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Tag Archives: Advocacy

  1. A Look Back at 2018: These Are the Stories of the #BlindNewWorld

    December 19, 2018 - By The BlindNewWorld team

    2018 has been another incredible year in the BlindNewWorld. We love hearing – and sharing – your stories of adventure, triumph, love, family, learning and so much more. These stories are what keep us going – and what keep our community strong. And we don’t want you to miss a single one of them. So to close out the year, we’re bringing together the full collection of 2018 #MyBlindStory posts. Get to know each and every one of the people who have shared their stories with us this year. And…

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  2. Roll Forever

    October 10, 2018 - By Dan Mancina

    My name is Dan Mancina, I am from Michigan outside of Detroit. I was born with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a disease that has deteriorated my vision throughout my life. I have lost about 95 percent of my vision so far. I have been skating since I was about seven years old and am now 31. When I had lost the majority of my functional vision about six years ago, I stopped skating all together, and would not even leave my house without a human guide. I felt very lost and…

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  3. Our Nystagmus Story

    June 20, 2018 - By Sue Ricketts

    When my baby daughter was 6 weeks old, somebody wearing a white coat told me she was blind. She wasn’t blind. I knew that. But I also knew there was something wrong with her eyes. It turned out to be nystagmus. I’d never heard of it before. From that day on, our nystagmus journey began. Nystagmus is characterized by uncontrolled eye movements, which make focusing very difficult. It is a lifelong condition and cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Most people with this condition have impaired depth and…

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  4. Renegades

    May 23, 2018 - By Louie McGee

    “Long live the pioneers Rebels and mutineers Go forth and have no fear… It’s our time to make a move It’s our time to make amends It’s our time to break the rules Let’s begin” –X Ambassadors, Renegades   Earlier this month, I was at the X Ambassadors concert here in Minneapolis. I have been a fan since I first heard them. I went with my family, friends and a few people from the Louie’s Vision Board of Directors. The show was above and beyond what I could have expected….

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  5. Why I Learned to SEE: Set Extraordinary Expectations

    April 25, 2018 - By Kristin Smedley

    My three children, two sons and a daughter, are typical teenage kiddos. They go to public school. They play sports. They have friends. They often stay up too late, keep their rooms quite messy, and talk back to me every now and again. Yep, pretty typical. But my kiddos also each have a certain, not-so-typical aspect that makes them, well, them. Many people describe my children as extraordinary. But I don’t. High achievers? Yes. Resilient? You bet. But extraordinary? No. However, it is my expectations for them and their expectations…

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  6. Learning Through Love

    March 14, 2018 - By Silvia Cerolini

    Vicky is our four-year-old girl and she is losing her sight due to a rare genetic condition called Leber Congenital Amaurosis. And I would like to take a moment to thank her. I have redrafted this post many times, writing and rewriting all the little things I thank Vicky for. No words seem to capture all emotions and feelings. The truth is simple: I want to thank Vicky for what she’s teaching us. When you hug me strongly and tell me “Mummy, I love you sooooooo much,” you are teaching…

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  7. Living My Normal, Blind Life to the Fullest

    February 28, 2018 - By Derek Daniel

    My story is probably pretty boring to some. I am a husband, father and content creator who just happens to be visually impaired. I spend my days at home, making sure my kids are taken care of, making podcasts and videos, preparing dinner and so forth. It’s not the most exciting life, but it is my life. And, I think it displays what being a VIP is all about. It’s more than trying to do “amazing” things as a blind person. It is about getting up every day and living…

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  8. Blindness Isn’t Me

    January 3, 2018 - By Casandra Xavier

    Hello I’m Casandra, better known as CaspHer. I was born in Miami and grew up in Massachusetts. I’ve lived with blindness and deafness my entire life. Most people would assume that I couldn’t do much – but once they’ve spent twenty minutes with me, they realize that I am more than capable. I am an assistive technology trainer for the deafblind and seniors in Massachusetts. I enjoy teaching technology and seeing people succeed. My background was not in blindness at all. In fact, it was in fine arts. I realized…

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  9. The Life of a Blind Hip-hop Artist

    October 25, 2017 - By NovaCain

    My name is NovaCain and I’m a blind hip-hop artist. I haven’t always been a hip-hop artist – or even blind for that matter. I started losing my sight at 17 due to being over-medicated by a doctor shortly after being placed in a group home. I lost my vision completely by my 18th birthday. The same year I lost my sight, I lost my dad. Growing up a middle child of five brothers was exciting and adventurous. I grew up playing basketball and football before I lost my vision….

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  10. It’s Just a Cane

    October 11, 2017 - By Ashley Broussard

    My name is Ashley Broussard and I am an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist. I was first introduced to this field near the end of my undergraduate studies at California State University, Los Angeles when I was given an opportunity to observe an O&M lesson. That day at the Braille Institute changed my life forever. Most of the people I saw there were walking around using a long cane and I immediately felt like I was in a new world. It was so unfamiliar to me, and yet, so routine…

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