As a Deafblind person in a complicated relationship with music, stepping inside this theater organ deepened my appreciation and understanding of this extraordinary instrument. Alaska’s only working theater organ, older than the state, continues playing lovely music thanks to the Alaska State Museum, talented organists, and the passionate locals and tourists who attend the free … Read more
It’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day! Adding descriptive transcripts to videos helps Deafblind people and others who process information through text. Share this tip. Happy GAAD! Descriptive Transcript Haben, a Black woman in her thirties with long dark hair, speaks to the camera, a vibrant blue wall behind her. Haben: If you’re a creator, add transcripts … Read more
Whale watching tours may seem purely visual, but thoughtful guides create interactive experiences that are fun even though I can’t see the whales! Descriptive Transcript Experienced guide Laurie Clough approaches Haben holding a three-feet long, orange sea star. Haben gently studies the star with her fingers. Hundreds of tiny tube feet, yellow on the ends, … Read more
London or Paris? Accessible pedestrian signals feel different across the channel, with their own pros and cons. Which style do you prefer and why? Descriptive Transcript Haben is standing at a crosswalk in London. She is wearing a lavender coat and long, gold earrings. She is speaking directly to the camera. Cars and red, double … Read more
Happy International Guide Dog Day! Gifts made to The Seeing Eye in honor of the day will be doubled! Descriptive Transcript Haben and her Seeing Eye dog Mylo walk through a crowded airport. Haben is wearing a long lilac overcoat and a floral dress; she’s wheeling a suitcase beside her. A man carrying a black … Read more
Disability allyship has two crucial pillars: 1. Ask disabled people what we need, and 2. Based on those answers, take action to remove barriers. Actor, director, and comedian Milana Vayntrub role models disability allyship. AT&T invited Milana and I to share a stage, sparking a beautiful connection. We filmed this conversation after our electric keynote. … Read more
The British Museum invites blind patrons to touch ancient sculptures, but when I placed my hands on one of these treasures an angry sighted person started harassing me. Video of the incident sparked outrage online. In March 2023 the BBC asked me to share what happened, and they aired a recording of me reading a … Read more
Ugly and too expensive, scoffed critics. But the astounding beauty and creativity in these books speaks volumes! Dr. Namita Jacob felt frustrated by the scarcity of accessible books in India. She founded the Accessible Reading Materials Library, Chetana Charitable Trust, a community of volunteers making Braille, large print, joy-filled books that allow blind kids and … Read more
If you can’t read Braille, what do you think of reading a robot hand? Video Description A black-gloved, human-sized hand sticks up from a base with about a dozen buttons. As it signs the American Sign Language letters S-U-N it makes a mechanical whirring sound. Haben: Deafblind people who can’t read Braille may soon have … Read more
On Wednesday May 1, 2024 the Juneau Public Library is hosting a reading and discussion with Haben Girma. She will read, in Braille, from her book Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. She welcomes questions, and Mylo does, too! Join us for an engaging conversation on how we all can make our communities … Read more