Belo Miguel Cipriani is an American writer, publisher, and entrepreneur in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. He is the founder of Oleb Media, a digital inclusion firm, and the disability publishing house Oleb Books. He is also a disability and LGBTQ+ advocate. .In the spring of 2007, Belo Cipriani was brutally assaulted and robbed a group of former friends in San Francisco's Castro District.  He was kicked in the face repeatedly. One of those devastating blows went directly into his eyes, leaving Belo blind at the age of twenty-six. 

Belo is the author of Blind: A Memoir (2011), which chronicles the two years immediately following his assault. He received an Honorable Mention for Best Nonfiction Book by the 2011 Rainbow Awards, and an Honorable Mention for Best Culture Book by the 2012 Eric Hoffer Awards. 

He has received fellowships from Lambda Literary and Yaddo, and was the first blind writer to attend the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. Cipriani has guest lectured at Yale University, University of San Francisco, and University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, and was the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University from 2012 to 2016.

His writing has appeared in several publications, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, Business Insider, and HuffPost. He was a contributor to the Ed Baxter Morning Show on iHeart Radio, and was also a frequent commentator on San Francisco’s KGO Radio, as well as on several NPR shows. He also has a column on disability issues that was recognized by the National Center on Disability and Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

Belo has received numerous awards for his disability advocacy work, including being named “Best Disability Advocate” by SF Weekly (2015), an “Agent of Change” by HuffPost (2015), and an “ABC7 Star” by KGO-TV (2016). He was also honored as the first blind Grand Marshal at San Francisco’s 45th Annual Gay Pride Parade.

He lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota with his partner, James, and his guide dog, Oslo.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Belo shares his story about the harrowing night which took away his eyesight. He also discusses the mission and purpose of his companies Oleb Books and Oleb Media, how he is the spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, finding inspiration to write his memoir, and  his role as a disability and LGBTQ+ advocate. “People with disabilities, at the end of the day, are just like everybody else,” Bello quotes. “We have desires, dreams and goals. We also have fears. The only difference is we negotiate life differently, but that doesn’t mean that our lives are any less valid.”

Dave Steele is an award-winning poet, author, public speaker, singer, and advocate for the blind. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) in 2014, this genetic eye condition left Dave “severely sight impaired.” Together with his wife, Amy, the family grappled with the difficult diagnosis as RP quickly left Dave an unemployed father of four. Feeling the stressors of financial debt and the loss of his independence, Dave turned to social media for support with his RP journey. He was also struck by the numerous misconceptions and stories of injustice being experienced by so many blind/visually impaired people all over the world. When a member in one of these online groups learned of Dave’s singing background, they invited him to perform at a meeting for those living with RP and Usher Syndrome. The experience inspired Steel’s idea for his “Stand By Me RP” song. Using the classic song by Ben E. King, Dave altered the lyrics to relate to how he felt losing his own sight to Retinitis Pigmentosa. In December 2014, Dave sought permission from the band Elbow, to alter the lyrics of their song “One Day Like This.” With the band’s blessing, Dave performed his version of the song at Joanne Milne’s “Breaking the Silence” book launch.

Dave created his own “Stand By Me RP” Facebook page in 2015. Since it’s conception, the page has become one of the largest social media RP groups in the world. As his eyesight continued to decline, the words did not stop flowing. Dave began writing two to three poems per day about his struggles and experiences. Part creative genius, part therapy, Dave’s writing became a catalyst for helping others and himself through RP. Dave’s first book, Stand By Me RP Volume I, was released in February 2016. That same day, he received the call that he had been matched with a guide dog. During its first week, Stand By Me RP Volume I, went on to become the #1 poetic release in both America and Australia.

 In March of 2016, Dave left his family for 10 days to be trained with his guide dog, Christopher, a yellow Labrador retriever. He released his second book, Stand By Me RP Volume II, in February 2017. It became the #1 poetry release in Europe within its first day. In February 2018, Dave’s third book, Stand By Me RP Volume III was released, completing his trilogy. Dave has been featured in a short film by Cambridge university called Blindsighted. He has also appeared on a special called the Blind Poet for RNIB radio, BBC TV, ITV and That’s Manchester TV news.

