One step forward

Sometimes it seems that people with disabilities are almost shadows in our society. We hear about them, see them on TV or read about them in various publications, but rarely do we actually see them. Fortunately, I think that may be starting to change.

Due to advances in technology, people with disabilities will most likely have more opportunities to integrate themselves easily into society. Globalization and an increase in the value of technical proficiency mean moving from physical skills to mental ones. As long as the right tools are in place, people with physical disabilities will be able to compete in the job market.

Take T.V. Raman, for instance. Blind since he was 14, he's been working for Google developing new tools for visually impaired users that will make them more marketable and able to enjoy the fast-paced, technology-driven lifestyle of the 21st century.

On a similar note, visually disabled men and women are also currently working in the Georgia State Capitol, manning all of the refreshment rooms without a hitch. As long as you tell your cashier which president is on the bill you hand him, you're in and out with a cup of fresh coffee in mere minutes.

I think it'll be interesting to see the ways that technology will provide for people in the future. No matter your visual or hearing capabilities, your physical limits, your mental capacity, your health, your location, your age, your gender, your race - it's my hope that all people will be able to provide for themselves if they wish to do so.

Aztecs - beneficial to journalists?

My editor is fascinated with the fact that I'm in an Aztec class.

I really am. I'm taking "History of the Aztecs and Maya" as an elective because I'm enthralled by ancient civilizations. Egypt, Italy, Greece, Mesoamerica - if it's BC or early AD, I'm happy. However, I never considered that my silly history electives would actually give me a leg-up in my career.

In a conversation with my editor, the VP of editorial for the company, and the Norwegian journalist I met, the topic of my class came up. As I promptly tried to change the subject, the Norwegian journalist wouldn't have it. He said that all journalism majors should have to take an Aztec class.

Of course, he didn't just want all journalists to know about the Aztecs (although, they were cool enough that it could potentially be a requirement). He wanted journalists to emerge from college with a well-rounded view of the world. A journalist should have his or her finger on the pulse of all aspects of society, whether it's a collapse on Wall Street or an epidemic in Nicaragua. One of the greatest things about America is its diversity, and to be a journalist in America means to be diverse. We have so many different cultures and histories represented in this country that in order to best serve citizens, we have to know where they come from - not literally every person, but figuratively. We have to be aware of existence outside of our own little bubbles.

So here's your homework. Go learn about the Aztecs or the Muses. Find something that you're interested in and stretch your knowledge beyond the Civil War.