Get to know Robert Kingett

Robert Kingett

Robert Kingett is a journalist who writes about many topics for many publications. Just a few of his beats are human interest stories, disability awareness, business, crime, politics, video games, Celebrity interviews, and reviews. He has been published in several anthologies and has been asked to guest blog for many websites. He has been interviewed about his journalism work on several radio stations in the USA and abroad. He has been featured on sites such as IGN, Polygon, and others.

You can find Robert Kingett at
Twitter.http://twitter.com/theblindwriter
Facebook:https://facebook.com/robertkingett
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/kingettr

My name is Christina Laty

My name is Christina Laty

I don't know much about the very beginning of my life, but I will tell you what I know. I was born with Nystagmus and Septo Optic Dysplasia, a syndrome of Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. My parents started noticing that I have low vision when I was about three months old. And then my mom did a bunch of research, and judging by my behavior, she found out that I have Septo Optic Dysplasia. But she couldn't convince the doctors. Finally she found a doctor that wrote a book about the syndrome. She brought me to that doctor and asked him to diagnose me. At first he looked annoyed that she didn't believe the other doctors, but then he came back out of his office and said she was right. 

When I was little, I had sensory problems, so whenever something would touch my mouth or if I touched something with unusual texture, I would projectile vomit. My mom had to feed me every twenty minutes with juiced vegetables with no texture in it. That was what the earlier years of life were like.

Four years old was a big year for me, because if I remember correctly, that's when I started my growth hormone shot, thyroid pill, and thirst control pill. For preschool, I went to the Blind Children's Learning Center. It was a great school, and I made some great friends. I went there for two years. Then I remember taking a test, that confirmed that I didn't need to go to kindergarten. So I skipped kindergarten and went to first grade at Killybrooke Elementary School.

From first to third grade I took Braille lessons. In second grade I first saw the BrailleNote. I immediately wanted one. I told my teacher about it (my Braille teacher) and she said (if I remember right, or if not I think something around these lines) we would talk about it when I was efficient in Braille. I don't think it ever got brought up again. But I still wanted one. In fourth grade, I didn't use Braille at all. Then, all of a sudden, in fifth grade at the Braille Institute, (to which I had been going since eight or nine years old) there was a choice between writing in print or Braille, and I chose Braille! I decided that day that I wanted to get back into Braille. I also started wanting the BrailleNote again. Also in fifth grade, sometime before spring break, I found out that the aid that I had been with since first grade was leaving, and after spring break I would be with a new aid. A day or two before spring break, on the day of the Killybrooke talent show, I was introduced to my new aid. 

I forgot to add something really crazy in the first chapter. That thing is what a couple doctors wanted to do to me. One doctor wanted to dunk my head underwater, saying that he did it all the time and it would reset my brain, and another doctor wanted to spin me around a bunch of times, saying that that would reset my brain.

When I was in fourth grade, my younger sister, Lizzie, did gymnastics. 

One day, when my mom, Lizzie, my little brother, Andrew, and I were walking back from the building where Lizzie did gymnastics. I decided that I wanted to take a shortcut. So I started walking away from my mom, who was too occupied with the younger two to notice. Where I thought was about three quarters away from where I would turn, I said hi to someone on his bike that I passed. All of a sudden, he got off his bike and stepped in front of me. I tried to turn the other way, but he stepped in front of me again. "HEY! HEY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR EYES?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR EYES?!" He yelled. I tried to get away with saying there was nothing wrong, but he kept yelling the same question until I told him that I was visually impaired and couldn't control them. Then he went onto another question. "HEY, HEY! WHO AM I?! .WHO AM I?!" I tried desperately to think of who he could be, imbue I didn't know this person. Then Mom called me, so he knew my name. "HEY, CHRISTINA!! CHRISTINA! WHAT'S MY NAME! WHAT'S MY NAME?!" So I told him that I didn't know him. Then Mom told him that he was scaring me. "I'M NOT SCARING HER!!" he was totally wrong. I was scared out of my mind. Then Mom helped me get through the bars of the fence that separated her from me. That night, Mom called the city about it.

