Playing to Learn: Meet Jessica

Jessica was born legally blind and grew up trying to hide her vision loss as she moved to several foster homes across Sacramento and Stockton starting at age 4.

“I was embarrassed as a kid and didn’t want to be teased, so I hid the fact I couldn’t see well, and I never used my cane because I was too afraid,” she said.

Photo: Jessica Gonzalez with her guide dog Kirkland

This past fall at age 42, Jessica flew to Italy to become the first American woman to compete in the International Blind Tennis Association’s World Championship.

Throughout her teen years and early adulthood, Jessica’s eyesight was steadily declining. At age 22, she left foster care, moved in with a friend’s family and decided to contact the Department of Rehabilitation for help. They sent her to an organization in the Bay Area where she learned orientation and mobility. She moved in with her boyfriend who she is still with today and then enrolled in college. She started classes at Society for the Blind, but it was too difficult to keep up with her studies.

After graduating from college 13 years ago, doctors recommended Jessica have cataract surgery. After the surgery, her eyes were even worse, and she began getting migraines from staring too closely at screens. She was working at Apple and eventually realized she would benefit from returning to Society for the Blind.

“I needed the help more than I did the first time around, so I told myself this was my last chance,” Jessica said. “I have to work and need to learn how to use my computer without sight and adapt for my work environment.”

She has since taken our Core classes in independent living skills, braille and assistive technology, and she is now doing a refresher course in orientation and mobility.

She said working with new technology like Victor readers and having a good braille display is important to her work at Apple as a logistics warehouse trainer where she trains technicians who come through the department and then audits them throughout the year to help them keep up their skills. She also said reading braille causes much less pressure on her eyes and she no longer needs the right lighting, just her hands and a book.

“I’ve learned so many useful skills because of my amazing teachers,” Jessica said. “It makes such a difference when people who are interested in you and also blind can be supportive of you. My teachers have been so proud of me, and that has made me proud of myself.”

Last year, Society for the Blind sent out an email letting clients know about an opportunity to learn how to play blind tennis.

“I was like, how do you do that? It fit into my schedule, and I was curious, so I signed up,” Jessica said laughing.

She joined the six-week clinic where once a week a coach volunteered to teach the sport.

“Once I started learning, I was so eager and would even practice my serves and stance while standing in line for my turn,” she said.

One day her coach was watching and told her she should apply for the International Blind Tennis Association World Championship in Italy.

“I was like, come on, why me?” Jessica said. “I haven’t been playing that long and I’m not good at this yet, but he told me to try. I put in my application, and two weeks later I was accepted as a wild card for the tournament. I had no idea how I would pay for it and get there, but I also didn’t want the opportunity to pass me by, so I made it happen.”

When she found out she was the first American woman to compete in the championship, she was stunned. She played proudly for the USA team and then spent a week touring around Italy.

“My goal was just to learn, not to win,” Jessica said. “I learned so much while I was there.”

Now four days a week, two hours a day, you can find Jessica out on the courts practicing. She has even recruited several friends to the sport.

“I love it, you have no idea,” Jessica said. “I didn’t’ think I’d love it so much and that it would be so fun. I want to be the next Venus now, and I hope I get to join the world championship again this year.”

She also is focused on doing the best job she can at Apple while improving her tennis game. She said managing it all is tiring, but it also gives her energy. She credits Society for the Blind with helping her find her stride.

“Those people at Society for the Blind are the ones who keep me going and keep me motivated,” Jessica said. “They’re happy people and love what they do, so it makes me better at what I’m doing.”