[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/Carrie_Lauren.gif” alt=”An illustration a man using a cane to navigate a city because he is blind. Miguel Chavez grew up in rural Washington, where few resources existed for people with disabilities. Through education & self-advocacy, he finds opportunities in a new environment & community in his chosen family.” title_text=”Carrie_Lauren” admin_label=”Hero Image” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/Hero_FPO.gif” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_image][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”16px||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Illustrator Credit” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
LAUREN IBA\u00d1EZ \/ NEXTGENRADIO<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section: Reporter Standup and Project Description” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Title: Project Theme: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||” text_text_color=”#1a1a1a” text_font_size=”29px” header_font=”Oswald|on||on|” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#E02B20″ header_font_size=”60px” header_2_font_size=”27px” max_width=”450px” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
What is the meaning of<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Title: Project Theme: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” text_text_color=”#20ace8″ text_font_size=”72px” header_font=”Oswald|on||on|” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#20ace8″ header_font_size=”72px” header_3_line_height=”0em” max_width=”450px” custom_margin=”|||0px|false|false” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n home?<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”3px” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22″ admin_label=”Divider: : DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”195px” height=”false” custom_margin=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”100ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Project description ” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto||||” text_text_color=”#1a1a1a” text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”450px” custom_padding=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”200ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/P90qKFx3cEQ” play_icon_color=”#ffffff” admin_label=”Reporter Standup Video” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” animation_style=”zoom” animation_direction=”bottom” animation_intensity_zoom=”6%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text admin_label=”Standup description” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto||||” text_font_size=”18px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”523px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||60px|” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”400ms” animation_intensity_slide=”4%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Carrie Cantrell speaks with Miguel Chavez, a disability advocate, in Portland, Oregon. Born blind and raised in rural Washington, he speaks with firsthand knowledge of the importance of accessibility and creating opportunities for others that lead to empowerment. Today, Miguel considers home to be his community of chosen family, friends, and co-workers who all share the same goal \u2014 to spread kindness in the world. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section: Headline Area” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”26px||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Headline: : DO NOT EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”left” title_font_size=”60px” title_line_height=”1.2em” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#E02B20″ meta_font_size=”24px” meta_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_post_title title=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Byline: : DO NOT EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” title_text_align=”left” title_font_size=”60px” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#20ace8″ meta_font_size=”24px” meta_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_audio audio=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/NEXTGEN_Miguel-Chavez_CARRIE_MASTER.mp3″ title=”Listen to the story” artist_name=”Carrie J. Cantrell” album_name=”Next Generation Radio | Oregon Public Broadcasting | October 2023″ admin_label=”Audio Player” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/Waveform_2.png” custom_padding=”20px||20px||false|false” border_radii=”on|90px|90px|90px|90px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_audio][et_pb_toggle title=”Click here for audio transcript” admin_label=”Audio Transcript” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Miguel Chavez:<\/b> For me, my community is huge because I have friends that I’m really close to. I love networking with people and just showing people that there’s still kindness in this world.<\/span><\/p>\n So my name is Miguel and I’m Latino. I just turned 25. I am currently finishing up my Bachelor’s at Eastern Oregon University in business administration.<\/span><\/p>\n I am blind, so I use screen reader software that reads text to speech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (Miguel\u2019s screen reader speaks rapidly in a mechanical tone)<\/b><\/p>\n So, we are in my apartment by Interstate Avenue. And so you guys can hear the traffic and the background and the \u2013\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I take some walks here in the neighborhood, around the block. Interstate is probably one of the scariest streets, having to cross being blind, because it’s just so wide and there’s just a lot going on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I embrace my blindness. And I think that’s something that takes a long time. Regardless if you’ve been blind all your life, or been blind for a few years, or a few months, or a few days, it’s normal. A lot of blind people go through that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, for me, I grew up in a very small town in eastern Washington where resources were very limited.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I didn’t feel close to a lot of my family members because they thought of blindness as like, something to pity or something to feel bad about and it really did affect me growing up.<\/span><\/p>\n I didn’t have a lot of resources for the blind. I was the only blind person living in the small town and that was very difficult making friends because I really couldn’t connect with kids my age. They were driving tractors while I did not really connect with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Most of my friends were either, like, working in the fields and of course they didn’t want me climbing up, you know, trees to pull fruit down. So that wasn’t really a thing I could do. And it kind of was a bit isolating not having other blind people like myself to learn from and just, to kind of have an experience of connecting with them.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the closest people was my braille teacher, Deana Harty. Deana and I worked together to complete three years learning braille in one year. My parents didn’t know how to advocate for me, and so basically she began to teach me how to advocate for myself at a very young age, which I really appreciate that till this day.<\/span><\/p>\n The first time I left home and went into an actual city, I was around 17 years old and I went to the Youth Employment Services Program for the Blind, where in this program \u2013\u00a0 it takes place in Seattle, Washington. Mind you guys, I had never really been into a real city. I was really overwhelmed with like so many sounds and smells and people running all over the place, it was so scary.