I was born 63 years ago in a small town in the province of Cuenca. 4 years later, my parents decided that we should go to Valencia in search of of a better life. At birth with vision problems and in those times the special education as the only option for the blind, I attended elementary school and high school in different boarding schools in Valencia, Alicante and Madrid. For work reasons I came to Cantabria 38 years ago, where I currently reside, except for 3 years I lived in the Canary Islands. After living in so many places, I have no attachment to any place and I wouldn’t mind if life takes me anywhere else. corner of the orb. I am married and have a son and a granddaughter. I studied psychology at the University of Valencia and later took a training course in therapy. Gestalt. Among other jobs, I have the privilege, because it’s what I’ve wanted since I was a teenager, of having developed my professional activity as a psychologist in the fields of clinical psychology and social intervention.
When I entered the Internet world, back in the late 90’s, I realized how much technology could contribute to blind people, so, along with other colleagues, I created the association UTLAI (Users of Tiflotechnology for Free Access to Information), from which we made a digital magazine and user meetings in different cities of Spain.
25 years ago I met the Forum from Independent Living y Have fun (FVID) and assumed an important change in my way of seeing and dealing with the disability and my reality, feeling since then like an activist. for the rights of people discriminated against because they operate differently. Being aware of how much remains to be done to break down prejudices and stereotypes, I am determined to do what is in my power for delete the obstacles that impede the inclusion of people with functional diversity, not only because it is a question of rights, if not because I am convinced that diversity enriches us all.
Retirement is allowing me to continue learning and enjoying music, reading, hiking, traveling and the new friends I have met in the development of these activities. Also to have launched the project: http://hablemosdeceguera.com
I joined the Shared Memories project two years ago. It has given me the opportunity to meet people from realities very different from mine, both in terms of age and culture. I found it very interesting to be able to expose and share my ideas and experiences, as well as the hear about like live. Topics covered in these courses, both for the contents as well as for the depth and focus with which they have been developed, they have seemed to me very enriching and have taken me to think about on my own conceptions, If it hadn’t been for this, maybe I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to review them.
I would encourage people who may consider joining this initiative by telling them that it is an experience that takes you out of your comfort zone by giving you the opportunity to review, expose and give away your own life experience and that allows you to learn from people who are in a very different situation and reality vital than yours.
I choose to be coeducator because I believe that society needs that we go beyond the categories that pigeonhole and distance us. Experiences are individual, but by sharing them, we can learn, as long as we are willing to value and take into account the other, even ourselves. Maybe this will reduce ageism, capacitism, sexism and so many other isms that impoverish us individually and socially.
