Sightless Magazine July Edition

More in this magazine

• CoverPride Beyond Sight What disabiltiy pride means to the blind community Why Braille Still Matters?
• Table of ContentsEditors Letter – pg 3 Pride Beyond Sight - pg 4
• Editor's LetterI 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.
• Pride Beyond SightBy Sam Drake A picture of the Disability Pride Flag, A black background with five diagonal colored stripes, red, yellow, white, blue, and green
• Ronan Christian20, Cone Dystrophy Photo of Ronan
• Anneka Prey19, Micro and Cloudy Cornea Photo of Anneka
• Community SpotlightCrystal Lazarus 21, Retinopathy of prematurity
• Community SpotlightElora Watkins 19, Optic Nerve Damage
• Page 9Hosted 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
• Why Braille Still Matters in 2026 by Sam DrakeA 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
• Page 11In 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
• Upcoming EventsCamp Abilities Saratoga A loss of sight loss of vision never a ION
• Page 13Braille 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
• Access AccommidationAdvocate Blindness Braille
• What is the CVTA ActBy 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.
• Page 16DON'T MISS OUR AUGUST ISSUE! GOALBALL!
• CreditsWriting and Editing - Sam Drake Co-Editior - April Mitchell-France
• Page 18