Tag: Retinitis Pigmentosa

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Embracing Identity: Ben Akuoko’s Path to Empowerment

The header, the Beyond Sight Magazine cover, and the YouTube Thumbnail include a Portrait-style photograph of Ben standing in a gift store setting, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and a bow tie, along with sunglasses. He is smiling and has one hand on his chest. The background shows wooden shelves filled with various clothing items, shoes, and hats. A large circular window is visible, showing a glimpse of the outdoors. The area appears well-lit, with spotlights overhead. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled 'BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project' and features 'Ben Akuoko'. The cover is dated September 2025.

“Once upon a time, it was a 15-year-old boy who didn’t know where his life would be going. It was the fear of going blind and the fear of losing his independence. And I want to go back. I wish I had a time machine and I want to go to that young, young man and say everything turned out amazingly and everything
turned out great.”

~Ben Akuoko

Editor’s Note

We are honored to showcase Ben Akuoko as September’s Man In Motion. Ben’s journey, marked by resilience, creativity, and advocacy, inspires us to reflect on the many ways we can embrace every facet of our identities. His experiences living with sight loss, while celebrating his heritage and uplifting others, remind us that true strength comes from acceptance, self-expression, and empowering community.

Ben’s message reaffirms our belief that beauty, in all its forms, thrives when we create space for every voice. We hope his story sparks meaningful conversations and encourages you to celebrate your unique journey.

Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty

Beyond Sight Magazine Cover

The header, the Beyond Sight Magazine cover, and the YouTube Thumbnail include a Portrait-style photograph of Ben standing in a gift store setting, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and a bow tie, along with sunglasses. He is smiling and has one hand on his chest. The background shows wooden shelves filled with various clothing items, shoes, and hats. A large circular window is visible, showing a glimpse of the outdoors. The area appears well-lit, with spotlights overhead. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled 'BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project' and features 'Ben Akuoko'. The cover is dated September 2025.
Beyond Sight Magazine | Ben Akuoko

YouTube Video

Ben Akuoko | September Man In Motion

Introduction and Background

The image shows Ben standing and holding a white cane. He is dressed in casual attire, wearing a blue sweater over a patterned shirt, jeans, and blue and white sneakers. The background is plain and light, indicating an indoor setting. Ben is slightly leaning forward, resting both hands on the cane and looking to the side with a thoughtful expression.
Ben posing with Cane

Hi, my name is Ben Akuoko, and I reside in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. And I would like to thank the folks at Bold Blind Beauty for giving me this opportunity of being a Man In Motion.

With my journey, I am an individual who lives with the eye condition of retinitis pigmentosa. I was diagnosed at two years old. It affects at first your night vision, your peripheral vision, and then the photo receptors. As you get older, you begin to gradually lose your vision.

Right now, I am my white cane user as well as a screen reader user. I’m also an individual who is of Ghanaian descent from my parents are both from West Africa, and I’m also a registered social worker.

Early Life and Hiding Low Vision

Ben smiling, is standing outdoors, wearing a gray long-sleeve shirt, gray sweatpants, and a white cap. He has a medal around his neck with a bib that says text "Half Marathon." He is posing with one hand on the waist and holding a blue item in the other hand. There are people and trees in the background. The scene appears to be at an outdoor event, likely a marathon or race.
Ben half-marathon

With my journey of being a person with Low Vision, as a young person, I would not identify with having low vision. So because of, um, my culture, it was hiding my low vision, so I was able to pass. Which means that I was able to be someone who looked like they didn’t have low vision. I played a lot of sports. I used to love playing basketball. I was a runner. Actually, I still am a runner, I did Olympic wrestling, and I love to play video games. So I did a lot of visual things as a young person, and I didn’t realize that I even had low vision.

So I realized that I had low vision was grade three when I couldn’t see the board, and I didn’t get it because before I thought that every other kid couldn’t see the board either. Like that, that’s the range of what you can see. But as I started to realize they were taught me braille, uh, they taught me how to use a cane. And it just started becoming reality that I had vision issues, so I realized that I was different.

Struggles in School and Hiding Disability

Growing up, I was not good at school. I didn’t want to use technology, so I was a D – C student. I just wouldn’t apply myself. I was also embarrassed by being a person who needed to have large prints or needed to use magnifiers. So I would do my best to hide my disability. I wanted to fit in, and I felt that I didn’t see other black men who identified with having a disability.

Discovering Outlets and Passions

Ben is standing on a grassy area by a serene lake, surrounded by autumn trees. He is wearing a black jacket, jeans, and red sneakers, and is smiling at the camera. In the background, there is a stone bridge reflected in the calm water, with a clear blue sky overhead. The scene is peaceful, with fallen leaves scattered around Ben.
Ben by the lake

So as I got older, I started to get into working out and making music. I make hip hop and R and B music. This was my outlet to get all my frustrations out, and this was where I got to be creative.

In grade 10, I turned to working out. I was at the gym every day during lunch, and I also turned to doing track and field.

When it came to my education, especially being a C – D student, I did post-secondary school. So I got into the field of social work, and I remember at first I was like, This is not the field for me. Like me, as a black dude doing social work, isn’t that only for women? And after three months of doing it, I fell in love with it because I had the ability to help people. And then at the same time, it’s so many different sectors that you could take part in.

Educational Achievements

So I got my social service work diploma, and then years after that, followed by my Bachelor’s of Social Work. And then finally, I got the trifecta, and I got my Master’s of social work, which was such a big accomplishment. Because, to be honest, I never thought I’d ever make it to that level.

