A simple 乌鸦传媒渉ello乌鸦传媒� goes a long way in kicking off communication with someone whose sight is limited, says Gina Martin, who educates all generations through her Diverse Abilities Programs and Training.

The business is based in her Saanich home, but programming spans primary school classrooms to seniors乌鸦传媒� homes across the south Island.

Martin, who is legally blind, is using her communication skills honed over nearly three decades as a server at Paul乌鸦传媒檚 Motor Inn. The goal is to pave an easier path for others.

乌鸦传媒淚t took me 23 years to accept my journey,乌鸦传媒� said Martin, who began to lose her sight in 1993.

Facing different opportunities and abilities, no two people have the same experience and it comes down to the individual on how they navigate life.

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She herself did not want to use a cane or in any way draw attention to herself. She hit a turning point in 2015 when she met two confident women who had attended a comprehensive program at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Inspired, she attended the nine-month program the next year.

乌鸦传媒淚t was absolutely the hardest thing I did in my life,乌鸦传媒� she said, noting it includes blindfolded rock climbing, white water rafting, bowling and more. But it has a high success rate, with 85 per cent of people who graduate meeting or exceeding expectations, she said.

Martin is among those successes 乌鸦传媒� it taught her in part how to enjoy life differently than when she had her sight.

乌鸦传媒淟osing my sight hasn乌鸦传媒檛 changed me, but it乌鸦传媒檚 changed the way I interact with the world,乌鸦传媒� she said.

So she launched her business earlier this year. Martin teaches on apparent and non-apparent disabilities 乌鸦传媒� noting nine of 10 are non-apparent 乌鸦传媒� and universal design.

Hoping to change perspectives for both those with sight loss and without, her key message is communication.

She took that message to social media recently, hoping to end the silence of awkward interactions on the street or in shops.

The seven key points garnered an impressive response 乌鸦传媒� shared more than 4,000 times, with more than 100 comments of appreciation.

Someone who is blind or partially sighted can often be recognized by a white cane, service dog or even sunglasses. While it乌鸦传媒檚 important to not make assumptions on their level of sight, the smiles and nods that sighted folk offer and recognize on the street likely go unseen by someone with sight loss.

So say 乌鸦传媒渉ello.乌鸦传媒�

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乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 one word that can make somebody feel included,乌鸦传媒� Martin said. 乌鸦传媒淧eople are quiet, they don乌鸦传媒檛 know what to say. That乌鸦传媒檚 not helpful for those of us who don乌鸦传媒檛 see well. It can be unsettling.

So say hi. And if you know them, say their name, maybe offer yours and maybe a context of how they know you.

If it appears help might be needed, just ask: 乌鸦传媒淐an I help?乌鸦传媒� and if yes, 乌鸦传媒淗ow can I help?乌鸦传媒�

Don乌鸦传媒檛 be offended by a no.

In person, she also reiterates a few other messages that might seem as obvious as 乌鸦传媒渉ello.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淎lways talk to the person, and not the person they乌鸦传媒檙e with,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淒on乌鸦传媒檛 grab us. That乌鸦传媒檚 a real thing.乌鸦传媒� Instead of a shout or a grab, verbalize. 乌鸦传媒淟ady with the white cane, there乌鸦传媒檚 a car on your right乌鸦传媒� is far more informative, helpful and less terrifying.

Oh, and it乌鸦传媒檚 OK to use the words see, look and watch in conversation.

乌鸦传媒淲e see look and watch, just differently,乌鸦传媒� Martin said, adding the example of 乌鸦传媒渟eeing乌鸦传媒� a pink rose through touch and smell. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 enjoying it differently.乌鸦传媒�

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