“I was five years old when I lost my vision,” begins Kirk Adams’ essay published in the November 1 edition of the Seattle Times. The op-ed is an autobiographical account of Kirk’s own employment journey, interspersed with the employment-driven initiatives being undertaken by the American Foundation for the Blind.
Kirk outlines how he learned how to use a cane and read braille at a young age, his pursuit of multiple secondary degrees, and the frustrations he experienced of prospective employers not understanding the full potential of a job candidate with a disability.
He eventually became CEO and president of the American Foundation for the Blind, which has since launched several initiatives aimed at improving the employment prospects for people with vision loss, including a series employment summits nationwide and the Blind Leaders Development Program.
