Disability Rights Advocates is investigating complaints regarding barriers that blind or visually impaired persons have experienced attempting to tag on or tag off at Caltrain stations using Clipper Cards.
If you have been unable to successfully tag on or tag off using a Clipper Card at a Caltrain station, have been unable to locate Clipper Card tagging machines due to the absence of tactile directional floor tiles, or have had to seek the assistance of a sighted person due to the inaccessibility of Clipper Card tagging machines, Disability Rights Advocates would like to talk to you. To share your stories, please contact Scott Murray by phone at 510-665-8644 or by e-mail at smurray@dralegal.org.
Connect to your power in 2012 and move with new energy!
This afternoon class is designed to encourage you to playfully stretch, breathe, laugh, open and move into the rhythm of your power…
Nancy Yates, Yoga Instructor
Refreshments (chai and strawberries) served
When: Saturday, January 21, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters RSVP encouraged, contact: Brandon Young at byoung@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7372
The LightHouse has partnered with Disability Rights Advocates on a number of issues that affect our blind and visually impaired community. The following request illustrates the scope of the problem that affects our community.
Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a non-profit legal center, is investigating complaints regarding barriers that people with mobility impairments and people who are blind or low vision have encountered at areas of construction or other work zones along pedestrian routes.
When pedestrian paths are closed or partially blocked due to construction, maintenance or other conditions, any pedestrian detours or the remaining unblocked pathway that is provided must be accessible.
If you have a mobility impairment, are blind or have low vision, and have experienced any of the following barriers when pedestrian pathways are affected by construction or other activities, we would like to hear from you:
– Pedestrian detours without ramps over sharp vertical steps, drop-offs or curbs
– Use of yellow tape to alert pedestrians to the detour or of the hazardous condition
– Use of unsecured cones or A-frames to alert pedestrians of the temporary route or condition
– Pedestrian detours that have steep slopes or cross-slopes
– Lack of detectable warnings at pedestrian detours that cross roads or vehicle traffic
– Objects protruding into the path of travel along the pedestrian detour
– Pedestrian detours that are less than 36 inches wide
– Narrowing of the existing pathway to less than 36 inches wide
– Open trenches or other hazardous conditions posing dangers to pedestrians
– Use of signage that is only accessible to sighted pedestrians
– Loose gravel, unsecured plywood or other terrain that is not firm, stable and slip-resistant
– Other hazardous or inaccessible conditions along pedestrian detours
If you have encountered barriers like these, please let us know. Send a description of the barrier, along with any cell phone or other photos you can take of the problem, to PedDetours@dralegal.org. Please include your name and contact information as well.
We would appreciate any details about the barrier that you can provide, including:
– The location of the barrier
– When you encountered it
– Whether the barrier seems very short-term
– Whether the barrier seems longer-term
– Who appears to have created the barrier
– Who has jurisdiction over the blocked pathway
You can also reach us by phone. Call Zack Duffly at 510-665-8644 to share your story.
STREET-LEVEL ELEVATOR
OUT-OF-SERVICE
AT CIVIC CENTER STATION
December 14, 15 and 16
We apologize for the inconvenience that will be caused by the street-level elevator repair at Civic Center Station. The flooring needs to be replaced and the work should take no more than 3 days to complete.
While the repairs are going on, the elevator will not be available for use. Passengers who rely on the elevator should plan to use the elevator at a different station. We hope that once the work is complete, it will result in many more years of trouble-free operation.
Thank you for your patience.
To check the operational status of the elevators at nearby stations, please call 510-834-LIFT or 888-2-ELEVAT.
If you need language assistance services, please call BART’s Transit Information Center at (510) 465-2278.
Are blind people naturally better in bed? Can blindness be sexy? Join the ‘Building Meaningful Relationships’ crew for a discussion of these and many other sex positive topics in our final workshop of the year, Sex: Questions and Answers.
When: Saturday, December 10, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
In our two previous workshops we have explored the excitement of flirting, examined the possible pitfalls of dependence, and now we are hosting an A to Z discussion about sex in the blind community which promises to be our most inspiring topic to date!
Sex can be an exciting topic; however, we are aware that for some it can be an embarrassing topic as well. For this reason we will not require that workshop participants share anything personal with the group. Feel free to come, and simply listen. Adults 18 and over are invited to join us in creating a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space. The “Building Meaningful Relationships” workshop series is guided by blind professional therapists, counselors and psychologists; these workshops fill a much-requested need we hear from our community. And we expect to break some new ground!
