"It is impressions about blindness that are far more threatening to blind people than blindness itself." - Daniel Kish
Jacques Lusseyran: A most remarkable unsung hero!
I am Daniel Kish, and I am including this entry personally to say that this man is one of the most impressive and thoughtfully eloquent individuals I have ever come across. His works are some of the most eloquently beautiful, insightful, soul-stirring contributions to literature that I have ever encountered. Included here are some of his writings, together with some penetrating perspectives about him.
Parisian Jacques Lusseyran was just 15 when the Nazis conquered France. Within a year, though, he had formed an underground resistance group of 600 youths. To make his brave feat even more remarkable, it should be noted that since the age of 8, Lusseyran had been blind. This is some of the most beautiful, inspiring, and engaging articulation of what it was like for a young boy to go blind, and what it was like to adapt to blindness, especially at a time and in a culture which was even more restrictive. His writings are passionate, yet thoughtful, heart-rending yet up-lifting.
Daniel Kish: Top Ten TED Talks for 2015
TED: Truth and Dare, Vancouver - March, 2015Daniel Kish Delivers a warmly stirring and personal perspective on his own life, blindness, and helping others to navigate their challenges. He is listed as one of the top ten talks from the TED2015 main stage, and featured in TED's online Ideas Magazine.
"THANK YOU. you were wonderful! You've got an amazingly compelling way of speaking -- curiosity and intelligence and interest oozing out of every phrase that you utter. It's so listenable to! You talk as if you're alive and thinking through every word, and I absolutely love that!" - Chris Anderson
Daniel Kish Voted Talk of the Day at PopTech
October, 2011Daniel Delivers a genuinely personal perspective on his own life, blindness, and helping others to claim their freedom. He was fortunate to be voted Talk of the Day. A special video clip was produced about our work, and a story was filmed and written for CNN, which was subsequently aired on Sanjay Gupta's show.
"THANK YOU, again, for your participation in PopTech this year. I heard nothing but great things about your talk" - Andrew Zolli, CEO and Head Curator
Inspirations: Daniel Kish
Everything Blind - August 2009"We have created this web site to provide a smooth highway ride straight to the information regarding your specific, individual needs. Perhaps this is just a bit of information about your eye problem, or a product related to vision, or anything else you can think of that relates to vision or vision loss." "If you "Each month we will share with you stories, and information on the individuals that have set their sights on inspiring! the people just like us, who have lost their physical sight, but, not their vision. that keep us going and growing as not only blind and visually impaired individuals, but also as able and active individuals."
What It Means to Walk with a White Cane
Braille Monitor, National Federation of the Blind - February, 2007by Chris Danielsen
This article is a poignant and well articulated personal expression of the utility and acceptability of the long white cane in facilitating a blind person's competence and freedom of movement.
Letter to Loved Ones
by ANNA SABAThis is a beautiful, touching, and very honest expression by an elderly lady about her "fascinating" adjustment to her impending blindness. It is balanced between the challenges and "blessing" of her new journey. It was forwarded to us by an instructor who attended one of our workshops. "All I am learning is another way of seeing what I didn’t see before".
A Blind Man's Vision of Blindness
Daniel Kish - April, 2005This is a draft of a letter that Daniel Kish prepared in response to the "Kindness Beats Blindness" project. This pointed but diplomatic proclamation about blindness places blindness in a whole new light. Includes responses to Daniel's letter, and ensuing, thought provoking discussion.
the Kernel Book Series
National Federation of the BlindThere are currently thirty Kernel Books which tell the stories of blind men and women. When the first editor, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, was asked why he chose the name Kernel Book, he said: "... In the first place, I suppose it has to do with whim. I thought the title was catchy, so I used it. But there is something more. We wanted to go to the very heart of blindness, trying to show our readers what it's really like; and, for that matter, what it isn't like."
If you are blind, what do you think and how do you look at things--not how do you look at them physically, but your point of view and perspective? In short, how do blind people live and feel on a daily basis? What we are trying to do is to cut through the sentimentality and misconceptions to the very 'kernel' of the subject of blindness.
New York Times Disparages the Blind, and Responses
This includes a letter by Daniel Kish submitted in response to an article originally published in the New York Times that shamelessly aimed slanderous mis-conceptions at and about blind people. Daniel's response represents a stern and heart-felt plea to the editors of the New York Times and other publications to consider a more balanced perspective to this greivous and meanly written article. Also includes additional thoughtful, provocative, and soulful discussion.
Blindness: What I cannot do myself, time does
Ragged Edge Magazine - July/August, 2003by Luj Sprohar
A very honest a evocative acount of how an older gentleman responds to the challenges of going blind.
Austin Seraphin's Weird Blog: Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain
A personal Blog by one of our students, Austin Seraphin, blind from birth, containing intriguing and edifying accounts of his experiences with a variety of blindness related technologies, strategies, and life experiences.
I’m blind, but don’t assume I’m a super-sensor
The GuardianBy Ian Macrae
"I am aware that there are blind people who use echolocation to help orientate themselves in certain situations. It’s also true that there are such things as “sound shadows”, the effect that some of us get when walking alongside walls or objects, and being able to sense exactly where they are, even though we can’t see them: it’s a sensation somewhere between hearing and feeling. My belief is that everyone has this sensory ability, but it’s just that, as blind people, we tend to access it more readily. Sighted people could also recognise sound shadows, but they don’t find they need to do so."