During seventh grade, I went to Costa Mesa Middle School/High School. I was with most of my friends from Killybrooke Elementary, but some of them went to Tiwinkle Middle School. In previous years, I had gone to the Braille Institute with one of my friends, who already went there, and was a junior in high school. We got to see each other at break, and sometimes I would say hi to her during passing period, where our paths occasionally crossed, and once collided! I was in the ASB for my elective there, but I eventually switched to band. I play the flute, starting in the after-school band in sixth grade, and I still play. I still talked to my ASB friends though. 

Then, I found out I was moving to Colorado. My dad moved on April 1st, and the rest of my family (including me) stayed in California to finish packing and such. For 8th grade I went to Ranch View Middle School. This coming year I will be attending ThunderRidge High School.

Recently I have created my own blog latywritermusician.blogspot.com 

My name is Ashley Butala I am a visually impaired Woman.

Ashley Butala

 I'm Ashley Butala.
 I live in Madison Heights, Michigan. I'm 24. I just recently graduated from Oakland University with my bachelors in Communications. I have been visually impaired since birth because I was born three months premature. My eye condition is retnaopothy of prematurity. I'm a twin (identicle) I'm trying to find a job in the music or radio industry being a tour manager. 

Life certainly hasn't been easy but it's made me stronger. I have a very positive outlook on life. Just because I'm VI I don't let that slow me down. I live life to the fullest and everyone should be more like me cause in life we go through a ton of changes/relationships and you have to know that people come and go. Don't look at life as a negative look at it as a positive and don't let things hold you back. I love who I am and wouldn't change it! I love meeting new people so don't be shy I'm very outgoing, honest, and a realist. I love music, hanging out with friends, and taking adventures. 
Get to know me peeps! :) 

Hello my name is Chris Lyon.

Hello my name is Chris Lyon.

That's most people know me as.
I lost my eye sight at the age of 4 and a half to a rare jinetic dizzies shortly known as Cone Distrifee.
This is when the cone in the eye stops working and the cells die off.

I am Deaf Blind but i still have at least 10% of hearing left.
With out my didgetal hearing aids and technology i would be completely cut off from this world.
Meaning with out my Hearing aids or any communication equipment i don't hear anything at all.

Discovering at 18 years old that i have Diabetes was a total shock, just a part of my nightmare come true but finding out that i have a rare organ distroying condition was such a shock to the system i could hardly talk to any1 for a hole week which is not like me at all.
Non the less i control it rather well.
My attitude is that ok i have a disability not that i really see it as a disability any more and i don't let anything stop me doing anything i want to do.
I work on finding away around the things i want to do.
These days i get up to lots and doing pottery is a reel joy for me.
My work has been auptioned in to charity sails.
I don't do it for money reasons at all.
I love reading books.
So much so i have disided to write a book all about my life the highs the lows, coping with living with Alstrom's and much more besides.
When i am not doing pottery or reading books i spend lots of time chatting to meeting and hanging out with my friends.
But having social media has helped me to stay true to my self.

My name is Stephanae McCoy

Hi my name is Stephanae (Steph) McCoy, I’m a retired mom, gushing first time grandma (or Gigi as I like to be called), advocate, speaker, and animal lover. I’m also a smart, resourceful, introspective, somewhat artistic, computer savvy, perfectionist (code for obsessive compulsive tendencies) who happens to be legally blind.

My vision loss began nine years ago when I removed one of my contact lenses, looked in the mirror, and saw half of my face was missing. The diagnosis was a macular hole and luckily for me all the statistics pointed to a favorable prognosis; 1 - I was considered very young to have this diagnosis, 2 - odds were it would not occur in my other eye, and 3 - I had a 95% to 99% probability my vision being completely restored in my affected eye. Unfortunately, my eyes refused to fall in line with the statistics and here I am today unable to see the big “E” on the eye chart.

While I do not consider myself to be a fashion guru, I must admit I have a serious weakness for shoes, clothes, jewelry, hair and makeup which led me to create a blog dedicated to these topics for blind and vision impaired women. The idea of the blog came to me as I was preparing for a presentation for thePennsylvania Council of the Blind’s Annual Convention. In researching makeup for blind and vision impaired women I found very little on the subject.

