Inspired by the people (both blind and sighted) in her life, Laurel Jean continues to serve as an ambassador among the sighted and blindness communities. “Even when I am called to musical or speaking engagements that are not necessarily blindness-related,” she affirms, “each venue offers a chance to educate, if only by example."

Laurel Jean is a determined advocate for Braille literacy and awareness, and her programs reflect this enthusiasm! She often reads selections from her Braille Bible as she shares funny, inspirational and motivational stories from her own personal life experiences.

In church settings, while presenting programs for Worship, Laurel Jean is often asked to deliver the Children's Message. She also speaks to all ages of Sunday School classes, sharing, answering questions and demonstrating Braille. “Everyone enjoys seeing the Braille alphabet, and his/her name in Braille,” Laurel Jean says. “The Sunday School setting offers sighted folks the unique opportunity to ask questions about how we who are blind accomplish things sometimes taken for granted by the sighted community.”

In public and private schools, from pre-K to the college level, Laurel Jean customizes programs that combine music with lighthearted sensitivity and awareness workshops. During these classroom visits or school assemblies, students receive Braille alphabet cards, their names in Braille, and lots of time for questions and answers. "I hope that when students leave my presentations, they have a new understanding of and appreciation for blindness and Braille, as well as their own literacy and learning," Laurel Jean says.

Laurel Jean believes that the key to awareness of and respect for the blind within the sighted community can be found in the increased, active presence of the blindness community among the community at large. At absolutely no cost, she and her associates regularly serve as peer mentors and advocates on behalf of others dealing with blindness or vision loss, as well as their teachers, families and friends. In July 2008, Laurel Jean founded her Chaplaincy for Blind Youth, to personally mentor and tutor the “brilliant young people” she affectionately calls “her” kids.

You can help support this outreach and Youth Chaplaincy by bringing Music by Laurel Jean to your church/community, or through the purchase of her recorded music. Other direct financial contributions are sincerely appreciated, but are not tax deductible.

Music by Laurel Jean is a proud sponsor of the following producers of Christian literature in Braille, large print and audio formats accessible to the blind.