Editor’s note: Originally published in APH InTouch’s Nov-Dec, 2022 Issue, Leslie Weilbacher shares about competing in horse back riding/ dressage when blind or low vision. Fair Play: Horse Back Riding/ Dressage when Blind or Low Vision Right before everything shut down in March 2020, I bought a horse. Winston is a lovely old quarter horse … Continued
Editor’s note: Natalie Charles, a young adult who is blind, reflects on learning braille and participating in a Braille Bee as a student. Natalie dreams of becoming a braille teacher, a braille transcriber, or opening Braille Learning Center. My Braille Journey As far as I can remember, I started learning braille when I was 2 … Continued
Editor’s note: After obtaining her first dog guide, Alexis realized she did so because her peers had dog guides. Alexis reminds others who are blind or low vision who are considering dog guides to think through whether a dog guide is a good fit for their current season of life. Dog Guide Peer Pressure: When … Continued
Steve Dresser had a solid career working for 30 years as a computer programmer for the state of Connecticut. But after he retired from the position in 2002, he started his own business: Jennco Productions, which is dedicated to producing high-quality braille materials from electronic documents. Blind since birth due to retinopathy of prematurity, Steve … Continued
Living on an island in the Caribbean surrounded by beaches may sound like living an eternal vacation. And indeed, most of the time it is. But there are also some exceptions, such as being in the path of hurricanes. In 2017, Puerto Rico experienced the direct impact of Hurricane Maria, a category 5 hurricane that … Continued
Yokasta Urena, MS.Ed., Sp.Ed., TVI Doctoral Candidate at New England College Email: Yokasta.urena1@gmail.com Instagram: beyond20201 The educational journey for people with low vision and blindness can be challenging. It is precisely those challenges that empower us. They build our character and can empower us to create lasting change in the lives of others. “If we … Continued
Every day many young people are given the news that obtaining a driver’s license is not in their future due to blindness or low vision. Adults also face this challenge but with the possibility of losing their license. This news, no matter the age, not only has an emotional impact but also has an impact … Continued
Joe Strechay has the kind of career many people dream about: working in the entertainment business. His job? Making sure that blindness is represented accurately, especially by actors who are sighted. Born with retinitis pigmentosa, Joe later developed cataracts and has been legally blind since he was 19. He’s always been interested in media and … Continued
Editor’s note: As the holidays approach and gatherings ensue, remember that the goal is not to prove yourself, a person who is blind or low vision, as worthy because you’re capable, independent, and mannerly. Enjoy your family and friends. George Stern, who is DeafBlind, shares a personal story about holding himself to an unnecessarily high … Continued
Lisa Lloyd has plenty of personal experience with blindness and low vision. She has retinitis pigmentosa that causes her night blindness, and within her family there are 16 people across five generations with some level of blindness or low vision, including one of her daughters and her father, who are both blind. She’s a volunteer … Continued