Growing up, I always wanted to work with youth. I always wanted to educate individuals as well. So I definitely have a great job where I’m able to help youth with low vision and their families, as well as educate everybody about how we should be inclusive. I love to have fun. I do stand-up comedy, which I just got into a few years ago.

Travel, Fitness, and Living Fully

And then also, I love to travel. And I want people to know out there that even if you’re a person who has low vision and blindness, that you’re still able to travel and you’re still able to enjoy outside of your comfort zone. So I’ve been to places like Asia, Africa, and South America. And I’m looking to go to more places and travel independently.

I also love physical fitness. I ran half a marathon last year. It’s just like life, where you have to keep going and you have to accomplish your goals. I have done dance classes, and I feel like it’s so good for your soul to enjoy and to meet people.

Entrepreneurship and The Brightside Scope

Something that I’m very proud of is my side business of the Brightside Scope. With the Brightside Scope, I’m able to incorporate all my skills and all my interests into one place. Growing up, I never felt that I was able to find my place. I never saw role models who looked like me or people who identified and had the same interests as me, so I always felt like both my identities would clash.

Bringing Identities Together & Educating Others

The image shows Ben leaning against a railing or ledge, looking at the camera and smiling. They are wearing a gray T-shirt with colorful writing that spells out SOUL. The background features a cityscape with several buildings, and there is greenery visible, likely a park or forested area. The photo appears to be taken from a high vantage point, possibly a balcony or rooftop, on a clear day.
Ben has soul

With the Brightside Scope, I’m able to bring both my identities. With my love for entertainment, I’m able to bring acting, and then my love of public speaking and educating. I’m able to go into classrooms, post-secondary schools, and organizations to educate, to show how we should incorporate different people’s identities.

I also do podcasting, which I’m able to use to spread awareness about low vision and blindness, and give a different point of view on everyday topics. So I’m so proud of where this business is going, and I’m so proud to continue to educate other people about a different point of view and let other people have the opportunities to bring their identities to everyday life.

Acceptance and Looking Back

It has been such an amazing journey to really find myself. I remember as a young person, I refused to use a cane. I refused to identify as an individual who lived with low vision because I was scared. But with the motivation from others and going through my career as a social worker and just seeing other people navigate through life, I was able to learn that I should be proud of who I am and proud of both my identities.

Message of Hope

Once upon a time, it was a 15-year-old boy who didn’t know where his life would be going. It was the fear of going blind and the fear of losing his independence. And I want to go back. I wish I had a time machine, and I want to go to that young, young man and say everything turned out amazingly, and everything turned out great.

So I hope for today from my story that you’re able to start your journey on how to accept yourself.

Ben Akuoko’s Bio

Ben Akuoko is a Canadian advocate and founder of Brightside Scope, a platform dedicated to advancing awareness, representation, and empowerment within disability and cultural communities using storytelling through traditional and social media outlets. A proud Black man of Ghanaian descent living with Retinitis Pigmentosa, Ben draws on his lived experiences to champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in his practice. He holds a Master’s in Social Work and has served as an accessibility consultant, public speaker, mentor, and ambassador for national organizations. Through his cross-disability awareness work, lectures, and media projects, he continues to shed light on the importance of intersectionality and inclusion in all spaces.

Connecting With Ben

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Image Descriptions:

  • The header, the Beyond Sight Magazine cover, and the YouTube Thumbnail include a Portrait-style photograph of Ben standing in a gift store setting, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and a bow tie, along with sunglasses. He is smiling and has one hand on his chest. The background shows wooden shelves filled with various clothing items, shoes, and hats. A large circular window is visible, showing a glimpse of the outdoors. The area appears well-lit, with spotlights overhead. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Ben Akuoko’. The cover is dated September 2025.
  • YouTube Video Description: The video features Ben, a Black man with a shaved haircut. He has a small earring and appears to be wearing a blue and white patterned shirt. He is smiling and speaks with a calm, friendly tone. He has a microphone attached to his shirt. The background is a light blue curtain.
  • Ben posing with Cane – The image shows Ben standing and holding a white cane. He is dressed in casual attire, wearing a blue sweater over a patterned shirt, jeans, and blue and white sneakers. The background is plain and light, indicating an indoor setting. Ben is slightly leaning forward, resting both hands on the cane and looking to the side with a thoughtful expression.
  • Ben half-marathon – Ben, smiling, is standing outdoors, wearing a gray long-sleeve shirt, gray sweatpants, and a white cap. He has a medal around his neck with a bib that says text “Half Marathon.” He is posing with one hand on the waist and holding a blue item in the other hand. There are people and trees in the background. The scene appears to be at an outdoor event, likely a marathon or race.
  • Ben by the lake – Ben is standing on a grassy area by a serene lake, surrounded by autumn trees. He is wearing a black jacket, jeans, and red sneakers, and is smiling at the camera. In the background, there is a stone bridge reflected in the calm water, with a clear blue sky overhead. The scene is peaceful, with fallen leaves scattered around Ben.
  • Ben has soul – The image shows Ben leaning against a railing or ledge, looking at the camera and smiling. They are wearing a gray T-shirt with colorful writing that spells out SOUL. The background features a cityscape with several buildings, and there is greenery visible, likely a park or forested area. The photo appears to be taken from a high vantage point, possibly a balcony or rooftop, on a clear day.
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Rethinking Blindness: Bill Porter’s Perspective

The header, Beyond Sight Magazine cover, includes a headshot of Bill standing in front of one of his paintings. He is wearing a dark cap featuring a bear logo on the front. He has a light-colored beard and is dressed in a checkered shirt layered under a black vest. Behind him is a rustic wall decoration made from wooden planks, which features a painted bird. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled 'BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project' and features 'Bill Porter'. The cover is dated May 2025.

