Rev. Carol Estes works for
justice, equality, and
spiritual wholeness
By Michael Chacko Daniels
Editor & Publisher, New River Free Press International
“Living with a visual challenge has definitely shaped my world differently,” says Rev. Carol Estes who is legally blind. “My response to the world stems from this place.”
“What makes Carol's story remarkable,” says Valerie Street, who nominated this San Francisco native for a Career Visions interview, “is that she has ‘not let challenges’ stand in her way of reaching out for opportunities including her latest: leaving her lifelong Bay Area home and moving to Chapel Hill, North Carolina without friends, family, or safety net, to complete her certification as Chaplain in Resident at the University of North Carolina (UNC).
“I think Carol's story is one that will touch many people, especially women who have been victims of domestic violence, were early mother's, or who are afraid of ‘dreaming their lives into existence.’
“The ‘light’ that Carol shines is one many people would marvel at beholding.”
A Carol Estes Data Bank
Born in San Francisco, California, during the sixties
and raised in the Haight-Ashbury district.
My mother, a migrant from Alabama,
was a single teenager with four children.
We lived on AFDC
(Aid to Families with Dependent Children)
for the first five years of my life.
High School
J. Eugene McAteer
College
University of San Francisco
Pacific School of Religion
(an affiliate of
Graduate Theological Union)
Berkeley, California
Teacher that influenced Carol Estes the most
My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Margaret Penn,
because she was the first black teacher that I had.
I admired her intelligence and her beauty.
I have had many other marvelous teachers, however,
she is the one I have most tried to emulate.
Books that influenced Carol Estes the most
Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Favorite Philosopher
Elizabeth Stroop
Favorite Singer
Phyllis Hyman
Favorite Quotation
Everything is not for everybody at the same time.
~ Author Unknown ~
justice, equality, and
spiritual wholeness
"Funny you selected the one [photo] with my
doggie Precious, who came to me
through a pet rescue operation
when she was six months old—she is seven
years old now. She had been badly abused and
her presence has changed my life tremendously.
We truly are a pair! Good choice!"
— Rev. Carol Estes
By Michael Chacko Daniels
Editor & Publisher, New River Free Press International
“Living with a visual challenge has definitely shaped my world differently,” says Rev. Carol Estes who is legally blind. “My response to the world stems from this place.”
“What makes Carol's story remarkable,” says Valerie Street, who nominated this San Francisco native for a Career Visions interview, “is that she has ‘not let challenges’ stand in her way of reaching out for opportunities including her latest: leaving her lifelong Bay Area home and moving to Chapel Hill, North Carolina without friends, family, or safety net, to complete her certification as Chaplain in Resident at the University of North Carolina (UNC).
“I think Carol's story is one that will touch many people, especially women who have been victims of domestic violence, were early mother's, or who are afraid of ‘dreaming their lives into existence.’
“The ‘light’ that Carol shines is one many people would marvel at beholding.”
Rev. Carol Estes at work.
Born in San Francisco, California, during the sixties
and raised in the Haight-Ashbury district.
My mother, a migrant from Alabama,
was a single teenager with four children.
We lived on AFDC
(Aid to Families with Dependent Children)
for the first five years of my life.
High School
J. Eugene McAteer
College
University of San Francisco
Pacific School of Religion
(an affiliate of
Graduate Theological Union)
Berkeley, California
Teacher that influenced Carol Estes the most
My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Margaret Penn,
because she was the first black teacher that I had.
I admired her intelligence and her beauty.
I have had many other marvelous teachers, however,
she is the one I have most tried to emulate.
Books that influenced Carol Estes the most
Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Favorite Philosopher
Elizabeth Stroop
Favorite Singer
Phyllis Hyman
Favorite Quotation
Everything is not for everybody at the same time.
~ Author Unknown ~
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
Tell us about yourself
Q__________________________Q
CE I am a proud mother of one and grandmother of one. I returned to school later in life because I could not figure out early on what my life’s calling was.
Currently, I am a pastor with the United Methodist Church and a Chaplain in Resident at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What makes you who you are?
Q__________________________Q
CE I would have to say the many obstacles that I have had to overcome, such as being legally blind.
