Featured Publication in Albinism Insight 100th Issue!

Albinism Insight is the official quarterly publication of the National Organisation of Albinism and Hyper Pigmentation (NOAH)

I'm sure you know by now that my experiences at the NOAH conference, if not feel free to read all about it.

My article "Pick A Struggle" was published in the 100th issue of the quarterly magazine published by the National Organisation of Albinism and Hyper-pigmentation. ( NOAH ) The very same founders of NOAHCon.

Completing my Bachelors Degree was so hard for me as a visually impaired teacher, simultaneously working so i could pay my way through school and studying. Yet, here we are two years after I finished as the first of my family to go this far academically. Here we are two years later, with a published article that harnesses my struggles into tips that could help others like me all over the world.

I hate talking about myself (i know i know, shocker!) because it always feels like a brag but I'm trying to get more comfortable with it because there is no shame in achievement. The more we share both struggle AND success i suspect the more people we have a chance at reaching and encouraging.

I'm proud to check this one of the bucket list in such a commemorative way. Did you read the article? Tell me, what'd you think?!

Peace. Love. Be Proud of Your Dreams.

Journey to NOAHCon2016 and Why I'm Going to An Albinism Conference

Photo credit: www.albinism.org

Why do I want to go to NOAHCon?

The National Organisation for Albinism and Hyper-pigmentation has been taking on the task of educating the masses and equipping the interested for many years. They have a branch in the UK, Australia and the United States. This year, I endeavour to go to my first conference. I'm not an American but I am a person who lives with the genetic condition known as albinism. This classes me into a group of people who live with low vision and a very high risk of skin cancer due to lack of pigment creation in the eyes, hair and skin.

By attending this conference, I hope to learn:

• To better equip myself and my country, to answer the questions and provide the aid necessary for persons like myself, to lead a regular and healthy life that allows them to contribute to society at their maximum potential in a real and beneficial way. 
• I want to gather more information that will help me break the myths and dispel the stigma, discrimination and street harassment potent in my society surrounding albinism and visual impairment.
• I want to have new experiences with successful people with the condition so that I can continue to inspire confidence and assertion in those who live with the genetic condition and inspire them to believe that their in more to life than their disability, they do not need to be shut ins, they are valuable members of society. 
• What are the latest visual aids, legislation and best practices that might allow me or persons with visual impairments to earn a driver’s license and improve their standard of living? 
• What strategies can I employ as a teacher to maximize my students learning experience in the classroom? 
• What extra steps do I/my students with albinism need to take to protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun?  (cancer rates are high amongst people with albinism.) This is of vital importance to us in the Caribbean.
• What strategies can I/my students employ to minimize the effect my low vision has in a work environment? 
• How do others cope with the social and emotional issues accompanying with albinism and how can my students use these methods in their own life?

The other day someone asked me if I feel different from everyone else. No, I don't. I feel as different as we all are to each other. I am made to feel so by those who walk the same streets as I and think they have the right to yell things at me. Do I live with it? Yes, Should I have to? No. Many believe that we can no longer change the world, that it is doomed and there is no way to improve it.

Maybe the world is doomed but news flash, it's getting their a lot faster if we sit and do nothing and if you know me well, you know I've never been comfortable with doing nothing.

My journey to know is me doing something about it.

As an educator myself you must know that I believe strongly in the power of education. It is a tool that, if used correctly, can change lives simply by empowering people with the knowledge of choice.

I've been preping for this for a long long time. Will I succeed? Who knows but God! I've been believing and working towards it. It's a lot of money and I'm starting to feel a little daunted if I'm honest... I decided to put pen to paper, or rather, cursor to word document and really talk about this venture because,I'm going, eventually, I'm going. This trip is not up for debate because it's more than me. It's an investment in the future.

Here is a list of all of the NOAH Conference locations in the past. I've chosen to try really hard to go to this one because it is closest to New York city which is finally close enough for me to get to financially.

