Disability Awareness Shows

I'm a magician who happens to be blind. I use magic to illustrate and increase awareness of blindness and disability in a humorous and entertaining style. My performance emphasizes the ability rather than the disability of the blind and physically challenged, and promotes a respect and appreciation of differences.

Seeing is believing
New concepts are more easily learned and remembered through the dramatic visual effects of magic. What's more, who is better qualified than the blind to communicate the abilities of the blind?

Looking beyond blindness
I help people feel comfortable with differences that make each of us unique. Throughout my performance, I convey the ability of the blind and disabled to function in social, school, and professional settings.

Educational entertainment
I use magic to illustrate the types and causes of blindness, adaptive skills and technology, and stereotypes. The presentation is tailored to the audience. Material is available for small group follow-up.

What amazes me the most is how God has matched what natural abilities and talents I have with the perfect job for me. I tried to find traditional employment for many years and in spite of having a 4 year degree in Journalism from the University of Minnesota I was unsuccessful landing a viable job. There's something like a 70% unemployment rate among the blind. One employment opportunity that currently exists for the blind relates to working with computers, such as data entry or programming. Despite advances in adaptive technology that enable the blind to use the computer, computers and I have a love hate relationship. I'm so grateful that god took my natural gifts of humor, creativity and desire to teach, and turned it into this wonderful opportunity for me as Amazing Jeffo. In retrospect, I see how God has positioned me in a place where I can share the gifts He has given me with others. He's always bringing caring people into my life that are encouraging and teaching me to explore new avenues that I hadn't had confidence enough to try on my own.

One of my greatest challenges I had through the years was overcoming a severe verbal disfluency in the form of stuttering. But God never gave me more than I could handle, gently leading me forward when He knew I was ready. I know the opportunity I had to present my message in front of audiences was made easier because of the magic. It's been a vehicle I could sort of hide behind, shifting the focus of the audience away from my speech difficulties on to the magic. It helped take the pressure off from thinking I had to be a perfect speaker. The approval I've received from audiences has given me the confidence to not only speak fluently but to now take on greater challenges as a motivational and Christian speaker.

One of the encouragers God has sent my way is a friend I met at the church I've been attending for about 10 years, Chapel Hill Baptist, Eagan MN. I'll describe him as a visionary. He's convinced me I have a message to share with others to hear about the abilities of people with disabilities. This is particularly timely in our day and age of global integration and multi-culturalism. People with disabilities fall in this arena. The corporate world and others need to be educated about this untapped resource available to them. This is why I formed a new enterprise I call DATS (Disability Awareness Training Seminars). My presentation focuses not only on the inherent value of people but the value their perspective offers to the bottom line.

And now this has most recently evolved into my having an opportunity to talk to parents who have children who have disabilities. I believe they need encouragement from those, such as my mother and I who have gone through some similar circumstances as they, a to have an opportunity to laugh amidst this situation.

My mother, Martha, and I, offer this holistic, common sense presentation to encourage parents to:

• Recognize that a disability does not define a child or family.
• Realize every child has purpose and significance.
• See humor even in challenging circumstances.

"Parents desperately need encouragement that there child has a purpose and they, a hope for the future".

Jeffos messages and approach are adaptable to all groups within the church body, including adult, pre-school, school-age, middle and high school.

"It's fun to watch and easy to believe what Jeff conveys... He's comfortable with his blindness which makes it easy for others to be comfortable asking questions."
Jan Hamelton
Lay Ministry Facilitator
Wooddale Church

"Provides an enlightening overview in a relaxed format. Gives a broader understanding to how disabled fit into the community in every aspect."
Laura Kessler
Office Manager
South Branch Y.M.C.A.