Encouragement And Support Makes A Wave in the Deafblind Community

By: Jessica Mifsud, Intervenor

From the moment I met the individual I support as a student intervenor, I knew he would be a force to be reckoned with. When I met him, he was already a published film critic and journalist, filmmaker, and teacher. Supporting him in his educational and personal endeavours to achieve his goals since January 2020 has been nothing short of an amazing experience. I am so proud to have supported him to complete a part of the Law Practice Program (LPP), the LPP’s placement at a Family Law firm, and ultimately supporting him to get called to the bar as a lawyer. He is never finished pursuing his educational goals. 

 

The most important thing others can gain from Deafblind Awareness month is exposure to and support of individuals who are deafblind, and to always listen to the messages that individuals who are deafblind have to share about their experiences. A lot of people I speak to are simply unaware that individuals who are deafblind exist beyond Helen Keller. It’s wonderful to see the individual I support really advocate for the deafblind community through accessibility consultation, the arts he pursues, and in his roles stated above. He is currently working on an advocacy documentary that features himself and three women with deafblindness from the Ontario community. He hopes to have it finished by 2022.

 

Massive Congratulations! You have taught me so much about intervention and what it means to support the deafblind community as an advocate. I know myself and the team are looking forward to what comes next for you!