Thursday, June 26, 1:00 – 3:00 PM, In-Person Event
1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco
Every June we proudly celebrate our organization and the BVI community. This year, we are excited to celebrate our community partners and the positive impact we have had working with local and national businesses to improve their accessibility efforts and policies, making the world a more inclusive place for everyone.
| Members of the public are invited to attend the Thursday, June 5, meeting of the Board of Directors of San Francisco’s LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. This virtual meeting, held via Zoom, will run from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm Pacific Time.
Thirty minutes will be reserved for public comment, and members of the public will have up to three minutes to comment. If you would like to reserve a slot to speak, please complete the LightHouse Public Comment and RSVP Sign Up form and submit your RSVP as far in advance as possible. RSVPs and requests to speak must be received before 5:00pm PST on Friday, May 30, to be included in the agenda. If you would like to attend the virtual meeting, please fill LightHouse Public Comment and RSVP Sign Up form. Whether you plan to have a public comment or not, you will need to fill out this form to get the Zoom info. Zoom information will be emailed closer to the date of the board meeting. |
Dear LightHouse Community,
We’re thrilled to share some changes underway at the LightHouse Adaptations Store! In our ongoing effort to better serve the blind and low vision community, we are temporarily pausing shopping operations at both our physical Adaptations Store at 1155 Market Street and our online store, Adaptations.org. This short break will allow us to prepare for a redesign to our online Adaptations.org store, creating an improved and more accessible shopping experience.
When we return online soon, you’ll be welcomed by a fully revamped Adaptations.org — a refreshed, easier-to-navigate online marketplace featuring a refined selection of innovative blind and low vision products. We are especially excited to announce the launch of a brand-new homegrown LightHouse cleaning product line with accessible packaging, fulfilled exclusively by our LightHouse Eco staff in Alameda, CA that we can’t wait for you to explore!
The Adaptations.org store will be offline for a brief period until it relaunches at the end of May 2025.
In the coming months, our physical Adaptations store location at 1155 Market Street will be reopened and re-imagined as an Adaptations Demo Space. Our students, clients, and visitors will be able to coordinate with LightHouse staff (O&Ms and AT instructors) to schedule time to visit the space and experience featured hands-on demos of innovative blind and low vision products.
Our full product offerings will be available for purchase online at Adaptations.org. In our demo space, accessible QR codes will allow you to explore the Adaptations.org inventory and order products online for convenient home or business delivery.
We will follow up with an announcement over the summer when our new demo space is open, so stay tuned! These changes will create a seamless, online shopping experience that’s more accessible and tailored to your needs — all while keeping the connection with our expert LightHouse staff.
Thank you for your support and patience as we revamp our store experience for our community. We look forward to sharing this next chapter of the Adaptations Store with you soon!
With excitement,
The LightHouse Retail Team
Join us for the recently rescheduled fifth and final event in our AI series, Steering the Future: AI’s Role in Autonomous Vehicles, on Wednesday, May 14 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM at the LightHouse HQ in San Francisco or virtually via Zoom.
The LightHouse Access Technology team is excited to invite you to a special event featuring a guest speaker from a leading autonomous vehicle company, Waymo. This talk, accompanied by a follow-up panel discussion, will provide an in-depth look at how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the driving force behind the revolutionary technology in autonomous vehicles. Our expert speaker will guide us through the intricate workings of AI in these advanced systems, from perception and decision-making to navigation and safety protocols. The presentation will offer a unique opportunity to understand the complexities and challenges of integrating AI into autonomous transportation, highlighting the innovative strides being made in this field. Join us for this enlightening session to explore the cutting-edge intersection of AI and automotive technology and get a glimpse into the future of transportation.
AI in Vehicle Perception and Decision Making: Understanding how AI processes vast amounts of data for real-time decision making, ensuring safety and efficiency in autonomous driving.
As a thank you to our supporters during this exciting five-part series of AI inspired events, we will be giving away two pairs of Meta glasses to TWO lucky, in-person attendees!
What: Steering the Future: AI’s Role in Autonomous Vehicles
When: Wednesday, May 14, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Where: LightHouse San Francisco headquarters, 1155 Market St. 10th FL San Francisco and online (Directions to LightHosue San Francisco)
To RSVP to this event, for both in person and online attendance, please complete the AI’s Role in Autonomous Vehicles RSVP form linked here.
Please note: If you previously signed up for this event, originally scheduled on May 9, you do not need to RSVP a second time. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused and hope you can join us on May 14.
This event was made possible by generous funding from the Peninsula Endowment.
`The World Labyrinth Day celebration at Earle Baum Campus (EBC) is May 3. Labyrinths are winding circular paths that lead from a beginning point to a center and are designed to be spaces for meditation, mindfulness and stress reduction.
We chatted with Patricia Jefferson, Adult Program Specialist at EBC, and who also is a certified Labyrinth Facilitator, about her own history with labyrinths. She said, “In 2014 I was given a book, Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice, by Lauren Artress. I started thinking that with all the training and functional work with rehabilitation at EBC, there wasn’t a place for the emotional inward work of adjusting to vision loss. That got me started on a plan that took the next four years to complete: to get a labyrinth at EBC. I considered the accessibility issues in design, such as choosing the right materials and size of the path. I worked to secure outside funding to get it built, and on September 7, 2018, we had the EBC labyrinth dedication day.”
