It’s Pride Month, a time to celebrate the history, progress, and diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities, while recognizing continued discrimination. As we aim to create a brighter future for Canadians with sight loss and transform our communities into beacons of accessibility and inclusion, we will continue to support community members with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions through our innovative programs and powerful advocacy. We must continue to raise our voices relentlessly to challenge stigma and support equal rights today, tomorrow and beyond. Together, we will continue to stand with the communities we serve.
New partnership brings community expertise and lived experience into the development of wearable technology, with practical support to help people explore its possibilities.
FirstTap uses fun games and activities to children who are blind or have low vision the commands and gestures (like swiping, pinching, and tapping) to use Apple’s operating system (iOS) its built-in vision accessibility features. Created by CNIB for young children (ages 2 +), activities are tailored to different skill levels, so kids can choose exercises that match their age, skill level and interests.
Held every September, Guide Dog Access Awareness Month is a time to raise awareness and understanding of guide dogs, the rights of guide dog handlers, and to champion equal access for guide dog teams.
While guide dog refusals happen in many settings, transportation remains one of the most common areas where handlers encounter barriers and discrimination. That’s why, in support of our commitment to safe and accessible journeys, our advocacy campaign this year is focused on guide dog access in transportation.
It’s not uncommon for vision loss to occur as we age, but for some, its onset can be sudden and unexpected. That was the experience for one woman from Victoria, Madison Sutcliffe, who suddenly lost about 90% of her vision during pregnancy. Looking for support and community, she reached out to CNIB and joined the Come to Work program
To strengthen our voices and support the professional development of our Ontario advocates, ambassadors and CNIB staff, we’ve launched Educate to Advocate – an advocacy program designed to drive achievement and equality through education.
