Sightless Magazine July Edition

Pride Beyond Sight What disabiltiy pride means to the blind community

• Why Braille Still Matters?
• Is braille still relavant in 2026
• What is the CVTA Act?
• New act you should know about
• Sightless
• Exploring Accessibility, innovation, and the Blind
• Community
• Issue no. 1
• July 2026

• Editors Letter – pg 3
• Pride Beyond Sight - pg 4
• Monthly Highlights - pg 9

Why Braille Still Matters - pg 10

Upcoming Events - pg 12

Monthly Braille Challenges - pg 13 What is the CVTA Act - pg 15 Ads - pg 16

I am proud to present Sightless, a brand-new magazine for the blind community. The idea for Sightless came from wanting to create something meaningful for my community. My goal is to collect the scattered information, news, and achievements of blind individuals across America and present them all in one place for you, the reader. Sightless is intended to be a positive magazine that highlights new products, shares important information, and recognizes members of the blind community for their contributions. Most importantly, this magazine aims to show that blindness does not prevent someone from pursuing their goals and achieving great things.

For the inaugural issue of Sightless, I chose to feature Disability Pride Month. I wanted to begin this magazine by celebrating not only my own accomplishments as a blind individual, but also the achievements and pride of the broader blind community. I also interviewed a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) about Orientation and Mobility (O&M) in 2026. July is a month that represents independence for our nation, and I believe it is also a fitting time to reflect on independence for blind individuals. It has always been my favorite month of the year because it reconnects me with my visually impaired friends at Camp Abilities and reminds me of how much our community is capable of. Sightless is intended to share that reminder with every reader while also helping sighted readers better understand the blindness community.

I cannot wait to see what Sightless becomes and what it can do for the blind community. I intend to publish monthly issues featuring the latest news, accomplishments, and important information relevant to our readers. I invite every reader to submit stories, suggestions, and feedback about the topics you would like to see covered in future issues. As you read this magazine, I hope you feel inspired by the achievements of our community and proud of the people featured within its pages, because I certainly am.

Sincerely, Sam Drake

Founder and Editor, Sightless

By Sam Drake

A picture of the Disability Pride Flag, A black background with five diagonal colored stripes, red, yellow, white, blue, and green

July marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is widely known as disability pride month. Disability Pride has an official flag featuring five colored stripes. Green for sensory disabilities, blue for psychiatric disabilities, white for invisible disabilities, yellow for neural/divergent disabilities and red for physical disabilities. Vision being one of the five senses makes blindness a sensory Disability.

In regards to the green stripe on the flag an interview was conducted to see what Disability Pride Month actually means to the blind community. As a member of the blind community. Disability Pride Month is a time to look back and reflect on all I have done. From teaching everyone I know little things about blindness to starting an adaptive sports club on my campus. I am proud to let my blindness help me empower others in my community and inspire people to continue doing great things.

20, Cone Dystrophy

Photo of Ronan

Ronan is a Business Administration major entering his junior year of college. Outside the classroom, Ronan enjoys working out and spending time with friends.

Community Spotlight

What does disability pride month mean to you?

To Ronan it means celebrating everyone's disability. He describes it as "a time when, if you have a disability, you can feel less pushed away from the world."

What accomplishments are you most proud of? Ronan is proud to be active in the blind community. In his words, "My dedication to volunteer work. It's something that fills my heart and makes me happy."

What accessibility improvements would you like to see in the future?

One accessibility improvement Ronan would like to see is better public transportation throughout the country.

19, Micro and Cloudy Cornea

Photo of Anneka

Anneka is a Political Science major entering her sophomore year at the University of Albany. Outside the classroom, Anneka enjoys reading, listening to music and running.

Community Spotlight

What does disability pride month mean to you? Anneka believes July is a time to spread awareness about disabilities. She expressed, "It's nice to have a time where people can actually see the community and help with accommodations.”

What accomplishments are you most proud of? Anneka is proud to have graduated highschool and went on to persue highter education. She is also proud to be working despite having a disability.

What accessibility improvements would you like to see in the future? Anneka would like to see more accessible materials at her college, such as braille signs and tactile maps.

Crystal Lazarus

21, Retinopathy of prematurity

Photo of Crystal

Crystal is a Psychology major entering her junior year at Le Moyne College. Outside the classroom, Crystal enjoys reading dystopian books and playing sports like basketball, goalball and track.

What does disability pride month mean to you?

For Crystal, July is a time for loving who you are and asking for what you need. In Crystal's words, "it means self acceptance and advocacy."

What accomplishments are you most proud of? Crystal is proud to be spreading awareness about adaptive sports like Goalball at her College. She mentioned, "I played throughout middle and high school and I didn't want to stop playing those sport.”

What accessibility. improvements would you like to see in the future? Crystal hopes to see audio description headphones at the movies, and more accessible traffic.

Elora Watkins

19, Optic Nerve Damage

Photo of Elora

Elora is a duel spanish and communications major entering sophomore year at San Diego State University. Outside the classroom, Elora enjoys music, swimming and warm weather. She also does speech and debate.

What does disability pride month mean to you?

Elora feels July is time to take pride in your disability.

Elora also believes it a reminder, “that anyone at any point in their life can join the disabled community.”

