Blindness/Low Vision

Dr. Thomas Flynn – The Healer Becomes the Patient (Pt. 2)

In the previous issue of ABILITY Magazine, Gina Velasquez sat down with her former ophthalmologist, Dr. Thomas Flynn, and his daughter, Dr. Erin Flynn, also an ophthalmologist. Together, they reflected on the height of the AIDS epidemic in New York City during the 1980s and 1990s — a period when Dr. Flynn purposefully took on … Read more

Tarris Marie on Fashion, Fiction, and Finding the Light

The journey of a novelist is often one of discovery, and for author Tarris Marie, that path was paved through a life transition. After a career in the fashion industry as a buyer, Tarris faced a life-altering diagnosis of Stargardt’s disease. The progressive loss of her central sight caused a transition away from the corporate … Read more

Dr. Thomas Flynn— AIDS Through the Eyes of an Ophthalmologist

During the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Thomas Flynn worked as an ophthalmologist and retina specialist in New York City. Looking for the most difficult job he could find, Dr. Flynn ran toward patients who were going blind while dying with AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), which is caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). At the … Read more

Ray McAllister: Acrobatics Without Barriers

Blind athletes across disciplines, from extreme swimmer Gerrard Gosens to elite climber Erik Weihenmayer and soccer player Oseas De Leon, share a common message: young people who are blind need more opportunities in physical education. Ray McAllister, a burgeoning acrobatics artist, adds his voice to that call. His unlikely journey into partner acrobatics highlights how … Read more

The Dot Experience: Redefining Global Museum Inclusivity

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is preparing to open the doors to The Dot Experience, a facility spanning approximately 28,000 to 30,000 square feet designed to be the world’s most inclusive museum. Located at the APH headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, the initiative marks a significant expansion of the organization’s mission, which has … Read more

Sophia Dunn-Walker—Raw, Uncomfortable and Necessary Stories

For filmmaker Sophia Dunn-Walker, disability is not a limitation on artistic vision—it is a lens through which that vision has been sharpened. Living with cone dystrophy, a rare degenerative eye condition that affects visual acuity and color perception, she has developed a distinct visual language rooted in bold choices, heightened emotion, and a willingness to … Read more

Meta Ray-Bans: Blind User’s Experience with Smart Glasses

The proliferation of assistive technologies for the blind in recent decades, whether it’s a smartphone or a specialized computer program like ZoomText or JAWS, has helped connect the visually impaired to mainstream society in ways that were once unimaginable. They enable the blind to perform mundane household tasks, like sorting cat food cans, as well … Read more

Gerrard Gosens — Blind Ambition and Beyond

Gerrard Gosens is an internationally recognized adventurer, Paralympian, Everest climber, chocolatier, and Order of Australia Medal recipient. His latest adventure tackles open water swimming. His goal is to complete one of open water swimming’s greatest challenges: swim the 20 Bridges New York City circumnavigation and cross the English Channel, all within a single calendar month. … Read more

Joshua Towery — Artist and Accessible UX/UI Design

We may not realize it, but we encounter design with nearly everything we interact with. Our favorite coffee mug, our mattress, the packages that hold our food have all gone through a rigorous design process–but what about the apps we use? The websites we interact with to navigate banking? Healthcare? Voting? This article you’re reading … Read more

Blind Soccer — Miami Lighthouse

Meet Oseas De Leon, Senior Technology Specialist at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and a blind player on the USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team. Also a hopeful for the LA28 Paralympic Games, Oseas’ experience as a national player is helping Miami Lighthouse usher in their own blind soccer training initiative for … Read more

Erik Weihenmayer – No Barriers

Erik Weihenmayer opens his No Barriers podcast with the declaration that it’s easy to discuss the successes, but nobody really talks about the struggles, and it’s the struggles that help us break through barriers. As of 2023, roughly 370 people have climbed the Seven Summits, which are the highest peaks on each of the seven … Read more

John Leguizamo Interview

John Leguizamo’s breakthrough one-man shows influenced generations of performers of color to create their own art with authenticity. His characters include “Javier,” a wheelchair user, and his deaf “Uncle Manny,” who were based on real life family members. Leguizamo’s efforts to bring the stories of disenfranchised populations to light is evident in his stage productions … Read more

New Blind and Low Vision Navigation Technology

Independent navigation is an ability so second-nature that most don’t recognize it as a privilege. The general population doesn’t think twice throughout the day about leaving their home without assistance, finding their way to the grocery store, or taking a walk alone in a public park. A nonprofit founded in 2019, called Hearsee Mobility, has … Read more

Interview with Hasan Tayem

Hasan Tayem is a blind international runner, assistive technology specialist, consultant, and human rights advocate from Jordan. At 24 years old, he’s also something of a wunderkind. Born blind, he began to use computers at a young age and soon became enamored with assistive technology. His twin passions for sports and advocacy blossomed later, while … Read more

From Invisible to Visible Disability

In the wide world of human experience, the range of disabilities we encounter is as diverse as the colors in a painter’s palette. Some are readily apparent, commanding our attention with visible cues, while others remain unseen. Invisible disabilities encompass a variety of conditions that are imperceptible at times. Among these are chronic pain, anxiety … Read more

Matthew Killian — Getting More Than a Kick Out of Karate

Matthew Killian, a 24-year-old student at Lawrence World Class Karate dojo in Fayetteville. He won two gold medals for Special Demonstration of kata and kumite at the 2023 Niagara Karate Championship and received an official Senate Commendation as well. For Matthew, karate was not only just a sport but a means to break down personal … Read more

The Accessible Revolution: Vashkar Bhattacharjee and the Birth of an Inclusive Digital Bangladesh

Perhaps no other person has done more to build an inclusive digital Bangladesh than Vashkar Bhattacharjee. Working directly with the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) program, initiated by the Prime Minister’s Office, as a national consultant for the Digital Bangladesh Initiative, Vashkar spearheaded a massive overhaul of the country’s sprawling digital infrastructure. “Our government runs the … Read more

Interview with Ashir Wilson

I’d never met Ashir Wilson before this interview, but I knew who he was, for we run in the same circles. Below, we discuss his pioneering work as a blind experimentation associate at UNDP Pakistan and his philosophy of disability, development sector work and education. It was a pleasure to finally meet Ashir, whose talent … Read more

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bernstein

Fighting for Injustice and Greater Opportunities Promises made, promises kept sounds like a campaign slogan. For Justice Richard Bernstein, the first blind justice elected to the Michigan Supreme Court, this is his life’s mission. The promise? If Justice Bernstein made it through law school and passed the bar, he would dedicate his professional life to … Read more

Joshua Miele — Building Technology & Public Awareness for Better Accessibility

Dr. Joshua A. Miele was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship for his accessibility technology that assists blind and low-sighted people to navigate the physical and digital world. According to the MacArthur Fellowship, the award goes to “individuals who show exceptional creativity in their work and the prospect for still more in the future.” Dr. Miele currently … Read more