Our first workshop installment, Flirting While Blind, sparked much enthusiasm and interest for more in-depth discussion and sharing of ideas to help us connect better with people who we want to get to know more intimately. The second workshop of the series, Navigating Love & Intimacy, focused on the ways in which disability and dependence can affect relationships. Now, for our final installment of the year, Sex: Questions and Answers, we will explore the areas of sex, gender, and culture. Visually impaired individuals, couples, and couples with mixed abilities are all encouraged to come and share their experiences, or just listen.
Whether this will be your first workshop or you are a returning participant, come and enjoy some refreshments, and enlightening conversation. Please RSVP by December 9 to Brandon Young at byoung@old.lighthouse-sf.org.
This workshop is free of charge. Voluntary donations of $5.00 to $15.00 are encouraged for those who are able. We’ll see you there!
Join yoga instructor Nancy Yates for a wonderful “pre-holiday” yoga exploration workshop.
Traditionally, the holidays signal a time for connection with loved ones….a moment to pause and enjoy one another and the gifts that love provides. Today, in the midst of all the collective “commercialization and strife” it is challenging to pause and remember our heart-felt sacredness and calm.
Whatever your holiday experience is, this afternoon is designed to open you to the creative, playful (giggling), wise and loving transformational energy of our Beautiful Breath and the healing tools of yoga. Together we will explore top yoga mat reviews and meditative yoga practices to awaken and open the heart for greater joy and connection to the rhythm of your life-force.
Join us for a wonderful workshop of stretching, breathing, relaxation and freedom, led by yoga instructor Nancy Yates.
When: Saturday, November 19th, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Strawberries and Chai tea will be served
For more information, contact Brandon Young at 415-694-7372 or byoung@old.lighthouse-sf.org.
The National Association of Blind Veterans, a division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), announced a free lottery for wounded warriors who have lost their sight during Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. The winner will receive a free trip to Dallas, Texas, to attend the national convention of the NFB, which will take place from June 30 to July 5, 2012.
First prize will include airfare to the convention for the winner and a companion, hotel accommodations, the convention registration fee and a banquet ticket, and the opportunity to meet and spend time with a whole organization of blind veterans. Entry to the contest is available here.
For more information about the contest or the National Association of Blind Veterans, please visit www.nabv.org or call Dwight Sayer at 407-877-8668.
On Sunday, October 23rd LightHouse Board member Chris Downey, with the help of two of his friends, rode tandem from LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters to the lighthouse at Point Reyes to raise funds for our programs and services. Donations are still coming in, but so far he has raised over $6000.00 towards his $10,000 goal. Here’s what Chris experienced on his ride, in his own words.
Chris Downey and Hans Bogdanos on the Golden Gate Bridge
The “LightHouse Blind Cycle Challenge” on Sunday, October 23 lived up to its name as my captains and I rode 64 miles (100km) from the door of the LightHouse in San Francisco to the lighthouse at the southern tip of Point Reyes. Not only did the name celebrate the lighthouse at either end of the ride but it also captured the challenge that played out between the two points – especially the final 15 miles!
To our delight, the day was sunny and warm from start to finish. Heading out of the LightHouse on Van Ness at 8 a.m., we went for a majestic start loop around City Hall before cutting over to Folsom Street to head east to the Embarcadero. We made it around the waterfront before the locals hit the Ferry Building and before the tourists had a chance to descend upon Fisherman’s Wharf. Even the ride across the Golden Gate Bridge was sunny, clear and warm without the powerful gusts of wind that so commonly encircle the towers.
From there we continued north through Sausalito, along a string of bike trails, then rode through the towns of Larkspur, Ross, San Anselmo and Fairfax before clearing the hustle and bustle of Sunday morning Marin coffee traffic. We made quick work of White’s Hill before dropping into the San Geronimo Valley and then riding north to Nicasio. After a brief stretch and an energy bar, we continued around the Nicasio Reservoir, and out to Point Reyes Station where we met my wife and son, Rosa and Renzo. Thinking we had sufficiently “tamed the beast”, we feasted on hearty lunches. We slipped into a premature sense of success, thinking that the end was just around Tomales Bay and beyond Inverness, on the Point Reyes Seashore. Little did we know, the real challenge was about to begin.
Cresting over the hills west of Inverness we heard the sounds of the roaring coastline and felt a false sense of achievement. We began our proud descent down the narrow road that we thought would take us right to the lighthouse. A quick glance at the odometers at the base of the descent was our wake-up call that something else was in store for us: there were 15 miles to go! We spent those next 15 miles traversing the ups and downs of undulating country roads between wind-swept pastures. Cyclists affectionately call these “rollers”. At this point in our ride, we could think of a few other things to call them.