Since the cosmetics and fashion industries are not geared to those of us with vision impairments I felt Ineeded to do something and this is how Bold Blind Beauty was born. I write and post descriptive pictures and video tutorials to help our demographic become more comfortable in the world of fashion.

I’m sure you’ve heard it said that “when you look good you feel good” but I’d like to submit “when you feel good, you look good.” I believe that confidence goes a long way in telling the world that you feel good about yourself and how you look. This is especially true when you are blind or vision impaired because you do not have the visual cues necessary to achieve a certain look and this is where I can help.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ~Wayne Dyer

My blog www.boldblindbeauty.com. 

Hi, my name is Keith Edgerton and I am visually impaired.

Keith Edgerton 

Hi, my name is Keith Edgerton and I am visually impaired.  I was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa  and have been legally blind since March 10, 2005. What does that mean to me? Well, basically I do everything I have ever done in life except drive a car. I've never had good night vision and as I grow older, my blind spots grow bigger. I basically have tunnel vision. I love the outdoors! I love to hike. Bicycle, surf, kayak, paddle board, swim and row. I love to travel. I love to play sports but really can't play team sport anymore. It wouldn't be safe for me or others. Someday I will probably have to stop riding my bike by myself but for now I still feel safe. 

I live in Olympia, WA and I am currently a Construction Services and Sustainability Coordinator for St. Peter Hospital. I love working in the sustainability field and I have a degree in Architecture from Kansas State University. I have lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1992 but I grew up on Long Island, NY and Northern New Hampshire. 

I have an amazing blended family with my wife Kiirsten, my daughters Sierra and Acadia and my stepson Ian. I am surrounded by amazing family and friends who love and support me through all of the ups and downs life has to offer. 
I started a blog this year to hopefully help people understand my vision better and what adjustments I am going through to stay active and employed. My visual impairment has brought so much joy to my life and made me such a better person.  The road to accepting my eyes has been a long and rough one at times and there are plenty of moments of struggle along the way. I hope my blog can help people understand the many nuances of being legally blind and also be a place where visually impaired people can relate to what my life looks like.  

Please check out my blog and I would love to hear from you!!!
http://keithdavid.blogspot.com/

My name is Brian Negus. I'm a visually-impaired photographer

 My name is Brian Negus. I'm a visually-impaired photographer who is registered blind in the UK. 

Many registered blind people have some useful vision). I want to make contact with other visually-impaired photographers to share our experiences. I've set up a Flickr group for UK-based visually-impaired photographers and we have a steadily growing membership).  Visually-impaired photographers work in many different ways. If you're interested in how I work, I've produced a set of photos and a brief video. If you look at discussions in the group for UK-based visually-impaired photographers you'll get an insight into both why and how we work. Following my retirement in 2007 from my post as Director of Computing Services at Loughborough University, I became a Trustee and subsequently chairman of Vista, the local, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland charity which improves lives for over 6,000 blind and partially sighted people. I retired from my role in Vista in 2013 and will remain an enthusiastic supporter of Vista's work. 

My photography has attracted some media attention over the last few years. Here are a few representative links:
BBC Leicester 

La Republica (Italy)
The Sun (UK national newspaper)
Leicester Mercury (UK local newspaper)
video made by a group of MSc students from Westminster University
Leicester Mercury, May 2012, story about photo used on Royal Mail stamp sheet
documentary made by a group of students from Winchester University (December 2012)
Leicester Mercury, 2013

I'm a member of my local camera club,
Shepshed and District Camera Club

If you live in or around Leicestershire and you're a member of a group that might like to learn more about photography by people with sight loss, I've got some fairly light-hearted illustrated talks that I've already given to camera clubs, Rotarys, WIs and others. I'm keen to get the message across that people with disabilities can do all sorts of things that might initially sound surprising. If you'd like to discuss my coming to talk to your group, please emailbrian.negus@googlemail.com . I don't charge for the talks, but I'd appreciate a donation to Vista.