I was diagnosed at the age of seventeen with a condition called Retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
At the moment, there is no ‘formal cure’ for this disease. It attacks the retina which sits directly on the optic nerve and if manipulated incorrectly permanent blindness can occur. This is a gradual and progressive disease.
It has taken a long time to come to grips with having this disability and, in the midst of it, to make sense out of its meaning in my life. And, to find/discover meaning for my life with limited vision.
Living with a visual challenge has definitely shaped my world differently and my response to the world stems from this place.
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What was your vision of society that
brought you to the work you do?
Q__________________________Q
CE Growing up as one of four children with an unwed mother, on a limited income, colored how I envisioned society. The painful reality was that my family’s disadvantaged economic status in society was not glamorous and, at times, quite shameful.
As a result, I viewed myself as not deserving, or less than, and this twisted image of self governed how I moved, or not, through the world. My vision of society was clouded by injustices, inequality, and internal dis-ease.
All of these things, and others too numerous to mention, have brought me to the work of facilitating justice, equality and spiritual wholeness.
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What do you think we should
remember as we remake the
world through the work we do?
Q__________________________Q
CE We should remember to be kind, tolerant, and fair to each other and that there really is very little difference between us.
We might also remember that for each action there is a re-action occurring somewhere else in the universe, which can have a profound effect on others.
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
Has your vision changed
as you have participated
in the remaking of the world?
Q__________________________Q
CE Yes it has, I see health, happiness and wholeness occurring in individuals and as a result of their outlook (and, insight) shift; they want to share their discoveries with others in a harmonious way.
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What challenges do you perceive in
achieving your vision of society?
Q__________________________Q
CE The challenges that I see is that we live in a society of external distractions and that internal spiritual wholeness and satisfaction, which I believe creates external peace, is not valued as a significant asset of human development.
Q__________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What needs to be done
to overcome these challenges?
Q__________________________Q
CE Maybe, a renewed approach to the importance of internal (spiritual) development of humanity.
Q___________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What pointers would you give young
people of the 9/11 generation as they
work in public service assignments?
Q___________________________Q
CE To think, and act, upon others with kindness, tolerance, and good-will.
Also, hatred is a manifestation of an internal ill that can become a contagious epidemic if left untreated (or, undiagnosed).
Q____________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What personal lessons have you learned
from the effect of war on children
in Africa and Asia?
Q____________________________Q
CE I have learned that war, on any continent, does not affirm life, nor does it model peace or peace-making for the children who are the leaders of tomorrow.
I have also learned that the life-long and internal psychological effects stifle (and warp) mental, emotional, and spiritual growth and development in children of war.
Q_____________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What personal lessons have you learned
from the post-Hurricane Katrina
tragedies in New Orleans?
Q_____________________________Q
CE I have learned that we have much work to do in this country, United States, as it relates to justice, equality, and poverty.
I have also learned that it tends to be easier to dismiss the preservation of human existence when it is deemed insignificant based on economics.
Finally, I learned that it is a good ideal to make copies of important documents and keep them in several places other than the primary home.
Q_____________________________Q
New River Free Press International
What personal and public lessons
have you learned from the devastation
caused by the Asian Tsunami and
the South Asian Earthquake?
Q_____________________________Q
CE Personally, I learned that life is fleeting and that it only lasts for a temporal moment and that I ought to find some pleasure in it in each moment of the day.
Publicly, I learned that there is an abundance of worldwide kindness and generosity.
Q_______________________________Q
New River Free Press International
How have these lessons changed your life?
Q_______________________________Q
CE I see more of my own connectedness to, and in, the world, and with others globally.
I also have a deeper appreciation of relationships.
These learned lessons have also shifted my commitment to the work that my life has called me to do locally, and around the world.
Finally, these lessons give me a deeper sense of gratitude for the smaller, maybe less significant, things in life, such as the spontaneous cooing of a newborn baby.
Retinitis Pigmentosa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopdia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinitis_pigmentosa
"Retinitis pigmentosa, or RP, is a genetic eye condition. In the progression of symptoms for RP, night blindness generally precedes tunnel vision by years or even decades. Many people with RP do not become legally blind until their 40s or 50s and retain some sight all their life. Others go completely blind from RP, in some cases as early as childhood. Progression of RP is different in each case."
All views expressed in the interview are those of the interviewee
and not those of the editor or this website.
