Independence is a way of living and thinking ... it cannot be given. The Louisiana Center for the Blind can supply the tools, the "alternative techniques" and the "positive attitude," but it is up to blind individuals to use these tools in their quest for independence. Friends and family can help by encouraging participation in all aspects of community life. Employers can help even more by hiring qualified blind job applicants in their business. The Louisiana Center for the Blind works closely with families, communities, and employers to dispel harmful misconceptions and to develop job opportunities and social acceptance for blind persons. For you see, the real problem of blindness is not the loss of sight; it is the attitudes which exist among the sighted public and among the blind themselves concerning blindness. Through its programs and services, the Louisiana Center for the Blind is breaking down the attitudinal barriers and creating new frontiers of opportunity and involvement for blind individuals in all areas of their community lives.