Email: lopezkafati@gmail.com
Cellphone number: (786) 547-5465
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lopezkafati/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gabriel.lopezkafati
1. Please introduce yourself, indicate the position you are seeking, and explain why you are interested in serving in this role.
My name is Gabriel Lopez Kafati, from Miami Lakes, Florida. I currently work as Director for the Office of Accessibility Services at Barry University. I am working with my second guide dog, Gabe; and that was not a typo- we go by Gabe and Gabe. I have been a member of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) since 2008 and I currently serve as Director on the ACB Board.
I was born and raised in Honduras, Central America where I became a Corporate Lawyer. I lost my eye sight to Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). In 2005, I migrated to the United States. In 2014, I completed my Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) concentration in Management.
In 2019, I met my partner at the ACB Convention, and we live together with our guide dogs. My hobbies include music, wine, air travel, and yoga. My taste in music is eclectic, but my favorite genre is Opera. I am a wine specialist and I recently received my certification from the Champagne Committee in France. I love cooking and dining, pairing foods and wines, and organizing get-togethers and outings with family and friends.
I am seeking a second term in my position as Director because I feel that I represent a good portion of ACB’s Membership. I believe in the democratic process of an organization, and I feel strongly that every voice must be represented at the Leadership level.
The past four years have been a learning opportunity for me. I feel eager to apply all that knowledge and experience at the Board level to effect necessary changes and to explore new avenues to revitalize our Membership. I have also been instrumental in getting important initiatives in motion at the Board level, and I would like to see them through fruition.
2. What do you consider your strongest contribution to ACB at the national, state, special-interest affiliate, or local chapter level? Please explain why you view this as your most significant contribution.
I consider that my strongest contribution to ACB is my diversity and my unifying voice. With this, I do not mean the statistics I bring to the Board or the organization in general. Through my diverse life experience, I contribute a different perspective when analyzing challenges and when influencing the decision-making process in a fair and balanced way.
I consider that my life experience as a Hispanic, openly-gay, naturalized American, middle-aged professional, gives me a well-balanced outlook. This has also granted me the opportunity to act as a mediator at different levels within ACB. My conflict-resolution skills have been requested by Members and Affiliates, and I am always happy to serve. I feel that one of my biggest contributions to ACB is my unifying voice and the empathy with which I speak with and for our Members.
I consider that my diversity and my passion for inclusion have brought forth a strong contribution to ACB; through my inclusive nature, I was able to spearhead the positioning of ACB as a bilingual organization. My collaboration with other Leaders, Committees, and Affiliates of ACB, resulted in our offering of the most salient organizational activities and information in Spanish. I believe this has taken ACB to a different level and has opened us to grants and collaborations with local and international organizations. Moreover, this allows us to grow in Membership and to cater to a part of the blind and low vision (BLV) community that has been severely underserved in the United States.
3. In your view, what is the most important challenge currently facing ACB? How would you work to help address this challenge if elected?
In my view, the most important challenge currently facing ACB is our ability to effectively advocate for our community under an environment of divided perspectives.
We must make every effort possible to prevent the external divisiveness from impacting our advocacy efforts. As Leaders, it is crucial that we understand our differences and the diverse ways in which each aspect of life impact us all. It is also important to find common grounds and to present a unified front when advocating for our community. All of this, without compromising anyone’s individuality or personal values.
Another, more natural, aspect that tends to divide us is dictated by age. I believe we should honor the legacy of our seasoned Leaders and we must advocate for the quality of life that our aging population deserves. At the same time, we must plan for succession and we must ensure that our organization will stay relevant for the new generations. My advocacy will always be influenced by a multi-generational perspective, and I will maintain two priorities: the quality of life of our entire community and the sustainability of ACB.
In general, one of my roles as a Leader will always be to ensure that every voice has a platform and that every life experience is considered. No Member needs to leave any part of their humanity when advocating for their rights as a blind or low vision person. I believe that we should consider the uniqueness of each one of our Members when understanding the general challenges we face as a community.
As a Leader, I will continue to honor the life experience of each one of our Members, while highlighting our commonalities. As an advocate, I will continue to weave all of these elements into a unified voice.
4. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing the blindness community we serve, and how would you work to advance meaningful change in this organization?
I believe the two pressing issues facing the BLV community are: one, the full integration of our needs within public spaces and services; and two, the accessibility and relevance of emerging technologies.
I think that the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is not aging at the rate in which our public spaces and services are evolving. The new ways in which educational services are delivered pose a disadvantage for our VLV children/youth and to BLV parents. Innovations in transportation and in medical services are creating a gap for BLV adults.
While the ADA provided an excellent foundation to remedy the lack of accessibility that existed in 1990, we must now advocate for accessibility from the ground up. Assistive technology and best practices must be a fundamental consideration when planning for our schools, hospitals, and transportation methods. I would like to steer our resources towards more targeted advocacy efforts. I believe we should leverage the progress that has been achieved to continue expanding at a rate that is comparable to the rate at which our environments are evolving.
I believe that our community is a shining example of how technology can be used to achieve integration and improve quality of life; however, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and touch screens can also become threats if we do not act quickly. I believe we must invest in resources that make us relevant in the tech world. We need to become the subject-matter experts for developers and legislators. I also believe we must maintain and foster strategic relationships with other organizations and with key players in the industry.
I believe in our mission, and I will always insist on ACB’s visibility until we become the “top-of-mind” entity for all things blind and low vision.