I've given a few of my photos creative commons licences, but most have standard copyright. I've always been delighted to give permission for non-commercial and some commercial use of my photos. If you use one of my creative commons photos, then please do consider making a donation to Vista through its web site. If you want to use any of my other photos, then please ask. I'll probably say yes and make a similar suggestion! I don't insist you do this, but every little helps. You can find Vista at www.vistablind.org.uk

Finally, I'm experimenting with audio visual slide shows with original music produced in Garageband. My first attemtp, May 2012, is a little rough, but you might like to take a look at my Youtube channel to see how things are coming along.
www.youtube.com/user/NegusBrian/videos 

Thanks for taking the trouble to read this.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/briannegus

Twitter: @BrianNegus

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NegusBrian/videos

The lily pond At Biddulph Grange Garden.

My name is Luis Perez I'm a visually impaired gentlemen

Luis Perez 

Hello my name is  Luis Perez and I am an educator, speaker and author focusing on accessibility and inclusive design. As a person with a visual impairment I know firsthand how technology can be a powerful tool for empowerment. In my early 30s I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that has left me with less than ten degrees of central vision. Since then, I have become an advocate for the adoption of new technologies to transform the lives of people with disabilities. I consider myself an Inclusive Learning Evangelist.

I have a doctorate in special education from the University of South Florida (USF), and while I pursued my graduate studies I worked for the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) at USF. At FCIT, I had the privilege of being on the staff for both the Laptop Initiative and the iTeach Initiative, two programs that provide training and support on Apple Technologies to faculty and students in the USF College of Education. I was also the project manager for Tech Ease for All,  a collection of free assistive technology and web accessibility tutorials for teachers.

In recognition of my accomplishments in the field of educational technology, in 2009 I was one of 52 educators in the U.S. selected to join the 2009 class of the Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE)Program. ADEs are a select group of K-12 and higher education professionals with an identified expertise in educational technology. In early 2013, I was named to the Advisory Board for the ADE program. I also serve as a board member for the Inclusive Learning Network (formerly  (SETSIG) of the International Society for Technology in Education.

In addition to technology and accessibility, another passion of mine is photography. On my Instagram page, you can see some of the photos I take with my favorite camera, my iPhone.  You can also read an interview featuring my mobile photography work on The App Whisperer, and my YouTube channel has a video that discusses my vision of  “photography for all.”

In the news:

• Sydney Morning Herald Digital Life: Luis Perez finds blindness caused by retinitis pigmentsa no barrier to enjoying photography(6/4/14)
• Tech Guide: Meet Luis Perez, the master iPhone photographer who is legally blind (5/26/14).
• Media Access Australia Access IQ: Q&A: Inclusive Learning Evangelist Luis Perez (5/19/14)
• News Corp Australia: How to take amazing pictures on your iPhone: Three  photographers reveal their top tips (5/16/14)
• New York Times: Disruptions, Visually Impaired Turn to Smartphones to See Their World (9/29/13).
• Salt Lake Tribune: At Salt Lake seminar, visually impaired learn how high tech can unleash creativity (3/24/12).
• Centro Tampa: Sus hojos sin lumbre, pero su mente deslumbra. (08/11/11).

My my name is jasmyn polite . I am 19 years old and visually impaired due to glaucoma and Aphakia.

jasmyn polite

My name is jasmyn polite . I am 19 years old and visually impaired due to glaucoma and Aphakia. As a result, I wear glasses everyday. I have recently graduated from the Florida school for the deaf and blind with my standard diploma. I plan on going to college in the fall to peruse a major in early childhood ed to teach preschool at FSDB( Florida school for the deaf and blind). I have been going to Fsdb for 9 years and so far I've had a great experience there. I have made so many friends over the years at my school and have received good grades from my hard work.  Fsdb is also where I met my high school sweetheart.  
When I was a baby, I had to have cataract surgery . As a result, I developed aphakia. Then when I was 9 years old, I found out I had Glaucoma. Because of my eye condition, I must take eye drops for the rest of my life. I use accommodations such as a CCTV, magnifier, victor reader, zoom text, etc to help me with my everyday life.