I have some visual acuity so I don’t act like what people perceive as blind or visually impaired, and with a dominant perception of blindness being absolute, it makes sense that people are skeptical when they witness me navigating crowded spaces with my white cane in hand.

~Bill Porter

Editor’s Note

It is my pleasure to introduce Bill Porter as Bold Blind Beauty’s May Man In Motion. I had the privilege of meeting Bill during our ASPECT advocacy cohort last fall, where his candor, creativity, and commitment to challenging perceptions of blindness left a lasting impression on me and our peers.

Bill’s story, “Rethinking Blindness: Bill Porter’s Perspective,” is a powerful reflection on navigating life with retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited retinal disorder that causes progressive vision loss. From his early experiences with night blindness in childhood to the pivotal moment when a medical expert told him to give up on his dreams, Bill’s journey is marked by resilience, self-discovery, and a refusal to let others define his potential.

What stands out most about Bill is his willingness to confront internalized ableism and societal misconceptions head-on. Through his work as a professional artist, educator, and advocate, he not only reclaims his narrative but also sparks important conversations about disability identity, authenticity, and the diversity of lived experiences within the blindness community.

Meeting Bill through the ASPECT Program’s Prevent Blindness initiative, designed to empower advocates through storytelling, support, and training-underscored the importance of amplifying voices like his. Bill’s journey reminds us that true inclusion requires questioning outdated narratives and making space for every individual to define their path.

We are honored to share Bill’s perspective, celebrate his ongoing impact as a Man In Motion, and invite you to watch his video or read the transcript below.

Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty

Beyond Sight Magazine Cover

The Beyond Sight Magazine cover, includes a headshot of Bill standing in front of one of his paintings. He is wearing a dark cap featuring a bear logo on the front. He has a light-colored beard and is dressed in a checkered shirt layered under a black vest. Behind him is a rustic wall decoration made from wooden planks, which features a painted bird. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled 'BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project' and features 'Bill Porter'. The cover is dated May 2025.
Beyond Sight Magazine | Bill Porter

YouTube Video

Bill Porter | May Man In Motion

Introduction: Embracing the Unexpected Path

Hello. It is an honor and a privilege to be speaking with you today. My name is Bill Porter. I have an inherited retinal disorder called retinitis pigmentosa, which causes progressive vision loss.

When I was in elementary school, I discovered I couldn’t see in low light, and I immediately knew I had the same blindness causing disease as my mother. It was terrifying and it was embarrassing. My childhood activities were strenuous, like being in movie theaters or any outdoor activities after sunset. I would bump into things and crash into objects or people, and balls I was catching earlier in the day were all of a sudden bouncing off my face.

I tried to explain to people I had a rare eye condition that caused night blindness, but nobody really understood. I got questions like, well, if you’re really visually impaired, why don’t you wear glasses? The feedback I received, even from my own mother, was that it was just best to hide it, play the clown, and endure the laughter and the shame.

A Pivotal Diagnosis and Defiant Ambition

Bill is sitting on a couch in his art studio, holding a white cane, with his light brown dog Theo sitting next to him. He's wearing a dark long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, holding a white cane with a red tip. The dog's fur is soft, and it sits patiently, looking at the camera. A bright, colorful wall art piece is visible in the background, adding vibrancy to the scene.
Bill on a couch with his dog.

When I was 18, I saw an optometrist who was a leading expert in my retinal disease. I naively went to the appointment expecting to receive empathy and support, and encouragement, but it was quite the opposite. The doctor told me to give up on my dreams of being an artist. He told me not to waste my time with a college education, and he told me that my only chance for a meaningful life was to support his research and hope for a cure.

I was driven to pursue my passions, and I used the doctor’s words as motivation. I went on to earn a BFA and an MFA and have had a successful career as a professional artist and educator.

Despite my determination for most of my life, I avoided coming to terms with my disability, though. This includes staying away from vision specialists, avoiding any thoughts or discussions about visual impairments. I was afraid to face how my progressive vision loss would impair my future, that is, until it became unavoidable. Awkward moments in public began to mount. I was considered rude for not shaking someone’s hand that I didn’t see, and I would bump into people who cut me off in crowded public spaces. It was clear that trying to hide my disability was creating problematic misunderstandings, and it was time to be open about my low vision.

Acceptance and Advocacy: A Turning Point

Bill’s painting titled Oblivious-sided. It includes red comic text “SPLAT!”. Below the text is a white splatter that looks like a snowball with action lines implying it was thrown. There is also a gray fedora hat, a white cane, and curved black action lines. 
Bill’s painting titled Oblivious-sided.

I stopped driving. I sought medical care from a low vision optometrist who respected me as a human. And in 2018, I was diagnosed as legally blind.

These events were difficult to face, but it was a blessing as it forced me to come to terms with my narrowing sight, which led to a broadening perspective about my disabled self-concept. My long-held, I don’t want to know attitude turned into an ever-growing curiosity about disability, identity, culture, and how I could be an advocate. I learned about ableism and how deeply embedded it is in all aspects of society. I began to unpack the discourse I had heard about vision loss throughout my life and how I internalized all those ableist views. I started using a white cane in public spaces because of the potential to help me both navigate, more importantly, its ability to help serve as a visual cue to others that I was visually disabled.