His advocacy work continues to be recognized both locally and internationally. In 2018 Dave was honored by Henshaws with the “Impact Award” and was the recipient of the Pride of Bury “Community Hero Award.” He currently serves as a local ambassador for Henshaws and as a global Ambassador for the American company, Two Blind Brothers.

In November 2019, Dave landed in the USA to kick off his first American Book Tour sponsored by Low Vision Specialists of Maryland & Virginia and The Low Vision Shop. The three week tour included a wide variety of speaking engagements (keynote speeches, book readings/signings, meetings, and more) and visited major cities throughout the Northeast. Dave’s presence uplifted the crowd throughout every step of the journey. Some of the book tour visits included  the New York Public Library, Rhode Island College, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM), National Federation of The Blind Maryland Conference, Maryland Department of Rehabilitation Services Conference, The Sight-Loss Support Group of Greater Baltimore, VisionCorps, and much more. 

Interviewed by our Founder and President, Alexandra Nicholas, Dave Steele discusses his diagnosis with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP),  his self-authored collection of  700 poems and songs dealing with the fears and struggles associated with sight loss, a bit about his guide dog, Christopher and how they became partners in navigating Dave’s world. Through his works, Dave hopes to erase many of the misconceptions associated with blindness.  Dave’s mission is an inspiration to all those with a difference; he states that his work “helps those who are being isolated by a condition that strips us of our independence, lets them know that they aren’t alone, and helps educate loved ones on how we feel.”

Kendall Renee is a singer, songwriter, recording artist, and Lola’s dog mom from Southern California. Her music is her greatest passion, but Kendall’s music is all about the message. She strives to write songs that resonate with her listeners. Kendall strives to make others feel understood and less alone with her songs, as she felt these emotions in regards to her food allergies. Kendall is anaphylactic to 95% of all foods and must use a feeding tube in her stomach to receive nutrition. Kendall is also severely allergic to airborne particles of all nuts. Kendall carries auto-injectable epinephrine with her at all times – and has used it to save her life eight times to date.

None of this has stopped Kendall from pursuing her dreams and career. She released her first album, Original in 2016, dedicating its message to individuals with various differences. Alongside her career as a songwriter and artist, Kendall travels around sharing her songs and story in the hopes of inspiring others going through their own medical struggles. She believes that disabilities can be turned into “superpowers” and can be used to do great things in this world.

Aside from her music career, Kendall was also a highly competitive US Figure Skater for thirteen years. She is currently working on a project to showcase the stories of different individuals with disabilities. Kendall has partnered with Aerie by American Eagle Outfitters, as a changemaker to create a music video showcasing the stories of individuals with special needs. The song and video, for Aerie, focus on bringing hope and inspiration to others worldwide.

Kendall is also a food allergy awareness advocate, working to educate the public about food allergies. She has been a powerful voice within the food allergy community for many years. Kendall serves as a FAACT Ambassador, for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team. She has shared her story in the media on several occasions including: Good Morning America, The Young Icons, ABC7, KTLA, Ability Magazine, and more. 

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Kendall discusses her life with anaphylaxis, how she advocates for individuals with differences, the body positivity she exudes on social media platforms, and her music.  Through her songs, Kendall hopes that every listener realizes that it is okay to be different and that there is nothing wrong with the original. As Kendall states in her song, Original, “Wise beyond your fears, resilient beyond your years. Don't forget you’re original.”

Kendall Renee | (kendallreneemusic.com)

Jay Blake is the founder and president of Follow A Dream. Established in 1999, Follow A Dream is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization with the mission of demonstrating the “Power of Positive Thinking, Self-Determination, and Teamwork.” He is also the only totally blind crew chief in the worldwide sport of auto racing. Jay has more than 15 years experience as a professional auto mechanic and more than 25 years in drag racing

While working as the head mechanic of a transportation company in 1997, Jay was involved in an industrial accident that caused him to lose complete vision, smell and taste. At the age of 31, he was faced with relearning how to live as a completely blind person.

Refusing to give up on life, Jay aggressively participated in rehabilitation. After being released from Massachusetts General Hospital, he enrolled in an intensive program at The Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts. With renewed self-determination, Jay began to follow his dream: owning a professional auto-racing team.