Hello, My name is Fatmatta Wurie and I am a visually impaired woman.

Hello, My name is Fatmatta Wurie and I am a visually impaired woman. The story around my vision loss have been a very interesting one. I currently suffer from a hereditary macular dystrophy called Stargardts. But that is not the final name because my journey continues. I am still undergoing research to give my disease a name and find out how where it orgininated from. Becoming visually impaired has changed my whole outlook on life and how I spend my days on this earth. I always saying losing my vision is "a blessing in disguise" because I have learned and gained so much from other visually impaired and blind individuals.

I am currently in school studying Information Technology and Business Management. I am in my senior year and hope to graduate soon. Losing my vision and beinf an IT student, I have found a new love for augmented reality and finding adaptable solutions to make working in society a little easier for individuals who are blind a visually impaired. Its sounds like a huge project but, it is one that I truly enjoy. Hope to create an adaptive technology that the world can use. 

I have become a self-advocate for the visually impaired community and I hope to meet other self-advocates. Please follow and read my blog at www.maonoyachini.com. I hope you enjoyed my little synposis on who I am. All my contact information is located in my blog. 

Thanks,  

Fatmatta Wurie

 Fatmatta A. Wurie

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality." - Plutarch

http://www.maonoyachini.com

My name is Ulysses Garcia.

Ulysses Garcia.

My name is Ulysses Garcia. I am twenty years old and I am currently attending a local community college in Portland, Oregon.  I am currently working to pursue naturopathic and transhumanistic medicine so that I can use the skills and wisdom I acquired to better the world in the future.
During my spare time I spend a lot of hours researching, reading, and writing. Some of the latter can be found on my blog, which can be found at http://www.sensationexperience.com/
Through my blogging, my mission is to raise awareness about the ability for people to perceive other people to learn what they can never learn by other means. This is done only when I am studying abroad, since the majority of the content has different ways of being interpreted across cultures and nationalities. I also implore science in many of my works to show how something works and why it works the way it does. However, I believe in keeping it simple, also known as the KISS principle so that the subject can be very technical, but at the same time it is described in such a manner that anyone will be able to understand with little to no problem.
In addition to what I do, I have a minor background in computer technology, so I can assist in any area that I am able to.
Some of the things I love include Western Art music, playing my instruments, writing in my diary, and much, much more. I can't be omniscient, but knowing a little of everything is better than knowing everything of one thing (too much technology or too much fantasy).
If you have any questions, or would like to provide suggestions, send your enquiries to info@sensationexperience.com or sensationexperience.official@gmail.com
Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much. Helen Keller.

Learn more about spreading the Sensation Experience attitude
Visit our web site at: http://www.sensationexperience.com/
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sensationexperiencepage
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sensationexperi

My name is Drew Bedo I am a legally blind gentlemen

Drew Bedo

Hello my name is Drew Bedo.

In late 2002 became legally blind. One eye has no useful vision; the other has severely degraded vision. Yet, I see. There are some things that I can no longer do at all, and many things that I must now do differently. Photography is one of them. 

I create photographic images using traditional films in vintage or antique view cameras. Visual impairment has made photography more than a creative act for me. Photography has become a therapeutic affirmation of my ability to adapt to, adjust to (and accept) my condition. Photography has become more than another way of seeing. For me, photography is seeing. 

When composing an image on the ground glass of the camera, I often feel a link with the creative tradition of pioneer photographers such as William Henry Jackson, Fredrick H. Chapin and others. Lens and film technologies may be modern, but the creative process is much the same. 

Any amount of light is important to me. I am drawn to the subtle movement of light across a subject to envelop it. 

Shape defining shadows and strong patterns attract my attention. I tend to work with small subjects and compact compositions. Many of my images are still-life; found objects placed in window light. Other images are studio creations. Other work may be intimate environmental compositions. Many of my images breathe a quiet tranquility. And yet— there may also be subtle tension. 

It is not enough to photograph an object, I must capture the light that enwraps it. 

