LIHUE — Automobile horns punctuated the air on Tuesday morning, accompanied by vocal banter between sign wavers and drivers of cars paused for the red light at the intersection of Umi and Rice streets.
Blind people are not capable of seeing, but they can hear, and the audible support was the reward for the sign waving group of about two dozen people led by the National Federation of the Blind and representatives of community partners, including the East Kauai Lions Club, the Kauai Lions Club, the Agency on Elderly Affairs and more.
Doug Moises, the owner and operator of Doug’s Dugout, the blind vendor stand located inside the Piikoi Building, said one of the more pressing issues facing blind people is the need to install audible crosswalk signals at the crossings near the Kauai Museum and Lihue Post Office.
“A lot of people use these crosswalks, especially during the workdays,” Doug said. “We have audible signals at the Umi Street light, but what about the other crossings?”
Moises and his group of supporters took to Rice Street on White Cane Day to raise awareness and advocate for the rights of blind, or visually impaired people like Laura Miyashiro, a resident of the Friendship House, and her caregiver.
“Friendship House is like her family,” said Debra Thompson, a Friendship House staff member and a member of the Kauai Lions Club. “People with disabilities need safe places, too.”
Morgan Moises, Doug’s daughter, said White Cane Day brought back memories of previous years when the rallies included walks that resulted in positive outcomes to some of the problems facing blind people. The results include the installation of audible crosswalk signals around the island and the installation of a blind-friendly pay telephone at Kukui Grove Center.
The significance of the white cane as a symbol of independence for blind people was brought home when, during a previous White Cane Day campaign, people with vision were forced to make their way using a white cane, not their vision.
White Cane Day is just a part of October being observed as Blind Equity Achievement Month by the National Federation of the Blind, which has a theme of remembering history, advance equality and celebrate accomplishments.
President Joe Biden, in his Blind Americans Equality Day proclamation, explained the name change from White Cane Day to Blind Americans Equality Day to honor the contributions of blind and low vision Americans.
“My Administration is committed to ensuring blind and low vision Americans have equal opportunities,” said Biden in the proclamation.
“To that end, I signed an Executive Order to prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the Federal Government, and to identify the barriers faced by job applicants and employees with disabilities. We are also requiring Federal agencies to prioritize website accessibility so the Government can truly deliver for all Americans.”
