Virginia A. Jacko is breaking the stigma surrounding blindness, transforming the lives of both the visually impaired and the Miami community at large.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIAMI LIGHTHOUSE ACADEMY
From spearheading Miami Lighthouse’s recently launched Cortical Visual Impairment Collaborative Center to her long-standing efforts in breaking the stigma surrounding blindness, Virginia A. Jacko stands as a vision of both power and influence. Serving as the president and CEO of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, Jacko aids the local community of the blind with groundbreaking care while enabling her students to compete in a sighted world. Promoting confidence, independence and hope in the lives of her students as well as the Miami community at large, we chat with the trailblazer as she reflects on her leadership journey while transforming the lives of the blind and visually impaired. 601 SW Eighth Ave., Miami, miamilighthouse.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIAMI LIGHTHOUSE ACADEMY
What is both your personal mission and the mission of Miami Lighthouse?
As president and CEO, I want to remove barriers to education, jobs and critical eyecare and unlock the power of the internet and technology for the blind.
You’ve witnessed a lot of different approaches to guiding and teaching the blind. What makes Miami Lighthouse unique compared to these other programs?
All of our educators are university graduates, certified to teach the visually impaired. Secondly, the knowledge of our professional team is outstanding, which is proven by the recent launch of our Cortical Visual Impairment Collaborative Center with partners Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Brain Institute and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
Can you expand on the recent launch of Miami Lighthouse’s cortical vision impairment (CVI) center?
CVI has gone undiagnosed, misdiagnosed and without appropriate follow-up care and education plans for children. Offering educational interventions in literacy, the general education curriculum and the expanded core curriculum, our CVI center employs one of three professionals in the entire state of Florida who are trained and certified to administer the CVI Range Assessment.
Being committed to inclusion, how do you feel Miami Lighthouse is changing the lives of not only the visually impaired but the community at large?
There is significant bias against the blind within the sighted community. For example, in the workforce, very few blind and visually impaired are employed. I am engaging corporate America using our new job training program to change the misconceptions surrounding employing the blind and visually impaired.
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