What accomplishments are you most proud of? Elora is proud to bring positivity through everything she does, and she has taken two speeches to nationals for speech and debate. What accessibility improvements would you like to see in the future?

Elora wants to see the complete implementation of accessibility tech, it already exists just isn't being used everywhere yet. For herself Elora would like to be more comfortable advocating.

Hosted at Suny Brockport Camp Abilities wrapped up its 2026 program on July 4th. Camp is a wonderful week-long experience teaching kids accommodated sports.

• AbilityFest
• Friday, July 10, 2026
• 4:30pm-7:00pm

Ability Building Community (1911 14 St NW Rochester)

• Monthly Highlights
• Camp Abilities 2026
• Ability Fest
• ABC

CAMP

On July 10th Ability Fest took place Rochester. It was a fun filled and fully accessible festival. It featured yard games, 40 foot inflatable obstacle course, and live music.

Stellar Trek

Stellartrek Workshop

On July 8th, the Lighthouse Guild in New York City held a workshop teaching low vision individuals how to use the new Stellar Trek an innovative navigation and Orientation tool.

A closeup of a hand gliding along a page as they read a sentence in braille

A fundamental part to independence is literacy. Having the ability to read is something a lot of people take for granted. According to NPR, "Reading is a basic human right. Literacy is a basic human right. And that is just as true for blind people as it is for sighted people." Braille is the answer. Braille is recognized as the universal language blind people use to read, and it is dying. From a young age people learn to read in the classroom and strengthen that skill everyday. for blind individuals, the school needs an expert on braille to teach it. This is unfortunately really hard to come by. Braille

Works found, "Over 80% of students with visual impairments are in traditional public schools. Yet, many of those students don't receive the instruction they need to learn braille code and become literate." braille still has a place in the modern age.

In 2026, there are multiple screen readers and audio tech that exists that many people believe can replace what braille does. this is completely false. Instead of providing an alternative option for reading, audio tech creates a dependence on the electronic, the opposite outcome to learning braille. RNIB revealed, "It is a much better way to understand punctuation, grammar and spelling than audio." Braille unlocks more opportunities for those who have the chance to learn it.

Braille is not just another language, it is the ticket to success. In the words of the National Braille Press, "Braille literacy plays the same key role in a blind person's life that print literacy does in a sighted

Sources person's, it increases opportunities." Braille is how blind people begin their education. It lets blind people continue on with a chance to actually make a living and show people they can provide to, APH CareerConnect confirms, "Research shows that braille readers (and therefore writers) are employed at a much higher rate than people who are blind or low vision who do not read braille." It is not too late to save Braille.

Bringing awareness to the fact braille is dying is the first step. and teaching the next generation not only how to use braille but why this skill benefits them is crucial if braille has any hope of continuing to help every person who learns it.

NPR: Transforming Braille Education Could Help Millions of Visually Impaired Americans (2024)

Braille Works: The Critical Need for Visual Impairment Teachers RNIB: Why Is Braille Important?

National Braille Press: The Need for Braille

APH CareerConnect: Is Braille Relevant in the 21st Century Workplace?

Camp Abilities Saratoga

A loss of sight loss of vision never a ION

CAMP abilities

SARATOGA

A week long event held from August 2nd to August 8th will be held in Saratoga springs. this events is hosted by Tiffany Suppes

50th National Beep Baseball

World Series

From Auguest 2nd To August 8th. The NBBS will be held at the Stuart Sports Complex in Aurora, Illinois. this events marks five decades of the adaptive sport bing played at the national level

• NATIONAL BEEP BASEBALL ASSOCIATION
• WORLD SERIES
• AUGUST 2-8, 2026

Vehicles for Vision Community Car & Motorcycle Show

• Vehicles for Vision
• COMMUNITY
• CAR&MOTORCYCLE SHOW
• & INVITATIONAL
• SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
• NOON. 3PM
• 507 KENT STREET
• UTICA, NY
• RAFFLES AWARDS

MUSIC FOOD hosted by the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired

(CABVI), takes place on Sunday, August 30, all proceeds go towards their mission to help the Blind Community

Braille Alphabet Guide a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Decode the hidden message

• Advocate Blindness
• Braille
• Braille Word Search
• Cane Community
• Disability
• Empowerment
• Guide
• Independence
• Mobility
• Sensory
• Tactile
• Vision

By Sam Drake

A picture featturing a smart phone, to the left of a table. infront of a tv and on A new bill is currently under consideration in the house and senate. The Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA) is a bill that aims to update the already existing Communications and Video Accessibility act of 2010. Due to rapid evolution within modern technology, this bill aims to continue protecting the rights of the disabled community while using tech. The bill mandates audio the right a laptop descriptions for all types of media including videos and materials shared during conference calls. The bill also requires devices to provide an easier way to access accessibility settings. While this bill has no effect on braille education and TVI shortages, if passed it, will ensure all citizens of the Blind Community are allowed to use electronics and keep up with the fast moving world of tech.

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Writing and Editing - Sam Drake

Co-Editior - April Mitchell-France

Design and Format - April Mitchell-France Cover and Logo - Jem Houser

• Ronan Christian
• Crystal Lazarus
• Anneka Prey
• Elora Watkins

Interviews

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the creation of the first issue of Sightless exploring Accessibilty, Innovation and the Blind Community