But unfortunately, my magic wand is no match for the kryptonite that is our unaware and ableist culture. The misguided perception of blindness is absolute, and many people are skeptical of individuals who identify as disabled, as they think they could be faking it, which is one of the many symptoms of our culture’s misrepresentation of blindness.

As a result, I’m constantly at odds with myself about when I should use my cane. It both helps me avoid conflict and gets me into it. I’ve been grabbed without warning and dragged away from where I need to go. People have showered me with pity and offered to pray for me to be cured. If I hold my cane, I feel like I have to act blind, by not reading signs, looking at my phone, or making eye contact with people. ‘Cause if I do, I run the risk of someone shouting “he’s a faker,” and yes, that’s happened to me. I’m in a difficult spot, just like other people I’ve spoken to from the low vision community.

How do I identify myself? How do I engage in a world that doesn’t believe someone like me exists? As I’ve covered, not disclosing and leaving my mobility aids at home as an effort to avoid attention doesn’t work. Going to the other extreme and acting the part of being blind doesn’t work either. It’s just really uncomfortable.

Choosing Authenticity Over Expectation

A pair of Bill’s paintings on a wall. The title of the dyptich is Unforeseen Impact 001. One painting is at eye level with splattered paint in the background and text that reads “WHAM!”. The second painting is a yellow folding CAUTION Wet Floor sign, which is located directly below the other painting, close to the floor.
Unforeseen Impact 001

So, you know, I decided I just need to be true to myself and do what’s best for me, regardless of the situation and how uncomfortable it is, or how much undesirable attention it’ll provoke. I came to this conclusion when I realized how much I was internalizing ableism. I worried way too much about what other people thought to the point of projecting judgment.

Under the circumstances, it makes sense why it’s uncomfortable navigating the world, and my fear of judgment is based on decades of experiencing it. I call it out, but I also understand why it happens. I have some visual acuity so I don’t act like what people perceive as blind or visually impaired, and with a dominant perception of blindness being absolute, it makes sense that people are skeptical when they witness me navigating crowded spaces with my white cane in hand, and then I’ll fold it up and walk without it. That is confusing.

Being a visual artist and a studio art professor who is legally blind is also a foreign concept to most people. The fact is that’s my reality. I choose not to let judgment fueled by antiquated or inaccurate social definitions of blindness alter who I am or how I present myself. It is definitely not easy, but I now know that when I do what I feel is best for me without any consideration of how it’ll be perceived, is the right way to go.

Conclusion: Living Boldly with Vision Loss

This means using my white cane when I feel it’s necessary and putting it away when it’s not. It means participating in activities that my limited vision allows me to, even when I’m in spaces where I’ve disclosed, I’m visually impaired. This also means using my platform as an artist and educator to be able to tell my story and hopefully change people’s perceptions on what blindness is and serve as a role model to others. In doing so, though I don’t want pity, I don’t wanna be considered exceptional, and I definitely don’t wanna be labeled as inspirational from my life’s achievements just because I have a disability.

What I do hope is to inspire a collective questioning about the narrative around visual disabilities, which includes a narrowing viewpoint about what blindness is and how the barriers our community faces are a construct fostered by a long history of systemic marginalization.

Bill Porter’s Bio

Bill Porter is a Boston-based visual artist and educator. He holds an MFA in Visual Arts, a BFA in Animation, and a Certificate in Film Studies. Bill teaches as an adjunct professor in the Integrated Studies and Animation departments at Lesley Art + Design in Cambridge, MA. His paintings, illustrations, and multimedia works have been exhibited and published throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. Through his practice, teaching, and public speaking, Bill shares his personal story and advocates for the disabled community.

Connecting With Bill

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Image Descriptions:

  • The header, the Beyond Sight Magazine cover, and the YouTube Thumbnail include a headshot of Bill standing in front of one of his paintings. He is wearing a dark cap featuring a bear logo on the front. He has a light-colored beard and is dressed in a checkered shirt layered under a black vest. Behind him is a rustic wall decoration made from wooden planks, which features a painted bird. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Bill Porter’. The cover is dated May 2025.
  • YouTube Video Description: Bill is speaking directly to the camera; it’s a medium shot, framed from his chest up, in a brightly lit room that gives off a comfortable, lived-in vibe. He’s got a friendly face, a neatly trimmed reddish beard, and clear eyes. He’s wearing a colorful, multi-toned plaid flannel shirt, which adds a bit of a rustic touch. Topping off his look is a gray baseball cap with an emblem that appears to depict a bear.
  • Behind him, we can see that he’s in a room with high ceilings and exposed wooden beams. To his left is a bookcase overflowing with books of various colors and sizes. There are also several framed artworks of different dimensions on the wall around the bookcase. Over to his right, we see two more pieces of artwork and a vibrant blue loveseat that looks inviting. There’s a desk in front of the bookcase, visible in the lower-left corner, with a lamp, tablet, and some other items on it. The overall impression is of a warm, creative, and organized space.
  • Bill is sitting on a couch in his art studio, holding a white cane, with his light brown dog Theo sitting next to him. He’s wearing a dark long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, holding a white cane with a red tip. The dog’s fur is soft, and it sits patiently, looking at the camera. A bright, colorful wall art piece is visible in the background, adding vibrancy to the scene.
  • Bill’s painting titled Oblivious-sided. It includes red comic text “SPLAT!”. Below the text is a white splatter that looks like a snowball with action lines implying it was thrown. There is also a gray fedora hat, a white cane, and curved black action lines. 
  • A pair of Bill’s paintings on a wall. The title of the dyptich is Unforeseen Impact 001. One painting is at eye level with splattered paint in the background and text that reads “WHAM!”. The second painting is a yellow folding CAUTION Wet Floor sign, which is located directly below the other painting, close to the floor.
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Vanessa Vigar: Redefining Access with Envision Glasses

