Now I have, the platform of Bold Blind Beauty to advocate, for me to tell other people to stand up for themselves, to not let their visual impairment stop them.
~Jonathan Rubinov
Editor’s Note
This month, Bold Blind Beauty is proud to shine a spotlight on our April Man In Motion, Jonathan Rubinov, who also happens to be one of our talented Virtual Work Experience Program interns. Jonathan’s story is one of resilience, courage, and advocacy—a journey that motivates and empowers us all.
Jonathan’s ambition is to be a content writer, using his unique perspective to illuminate music industry topics and advocate for inclusion. His Bold Blind Beauty internship offers invaluable hands-on experience to amplify his voice and realize his aspirations.
At Bold Blind Beauty, Jonathan is using this platform to share his story and educate others about misconceptions surrounding visual impairment. He’s passionate about breaking barriers of inaccessibility and empowering the visually impaired community to stand up for themselves. His powerful message underscores that disability is a characteristic, not a constraint on one’s possibilities.
The Virtual Work Experience Program is thrilled to offer Jonathan this opportunity for real-world learning. His commitment to impact through writing and advocacy is clear, and we’re excited to witness his growth and achievements here.
Welcome to the Bold Blind Beauty family, Jonathan! We are honored to be part of this exciting new chapter in your life.
I invite you to watch Jonathan’s video or read the transcript below.
Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty
Beyond Sight Magazine Cover
YouTube Video
Introduction and Background
Hi all, my name is Jonathan Rubinov and I’m currently an intern at Bold Blind Beauty. So I recently graduated from Queens College with my BA in English and a minor in writing. I’m currently pursuing an MFA and Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing and Literary Translation at Queens College.
My internship at Bold Blind Beauty will help me gain the experience I need to become a successful content and media writer in the future. I want to specifically write about critical issues in the music industry, such as artists being exploited by record labels and being paid very little royalties by streaming services.
Adapting To Visual Impairment
Just to tell you a little bit about my visual impairment, I was born with congenital glaucoma when I was eight months old, and I was visually impaired for the majority of my life. My vision significantly started worsening when I was 13 years old.
By the time I was in high school, I already started using a white cane. I did have a paraprofessional following me. I had to work with a TVI, a teacher of the blind and visually impaired, and also a mobility instructor, for me to gain independence around the school building, to have my class resources accessible to me, and for my visual impairment not to hinder me academically.
Academic Journey and Challenges
Through perseverance and hard work, I managed to graduate high school with a 4. 0 GPA in my senior year. I got accepted by multiple colleges, including Hunter and Queens College. Initially, when I went to Queens College, I wanted to major in finance, but then I decided to change my degree to English because many professors I had recognized my talent for writing and they really encouraged me to be in this field, so that’s where I am today.
I did encounter many challenges due to my visual impairment. It was not easy emotionally, to be honest, I was mentally and physically bullied by many students in my high school I felt like an outsider. I did not know how to emotionally handle myself back then.
Emotional Growth and Resilience
But now I have the emotional maturity and strength to reflect upon my experiences and to write about what I learned throughout the whole process.
I am more mentally stronger now than I ever have been before. Instead of calling my visual impairment a challenge now, I just say it’s a feature of my life that I kind of have to battle and just kind of strive against and succeed despite the odds being against me. I have learned multiple coping strategies that I developed from seeing therapists.
I would like to inform and educate the public about misconceptions that come with being visually impaired and just my overall experience, having disability for such a long time. And why being blind or visually impaired is not the end of the world despite many people ignorantly thinking so. So, that’s my ultimate plan.
Advocacy and Future Goals
Also as a writer, not only writing about the music industry but writing about my personal life and my struggles. How I succeeded during challenging moments, even how I failed during intense moments, and how that failure made me the person that I am today and just taught me important lessons that I will never forget.
So I think writing is just such a big opportunity for me to express how I felt about my visual impairment and the feelings that I just reserved internally for so long that I was afraid to, reveal during my childhood. Now I have, the platform of Bold Blind Beauty to advocate, for me to tell other people to stand up for themselves, to not let their visual impairment stop them. For them to obtain the internal strength to succeed despite having this disability.
I finally have the platform to voice my opinions on issues that matter to me, being visually impaired. To voice my frustrations about, barriers of inaccessibility that I keep facing every day, in and outside the technology field, and just some changes I want to see, in my local visually impaired community around me. So I’m really excited for this internship, for me to be surrounded by the right people that will encourage me to use my voice wisely to change the perception of being visually impaired to a whole wide demographic of people that are interested in hearing what I have to say. And that want to work with me to make a difference in this community.
So I will do everything in my power and strength to work with everyone that I can to make a difference and to make the voices of the silenced visually impaired community heard very, very loudly. I’m very excited to be here. And this is just the beginning of a new chapter in my life that I’m proud to call home.
Jonathan Rubinov’s Bio
I am currently a 22-year-old graduate student at CUNY Queens College who is completing the MFA program in Creative Writing. I was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma when I was 8 months old and my vision began to significantly worsen when I was 13 years old. I have adopted several technologies that have given me the possibility to graduate high school in 2020 and obtain a bachelor’s degree in English in 2024. Most importantly, I have demonstrated courage, strength, and resilience during moments of difficulty and uncertainty which inspired me to become a content writer in the future who will share my experiences and unique perspective of being visually impaired my entire life.
Connecting With Jonathan
- LinkedIn: @JonathanRubinov
- Facebook: @JonathanRubinov
- Instagram: @JonathanRubinov
Join Our Community
Like what you’ve read and want to chat about it? Join us in the Bold Blind Beauty Facebook group.
Image Descriptions: Provided by PiccyBot and Jonathan
- The header, Beyond Sight Magazine cover includes a photograph of Jonathan at his cousin’s wedding on March 12, 2020, wearing eyeglasses and standing dressed formally in a deep blue suit with a white shirt underneath. He sports a coordinating blue bow tie and a small blue flower pinned on his lapel, adding a touch of elegance. The image is styled as a magazine cover titled ‘BEYOND SIGHT | A Bold Blind Beauty Project’ and features ‘Jonathan Rubinov’ The cover is dated April 2025.
- YouTube Thumbnail & Video Description: The 100th annual Commencement ceremony at Queens College. Jonathan’s family attended this event to celebrate his obtaining his BA in English on May 30th, 2024. Jonathan is standing confidently on vibrant green grass, wearing a black graduation gown with a bright red stole draped around his neck. He has on a black graduation cap and gray pants with blue dress shoes. Behind him is a modern building with large windows and a light-colored stone facade, while leafy trees provide a natural backdrop. In the video, Jonathan is indoors, seated against a plain tan wall. He is in his early twenties, with a dark beard and dark hair, and wears black-rimmed glasses. He’s dressed in a white button-down shirt under a well-fitting navy blue blazer. On his head, he wears a traditional Jewish head covering, called a kippah.
- Jonathan in his cap and gown (same image as on the YouTube Thumbnail)
- Jonathan and his father: Jonathan and his father are sitting closely together on a boat. His father, whose arm is draped around Jonathan is wearing a white polo shirt with black accents, while Jonathan is in a white t-shirt featuring a bold black graphic. They are on a sunlit deck, with shimmering water in the background and greenery lining the shore.
- Author photo: Jonathan is seated at a table wearing a kippah and dark t-shirt, having a drink at a fancy restaurant to celebrate his father’s 51st birthday.