This interview can also be read @:
http://careervisionscarolestes.blogspot.com/
NOTE: THIS INTERVIEW FORMAT IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF
This interview can also be read @:
http://careervisionscarolestes.blogspot.com/
NOTE: THIS INTERVIEW FORMAT IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF
MICHAEL CHACKO DANIELS AND HIS ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS:
NEW RIVER FREE PRESS INTERNATIONAL: US-INDIA WRITING STATION AND CAREER VISIONS FOR A SMALL PLANET.
AGREEMENT: NEW RIVER FREE PRESS INTERNATIONAL/US-INDIA WRITING STATION/AND/OR CAREER VISIONS FOR A SMALL PLANET WILL RETAIN THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS: ALL RIGHTS TO PUBLISH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW, OR PART(S) OF IT, IN ELECTRONIC, AUDIO, VIDEO, AND/OR PRINT VERSIONS; ALL RIGHTS TO RETAIN IT IN ITS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ARCHIVES INDEFINITELY; AND ALL RIGHTS TO INCLUDE IT IN FUTURE PRINTED COMPENDIUMS AND BOOKS. THE EDITOR RETAINS THE EDITOR'S PREROGATIVE TO EDIT THE INTERVIEW FOR GRAMMAR, STYLE, CONTENT, AND LENGTH. THE INTERVIEWEE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THAT HE/SHE WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY PAYMENT, EITHER NOW, OR IN THE FUTURE, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS INTERVIEW. BY SUBMITTING WRITTEN AND/OR ORAL RESPONSES TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS BY ANY METHOD, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ELECTRONIC, TELEPHONIC, MANUAL, AND/OR POSTAL METHODS, THE INTERVIEWEE AGREES TO THE ABOVE CONDITIONS AND STIPULATIONS. AFTER FIRST PUBLICATION BY NEW RIVER FREE PRESS INTERNATIONAL/ US-INDIA WRITING STATION/AND/OR CAREER VISIONS FOR A SMALL PLANET, THE INTERVIEWEE RETAINS THE RIGHT TO USE HER/HIS IDEAS AND WORDS THAT ARE CONTAINED IN HER/HIS RESPONSES IN THE INTERVIEW FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS. THE FORMAT OF THE INTERVIEW AND THE QUESTIONS WILL REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.
AGREEMENT: NEW RIVER FREE PRESS INTERNATIONAL/US-INDIA WRITING STATION/AND/OR CAREER VISIONS FOR A SMALL PLANET WILL RETAIN THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS: ALL RIGHTS TO PUBLISH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW, OR PART(S) OF IT, IN ELECTRONIC, AUDIO, VIDEO, AND/OR PRINT VERSIONS; ALL RIGHTS TO RETAIN IT IN ITS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ARCHIVES INDEFINITELY; AND ALL RIGHTS TO INCLUDE IT IN FUTURE PRINTED COMPENDIUMS AND BOOKS. THE EDITOR RETAINS THE EDITOR'S PREROGATIVE TO EDIT THE INTERVIEW FOR GRAMMAR, STYLE, CONTENT, AND LENGTH. THE INTERVIEWEE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THAT HE/SHE WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY PAYMENT, EITHER NOW, OR IN THE FUTURE, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS INTERVIEW. BY SUBMITTING WRITTEN AND/OR ORAL RESPONSES TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS BY ANY METHOD, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ELECTRONIC, TELEPHONIC, MANUAL, AND/OR POSTAL METHODS, THE INTERVIEWEE AGREES TO THE ABOVE CONDITIONS AND STIPULATIONS. AFTER FIRST PUBLICATION BY NEW RIVER FREE PRESS INTERNATIONAL/ US-INDIA WRITING STATION/AND/OR CAREER VISIONS FOR A SMALL PLANET, THE INTERVIEWEE RETAINS THE RIGHT TO USE HER/HIS IDEAS AND WORDS THAT ARE CONTAINED IN HER/HIS RESPONSES IN THE INTERVIEW FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS. THE FORMAT OF THE INTERVIEW AND THE QUESTIONS WILL REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.
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New River Free Press International's
Career Visions for a Small PlanetCheck Out the Visions of
People Remaking Our Planet
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