By: Anna Kim
Living with sight loss my entire life and having no other way of seeing the world, I assumed, for a long time, that I was supposed to accept the standards that those with full vision set out for me. I had no inclination to educate or teach people about what it means to live with sight loss because I didn’t think that anyone would want to know. 
This all changed when I started high school, where there was a lack of understanding about accessibility and accommodation. It was exceedingly difficult to navigate my education surrounded by individuals who didn’t understand how to help me. With that, I started to teach those around me about what accessibility and accommodation really means.
After high school, I wanted to explore ways that I could continue to help people understand the perspective of someone who is blind and to show others how they can help. I found the Ambassador program in Alberta through CNIB (also known as Community Engagement Volunteers in other parts of the country).
Not long after that, I received training on how to give an awareness presentation, and from there, I was ready to get started.
From seniors' homes to university classrooms, I have been able to speak to many people about blindness and my lived experiences. Not only am I able to encourage and guide those who are living with blindness or sight loss, but I also get to educate sighted people about how they can help and create change for those around them. I take great pride in representing the CNIB and spreading knowledge and insight based on lived experience to encourage and educate.
If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador/Community Engagement Volunteer, you can apply using our Volunteer Interest Form. If you are an organization that would like to request a CNIB presentation, please fill out our presentation request form.