In addition to time for everyone to walk the labyrinth, the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, a longtime community partner of EBC, will have a table at the event. The Laguna Foundation works to restore and conserve the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a wetland complex in Sonoma County. Because the land at EBC contains vernal pool wetlands and is often home to the endangered Sebastopol meadowfoam flower and other native plants, the Laguna Foundation has worked with EBC on projects to conserve the land. Additionally, with a grant from the Sarah K. de Coizart Perpetual Charitable Trust, EBC and the Laguna Foundation collaborated to build a 0.83-mile vernal pool trail that winds through the intact vernal pool wetland complex at EBC. The celebration will also have live music from the Sonoma County based Batachá Latin Band. Their keyboardist Joel Bennett’s mother once received services at EBC.
The EBC Labyrinth is accessible to white cane users, dog guides, wheelchair users and two people walking side by side.
11:00 am
Sign in at the curb at EBC. Light breakfast items will be served. There will be information tables for LightHouse and the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, an organization that works to conserve the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a wetland in Sonoma County.
12:00 to 12:30 pm
We’ll migrate to the labyrinth bench and a speaker from the Laguna Foundation will recognize the projects completed on the EBC property.
1:00 pm
Labyrinth walking begins and continues until everyone is finished.
2:30 pm
Migrate back to the quad for music and dancing. Light refreshments will be served. Music will be performed by the Batacha Latin Band, a Sonoma County based band, which plays a variety of Latin music from jazz to salsa.
What: World Labyrinth Day at Earle Baum Campus
When: Saturday, May 3 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Earle Baum Campus, 4539 Occidental Rd, Santa Rosa, 95401
RSVP to World Labyrinth Day with transportation from San Francisco.
RSVP to World Labyrinth Day without transportation.
Or RSVP to Patricia Jefferson at PJefferson@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7692 or 707-775-7153.
Dear LightHouse Community,
I am writing to you with a heavy heart as I share some difficult news. After much consideration, I have made the decision to resign from my position as CEO of LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Francisco, effective March 31.
Recently, I received a challenging health diagnosis that requires my immediate focus and attention. As I undergo treatment for cancer, I have made the difficult decision to step down from my role in order to prioritize my health and well-being. Given the rigorous demands of my treatment and the unpredictable nature of my health journey, I believe this is the best course of action for both myself and the organization.
In the coming days, I will be relocating to be near family for the support and care I need during this time. I anticipate requiring assistance throughout my treatment and recovery.
Serving as the CEO of LightHouse has been the greatest honor of my career. I am immensely proud of the progress we have made together in advancing our mission, though there is more to be done. I regret the abruptness of my departure but have full confidence in the capable leadership of our C-Suite team and Board to continue guiding the organization forward.
Throughout my tenure, I have been continually inspired by the resilience and dedication of our staff and clients, as well as the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our stakeholders. Together, we have navigated challenges and achieved milestones, driven by a shared commitment to improving the lives of those we serve.
I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition and I am collaborating closely with the Board and senior leadership to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities. I am confident that LightHouse will continue to thrive and grow for the next 120+ years.
I extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for your unwavering support over the years. Your dedication has been instrumental in shaping the success of LightHouse, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as your CEO.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of this incredible journey. The memories of our achievements together will always hold a special place in my heart.
Warmest regards,
Sharon L. Giovinazzo
Join LightHouse for the Blind and the San Francisco Public Library as we celebrate Josh Miele and the publication of his new book, Connecting Dots: A Blind Life. Enjoy a reading by the author and interview by fellow author, Jason Roberts, small bites, beverages, and networking with the literary and BVI communities. Copies of Connecting Dots: A Blind Life will be available for purchase at the event.
When: Thursday, March 27, 5:30 – 7:30
Where: LightHouse HQ at 1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco
What: Author reading and book party
** This is a free event **
Connecting Dots, written in collaboration with veteran journalist Wendell Jamieson – tells the story of Dr. Miele’s personal and professional blind life. From Brooklyn to Berkeley, from childhood to parenthood, from student to scholar, and beyond, this book describes Dr. Miele’s experience growing up, coming of age, and establishing a life and career as a blind person in a sighted world.
Connecting Dots tells the very personal story of Josh’s growth and development while offering his professional take on widely-shared challenges of blindness, such as access to maps and graphics, access to video content, and the challenge of managing uninvited “assistance” from sighted strangers. It also explains some of his unique approaches to solving accessibility challenges, such as automated tools for generating tactile maps, a somewhat shady scheme for crowd-sourcing descriptions of YouTube videos, and a brief but brutal sabotage campaign against inaccessible ATMs in the late 90s. Along the way, he talks about canes and dogs, braille and babies, screen readers and spacecraft, and the rebellion and romance throughout his life that ties them all together.