The Beyond Sight Magazine header photo (a still from her video) features Vanessa Vigar, a white female in her fifties, with medium-length auburn/reddish hair, seated at a desk against a modern, minimalist backdrop with angular shapes and subtle color contrasts. She wears a light-colored top with a checkered jacket, which has a soft texture. The background has muted tones, enhancing the overall sophistication. The text on the cover includes the magazine's tagline, 'A Bold Blind Beauty Project,' and identifies the issue as April 2025.

 ”I have had a lot of experience in working with technologies of different kinds and media, which is very visual. So it was quite funny to come to a company where we were working with creating amazing products, which are all about the audio experience, primarily for a non-visual audience.”

~Vanessa Vigar

Editor’s Note

This month, Bold Blind Beauty’s Cane EnAbled shines a spotlight on Vanessa Vigar, the dynamic Chief Marketing Officer at Envision. Vanessa brings a powerful and unique perspective to her role, blending over 25 years of global marketing expertise with her personal journey of navigating sight loss due to Retinitis Pigmentosa. This lived experience fuels her passion at Envision, a company at the forefront of developing assistive technology that truly empowers the blind and low-vision community to achieve independent access to information.

Since joining Envision in 2021, Vanessa has been instrumental in shaping their brand, communications, and growth strategy, driving the impact of innovative tools like the Envision Glasses and the accessible AI assistant, Ally. As you’ll hear in her engaging conversation, Vanessa’s leadership is deeply informed by her own experiences with assistive technology and her profound understanding of the community’s needs. Based in Leiden, the Netherlands, and also a runner with the Dutch Running Blind team, Vanessa infuses her work with empathy, energy, and a clear vision for the future of inclusive design. We are thrilled to share her compelling story and the exciting advancements happening at Envision with our audience.

Watch Vanessa’s video or, for those who prefer reading, find the transcript below. Enjoy!

Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty

Beyond Sight Magazine Cover

A still from her video, features Vanessa Vigar, a white female in her fifties, with medium-length auburn/reddish hair, seated at a desk against a modern, minimalist backdrop with angular shapes and subtle color contrasts. She wears a light-colored top with a checkered jacket, which has a soft texture. The background has muted tones, enhancing the overall sophistication. The text on the cover includes the magazine's tagline, 'A Bold Blind Beauty Project,' and identifies the issue as April 2025.
Vanessa Vigar | Envision | Cane EnAbled April 2025

YouTube Video

Vanessa Vigar | Envision | April Cane EnAbled

Introduction and Background

Hi. It’s great to be here. Thank you, Bold Blind Beauty, for inviting me to be here. My name is Vanessa Vigar. I’m the Chief Marketing Officer at Envision. We’re a software company that makes smart glasses, apps, and other services for people who are blind and have low vision. 

I am, how do I put this? Politely in my fifties, white female, medium length auburn sort of reddish hair, I guess. And today I am wearing one of my favorite vintage jackets with a white t-shirt. 

My journey so far with sight loss. I’ve been working in media technologies for a very long time. And in the early two thousands, I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, and that was around the time I switched to working from the content side of media to the more technical side. And it was really interesting because I could see there was a great opportunity there for accessibility, although I didn’t understand how that could be applied.

Joining Envision and Its Impact

So joining Envision felt, really, really natural. I mean, I think I have had a lot of experience in working with technologies of different kinds and media, which is very visual. So it was quite funny to come to a company where we were working on creating amazing products, which are all about the audio experience, primarily for a non-visual audience. So I just really felt at home, I felt that I could ask those questions about sight loss, and for myself, also learning about the community. So it was very immersive, straight away.

But I love what’s happening. 

So the very fact that AI has made this quantum shift for information and wearables as well, and envision has established itself as the sort of expert in the accessibility space between those two factors. So, you know, the AI side, and the wearable side, and to be working with a company that was pioneering this for accessibility is just hugely fulfilling. 

Personal Experiences with Assistive Technology

So what is interesting is that through my work, I get to talk to hundreds of people, and learn the stories of hundreds of people with vision loss. And everybody has their own way of dealing with it. I have colleagues who are fully blind and customers as well. And, of course, that journey is also different. Everybody has what we call a toolkit of stuff, right? From white canes to dogs to, you know, technology. 

And so I am at that point where I am still using more of the accessibility features in my devices than specialist assistive technology products like screen readers, for instance. I can still get by, as I said, through muddle, through enlarging text. But I notice I’m doing much more voiceover and dictation, I’m doing much more with voice notes. I’m doing much more audible kinds of transmitted content, but I am using Ally. This is our AI assistant accessible AI assistant. I use Ella and Ally for so many things, and I do use the Envision glasses as well. I use the scan, text reading feature a lot because you know, it’s very tiring to read print, text, especially when I live in the Netherlands. My Dutch is okay, but reading and writing it is terrible. So I love to read the newspapers or I like to understand my tax bills.

