I would like to make sure that the people out there hear me when I say, go out there and try something new. Even if it’s baby steps to get out there and try little stuff. Don’t be afraid, ’cause if I were afraid, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
~Jessica Gonzalez
Editor’s Note
We are so excited to introduce you to our Woman On The Move for July: Jessica Gonzalez!
Jessica’s story begins with heartfelt gratitude, as she expresses her thanks to Bold Blind Beauty for this feature and gives a special shout-out to her friend Melody. Get ready to be empowered by Jessica’s incredible journey of perseverance and self-advocacy. She faced significant vision challenges from an early age, navigating a world that wasn’t always understanding.
Through it all, Jessica found her path to independence, embracing her unique perspective and bravely stepping outside of societal expectations. Her experiences led her to remarkable achievements, from surprising career choices to discovering a passion that’s taking her across the globe.
Jessica’s message is a powerful reminder of the impact of encouragement and the importance of supporting one another, no matter how big or small the stride. She truly embodies what it means to be “on the move.”
Join us in celebrating Jessica Gonzalez, a remarkable woman whose journey lights the way for others to embrace their challenges and pursue their dreams.
Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty
Beyond Sight Magazine Cover
YouTube Video
Introduction and Gratitude
Hi guys. My name is Jessica Gonzalez, and I would like to start off by saying thank you to Bold Blind Beauty for featuring me in this month’s magazine. Thank you. I like to give a shout-out to my friend Melody for telling me all about this. Thank you, girl. Love you.
Early Life and Vision Challenges
So let’s get started. My name is Jessica Gonzalez, and I was born four months early as a premature. I was diagnosed with the eye disease, retinopathy of prematurity, which is short for ROP. And in my state, my vision, I don’t know how others’ ROP is, but my vision may be a little different from others. I am totally blind in my left eye, and in my right eye, I have no peripheral vision, and I have very cloudy vision in my right eye, which is like looking through the fog, and it’s like being nearsighted and farsighted, kind of, at once.
And so with that, as a child, I hid that from the world, I mean obviously you can see that one eye is straight and one eye is crooked. And so that always brought a lot of stares, a lot of teasing. But I still walked with no cane, and I had no guide dog, and I had no help. And oh boy, falling down was a thing to do.
And I still got teased a lot by a lot of peers growing up. But as I’ve gotten older and a lot more confident in my life, a lot of that stuff stopped. I don’t know if people became more mature, but I definitely became more confident, and I learned to embrace my vision and roll with the punches.
Gaining Independence and Confidence
So, how I did that was I started off by going to the Orientation Center for the Blind in Albany, California. That is where I first learned how to read and write braille. I learned my orientation skills. I learned how to use the computer as well as my living skills, which pretty much kind of highlights, you know, how to get around the house, how to organize your stuff, and how to cook and clean.
After I finished that program, I went and got my very first guide dog, Fender. And I learned from there how to be severely independent. I started feeling more confident in my life. I started feeling safer knowing that I have a guide dog next to me. I. And learning that my independence can now be strided off and a little bit more smoothly, and I was less afraid now that I had a cutie pie next to me. So once I got him and finished the school for Guide Dogs, I moved down to Sacramento, and then I ended up going to school.
Pursuing a Career in Film
And this was another portion of my visual journey that really, really tested my faith in my own self and my vision. It was definitely, it was a major that I went into called digital film and video production, which a lot of people told me not to do. It was very visual, and that is something that I should just leave to the sighted people, and I was told to go and do something that’s more for you. And I would tell people, okay, well, what is that?
Filling out paperwork, typing people’s papers, working at a front desk, like, you know, what do you suggest? And of course, that was what they thought that we all blind people should be doing. But I did not wanna do that. I wanted to do something outside the norm. I didn’t wanna do the stereotypical, what blind people are supposed to do.
