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I often remind people that the progress we have made, be it rights we have won or technology that is accessible, has come about because brave advocacy pioneers knew that blind people are worthy, that we do not choose to be second-class citizens. That being able to maximise our potential is a human right.
Sometimes, people don’t believe we can change anything, so figure we may as well suck it up and accept the status quo.
Well, a few weeks ago, a group of blind leaders took on Vision Australia, after they said they weren’t going to advertise externally for their CEO. This significantly constrained the pool of blind talent from which the Vision Australia Board could pick. And make no mistake, we need more blind people leading the organisations that serve us. Lived experience matters when you’re a minority. And it certainly isn’t right that capable blind people are too often passed over for leadership roles in our own organisations. It is with great pleasure that I pass on the following message from Emma Bennison.

🎉 Victory for Blind Leadership! 🎉
United Blind Leaders is excited to announce a major step forward in our campaign! Thanks to the incredible support of 1,408 signatories, Vision Australia has revised its CEO recruitment process. The Board has confirmed that lived experience of blindness or low vision will now be a desirable attribute for the new CEO, and the search will be conducted externally with a focus on removing barriers for blind and low vision applicants.
This is a huge win, but our work is far from over. United Blind Leaders will keep pushing for blind and vision-impaired representation in leadership roles at all levels in Australia and globally.
📣 Join our movement! Stay connected by joining our mailing list and be part of our future campaigns: https://UnitedBlindLeaders.org
Together, we’re making a real difference! 🙌 #UnitedBlindLeaders #BlindLeadership #Inclusion #DisabilityAdvocacy.

That is Emma’s message. Congratulations to all involved. And to all reading this, never doubt, you can make change when you stand up for what is right. Know your power, and use it for good.