Demonstrating Envision Glasses

a vibrant indoor stage scene featuring three people, two women and one man. The background is a striking purple with a graphic pattern, and bold white text reads “FOR GLASSES PEOPLE WHO SEE FOR LOW.” The woman on the left is wearing a patterned dress, while Vanessa, in the center, is holding a white cane, dressed in a moto jacket and metallic-looking pants. The man to her left is casually dressed in a polo shirt, pants, and sneakers.
Tech Catwalk 2025

You know, since I’m talking about the Envision glasses, let’s take a look at them in action, shall we? So, they are, in a protective case, very good. When I lose the case and sit on it and do things on it, it’s a very attractive-looking pair of glasses. I won’t go into the whole demo now because that’s all available on our website. 

But the smart bit is on the right-hand side. And I’m just going to swap these out. I’ve got my lens frames here, prescription as well, ’cause I’m also shortsighted. As if RP and anything else aren’t enough. So, we have a series of features on the glasses. I can use voice controls, or I can use gestures to navigate to them. 

Vanessa: And I’m just gonna go straight to Ally now. So let’s just see where I am. 

Ally: Hey. 

Vanessa: Hi Ally. Can you tell me a little bit about what’s going on in the news today in the US?

Ally: On March 26th, 2025, several significant events have been reported in the United States, one Trump’s executive order on the election. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at making sweeping changes to the US election system. The order requires the Election Assistance Commission to revamp the voter. 

Vanessa: Okay. Right. Let’s just stop that, Ella. I don’t want to know more about that. But what I will do now is I’m gonna ask Ella to tell me about this recipe.

Ally: Got no problem. If there’s anything else you’re curious about or need help with, just let me know. 

Vanessa: Okay, Ella? I do, I do. I’ve got a brownie recipe, which I think is in French. Could you just take a look at it? Also, just gimme a recommendation for options for vegans, please.

Ally: Let me take a look. To make this brownie recipe vegan, you can make the following substitutions. One, butter. Use a plant-based margarine or coconut oil. Two eggs. Replace each egg with a flaxseed egg mix: one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water, and let it sit until it thickens. Three. Ensure the chocolate is vegan. Use vegan chocolate that doesn’t contain milk or any. 

Vanessa: Ella, that is fantastic. That’s great. Hey, listen, I’m gonna be heading back home to Leiden in the Netherlands this afternoon. Could you tell me if I need to bring my umbrella with me? 

Ally: You won’t need an umbrella in Leiden today. The sky will be clear with the temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Safe travels. 

Future of Ally and Envision

So that was a quick example of Ally on the Envision Glasses, which is also now Ally on the mobile. So we have iOS and Android that went live only fairly recently. But it’s free, download it, have a play with it. It’s also on PC, so if you’re on your Mac, on your desktop, it doesn’t have to be on Mac; it can be anything, you can use Ally there to help you. 

So the idea is that Ally will be everywhere. That I can start using it, for instance, on my mobile phone in the morning, checking the weather, or just checking my calendar. Calendar integration is, is, is any minute, and that is fantastic. So I can literally say, what’s on my agenda today? What’s the weather like? What time do I need to get, you know, at the house to get to X, Y, Z? Putting all those pieces together, it just makes it so useful. 

And then when I’m on the train, for instance, I could either use Ally on my phone, but I can also go into my glasses and say help me find an empty seat. And do all those things hand-free that I might need, because I’m using my cane for instance.

You know, there’s a lot of information there on the personalities. You heard my Ally, I call her Ella, she’s kind of got a dry British sense of humor. But we’ve got a ton of characters there and voices, and it’s fun, and it’s customized. So I put in information about me. So the information she gives me is contextual to me, and that personalization is, is groundbreaking, it is. So yes, as you can tell, I’m not shy about talking about our products because I can relate to it. I use Envision and certainly the Ally and glasses almost every day. 

Conclusion and Contact Information

So yeah, finding more information about Envision. Well, what we try to be everywhere, not just our products, but in terms of our marketing channels as well. We’re on all the social media accounts or channels, or whatever, but let’s envision we’re also online. Of course, we have a website, which is called letsenvision.com. That’s L-E-T-S-E-N-V-I-S-I-O-N.com. And Ally, you can find out about our glasses and our products there, but you can also go directly to the Ally site, which is Ally.me, which is A-L-L-Y.M-E.

Vanessa Vigar – Chief Marketing Officer, Envision

Vanessa Vigar is the Chief Marketing Officer at Envision, where she brings over 25 years of global marketing and communications experience to support the company’s mission: creating assistive technology that empowers people who are blind or have low vision to access information for themselves. Since joining Envision in 2021, she has led the company’s brand, communications, and growth strategy—helping expand the reach of its award-winning Envision Glasses, Envision app, and accessible AI assistant, Ally.

Diagnosed in her mid-30s with Retinitis Pigmentosa, Vanessa combines her personal experience of vision loss with a professional passion for storytelling, inclusion, and meaningful innovation. She is committed to helping good people and clever technologies find their voice and achieve their purpose. Before Envision, she held leadership roles across industries, building purpose-driven brands and teams through periods of change and transformation.
Living in Leiden, the Netherlands, Vanessa is an avid runner with the Dutch Running Blind team. Her perspective as a low-vision professional brings authenticity, empathy, and energy to her work, making her a compelling voice in conversations around accessibility, inclusive design, and the future of assistive technology.