“An instant classic. Like its author, Connecting Dots is brilliant but approachable; irreverent without losing touch with the seriousness of his subject; and accessible in every sense of the word. Miele’s funny, moving, and absorbing account of his life and work demonstrate the truth behind the proverb about innovation and necessity: disabled people are the true mothers of invention.”
– Andrew Leland, author of The Country of the Blind
“This is not a single book, but several wonderful books wrapped up into one. It’s a science book, a romance, a riveting history of the disability movement, a book about New York, an advice book. And, of course, it’s a memoir—fascinating, honest, and inspirational in a delightfully un-sappy way.”
– A.J. Jacobs, author of The Know It All and The Year of Living Constitutionally
“This is the story of a singular life, one shaped by violence but also by a devoted family, dedicated teachers and an array of fellow blind people who refused to accept the limitations imposed on them by others.”
– Georgina Kleege, author of More Than Meets the Eye: What Blindness Brings to Art
Josh Miele has a lifetime of achievements as a trailblazing scientist, inventor, and community leader whose groundbreaking work has transformed accessibility for blind individuals. As a longtime advocate for independence and innovation, Josh has played a pivotal role in advancing technology that enhances the lives of blind people worldwide.
Josh’s enduring contributions to LightHouse include the development of Tactile Maps Automated Production (TMAP), a revolutionary web application that allows for the creation of tactile street maps suitable for braille embossing. First conceptualized in 2003 during his tenure at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, TMAP became a reality through a four-year implementation process at LightHouse, launching for distribution in 2014. The impact of TMAP has been far-reaching, with the maps showcased in a 2018 exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, and earning LightHouse the prestigious Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind.
Beyond his technical contributions, Josh Miele has been a guiding force within LightHouse leadership. Serving on the LightHouse Board of Directors from 2008 to 2019, he founded LightHouse Labs and served as Board President for two terms. His commitment to fostering innovation and accessibility has left an indelible mark on our community.
Jason Roberts, a University of California Santa Cruz alumni, worked as a software engineer at Apple before leaving to write a series of books on both hardware and software topics, then to serve as a technology reporter for the Village Voice. Roberts is the author of A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History’s Greatest Traveler, as well as Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life.
On Sale: March 4, 2025
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780306832789\
On Saturday February 22, LightHouse commemorates Black History Month with our event, “Celebrate and Elevate!” at our headquarters in San Francisco. All are welcome.
The schedule for the event is as follows:
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm – Appetizers and Exhibits
Appetizers include: Jamaican beef patties, chicken curry patties, mushroom patties (vegetarian)
Exhibitors include: Bayview Senior Services and Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm – Guest Speakers
Anil Lewis, Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives for the National Federation of the Blind and author of Being Black Helped Me Be Blind and Being Blind Helped Me Understand that #BlackLivesMatter and who’s committed to protecting the rights of people with disabilities, will speak on “Elevate and Celebrate” and the intersection of disability and black history.
In comments given to the National Disability Rights Network, Anil explained some similarities and differences between the discrimination he faced as a blind person versus what he faced as a black person. “[When] I became a blind person, and I realized that I was being faced with a whole different set of criteria related to discrimination, where the strategies I had developed in order to fight discrimination as a black person were very similar, the real interesting dynamic is as a black person, much of that discrimination was based on ignorance, through hate and dislike. As a blind person, most of that discrimination was ignorance, but through love. The hardest part for me was to fight the custodial value system that was placed on me as a blind person, which really was much more difficult than dealing with the discrimination I faced as a black person.”
William Rhodes (www.williamrhodesart.com), a mixed media artist trained in traditional woodworking and joinery, with a fine arts background, is the Intergenerational Director at Bayview Senior Services and will speak on “African American history through Quilting and other Mixed Media.”’
William shared some thoughts with us ahead of this event:
“Black disabled history is Black history, and all of this permeates American history. During Black History Month, it is vital to recognize the significant contributions of Black individuals throughout history. It is equally important to acknowledge that many of these influential figures also lived with disabilities, an aspect that is often overlooked or minimized.”
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Music
Jorge Ellington, a local musician will DJ.
What: “Celebrate and Elevate!” Black History Month Celebration
When: Saturday, February 22, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Where: LightHouse headquarters, 1155 Market St., San Francisco 10th Floor (directions to LightHouse San Francisco)
RSVP by Thursday, February 20: RSVP online for Black History Month Celebration or to Sabrina Bolus at 415-694-7607.
Join the LightHouse Access Technology team for an insightful exploration into the dynamic role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing workplace productivity.
When: Wednesday, March 26, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Where: LightHouse HQ, 1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco or virtually on Zoom
RSVP: For both in person and virtual attendance, please complete the AI Tools and Workplace Efficiency RSVP form
This presentation, accompanied by a panel discussion, will delve into the various ways AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Jemenai, and Perplexity AI, can revolutionize task efficiency and decision-making processes. While AI offers groundbreaking advancements, it’s also crucial to understand its limitations in the professional environment. This session not only highlights AI’s capabilities but also provides practical insights into effectively prompting AI chatbots to maximize their potential. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a business professional, or simply curious about the future of work, this presentation will equip you with a deeper understanding of AI’s role in shaping a more efficient and intelligent workplace.
