At the state convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado I was given the opportunity to share my experiences growing up as a blind child in England and how moving to Colorado for training has had an impact on my life. Please watch my speech. I hope that for those of you…
Author: Connor Scott-Gardner
A Blindfold, a Cane and the City
Yesterday I was dropped somewhere in Denver. Wearing a blindfold and with no access to my phone I had to find my way back. I had no idea where I was, if I’d travelled north or south, or if there would be busses or trains anywhere nearby. I hadn’t been kidnapped, though it might sound…
A Blind Person is Crossing the Street
A blind person is crossing the street. You see them waiting, white cane in hand. Should you tell them it’s safe to cross? They can’t see the light change, is it your moral duty as a fellow human to give them this information? They step out into the street and you watch from your car,…
Measuring the Impossible
I have been in training at the Colorado Center for the Blind for two months. Moving to another country no longer feels strange to me, I feel as though I never manage to settle in one place for very long before I pack up my things and head somewhere else. Change, whilst incredibly disruptive, provides…
Working Blind Episode 5 – Matthew Horspool, Braille Transcriber
Matthew works at a school for students with disabilities. A number of his students are blind and need access to braille. We chat about braille, changes to the code and how accessible the job is for a blind person. You can subscribe to Working Blind on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and TuneIn. If you like the…
Working Blind Episode 4 – Angela Fowler, Business Owner
Angela turned her hobby of producing beef jerky into a business when she set up Gliding Eagle Jerky. She hopes to not only sell quality products but offer competitive employment opportunities to blind and otherwise disabled people. I chat to her about how she got started making jerky, her current job and her hopes for…
Working Blind Episode 3 – Sean Randall, Technology Teacher
Sean Randall works at New College Worcester, a school for young people who are blind or visually impaired. He uses his skills and experience to teach them how to use the technology they need in order to be successful. He also delivers careers advice and works as an IT technician. Sean speaks about his field…
Blindness and Anxiety
I’m so glad to have seen some recent discussions of blindness and mental health, and how these two things can come hand in hand. These conversations are becoming more acceptable and it is so important that we talk openly about it. I worry constantly. And so many of these worries are fuelled, if indirectly, by…
Working Blind Episode two – Caitlin Hernandez, Blind Teacher
Caitlin Hernandez lives in San Francisco and works as a teacher. I chatted to her about her education, what made her become a teacher and the adaptations she uses to teach students who are sighted but have other disabilities. You can subscribe to Working Blind on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and TuneIn. If you like the…
Working Blind Episode 1 – Meet Florian, a Blind Programmer
Florian Beijers is blind and lives in the Netherlands. He now works as a programmer after completing a degree at university. I met with him to find out what life is like for blind people in the Netherlands and to ask what his experiences were in education. He also offers useful advice for blind people…