He soon learned that even without his sight, he was still able to do what he loved most - work on racing engines. Turning his dream into a reality, Jay combined his renewed participation in drag racing with his desire to spread his true-life success by inspiring others, both with and without disabilities, to accomplish their goals through the power of positive thinking and self-determination.

Today, Jay is responsible for Follow A Dream organization’s management, operations and community outreach programs, as well as performing mechanical work on the race car. He leads his team of racing professionals in NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car competition, where they won the 2012 East Region championship and finished the season ranked 11th in national points. When Jay is not racing, Jay spends time at vocational schools all across the country, speaking to students, and spreading his message of inspiration. 

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Jay shares his personal experience of overcoming adversity, the story of how he achieved his dream of auto racing, and how he motivates others through his speaking engagements. He also discusses his “5 Tools for Life Success,” which are meant to encourage individuals to pursue their life goals with passion, self-determination and a positive attitude. Jay’s mantra is full of zeal and purpose. He states,  “I actually had a choice to live or die, and it was an amazing experience. And I chose to live, and the rest is history.”

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, the duo Mara Koffmann and Jen Mendelsohn, co-founders of Braintrust Tutors, share the way that they first met, which led to the inspiration behind Braintrust Tutors. Mara and Jen discuss the mission of Braintrust Tutors: the importance of the home-school connection, the idea of bringing the whole child to fruition through unique and personalized learning strategies, and how assessment needs can be met with creative learning tools and emotional/mental support for each child. In the interview, Mara and Jen also discuss ways Braintrust Tutors help with the struggles that children with differences often face in the learning environment. As their website states, “Braintrust was created to give everyone connected with the tutoring experience a better way. A better way to connect. A better way to teach. A better way to learn."

Mara Koffmann Co-Founder and CEO of Braintrust Tutors

Mara is a problem solver. She’s spent her entire professional career helping students and families understand and overcome their most difficult learning obstacles. No matter how seemingly intractable the problem, Mara relishes rolling up her sleeves and finding effective – and fun! – solutions that will help students achieve their full potential. Mara lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two young boys. Because children require playthings, she has temporarily surrendered her love of order and interior design.

Jen Mendelsohn Co-Founder and CBO of Braintrust Tutors

Often described as pathologically gregarious, Jen loves nothing more than quarterbacking a business opportunity. Through life's challenges, she became that expert mom--the one who everyone turns to for a great recommendation -- but she hopes that Braintrust will amplify access to everyone and become an even greater connector. Jen is a proud Soho resident and on most days tolerates her husband and three children. They remind her (somewhat ironically) that she is an impatient teacher.

Chris Downey is an architect, planner and consultant; who unfortunately lost his sight in 2008 at the age of forty-five, after undergoing an operation to remove a benign tumor on his optic nerve. Chris continues to practice his profession and is dedicated to creating helpful and enhancing environments for the blind and visually impaired. One of his first projects as an architect after he lost his sight was to help design a facility for veterans with sight loss at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Chris’ work also includes renovations of housing for the blind in New York City, a clinic for the Duke University Eye Center, and the new Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco. He also teaches accessibility and universal design at University of California, Berkeley. 

Chris Downey sits on the board of Directors for the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco and was just appointed President of the California Commission on Disability Access. He is an avid rower and starts each day rowing on the Oakland Estuary with the East Bay Rowing Club. Chris has been featured throughout the mainstream media and speaks frequently about issues relative to visual impairments and architectural design. In 2013, Chris’ TED talk, Design with the Blind in Mind, spoke about accessibility and what a city designed for the blind would be like. 

Interviewed by our Different & Able Executive Director, Kristina Spiropoulos, Chris details how he specializes in designing infrastructure before and after his loss of sight. Chris talks about his role at Lighthouse for the Blind and his recent projects. Now through architectural modifications and the allowance of exceptional accessibility, Chris  makes everyone's life better, sighted or not. “Too often, it is our inability to see past the surface of disability to reveal the surprising ability hidden beyond the casual gaze,” says Chris.

Information for the biography provided by: Chris Downey | Speaker | TED