Learn More About Envision

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Connecting With Bold Blind Beauty

Image Descriptions

  • The Beyond Sight Magazine header photo (a still from her video) features Vanessa Vigar, a white female in her fifties, with medium-length auburn/reddish hair, seated at a desk against a modern, minimalist backdrop with angular shapes and subtle color contrasts. She wears a light-colored top with a checkered jacket, which has a soft texture. The background has muted tones, enhancing the overall sophistication. The text on the cover includes the magazine’s tagline, ‘A Bold Blind Beauty Project,’ and identifies the issue as April 2025.
  • YouTube Video: Described in the Beyond Sight Magazine image above.
  • Tech Catwalk 2025: a vibrant indoor stage scene featuring three people, two women and one man. The background is a striking purple with a graphic pattern, and bold white text that’s cut off reads “GLASSES WHO LOW.” The woman on the left is wearing a patterned dress, while Vanessa, in the center, is holding a white cane, dressed in a moto jacket and metallic-looking pants. The man to her left is casually dressed in a polo shirt, pants, and sneakers.
Posted on by

Serina Gilbert: Navigating Life Beyond Sight

The header photo is in the Beyond Sight Magazine cover template and shows Serina, a smiling woman with braided hair, standing outdoors, leaning against a stone wall. She is wearing a gray blazer, white blouse, and black pants. She holds a white cane with pink sections in her right hand. Her left hand rests on the wall, displaying a smartwatch with a pink strap and a ring. The background features green foliage, creating a serene atmosphere. The image is styled as a magazine cover with the title ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Serina Gilbert.’ The cover is dated March 2025.

Being a mom is just awesome. It’s up and down, like, there’s hard times, you know, because being a parent is the hardest thing that
you will ever do.

~Serina Gilbert

Editor’s Note

Bold Blind Beauty is delighted to feature Serina Gilbert as our March Woman On The Move! As you’ll see in her video below, Serina’s journey with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) began in childhood and has shaped her into a dynamic advocate, a dedicated professional, and a loving mother.

She shares her experiences navigating sight loss, embracing mobility aids, and empowering others. Serina openly discusses how she felt about using a white cane and how she overcame it to embrace independence.

Today, Serina works for the state of Colorado, empowering young adults with disabilities to achieve their goals. She’s also a self-described “audio description snob,” ensuring accessibility through quality control. As a mother to a middle-schooler, Serina balances her career with family life, approaching every challenge with humor and resilience.

Serina’s story highlights the power of adaptability and the importance of embracing one’s unique journey, as showcased in her “Beyond Sight Magazine” cover feature and empowering video. Watch the video or read the transcript below to explore Serina’s experiences and insights. You can also connect with her on Facebook at Blindy Girl and on Instagram @BlindyGirlOfficial.

Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty

Beyond Sight Magazine Cover

The Beyond Sight Magazine cover template and shows Serina, a smiling woman with braided hair, standing outdoors, leaning against a stone wall. She is wearing a gray blazer, white blouse, and black pants. She holds a white cane with pink sections in her right hand. Her left hand rests on the wall, displaying a smartwatch with a pink strap and a ring. The background features green foliage, creating a serene atmosphere. The image is styled as a magazine cover with the title ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Serina Gilbert.’ The cover is dated March 2025.
Beyond Sight Magazine | Serina Gilbert

YouTube Video

Serina Gilbert | March Woman On The Move

Introduction and Sight Loss Journey

My name is Serina Gilbert, and I am super excited to be featured on Bold Blind Beauty for this month’s Women on the Move segment. I’m going to share a little bit about my vision loss journey, and then also give you some insight into where I’m at now. You might have recognized me from last month’s feature, as well as on social media as Blindy Girl.

Early Life and Diagnosis

A photo of Serina sitting on stairs. Her legs are crossed and she is wearing a peach-colored v-neck sweater paired with an iridescent heart-shaped necklace with a key beside it. She is smiling. 
Serina On Stairs

But to start with my vision loss journey, it started actually when I was very, very young. I was born with my eyes crossed and had to have surgery to have that corrected. I’ve always had some difficulty with my vision, but I didn’t receive an official diagnosis until I was about 13 or 14, so in 8th grade in middle school, of retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

For those that are not familiar, retinitis pigmentosa is a degenerative eye condition that impacts one’s peripheral. So, kind of what’s on the outside of your eyes, like when you look out of the corner of your eye, vision, as well as vision acuity. So, I have a lot of difficulty seeing things that are to my left or my right. And also things are quite blurry for me. 

I’ve been diagnosed with, I guess they would say object perception. It used to be light perception. Used to be even better than that in high school. But, retinitis pigmentosa also impacts your vision acuity, and then also for me, it especially impacts me when I’m in low-light settings and unable to see great contrast. So when it’s dark outside, I have significant night blindness or if I come from a bright space to a dark space, it’s hard for my eyes to transition and it takes a little bit of time. 

When I was younger, I was always treated just like any of the other children. I was never made to feel that I couldn’t do anything or try anything. There were never any limitations put on me. I wanted to be viewed as quote unquote normal, even if that meant sometimes accidentally running into brick walls when I would go visit friends, you know, eh. It’s hard when you’re younger.

Challenges and Adaptations in Education

I started to have a little bit more difficulty when I was later in my high school career, and then especially college. So in high school I had an individualized education program, much like any other students that have disabilities that allowed for me to have accommodations, like having things written on the board, not in the colors like blue or green or red, because those were harder colors for me to see. My acuity back then was a lot better. I was able to read regular print. It took me a little bit longer, but I was still able to read regular print. I didn’t use any screen readers or a white cane or anything like that. 

