Planes Trains and Canes, is my travel journey through five cities in different parts of the world. I use my cane, take planes, and board trains to get to my destination and explore. My application for the 2019 Holman Prize is considered fun, charismatic, and witty. I am a blind female scientist with a passion for adventure. My project is in the format of a mini documentary series and I aim to show what it’s like traveling independently as a blind woman while using only public transportation. I advocate for the power of choice and the ability to either accept or refuse help.
Episodes
Holman
The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a San Francisco based non-profit organization. It was founded in 1902 by Josephine Rowan and is committed to promoting the "independence, equality, and self-reliance of people who are blind or have low vision" through rehabilitation training, employment placing, Enchanted Hills Camp, and other relevant services.
They host the Holman Prize for Blind Ambition, which I won in 2019 along with Alieu Jaiteh and Yuma Decaux. The Holman Prize is a competition that takes place internationally and offers up to $25,000 to three blind individuals every year. These individuals are tasked with presenting ambitious ideas that "challenge themselves and shatter misconceptions about blindness around the world". The prize is named after James Holman, "a Victorian-era adventurer and author". He is commonly known as the "Blind Traveller", or as I like to call him, gutsy.
About the Holman Prize: http://holman.lighthouse-sf.org/about/
More information on James Holman: http://holman.lighthouse-sf.org/who-is-james-holman/