Our final half-mile was a rather steep ascent up to the cliffs above the lighthouse. We slowed to a pitiful 3.5 mile per hour pace. At times like this, it’s beneficial not to see the climb ahead. There’s no chance to be defeated or demoralized by the sight, so you just hunker down and get into an easy sustainable spin. At the end, despite fears of the usual cold and windy fog that typifies the Point Reyes peninsula, the sun graced us warmly as we crossed the finish line.
My captains Mike Brown and Hans Bogdanos did a great job piloting the tandem from start to finish with a tag team trade-off between a solo bike and my tandem. These two treasured friends have been riding with me since only four months after I unexpectedly lost all sight, just over three and a half years ago. In particular Mike, an old riding partner of mine, confidently declared (while I was still in the hospital, having lost all sight just days before) that we would start riding tandem together as soon as I was out. Riding with these guys and for the LightHouse made for a most spectacular and memorable ride. There was so much karma in the air that the sun had to glow from start to finish.
Thanks to all who supported the ride, and it’s not too late for those that would still like to take the opportunity to contribute through the first ever LightHouse Blind Cycle Challenge. Together we can reach the goal of $10,000 in support of this wonderful organization that has been and continues to be so critical to Bay Area children, adults and seniors – and even an architect like me, to build or re-build a meaningful, successful and exciting life without sight.
A part of the LightHouse “Building Meaningful Relationships” Love and Intimacy Series
How can love turn into dependence? When is my partner helping too much? Does my partner love me because I depend on their help? We’ll discuss these and other questions at the LightHouse during the second installment of the “Building Meaningful Relationships” workshop series, Navigating Love & Intimacy.
The LightHouse invites adults 18 and over to plunge into the world of love and intimacy. Our “Building Meaningful Relationships” series is guided by blind professional therapists, counselors and psychologists; these workshops fill a much-requested need we hear from our community. And we expect to break some new ground!
When: Saturday, November 12 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Our first workshop installment, Flirting While Blind, sparked much enthusiasm and interest for more in-depth discussion and sharing of ideas to help us connect better with people who we want to get to know more intimately.
Participant Brett DeSalvo said, “The [instructors] gave helpful advice when it came to flirting with people you’re getting to know, such as smiling while walking around or sitting, acting positive while describing the state of your vision, channeling anxiety and confidence before meeting someone for a date, and also complimenting someone on their scent, clothes, sound of their walk, or laugh.”
The second workshop of the series, Navigating Love & Intimacy, will focus on the ways in which unmanaged disability and dependence can affect relationships. We know that some blind or visually-impaired people experience feelings of helplessness, attachment, and dependence, either because they are newly-blind or because they haven’t yet found relationship models that work well. The chance to learn practical techniques around lovingly giving and receiving help is one area in which we hope to make a contribution. We also will present techniques to both increase awareness of and address over-dependence and over-helping in relationships.
Are you in a relationship and experiencing isolation, shame or fear? Do you seek effective ways to communicate your growing need for more independence from a sighted or blind partner?
Visually impaired individuals, couples, and couples with mixed abilities are all encouraged to come and share their experiences. Although “Building Meaningful Relationships” is a workshop series devoted to intimate love relationships, many of the skills presented will be useful for all types of relationships. This second workshop is for all adults 18 and up, whether single or already in a relationship.
Whether this is your first time or you are a returning participant, come and enjoy some good food, enlightening conversation, while learning how to navigate the swift currents of love and intimacy!
This workshop is free of charge. Voluntary donations of $5.00 to $15.00 are welcome to help defray the costs of food and refreshments.
The holiday season is fast approaching, and you’re wondering what gift to get for that special visually impaired or blind friend or family member. Or maybe you have been good this year and want to buy yourself a gift.
Join the LightHouse for the next technology seminar and learn about the latest accessible high-tech goodies, in price ranges to suit a variety of holiday budgets.
When: Tuesday, November 15, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. PST Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters, or by phone or streaming audio
Assistive Technology consultant Peter Cantisani will talk to us about Apple TV. Other topics include the Braille Pen and the Pen Friend. We’ll have demos galore at Adaptations, the LightHouse Store, including “The Wilson” personal voice recorder, the SleepPhone (soft headphones one can wear in bed), and the iBill money identifier. There will be many other gift possibilities, as well.
You can participate in one of the following ways:
Tune in via live audio stream on our website
Dial in with our telephone conferencing service
Attend in person and talk to the presenters after the seminar
RSVP to 415-694-7326 or rsvp@old.lighthouse-sf.org. Conference call and live stream instructions will be provided with RSVP.
