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Jessikah Inaba, 23, qualified last week after studying for five years at the University of Law in London.
She managed to complete her studies after translating all her learning materials into braille with the help of her friends and tutors to fill in the gaps.
She managed to complete her studies after translating all her learning materials into braille with the help of her friends and tutors to fill in the gaps.
Jess, from Camden, has now joined the Bar 5 years since starting her studies in 2017. She said:
🗣 'It’s been crazy, I still can’t really believe I’ve done it.'
🗣 'It’s been crazy, I still can’t really believe I’ve done it.'
🗣 'It was hard and I often thought of giving up, but my supportive family gave me courage and strength.'
'I always believed in myself from the start, there’s nothing about me which means this isn’t possible.'
'I always believed in myself from the start, there’s nothing about me which means this isn’t possible.'
Braille can be read on a special screen that usually gives one line at a time, or from specially printed books.
But Jess claims it took seven months for her university to obtain one of her two key study texts so she could read on her computer, and five months for the other.
But Jess claims it took seven months for her university to obtain one of her two key study texts so she could read on her computer, and five months for the other.
And, because of pictures and tables in the books, her Braille screen missed huge chunks of material.
She said the university stepped in to provide additional 1-on-1 to help support her when her lack of access to materials started to hold her back.
She said the university stepped in to provide additional 1-on-1 to help support her when her lack of access to materials started to hold her back.
Jess is blind because of an eye condition called Bilateral microphthalmia, where babies are born with smaller than usual eyes.
Yet the Lewisham local never let her disability stop her from pursuing her dreams and now wears her gown and wig with pride.
Yet the Lewisham local never let her disability stop her from pursuing her dreams and now wears her gown and wig with pride.
But her journey to get here has been tough:
🗣'I was hospitalised because I kept fainting in October 2019 because I’d been functioning on about three hours sleep a night for two years.'
'I would sometimes get 45 minutes a day to eat, but often I ate while at my computer.'
🗣'I was hospitalised because I kept fainting in October 2019 because I’d been functioning on about three hours sleep a night for two years.'
'I would sometimes get 45 minutes a day to eat, but often I ate while at my computer.'
In court Jess uses a tiny electronic machine with a Braille keyboard which has one key for each dot and a small screen where symbols pop up.
It means she can keep her ears free to listen and can read and edit easily just using her hands.
It means she can keep her ears free to listen and can read and edit easily just using her hands.
She says she knows she has to work harder than anyone else due to her disability and background but encourages others in her position not to give up:
🗣 'I know I can do this job really well, and the more people like me who go through training the easier it will become.'
🗣 'I know I can do this job really well, and the more people like me who go through training the easier it will become.'
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