The Wearer of Many Hats

Yvonne Whitehurst- Senior Council Chairperson

Interviewer: Jacqueline Lashmanova, Intergenerational Student Volunteer

Meet Yvonne Whitehurst. Yvonne joined VISIONS innovative senior center in the year 2005 and worked as a financial director after several years in a finance-related field. Now serving her second term as senior council chairperson, she facilitates classes, actively communicates with participants and coordinates trips for the center. Yvonne prides herself on her adaptability, both in and outside of the workplace, which she developed after she’d lost her vision. The change required her to learn the principle of patience, not only with herself, but with others, while adjusting to a learning curve. She preaches this value to others, as it is a tool that continues to empower her and brings her success in life. Even after her loss, she has maintained a prominent role in her community of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn as a member of her local Church and a foster mother to over thirty children in the span of 25 years. She says that her numerous altruistic acts allow her to remain positive despite her challenges with vision loss. Even more, Yvonne’s ability to also cook delicious meals, sing, dance, play the keyboard and overall endless ambition leave many questioning if there is anything she cannot do.

The Show Must Go On

Rosalyn McDavid- Chairperson for the Fundraising Committee

Interviewer: Jacqueline Lashmanova, Intergenerational Student Volunteer

Meet Rosalyn McDavid. Now a member of the senior council, Rosalyn joined VISIONS in 2009. Currently, as a member of the liaison committee where she manages the relationship with the organization’s administration and residents at Selis Manor, she provides programming ideas and suggestions on behalf of clients. Additionally, Rosalyn often hosts several presentations and discussions within the senior center and co-facilitates a women’s discussion group titled, “Real Talk”. Prior to this role, she was co-facilitator of a book club called "EYES" . Naming theatre as her first love, Rosalyn once believed that losing her vision would bring an end to her ability to experience show productions. She quickly became a strong advocate for audio description, a form of narration used to provide information surrounding key visual elements in media) and leveraged her 25 some years of experience in the marketing field to push for it in theatres for the enjoyment of the visually impaired community. Thanks to her work, Signature Theatre Company Manhattan now holds at least 1 or 2 audio described performances during a 6 week run of their plays. In the words of the newly elected Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee for the Senior Council , “When you get knocked down in life, it’s not about just the act of getting knocked down, but what you do about it, and I choose to get up.”