VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: AURORA of CNY hosts ‘Blind Immersion Experience’ at Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Kyra Ceryanek: For Susan Gray, traveling takes a little more time than most. Aside from thinking about what she’ll pack, Gray- a blind woman-has to plan every step she takes from the Syracuse airport entrance to her gate.
Susan Gray: “Not only do you have your cane in your hand, but you have to pull a suitcase in your hand. You have a, you know, carry-on bag on your shoulder.”
Ceryanek: The challenges of traveling while blind give extra meaning to Gray’s work. With AURORA of Central New York , Susan builds relationships between the organization and community members through events such as the Blind Immersion Experience hosted at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The first-of-its-kind event was designed to give sighted people a glimpse of flying blind. Gray designed the experience with the goal of empathy in mind. Matt Szwejbka, a participant of the event, says she succeeded after he struggled navigating familiar territory.
Matt Szwejbka: “When I was blindfolded, I lost all confidence and it was extremely scary. My empathy went through the roof for someone who was blind or low vision.”
Ceryanek: This is the blindfold that participants used…Navigating the airport while blind is difficult enough, especially if you can’t see….Szwejbka already sees areas where the airport could improve, such as setting up sound dampeners to minimize noise in louder areas. Gray says the event sparked a beginning towards more understanding and advocacy from sighted people around Syracuse.
Gray: “If people take a few minutes to do an empathy exercise like this and walk a few, you know, steps in our shoes, they get it. They really understand, you know, the need for accommodation and access when they themselves can’t see. And they’re dependent on everyone around them, and they don’t have the visual ability to keep themselves safe.”
Ceryanek: Kyra Ceryanek, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — Navigating a busy airport can be a stressful experience, especially if you can’t see what’s going on around you.
AURORA of CNY kicked off Blind Awareness Month Thursday with an immersion experience aimed at giving sighted people a chance to navigate the airport while blind.
The first-of-its-kind event was led by AURORA’s own Susan Gray, a member of the blind community. Gray felt the simulation closely resembled her own travel experiences, showing participants the importance of advocacy for accommodation and accessibility.
“If people take a few minutes to do an empathy exercise like this and walk a few steps in our shoes, they get it,” said Gray, the public relations and outreach specialist for AURORA of CNY. “They really understand the need for accommodation and access when they themselves can’t see.”
According to its website, AURORA is the only nonprofit in the area solely focused on advocating for “independence and opportunity for people of all ages with vision or hearing loss.”
Matt Szwejbka, a participant of the event and employee at the Syracuse Airport, walked away with the feeling of empathy Gray had hoped for.
“When I was blindfolded, I lost all confidence and it was extremely scary,” said Szwejbka, customer experience manager for the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority. “My empathy went through the roof for someone who was blind or low vision.”
Szwejbka said this experience has helped him identify areas the airport could improve on to be more conscious of travelers who are blind.
“There are parts that are pretty loud, especially at busy times,” said Szwejbka. “There are measures that can be implemented. This is something as simple as sound softener, sound dampeners, lowering the volume on the overhead announcements so you don’t get the disorienting blast of something.”
AURORA will be hosting a similar event in Auburn on Oct. 15 in recognition of the 60th anniversary of White Cane Awareness Day.
For more information on this event and their mission, visit AURORA of CNY’s website.