I intend to document my entire trip as well as hold some informative workshops upon my return but to do that I must get there. I've already saved half of what I need to go. If you are interested in making a contribution to my Journey to NOAHCON2016 feel free to email me via shemustbenew@gmail.com

NOAH Conference History:
1st—1985—Minneapolis, Minnesota
2nd—1986—San Jose, California
3rd—1987—Hartford, Connecticut
4th—1990—Anaheim, California
5th—1992—Chicago, Illinois
6th—1994—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7th—1998—Schaumburg, Illinois
8th—2000—Boston, Massachusetts
9th—2002—Concord (San Francisco), California—The Albinism Community Coming Together
10th—2004—Atlanta, Georgia—Sharing our Lives Celebrating Our Future
11th—2006—Minneapolis, Minnesota—Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
12th—2008—Las Vegas, Nevada—Imagine Your Luck
13th—2010—Arlington, Virginia (Washington D.C.)—Uniting the Albinism Community
14th—2012—St. Louis, Missouri—Blazing the Trail
15th—2014—San Diego, California—Live Like a Champion
16th—2016—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania---Building Bridges

More to come soon.

International Albinism Awareness Day 2015

The UN appointed June 13th International Albinism Awareness Day. The last time I wrote about albinism was here and if you'd like to hear me talk about that in a more personal capacity let me know in the comments. I'd love to give a nice detailed post about it today but I'm still not feeling too hot. I will say this: every day I walk down the streets of my country and people do or say things in an attempt to make me feel bad about the way that I look and the person I am.

Part of being me is the albinism with which I live.

One day, when I was sixteen a teacher told me I wouldn't ever achieve anything worth noting. Later I met him again and he assumed that because I am who I am I couldn't do what I do.

A good writer always knows the impact of showing over telling though so hashtag look at me now might be in order if I was so inclined....;)

Do not ever let the words of a person daunt you from your dreams. Reach for them, in the face of their doubt reach for them. For it will not be their actions you remember on your death bed. It will more likely be your lack thereof.

Peace. Love. Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful.

TiLT :: Top 5 Favorite Models with Albinism

No longer is the modelling industry completely void of models with albinism. Its something that my heart cant help but be glad about. It makes me so happy that these people are able to follow their dreams regardless of something as little as a different in pigmentation and short sightedness. I think that their successes in overcoming the adversity of negative opinions should be celebrated. So, since i haven't done a 'Things I Love Thursday' in a bit I've decided to make this one about my top five favourite models with albinism.

1. American Model: Ellie

 

Definitely my number one favourite, likely because i love her look and style.

 

2. Russian @kiker_chan

 

A believe she is Russian. Love all the airy shots she takes

3. Chinese Model Connie Chiu

 

 

 

I consider her a legend, she's the first model with albinism i ever learned about and still waws me with her work.

American Model Diandra Forrest

Isn't she amazing working  those full lips and long legs?

American Model Shaun Ross

 Does a lot of high fashion, an area I'm not a fan of but i love his versatility and willingness to create art. Most may know him as the guy from the Katy Perry video or The Tyra Banks Show.


It makes me feel really good to see these people doing their thing. Its already so hard and takes so long to come to that glorious place of self acceptance and it's always made even more difficult when everywhere you turn no body looks like you do. This is true for so many, for the plus size girl/guy, the one with freckles, with thick frames, with braces, with super curly hair or with whatever society says in not in these days, I'm not sure, i try not to keep up, simply because i have no interest in letting anybody decide for me what i should or should not do or like.

Now when i meet students or even look in the media myself i can find representatives of the albinism community that are depicted as not just disabled but beautiful, unique, looked upon with favour and admiration. Though I've already reached a pretty darn good place of self acceptance this does do no less than help! No longer are people with albinism just the 'red eyed demons' being hunted down in Tanzania by witch doctors, or being shown as always the monsters in films about conspiracy. Now they are also models, beautiful people that hold the place on the cover of magazines.

They are normal people, children of the universe, they have a right to be here just like everyone else, like that song lyrics being blasted into my ear as i type this says. I know all these people and all these pictures have definitely helped me in a deep, resounding, fantastic, personal way and if i could say anything to any of these people it would be this: Thank you, thank you  for believing that you are beautiful, thank you, for daring to believe in yourself.

Is there anyone in the media that has helped you to dare to believe in yourself?

Peace. Love. Acceptance.

All photos copied from the Albinism Facebook page and are the property of their individual owners.