Blind Journalist Reflects on Challenges, Advocates for More Open Doors

As long as she can remember, she was fascinated with the news.  "I was the weird kid that liked watching the 5pm and 10pm news on TV, and listening to the news on radio," she laughs.  As the years passed by, her interest only deepened and by the time she was a sophomore in high school, she decided to study journalism.

Unlike her classmates, however, Sandy Murillo was blind and had some special challenges to overcome.

A resident of suburban Harvey, Illinois, Murillo was born with glaucoma, an eye disease that is very rare in children. Around the age of two, she became totally blind as a result of the disease.

"When you’re blind there are numerous challenges you face and naming them all would take too long! " she smiles.  "There are life’s practicalities," she continues, "things like finding transportation to and from places, accessing material I can’t read, going to unfamiliar places and not knowing how well I’ll be able to access their services."

Murillo, now 33, acknowledges that these are the everyday challenges blind people face constantly.  While those challenges can be hard and frustrating, she says that she has learned how to advocate for herself, plan in advance and come up with creative solutions to overcome the hurdles in her way. 

According to Murillo, one challenge that remains almost intractable is the public's common perception about people who are blind.

"I often come across people that are overly helpful, or that have low expectations of me simply because I can’t see," she says. "I try my best to be assertive and show them how I can do things without sight. Hopefully that enlightens them and brings home the point that I’m as capable as the next person."

Murillo proved that she was as capable as the next person!  She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in News-Editorial Journalism from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2012. 

"As far as we know, I’m only the second totally blind person to receive a journalism degree at U of I, and so I am very proud of that accomplishment," she smiles.

In 2014, she landed an internship at Chicagoland Reading Information Service (CRIS) a daily broadcast system geared towards marginalized communities and housed at The Chicago Lighthouse, one of the nation's premier organizations serving individuals with disabiliities and veterans.

Murillo is no stranger to The Lighthouse, having received special instruction there as a child through the organization's Birth to Three program. 

"My internship was only supposed to be 6 months, but 9 years later I’m still working full time at Chicago Lighthouse Media and CRIS Radio!" Murillo laughs.

Now, she is the Associate Producer at Chicago Lighthouse Media, where she oversees all day-to-day operations of the station and production.  In addition, she conducts research, writes copy and is a co-host of "The Disability Minute," a weekly report on disability issues which airs on Chicago's highly rated WBBM 105.9FM.

Murillo also hones her journalism skills by writing “Sandy’s View," a blog that offers her thoughts on various issues affecting the blind and visually impaired community. 

"I’ve written this blog since 2015, and it has viewers all over the world," she notes.

During a time when the country is politically divided and the mass media is often caught up in the polarization, Murillo maintains that journalists should focus on covering the news and giving the public the information, they need so they, in turn, can make the best decisions possible.  

"Still, we as journalists should not be oblivious to things happening around us and should point out problems that need fixing and causes that need to be addressed," she states, adding that reporters should avoid taking extreme positions.

Along these lines, Murillo believes in looking at the different sides and angles of the story.

"No matter what news outlets you look at, always make sure they are credible and have a good reputation," she says.

Murillo admits that her lifelong passion for journalism remains unabated, despite the obstacles she has faced not only as someone who is blind but as a woman of color.

"I always joke that I meet all the qualifications when it comes to diversity," she smiles. "I’m Latina, female, and blind! 

While applauding journalism for becoming more open to diversity and inclusion in regard to race, sexual orientation and gender, Murillo expresses frustration that there’s still a long way to go when it comes to achieving full equality for disabled journalists. 

"We don’t just want to be part of the story, we also want to be writing and producing stories," she maintains, calling on newsrooms to hire more journalists with disabilities.

"Who better to report about the disability community than journalists with lived in experience," she asks. "This would be a great way of diversifying the newsroom, but also to inform the general public about disability issues."

Murillo points to the unique role that blind journalists can perform. 

"As disabled journalists, we have the unique power to speak up for other people with disabilities and create more awareness and understanding, especially when it comes to educating society at large," she says.

For herself, Murillo plans to continue working in radio and print journalism, focusing on disability awareness.  She may also write a book, perhaps an autobiography. 

"In my ten years or so as a journalist, my greatest satisfaction is knowing that through my radio segments and blogs, I’m able to enlighten people with and without disabilities. That most certainly makes my passion for journalism and disability awareness grow even stronger!"