Perkins School for the Blind Launches New BlindNewWorld Website

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More than half of the sighted population can’t recall the last time they saw someone who is blind in the last year. Somehow they have missed a population of 7 million blind individuals. Why are blind people invisible to the sighted world? What can be done to create a world that is more inclusive of the blind community?

 

BlindNewWorld is a new social change campaign sponsored by Perkins School for the Blind to debunk stereotypes and inspire the sighted population to see the full social, professional and intellectual capabilities of people who are blind.

 

According to a new study, there are four main barriers to inclusion: discomfort, pity, fear and stigma. For years, the blind population and organizations supporting it, have been frustrated by the social and professional exclusion and the near invisibility of people who are blind from the public’s social consciousness.

“Many people hold preconceived biases that the blind aren’t capable of daily tasks and can’t lead happy lives,” said Corinne Grousbeck, Chair of the Board at Perkins School for the Blind. “Even worse, people often fear blindness more than many terminal diseases. This stems from a lack of understanding and contact with the blind community. BlindNewWorld reveals the realities of today’s highly capable blind population and provides simple actions that each of us can take to include the blind in the sighted world.”

 



To learn more and join the movement, visit www.BlindNewWorld.org and also like @BlindNewWorld on Facebook, and follow on Twitter and Instagram at the following respective links:



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