So I went to school anyway, and I graduated with a 3.9 GPA and did a killer speech at the end, and it was a struggle. I did struggle a little. I could not see through the camera lens. I can see it once it was done, and it was on a big, big, big screen. But I had a lot of help. And thank you for all my filmmakers out there who guided me along the way and helped me be who I am today. Thank you. And so instead of looking through the camera, I would direct someone else to look through the camera because I know what I wanted it to look like, but I just needed a little assistance to help make that happen. So that’s how I was able to get through film school and graduate with honors.
Working at Apple
And so after I was done with that, I went to apply for a job at Apple, and I started off as a technician, and I was kind of skeptical at first ’cause I was like, oh my God, they’re not gonna hire me. I’ve been down this route before, where they were like, Why would we wanna hire you? What can you do for us? What would make you, what would make us wanna hire you before we hire anyone else? And I just pushed through it, and I was like, look, don’t not hire me because I’m blind. You need to see what I can do first. And I let that just flow with it, and I said, you know what, I’m gonna just hope for the best.
And sure enough, I was able to land the job. And four years later, I got hired on with Apple Inc. And I was hired on as a logistics warehouse trainer, and that is where I reside today in my work field. And as I started working that job, that job was a little, it was, it was perfect for me, but I didn’t realize how much eyesight I would need or how much sight I would use.
And with me using the little bit of sight that I had left, I was stretching my limits. I was having to read a lot of papers, read a lot of instructions, and use the computer a lot. And I had to have the font big, and I had to have the brightness up really high. But overall, I was telling them, look guys, I think I need to go back and get a refresher on my braille and my computers and everything else because I feel now I am in a part of my life that will allow me to use these skills and I can actually put them to use.
So I was granted the time to go and learn these skills at the Society for the Blind, and I was able to relearn how to use braille and use my computer and how to get through my job nice and nice and successfully. So that is where I am in my job.
Discovering Blind Tennis
While I was at the Society for the Blind, I was introduced to blind tennis, and that is where my passion lies today. So I was introduced to blind tennis and I didn’t wanna do it, I didn’t wanna do typical blind sports, which is track and field, beep baseball, goal ball like that, just, I don’t know, it just wasn’t for me.
So when tennis came along, I was like, wow, how do I do this? And I get that question asked every day. How do you do this? And I said, you know, guys, I had the same question that you guys have. I also wanted to know how. So with my extremely happiness to learn and my willing to get out there and try something new, I got out there and I tried it and oh my God, I fell in love and that landed me a wild card spot to fly to Italy in 2024 to play in my very first World Championship tournament. Yay. Thank you.
And to this day, I have the support of the Gold River Sports Club, and I also have the help of some amazing tennis players and my coaches, and friends to get out there, and they’re supporting me. And we are building a blind tennis team. So if there’s anyone else out there in the United States who would love to learn how to play blind tennis, but you don’t have blind tennis in your area. This hit me up on Instagram or Facebook and or my contact information will probably be down in my information, and feel free to give me a call, and we’ll work something out.
Encouragement and Final Thoughts
And so, yeah, my life has revolved around my blindness my whole life. But I didn’t let it stop me. I may have started off letting it stop me, but in the end, I didn’t let it stop me. And I would like to make sure that the people out there hear me when I say, go out there and try something new. Even if it’s baby steps to get out there and try little stuff. Get out there and try. Don’t be afraid, ’cause if I were afraid, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
So I wanted to just say thank you, everyone, for supporting us, wonderful blind people out here, and encouraging us to get out there and try new stuff, and just being here to support us and being proud of us, because your little bit of encouragement really goes a long way. So I just wanted to tell everyone thank you, thank you, thank you, and have a wonderful, wonderful day. Thank you guys.
Connecting With Jessica Gonzalez
- Facebook: @JessicaGonzalez-Peralez
- Instagram: @cuba_librada
Connecting With Bold Blind Beauty
Like what you’ve read and want to chat about it? Join us in the Bold Blind Beauty Facebook group.
