ADA Story July 2: John Samuel
My ADA Story: Leading the Way Forward in Digital Accessibility
By John Samuel
John Samuel (right) with a group of individuals with vision loss
When I was a freshman in college, I was diagnosed with a degenerating eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), and it rocked my world! The first things that went through my head were, “What kind of job could I have, if I won’t be able to see?” and “Where will I be able to live, if I can’t drive?” These questions, and many more, constantly filled my head. All I was certain about was that there was no positive future for a person who was blind.
Fast-forward twenty years, I am now blind, but I lead an organization called LCI Tech, which provides digital accessibility services just seven miles away from where I grew up!
I helped launch LCI Tech a couple of years ago to address the barriers that have hindered people with disabilities, like myself, from pursuing meaningful careers. When I was looking for jobs, I dreaded applying to positions online because too often the application form was not accessible to me. After spending hours working on a single application, there was nothing worse than receiving an automated response stating that a company was not moving forward with me in their hiring process. Therefore, when I had a chance to do something about it, I decided to build a digital accessibility services business that was focused on removing the barriers that have hindered people with disabilities from accessing careers, education, retail, and entertainment, all while helping organizations adhere to the ADA.
In just two years, we now have nearly ten people on the team, and we are launching two new consulting service lines: Disability Inclusion and Workforce Development. My hope is to help businesses realize the benefits of employing people with disabilities, while also preparing people with disabilities to gain the skills they need to be successful in their careers.
I can never thank all of the people who worked to pass the ADA and for the benefits that I have experienced as a result, but I can pay it forward by helping remove the barriers that others with disabilities are facing, and showing them that they can have a bright future!
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the ADA