A twist of fate set him straight.

He was fortunate to go blind.  If he had not gone blind, he would have ended up dead or in prison. 

A twist of fate set John Gordon straight. 

  At age seventeen, he was a juvenile delinquent. Every cop on the northwest side of Chicago knew Johnnie by name.  He was a robber and a thief. One day, while committing a crime, some one shot him in the eye and his world went black.  However, the zest for living, he did not lack.  This incident turned his life around.  He got a GED and enrolled in the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (BEPB).  Now, twenty years later, he is a successful entrepreneur, operating the concessions at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL.

In 1936, the U.S. congress passed the Randolph-Sheppard Act.  This act responded to the lack of jobs for blind veterans returning from war. This act mandated that blind self employed men and women receive a priority to run food service concessions on federal property.  Many states subsequently passed mini Randolph-Sheppard Acts to extend this mandate to state and local government property. 

Now, based upon this legislation, any legally blind person, 18 years of age and older, can enroll in this program.  Most states afford such a program to their citizens.  Under this program, blind and visually impaired people complete a training course which teaches them how to run a business.  Once they complete the course, they are licensed and can be certified to run operations in areas such as vending, cafeteria, gift shop, news stand, convenience store and snack bar.  They may bid on locations which arise in their respective states.  When they are awarded a location, they receive a working capital and a starting inventory of product.  They pay these costs back to the state.   In addition they pay a “set aside” amount such as 6% of their net profit. This helps keep the program operating.  

If you know of a blind or visually impaired person who could benefit from this program, tell her or him about it.  Moreover, if you are an office manager, property manager or real estate agent and your building needs a food service concession, contact the

BEPB in your state.

  See:  http://www.ncsab.org

John Gordon exemplifies much more than what has been previously stated.

 In addition, he is the chairman of the Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors, (ICBV).  ICBV, a non-profit organization, represents, and advocates for, blind vendors in the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind

 He tirelessly fights for increased employment opportunities for blind people, and to fight against encroachments upon the livelihoods of such persons.

 For example, in 2003, the governor’s office considered the concept of contracting the state soft drink and pouring rights on state property to a sole source vending bottling company.  This would increase badly needed revenue for the state.    However, the governor’s plan would cause concession prices to rise and vendors’ profits to fall.

Coke and Pepsi would be the major bidders in such a contract.  If Pepsi won the contract, then only Pepsi products could be sold in vending machines on state property.  Vendors would no longer have a choice in what they choose to sell in their vending machines. Free enterprise would be meaningless.  Customers would no longer have choice in the product they wanted to purchase. . 

The governor’s plan demanded drastic and demonstrable opposition.  John Gordon met the challenge head on.   In April, 2004, Gordon walked 200 miles by himself from Chicago to Springfield, the state capitol via Route 66 and I55 to dramatize this opposition.  The governor did not back down from his plans.  Mr. Gordon then spearheaded a rally by blind entrepreneurs at the Thompson Center in Chicago to further protest corporate sponsorship.  When the governor's office learned of the planned rally, it began 11^{th hour} negotiations to reach an agreement with ICBV and BEPB.

 Mr. Gordon’s bold moves garnered him a seat on the selection panel to evaluate the contract bidders. . 

Eventually, Pepsi won the bid.   Illinois now has a new governor, but the Pepsi contract remains.  Mr. Gordon continues to negotiate with the IL. Dept of Revenue to secure benefits from this contract for the blind.  For example, the blind seek 28% profit and health benefits from the proceeds of this contract.    

On the legislative front, Mr. Gordon advocates for passage of SB2045. a state bill to mandate more employment opportunities for blind entrepreneurs on state property. More importantly, Mr. Gordon encourages blind entrepreneurs, their families, friends, employees and other people with disabilities to contact legislators to make their voices heard.  Mr. Gordon persuades us as people who are blind, to vote and to be visible in our communities, at the Springfield Capitol complex and at our local legislative offices.  From him, I have learned that one phone call, one visit, one email does make a difference.  When I realized that my state senator and representative became sponsors of the bill as a result of my phone calls, I derived an enormous sense of self esteem, confidence, satisfaction and empowerment.

I am a blind person who is in the BEPB and a member of the ICBv.  I write this hub to help you understand a little more about blind people, who we are and what our challenges are.  Moreover, I write this hub to tell you that you can make a difference in your community. 

If something bothers you in your community, do something about it.  Call your state representative.  Send an e-mail to your congressman or woman.  Don’t wait for somebody else to do it.  Do it yourself.  Once you take action, no matter how large or small, you will feel good about it.