Because I am disabled, I will write a story about what it is like to
contribute with disabilities for me. I know it can vary from contributor
to contributor, however.
I have partial blindness, hearing loss, have neuromuscular problems that
can be very debilitating much of the time, and have bad Gastroparesis
caused from neuromuscular problem, which often renders me with, as my
doctor said it, “you are weak and are passing out, walking into things more
often because of too little calories caused by your Gastroparesis.” I have
to work around these disabilities with different aids or do things to make
contributing easier for me, such as being only a lot closer to the screen
to see, or use a magnification programme, use hearing aids, take breaks
more than most people because of weakness and pain, and work on things as
my health will allow, not as I would like to do them (I prefer a set
schedule, but my body does not always comply to that. So, I have to do so
as I can do so. But, it has been wonderful to see that Mozilla works with
me (most Mozillians have worked with me, well), on this issue to allow me
to work on things as I can do so. However, due to the digestion problems
being too much and weakening me too much, I have had to step away from
being a more full volunteer admin for ‘Mozilla Contributors’ group on
Facebook, Yammer, Google+, IRC, and elsewhere. But, I did try getting a
mailing list implemented for disabled (that hasn’t yet happened), as well
as for non-disabled contributors (that HAS happened, which I help to manage
as my health and memory allow me to do). And, I still manage, sometimes,
the IRC channel #contributors. I try to also teach Mozillians Web
Development (how to set up dev environment and back-end programming). But
because my body would no longer allow for a full schedule, I set up,
instead, a Facebook Mozilla group for Web and Software devs (developers) to
congregate and discuss about any and all things Web Development related, as
well as to learn Web and Software development. And I can post as my health
will allow, ad others can post questions, responses, new posts, etc., in
this group as they can without worry of when everyone can get together for
a class(es) via a strict schedule. They can learn on their own time, that
way, plus, I can teach on my own time, that way. Disabilities are
disabling. But, there can be ways around disabilities, sometimes, to
contribute. And I want to be an example for other contributors who have
disabilties of that contributing with disabilities isn’t impossible and
that contributing can still be done in Mozilla via other ways/workarounds
plus with some accommodations.
April Morone
