Steve Hanamura is
a leadership consultant and the author of "I Can
See Clearly; A Different Look at Leadership".
Untitled
When I was fifteen, I was attending the California School
for the Blind, a residential school in Berkeley . There
were approximately 100 students from around the state
who attended the School. In those days it was not possible
for a blind student to get an education in their home
community. We attended classes right there on campus
from kindergarten through ninth grade and then went to
public high schools while continuing to live in the dorms
at the School.
My ninth-grade year was filled
with challenges, changes and new opportunities as I prepared
to leave the safety of my blind community and venture into
the sighted world of Oakland Technical High School . Fortunately,
I met two young adults that year who made a difference
not only in my life but in the lives of many other students
who attended the school.
Tom and Mac were students
at the American Baptist Seminary of the West; their campus
was just a few blocks away from the Blind School . As part
of their practicum they were assigned to teach our Sunday
school class, however they became much more than Sunday
School teachers. They attended our wrestling matches and
school plays. They took us on hikes and other social outings.
One of the major concerns
for those of us at the Blind School was would we be able
to become successful in a sighted world? Would we be able
to date sighted people, get married, and get a job? How
would we make it in the world?
As we prepared for the tenth
grade many of us were going to attend school with sighted
students for the very first time, Tom and Mac were there
to help and encourage us through the transition process.
I think they demonstrated four important qualities:
- They cared for us. This was so noticeable because
they were interested in all aspects of our lives.
- They encouraged us. On those days when we felt like
giving up, they offered words of encouragement without
discounting how we were feeling about being blind.
- They attended as many of our school functions as
they could.
- They became involved in teaching us real-life skills.
They taught us how to walk with a woman as you cross
the street; they helped us with our homework in high
school, etc.
I still maintain contact with
both Tom and Mac. I think their greatest gift of all to
me was that they believed in me when I didn't believe in
myself.
Today, many years later, I
am the owner of a consulting firm that provides consulting
training and public speaking services in the areas of leadership
development, managing and leading diversity, team building,
and managing personal and organizational change. I have
authored two books and written several journal articles.
I am married, have three grown sons and own my home. I
enjoy running and biking and am very active in my church.
Life has not been without
challenges since I left the Blind School , but those early
years grounded me so that I could meet whatever came my
way.
