Most hiring managers don’t know that people who are blind can read just as well as people who can see -- because of new technology. Screen readers allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display.

My friend Jared Jackson was born with normal vision, but he was left almost totally blind at the age of nine due to an unsuccessful surgery to remove a brain tumor. Sadly, Jared has experienced problems breaking through the disability prejudice that tries to hold him out of meaningful work. In fact many employers are fearful about hiring people with disabilities. Employers can worry that the disabled employee will make others feel uncomfortable or he won’t fit in. Some employers are afraid of becoming entangled in a complicated web of regulations. Some employers simply don’t understand how to help someone with an unfamiliar disability and would rather not deal with it.

Complicating all this, many individuals with a disability don’t know how to explain themselves and what they need. A person with a visual impairment like Jared may have learned many ways to accommodate to a seeing world over time, using computer-assisted reading tools or even navigating public transportation systems. But when dealing with a nervous hiring manager he might not know exactly how to explain that he is well capable of performing a specific job without any extra trouble or expense to the employer.

Here in Tennessee there are many resources available to help job seekers and employers navigate these issues but oftentimes job seekers don’t know where to look or how to find help.

Jared Jackson is like many people who have had to accommodate to a disability in that he has learned to figure things out and to push through even in the face of barriers. In fact many studies suggest that people with disability are a tremendous asset to their workplace with excellent performance and few sick days. Learning to accommodate to his vision loss has built in Jared a noteworthy resilience and capacity to work around obstacles. As he puts it: “I just don’t let anything stop me!!”

Because of his drive, and the resilience common in many people with disability, Jared has launched himself into a successful career as a children's book author.

He wrote and illustrated Where Does the Man in the Moon Go During the Day? His book has won critical praise and awards and, even more importantly, it's a big hit with kids and parents. Jared has also learned to become a skillful entrepreneur. He has generated book signing events for himself in Knoxville and beyond. Restaurant managers welcome Jared for repeat visits because his book signings generate excitement and they even attract new customers!

He’s a rock star at the Author’s Guild where he’s a member -- you can find out more about his journey on their website at https://authorsguildoftn.org/authors/jared-jackson/.

Whenever and however you can, lend a hand to anyone with a disability to help them open up opportunities. Let’s all contribute to making it a different - and better world.

Linda Fitzpatrick is a member of the Author’sGuild of Tennessee and also of the Knoxville Area Employment Consortium. Find out about her work at www.WorkThatSatisfies.com.