Visually Impaired Organization becomes visible

Published 12:28 am Thursday, July 5, 2012

One visually impaired man has had the ability to be visible to the Selma and Dallas Community for the last few weeks while he tries to raise awareness about his organization.

William Bowman, President and CEO of V.I.P or Visually Impaired People Organization, has had the ability to go around town and work for the organization with the help of a youth worker, Jamal Evans. In June when the city hired 200 youth for summer jobs in the city, Jamal Evans was selected to work with the V.I.P Organization and be a driver for Bowman, who is legally blind and unable to drive. On Monday Bowman presented a certificate of appreciation to Mayor George Evans in gratitude of all he has been able to accomplish with the help, Jamal Evans as his paid driver.

“I’m legally blind and cannot drive so this has been an asset to the whole organization,” Bowman said. “With funding being cut like it has we don’t have the funds available to pay someone to do some of the stuff we have to do. I usually have to pay somebody by the hour to drive for me.”

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Because of extra funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program Jamal has worked as a driver for Bowman for the last few weeks, for four days a week and four to five hours a day.

Bowman said without Jamal’s help he would only be able to do work for the organization one day a week because he would have to hire a personal driver with his own funds.

While most of his friends are working inside office buildings like City Hall and the Public Works office Jamal Evans said being a driver for someone who is visually impaired has been an educational experience.

“I get to go out and travel with Mr. Bowmen and not just sitting in an office. I have learned how to deal with visually impaired people and how to communicate better towards them because they can’t see what I see. He has to read things in a different way,” Jamal Evans said.

The pair usually begins their workday by driving from business to business, instructing them on how they could make their facility more visually impaired-friendly.

They also network and conduct research for the organization.

“Without (Jamal Evans) I wouldn’t be able to do all of this work for the visually impaired people organization …,” Bowman said, “so because of what the city is doing to fund these young people to go out into the community and work and help the organization.

He has been able to help me get out and reach a lot more people than normal.”