Transition to college, though, and the workload got a little bit heavier. And required a lot more reading and a lot more responsibility than just sitting in class and kind of absorbing the information.

Transition to Independence

So that’s when I started receiving some pretty intense services from my local vocational rehabilitation here in Colorado. And that helped me develop a lot of what’s called daily living skills. So learning to cook and clean adaptively. As well as orientation and mobility skills. So using a white cane safely, crossing a busy street safely. Making sure that I can travel independently on buses, paratransit, or whatever I choose.

Now, I’m not going to say that learning to use the white cane was an easy transition for me. I was 19 or 20 years old when I started learning how to use the white cane, and very much so thought there was some stigma attached to using a white cane. Took me a long time to start using it and feel comfortable having it in public, more so or even around my co-workers. That’s pretty common amongst individuals that have vision loss, especially when it’s progressive.

There is an adjustment period that has to kind of go through its, I guess, just kind of go through it to get there. To have that level of acceptance of this white cane as a mobility device, it’s something that actually can help me, not hinder me, and it’s nothing to be embarrassed of. But again, I want to reiterate, everyone makes that adjustment on their terms. And in their own time. So, luckily I was able to overcome that and eventually start using it a lot more often, especially in work settings.

And then eventually I did actually get a guide dog, his name was Weston. And I used him a ton when I started working in my professional life and going to different high schools and things like that. He was just the light of everything, whenever I would go to different places and everybody just adored him.

Professional Life and Achievements

A photo of Serina sitting in her black office chair. She is wearing an olive-colored crew-neck sweater top and a Shokz headset. Her open laptop is in front of her on her desk.
Serina is in an office chair

So where I am now is I work for the state of Colorado for my vocational rehabilitation agency. I started about 14 and a half years ago as a counselor, a vocational rehabilitation counselor working with young adults with disabilities. They are my favorite group to work with. I love working with young adults and teens to help them find their goals and realize their potential, and the ability that they have to be successful in their work. 

After that, I promoted in my agency to be a program manager under our youth services team. So what I do right now is I help manage programs to help young adults with disabilities be able to access our services and to make sure our services are made widely available. And I have a great opportunity to do lots of creative and innovative things to make those services available and get creative. In my spare time, I also like to do audio description quality control. I am a self-described audio description snob.

But audio description quality control consists of a blind QC er, as we call it, a blind quality control specialist taking the audio description script, which is the actual words written down that the narrator would say in between the dialogue that occurs on a title. And making sure that the script is recorded properly, that the narrator has not accidentally said a different word that’s in the script. Also checking that script for clarity, making sure that it makes sense with the scene, and then double-checking for mistakes. We are all human, and sometimes a different name is mentioned than was meant, and the quality control specialist’s job is to catch those errors.

Personal Life and Hobbies

I am also a mom. I have a son that is in middle school, and he is just one of my favorite humans. And being a mom is just awesome. It’s up and down, like, there’s hard times, you know, because being a parent is the hardest thing that you will ever do.

But I remember when I found out I was having a baby and I was so, so scared. I was like, how am I gonna change my son’s diaper? That is just so hard, I don’t even know. And one of my sighted friends that had just had a baby said, Serina, when I change my son’s diaper, I almost always do it in the dark in the middle of the night, you’ll be fine. And honestly, from that moment on, I was fine. It’s just so funny, the different things that you worry about.

I also use a ton of technology. I am a technology dork. Anytime there’s new things that come out, I love to try them out. I love to just test them. I especially am a big fan of artificial intelligence and learning all the different things that it can do, including recognizing videos or helping me check my makeup when I need to. I am the first person to try something new when it comes out, if I’m able to.

Conclusion and Social Media

So I appreciate you taking some time to hear a little bit about my vision loss journey and some of the things that I’m up to now. If you’d like to follow me, you can look me up on Facebook at blindy girl. That’s B-L-I-N-D-Y girl. And on Instagram, it’s Blindy Girl Official. So B-L-I-N-D-Y-G-I-R-L official. Thanks so much. And again, have the most blessed day.

Serina Gilbert’s Bio

Serina is a mom, full-time professional, freelancer, and lover of all things fashion and beauty. She lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and pre-teen son and enjoys shopping, delicious food, and is a self-proclaimed “audio description snob”.

Connecting With Serina Gilbert

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 Serina, a smiling woman with braided hair, standing outdoors, leaning against a stone wall. She is wearing a gray blazer, white blouse, and black pants. She holds a white cane with pink sections in her right hand. Her left hand rests on the wall, displaying a smartwatch with a pink strap and a ring. The background features green foliage, creating a serene atmosphere. The image is styled as a magazine cover with the title ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Serina Gilbert.’ The cover is dated March 2025.
  • YouTube Video description: Serina is sitting in a black office chair against a tan background. She is wearing a sleeveless navy blue sweater dress and her braids are pulled back with a sparkly 3-tier crystal and gold headband.
  • Serina On Stairs: A photo of Serina sitting on stairs. Her legs are crossed and she is wearing a peach-colored v-neck sweater paired with an iridescent heart-shaped necklace with a key beside it. She is smiling. 
  • Office Chair: A photo of Serina sitting in her black office chair. She is wearing an olive-colored crew-neck sweater top and a Shokz headset. Her open laptop is in front of her on her desk.