Drew Bedo waiting for the light,
 below the sea-wall at Galveston Texas.

Drew Bedo 

E-Mail WizzyWig1234@yahoo.com

website is quietlightphoto.com

I can also be found on  artsyhome.com 

Drew Bedo flicker Page

My name is Don Wardlow I am a legally blind gentlemen

Don Wardlow 

My name is Don Wardlow.

I am 51 years old, and have been blind since birth.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in communications from Glassboro State College, (now known as Rowan University,) in New Jersey.

From 1991 to 2002 I was the only blind baseball radio broadcaster in the minor leagues. I had begun broadcasting as much sports as I could on the college radio station as early as 1983.

For the station I broadcast baseball, football, basketball and soccer. When possible I also did color commentary on boxing matches.

Now, for a living I work for Blue Cross Blue Shield in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

On the side I run a web site where I sell recorded broadcasts of boxing matches.

3 of the fights I sell are ones I broadcast. The rest go back as far as 1934, and feature the best fighters of all time in some of their most famous fights.

The web site is

http://www.boxingonmp3.com

While it isn’t my first web business, it is my most successful one.

In June 2006 I opened a travel agency on the Internet which lasted a year and lost money.

I am fortunate the boxing site is breaking even, especially considering I only opened it in November, 2013.

I invite you to check it out, and contact me at any time.

My name is Cheryl Wilcox and I am visually impaired.

 Cheryl Wilcox

My name is Cheryl Wilcox and I am visually impaired.
 I have been extremely myopic since I can remember but was diagnosed legally blind in 1985. I was born a preemie in the 1960's and was diagnosed with Retrolental Fibroplasia, now more commonly known as ROP or Retinopathy of Prematurity.

I am very fortunate. I have a successful career as a media consultant for Gannett media and newspapers. I have been with the same company for almost 24 years.

The majority of my advanced vision loss came within the last 4 or 5 years. I began using a cane about 3 years ago.

I am also very blessed to have great friends who forced me to face the denial I was in when it came to my visual impairment. 

 These same great friends adapted with me through every change and loss. During this time I started a blog to shed humor on day-to-day challenges and mishaps.

 http://sightlessinsight1.blogspot.com

I am very pleased that Chelsea invited me to participate in this blog. We can all learn from, encourage and uplift one another. I believe whether partially sighted,  blind or handicap able in other ways, we can do anything we put our hearts and minds into. We can all make a difference.

My name is Ashley Nemeth. I am a visually impaired woman

Hello everyone, my name is Ashley Nemeth. I am a 29 year old visually impaired woman from Indian Head Saskatchewan Canada. 

I live in a very rural community with my husband and three children, ages 10,7 and 6. I have lived in the same community my whole life and love living here. It is a community with approximately 1800 people. 

I was born with Ocular Albinism and Nystagmus, my vision has been unstable most of my life. I have been visually impaired my whole life. I have been legally blind for as long as I can remember. My vision was about 20/200 most of my childhood and into my teen years. In the last year my vision has decreased quite a bit. I am blind in my left eye and on a good day in the eye doctor’s office my vision tests about 20/900 but as we all know what your vision tests at in the doctor’s office does not mean that is your functional vision all the time. I have a lot of problems with photophobia (light sensitivity ) this creates a lot of issues especially in the winter with the glare off the snow. When I am moving, like walking , it is very hard for me to focus and I have no depth perception. 

Now having said all of that, I have never let any of it stop me. Sure I miss things but as far as I am concerned I am not unless they are pointed out. 

I always did what I wanted from a young age, this included bike riding, baseball , hockey, horse back riding, snow boarding, speed swimming, and many other things. 

My visual impairment has made me the strong woman I am today. It has forced me to accept things and work harder to do the things I want to do. 

Having a visual impairment you will always run into people who say you can’t. I have always taken that as fuel for the fire and when anyone said I couldn’t I tried even harder. Call it stubborn, I call it life. A disability should not determine what you can do in your life, you should decide what you can and want to do with your life. 

My Blog http://legallyblindmovingon.blogspot.com