<\/span><\/p>\n And it, like, kind of gave me the spark to, like, to say to myself that, \u2018hey, like, if I can cross all these streets in Seattle, I can do anything that I want and set my mind to.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n Living with other blind people for the very first time, creating meals, going to the store, taking the bus system all over Seattle \u2013 I never knew how much it would affect me, emotionally, mentally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It meant so much to me. This experience meant so much to me. For the first time, I felt I had friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Independence for me and accessibility, they mean the world to me. Independence doesn’t just mean to have my own place or have my own place of well being, and have a job and go to school, and do all the million different things I love doing in and outside of school.<\/span><\/p>\n Accessibility, it means having access to everything that everyone else has access to. And so I’ve had to learn to advocate for not just for myself, but for all other people, all people with disabilities, regardless of their inner or exterior disabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I’ve learned to be patient with myself.<\/span><\/p>\n I’ve learned to love myself for who I am as a person.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”3px” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22″ admin_label=”Divider: : DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”150px” module_alignment=”center” height=”false” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”50px||||false|false” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”100ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section: Story Area” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Miguel Chavez, 25, can hear the yellow transit train from his kitchen table and smell chicken wings from the nearby neighborhood pub.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo I know when their chicken’s good because I can smell it in the air if I go outside,\u201d Chavez said. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018Okay, so this day the chicken needs to be fried a little bit more, and on Saturdays, it needs a little bit less,\u2019 and so I kind of find it hilarious that I could just tell by the smell.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In the North Portland apartment he shares with his partner, Chavez has come to know the community around him intimately.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s really funny,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I take Uber home, or I’ll take Lyft, or a transit home, I know we’re getting close because I kind of memorized the streets, and so when we go on to Interstate [Avenue] and are gonna turn onto Massachusetts [Avenue] and we do the sharp turn, I’m like, \u2018Okay, I’m close to the house, I know where to go now.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/231023-CARRIE-14.jpg” alt=”A portrait photo of a smiling latino man from the shoulders up, wearing a reflective jacket outside in front of some bushes.” title_text=”231023-CARRIE-14″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”CAPTION TEXT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Chavez laughs outside his home in North Portland on October 23, 2023. He found community through advocacy for others in his position as an accessibility reviewer for Clark College.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n CARRIE CANTRELL \/ NEXTGENRADIO<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Chavez was born blind. He grew up in Basin City, Washington, a town with no streetlights, stoplights, or sidewalks and very few educational or professional opportunities for people with low or no vision. Some members of his family viewed blindness as something to pity. He also felt isolated from his peers and sighted siblings, understanding from a young age that he would have to do things differently from everyone else to succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c[It] was very difficult making friends because I really couldn’t connect with the kids my age,\u201d he said. \u201cMost of my friends were working in the fields, and of course, they didn’t want me climbing up trees to pull fruit down, that wasn’t really a thing I could do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n His patience for a different life outweighed his frustration. He dreamed of leaving his small hometown and exploring what the wider world had to offer. With his mentor and teacher, Deana Harty, Chavez embraced academics, learning to read and write in braille. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/231023-CARRIE-01.jpg” alt=”A wide-shot scene of a man sitting at a table by a window, working on a laptop computer. Behind where he its is a corner with shelving stacked with packages, and a walking-cane leaning against the wall. In front of him is open-shelf pantry storage, brimming with packaged snacks and dry-goods.” title_text=”231023-CARRIE-01″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”CAPTION TEXT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Miguel Chavez sits at his kitchen table workstation on October 23, 2023. Chavez moved to Portland, Oregon, in July 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n CARRIE CANTRELL \/ NEXTGENRADIO <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ admin_label=”Divider: NOTHING TO EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\u00a0 [\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_testimonial author=”Miguel Chavez” portrait_width=”225px” portrait_height=”225px” admin_label=”PULL QUOTE #2″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” body_font_size=”18″ author_text_align=”center” use_background_color=”off” text_orientation=”center” border_radii_portrait=”on|180px|180px|180px|180px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Deana and I worked together to complete three years of learning [material] in braille in one year. My parents didn’t know how to advocate for me \u2026 so basically she began to teach me how to advocate for myself at a very young age, which I really appreciate till this day<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ admin_label=”Divider: NOTHING TO EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\u00a0 [\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”17px|0px|3px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/231023-CARRIE-06.jpg” alt=”A close up of a man\u2019s torso and fingers as he types on a braille-display keyboard.” title_text=”231023-CARRIE-06″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”CAPTION TEXT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Chavez uses a braille-display keyboard to read text from his laptop on October 23, 2023. Chavez was taught to read and write in braille by his mentor, Deana Harty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n CARRIE CANTRELL \/ NEXTGENRADIO<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/opb2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2023\/10\/231023-CARRIE-11.jpg” alt=”A close-in view of a pair of hands as they open a door by turning a key inside a deadbolt lock. Chavez opens the door to his apartment on October 23, 2023. He moved into a ground level abode for greater accessibility.<\/p>\n CARRIE CANTRELL \/ NEXTGENRADIO <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ admin_label=”Divider: NOTHING TO EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\u00a0 [\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]
\n” title_text=”231023-CARRIE-11″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”CAPTION TEXT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n