36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY July 18-24, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Religion has always been a big part of Jon Perez’s life. Raised Catholic, he is now an Episcopal priest in Marina, where he serves as the vicar for Epiphany Lutheran & Episcopal Church—a calling he has held for three decades. In addition, he acts as senior chaplain at CSU Monterey Bay. Perez is also legally blind. And gay. “As an openly gay person, me and the church kind of disagreed on that subject a bit,” Perez says of his upbringing. “That was my reasoning for leaving the Catholic church and going over to the Episcopal Church.” Perez has been an advocate for the LGTBQ+ community for many years. He believes more LGTBQ+ people should join churches. “The institution will never understand the challenges, the difficulties, the stories, the pain unless they’re inside,” he insists. More recently, he has been active in aiding the visually impaired. Retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease cause Perez to see in glitters and pixels. He became legally blind in 2015. Weekly: It seems like people have less faith in the church these days. Perez: I do not think the broad, mainline progressive churches have been vocal enough in calling out injustice or phobias in maybe more conservative religious venues. What is happening is, young people today are seeing how [those churches] are discriminating or showing more hate or prejudice against other people. They’re not seeing the love of Jesus. They think we’re just all a bunch of hypocrites, because they don’t see us always walk the walk. We’ve got to convey that the mainline churches need to have a stronger voice and call out some of the injustices that we see and within our own Christian culture. You’re well known for your LGBTQ+ advocacy. What are you doing in the visually impaired community? We’re trying to educate governments about the challenges of being visually impaired, because people just don’t get it. There’s the sidewalk vehicle interaction problem, there is the visual problem of trying to read. And then there is the personal—how do you respond to people who are visually impaired? What are some of the challenges you face as a person with a disability? People. How they engage with people with a disability. I like to point out to people that I may be visually impaired, but I am not deaf. Robert [my husband] and I were at a restaurant recently, and the waitress handed him the menu and said, “You’ll read it to him.” I can hear that. You could ask me if I need a menu, or if I’d like a menu. Let me be the judge of what I need for my disability. You’re almost invisible. But there are times when you get blown away. I’ll get someone who will put a plate down in front of me and say, “Oh, by the way, your meat, it’s at six o’clock, your potato is at three o’clock,” and I always get giddy with that. And how did you know to do that? And they said, “Oh, you know, my uncle was visually impaired.” And that’s how we learn how to do things. How do you overcome the challenges of everyday life? There are different technologies now on cell phones that will help you. There are a lot of tools that are becoming more and more available, and so technology is really important. The downside to technology is that many insurance companies do not cover it. And it becomes very expensive very fast. My insurance company will pay for a wheelchair, it will pay for a hospital bed and pay for a cane. It doesn’t cover technology for your disability. That’s a huge hole. Do you have a favorite device? Audio descriptive devices. Cinemark Marina has great equipment. I love it. Their set of headphones is absolutely wonderful. How is the cinema experience? You can get addicted to it really fast. You’ve got the dialog. But right before the dialog, it’s telling you what you are seeing. Game of Thrones is great because it tells you who the characters are. That’s one of those TV shows that you could probably get lost, trying to keep up with who the characters are. You’re able to follow along. You’re retiring next year. What do you think is next for the church? We are a very diverse congregation. Maybe it is having artwork, or an event that celebrates our Pacific IslanderAsian community, or something that is during Black Heritage Month or maybe it’s during Women’s History Month. The visually impaired guy wants to see something more visual. This is going to sell. Good Faith In visual impairment and personal identity, Jon Perez finds inspiration for advocacy and empathy. By Celia Jiménez Jon Perez, who is legally blind, with his guide dog, Arlington. “Church is more welcoming because you’re dealing with clergy who understand your life experiences,” says the LGBTQ+ Episcopalian priest. DANIEL DREIFUSS LEGENDARY Did you know that calico cats are considered good luck? Meet sweet, affectionate and spunky Mabel! This lovely 11-year-old diva wants to be your one and only in an adult household. She’s a cute little lap warmer who enjoys gentle petting, playing with toys, perching atop her cat tree, afternoon napping, and bringing you luck. BONUS: calicos are also known to be loyal! If you want to be lucky in love, (the furball kind) check out Mabel at www.gocatrescue.org and fill out an adoption application to give her a Second Chance at a New Beginning! If you would like to sponsor our next ad, please call us at 831-200-9700 or email goldenoldiescats@gmail.com. 831.200.9700 www.gocatrescue.org Madeline Want to meet Madeline? Please fill out our online adoption questionnaire. Things to love: approx. 10 years old - 10 pounds - female - Miniature Pinscher/Chihuahua mix She is a darling little lady who adores her people! She’s the perfect companion, sticking by your side during chores or napping while you work. Energetic yet cuddly, she’s an excellent walking partner and loves exploring new smells. Madeline also enjoys hanging out with canine friends at doggy playgroups. Ad Sponsored by Judy LeRoy With Lasso If you’d like sponsor our next ad, please give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.PeaceOfMindDogRescue.org P.O. Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==