Blind news producer doesn’t let disability stop her from getting the word out

After getting her bachelor’s degree in News-Editorial Journalism from the University of Illinois-Champaign, Sandy Murillo, after just ten years, is the Associate Producer for Chicago’s Lighthouse Media. 

Her responsibilities include handling the programming and operations for Chicagoland Reading Information Services (CRIS) Radio. Murillo, 35, is also the Lead Developer for new show concepts and initiatives.

And she is blind.

“To my knowledge,” Murillo said. “I was only the second totally blind student to get a bachelor’s in journalism from Illinois.”

Murillo grew up in the Chicago suburbs and was born with glaucoma (a disease that damages the optic nerve). Before the age of two, she had lost her sight.

“I didn’t feel any different because I remember playing with my older brother outside and with my cousins and my friends. I was very fortunate that I had a very supportive family.”

Murillo spent a portion of her school day in classes helping her navigate her disability and the rest mainstreamed with the sighted children.

July is Disability Pride Month. 

“Part of the mission of Disability Pride Month,” Murillo explains, “is to just recognize that we are people, we do have disabilities, and that we do want to be seen. Especially for people that are not very familiar with the disabled community. We want to participate like anyone else.”

Disability Pride Month was established in 2015 to celebrate the 25^th year of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Disability Pride Month’s core concept is to rework the negative narrative and biases that surround the concept of disabilities.

Murillo lived with the contraction ‘can’t’ for much of her life. Not necessarily spoken, but definitely inferred.

“A lot of people would ask my older brother ‘So what are you going to be when you grow up?’”, Murillo said. “’You know, what are you going to college for?’ My aunts and my uncles and grandparents would ask him all the time. But they never asked me that question. And even as a kid I remember feeling disappointed. I guess in a way they implied I wouldn’t be able to live a normal life.”

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 26% of the US population suffers a form of disability in 2022. 

The World Health Organization defines a disability as any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).

Every year a higher percentage of disabled folks enters the workforce. 

“The fact that more people with disabilities are out and about,” Murillo says. “Going to school, going to work, going to different places. I think that has certainly created more awareness.”

With more awareness, comes a better understanding of the needs of the disabled. 

And life has become much easier with the development of new technology and tools.

“A lot of times people are very concerned like, ‘How will she be able to read this? Or how will she know where she is?’, Murillo states. “People need to understand that in a lot of cases, we’ve received special training. We have different devices, different technologies, and we’ve learned to be creative to figure these things out. Just ask. If I refuse the assistance, you know, don’t get offended.” 

““I totally appreciate when people do ask if I need assistance.”

The word pride in Disability Pride Month is so important to the disabled community. 

“It’s symbolic.” Murillo says. “People accepting who they are. Others really accept who you are. Just creating that awareness. Especially for people that are not very familiar with the disabled community.”