Image descriptions:
- The header photo is in the Beyond Sight Magazine cover template and shows an image of Jessica with long, curly hair that extends down past her shoulders. The hair is voluminous and tightly curled. She is wearing a dark-colored top. The background appears to be an indoor setting with shelves and various items, but the details are not discernible. The image is styled as a magazine cover with the title ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Jessica Gonzalez.’ The cover is dated May 2025.
- YouTube thumbnail and video description: The thumbnail features a sepia-toned image of Jessica with long, curly hair, set against a softly blurred indoor background. The photo is framed with a gold border on the left, while the right side displays bold white text on a black background, highlighting “JULY WOMEN ON THE MOVE” and the name “Jessica Gonzalez.” A large gold circle adds a modern touch to the design, emphasizing the celebratory focus on Jessica as the featured individual.
- In the video, Jessica has long braids cascading over her left shoulder. She is wearing a dark graphic tee with dark pants while seated on a stylish red and cream sofa surrounded by complementary sofa pillows. Behind her are several large windows accessorized with cream colored Venetian blinds.
- The image shows a person wearing a dark quilted vest and a short-sleeved shirt, positioned closely next to a large dog. The dog has light fur and is wearing a collar with a leash attached. The dog is panting, with its tongue visible. In the background, there are several trees with green foliage and a building with a brick facade. The building has a distinct architectural feature, an archway, and is situated at a distance behind the person and the dog. The scene appears to be outdoors, with a clear sky visible above.
- The image shows a person with long, wavy hair that extends past the shoulders. The hair appears to be dark in color. The individual is wearing a zippered garment, possibly a jacket or sweater, with the zipper partially visible at the neckline. In the background, there is a shelving unit with various items, including rolled-up materials or objects that resemble yarn or fabric. The shelves are positioned to the right side of the image. On the left side, there are horizontal lines that suggest the presence of blinds or a window covering.
- A tri-panel of tennis images
- The image shows two individuals standing side by side on a brick pavement. The person on the left is holding a tennis racket with a red frame and white strings in their right hand. They are wearing a gray zip-up jacket with the word “FLEXDAY” printed on the left side of the chest, a black skirt, and white athletic shoes. Their left hand is giving a thumbs-up gesture. The person on the right is wearing a black zip-up jacket, also with “FLEXDAY” printed on the left side of the chest, gray pants, and black sneakers with white soles. Their right hand is also giving a thumbs-up gesture. Behind them is a banner advertising a tennis championship, with text indicating the event will take place in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, from September 23 to 29, 2024. The background includes a green fence and trees.
- The image depicts a group of six individuals positioned in front of a red curtain. Two individuals are kneeling in the front row, while four are standing behind them. The person on the left in the front row is wearing a dark tracksuit with light blue and white accents, along with a lanyard and badge around their neck. The individual on the right in the front row is dressed in a dark blue blazer over a light-colored shirt and jeans.
- In the back row, the person on the far left is wearing a black jacket with “USTA” written on it, holding a white cane. Next to them, another individual is holding an American flag, wearing a dark jacket with a white collar. The third person in the back row is wearing a red jacket with “JACK FISHER” written on it, also with a lanyard and badge. The person on the far right is partially visible, standing next to a white flag with red markings.
- The flags being held are positioned vertically, with the American flag on the left and another flag on the right. The individuals are arranged closely together, with the flags prominently displayed behind them.
- The image depicts a person playing tennis on an indoor court. The individual is positioned centrally in the frame, standing on a blue tennis court surface with white boundary lines visible. The person is wearing a black sleeveless tennis dress with white trim and white athletic shoes. On their left wrist, they have a black wristband. The person is holding a tennis racket in their right hand, which is raised above their head, and a yellow tennis ball in their left hand, also raised above their head, suggesting they are about to serve. Behind the player, there is a black banner with white text and logos, including “Comune di Lignano Sabbiadoro,” “VISPORT,” and “EUROSPORT.” The background also features a green structure, possibly part of the indoor facility.