushed me, and I don't know how to
close that gap. That's the kind of thing you got
to work on when you're younger. And I didn't know
what I was doing. I didn't know how to do that.
(22:39):
I was the big sister, and I had no idea
how to be a big sister, because that wasn't what
I was being taught.
S2 (22:43):
As someone who is balancing multiple passions music, ministry and entrepreneurship,
how do you manage your time and energy?
S4 (22:52):
I don't. Honestly. I recently had a chat with my
mom who I live with at the moment. She's been
helping me raise my little girl, and one of the
things she pointed out to me is that I don't
manage my time and energy as well. Or at least
I wasn't until I started going to church again. I'm
(23:13):
finding more motivation to do things and more energy, and
I'm finding it easier to manage just because I have
that community that I can lean on now that I
didn't have before, for one. But I think now the
answer would be I pray. And I lean very heavily
on my Savior and I let him guide me, because
(23:35):
if I don't, I will try to do everything and
then I will burn out, which I have done before.
S2 (23:40):
How has your faith shaped the way that you see
your disability? Because it's very easy to ask, why me?
S4 (23:48):
Oh yeah it is. God has always been a very
big and very important part of my life, and because
of that, I never really had time to say why me?
Not about the blindness. My why me was about other things,
life experiences, and even then, coming out of them and
being on the other side of them. Now I can say, okay,
this is why me? I know that even things that
(24:10):
seem devastating and heartbreaking and terrible and tragic, there's always
a positive, there's always a good that comes from it.
And as long as I can be patient and get
through the trial, then when I'm done with that, I'll
feel and see and know the blessing, and then I
can spread that with I can share that with others
(24:31):
And I love evangelizing. I love sharing my testimony. I
love sharing the good news with people. I love, love,
love doing it.
S2 (24:39):
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced as
a blind woman pursuing higher education and entrepreneurship?
S4 (24:47):
So I've been trying to pursue higher education since I
was in my early 20s. One of my most recent
difficulties is there's a school that I'm trying to go
to here. Um, it's a Christian college called Grace College,
and they have a rule that if you're over the
age of 25, they need you to live off campus.
I can't live off campus. And this college is in
a really rural area, right? So they don't have public transport.
(25:10):
There's no Ubers, there's no Lyft. So how am I
going to get around from my off campus apartment, which
I will have to rent to school every single day?
And so I'm rallying for them to make an exception
for me as an accessibility accommodation, a reasonable accommodation for
(25:30):
accessibility under the Ada, which is the Americans with Disabilities Act,
to allow me, even though I'm 36, to live on
campus in an on campus apartment so that I can
get around.
S2 (25:42):
International Women's Day celebrates the achievements of women. So who
are some of the women that have inspired you on
your journey?
S4 (25:52):
Ooh. Let's see. My mom is at the top of
the list. I've watched her struggle through a lot of things,
from relationship troubles to job things. She was a bank teller.
She was a real estate agent. She was a loan officer.
My mom was a black Barbie. Wow.
S5 (26:10):
That's amazing.
S4 (26:11):
She's done a lot of really cool things, and I
have just enjoyed watching her just jump right in feet first.
No shyness. No fear. She's just like my babies need
to be cared for. I need to care for them.
So if I got to try a new job to
do that, then I'm going to do it. She was
always my very first role model. Some of my other
(26:33):
role models were actually people that I watched growing up,
like Whitney Houston. I admire her career. I admire her
singing voice. I admired her personality. She deserved to be honored.
Beyonce is a pretty big role model and influence for me,
but I also love Tasha Cobbs Leonard and her absolute
joy and love for God, my granny. I admire her
(26:56):
a lot too, because she's a strong black woman who
takes good care of her husband, has dementia now, and
she's been taking care of him and I just admire
her faith. She taught me all these wonderful little phrases
that I lean on.
S2 (27:10):
That's a wrap for this week's show. A big thank
you to Ann and Shelia for sharing their stories with us.
And of course, a big thanks to you for listening.
You can find the podcast of this program, including some
extra content on Apple, Spotify, Google, or.
S6 (27:26):
Your.
S2 (27:27):
Favorite.
S6 (27:27):
Podcast.
S2 (27:28):
Platform. On next week's show. Vision Australia Radio is once
again conducting its 100 K Your Way fundraiser. We'll be
talking to a mum and volunteer about how she plans
to get her 100km, but between now and then, please
do get in touch with the show. Whether you have
experience of any of the issues covered on this week's
(27:48):
episode of Studio One, or if you think there's something
we should be talking about. You never know. Your story
and insight may help someone who's dealing with something similar.
You can contact us via email at studio One at
Vision Australia. Org that's studio number one at Vision australia.org.
You can search for us on your social media, whether
(28:09):
that be Facebook or Instagram. At VA Radio Network we
want to hear from you. Bye for now.
S1 (28:18):
Vision Australia Radio gratefully acknowledges the support of the Community
Broadcasting Foundation for Studio One.
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