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Bold Blind Beauty | Stephanae McCoy

@boldblindbeauty

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Blindness is a spectrum. So is humanity. Welcome to Bold Blind Beauty, a media and advocacy platform centered on Access, Inclusion, and Representation. We believe that storytelling has the power to expand how we understand blindness and one another. Here, we share the conversations and stories that talk about identity, culture, and lived experience across the entire spectrum. Since we’re updating our look, I want to make sure you find exactly what you need. Check out our new highlights to: 🧭 Start Here: To see the heart of our mission. 🎞️ Watch: Catch episodes of Women On The Move & Men In Motion. 🎙️ Listen: Tune into BBB On Air & Connected & Curious with Andy. 📖 Learn: Find resources, quotes, and inclusive insights. 🔐 Access: Explore our advocacy work and accessibility keys. I’m so glad you’re here. Whether you’re a long-time follower or just finding us today, introduce yourself in the comments! I’d love to hear what brings you to our community.👇🏾 Transcript is in the comments. Description: A four-slide vertical video introduces Bold Blind Beauty, featuring Stephanae with a sparkling gold Glam Cane on slide 1. She has short red hair, standing with a white cane against a teal background, with “Bold Blind Beauty & Access Inclusion Representation" overlaid. Slide 2 Text on a teal background reads, “Blindness is a spectrum. So is humanity,” with “humanity” highlighted in orange. Slide 3 A grid of nine people in different settings, each holding a white cane, representing a range of lived experiences. Slide 4 Text reads “Watch, Listen & Learn” above an image of a person wearing headphones and speaking into a microphone. Slide 5 Text on a teal background reads, “Blindness is a spectrum. So is humanity,” with “humanity” highlighted in orange. #StartHere #Accessibility #BlindnessSpectrum #InclusiveMedia #Advocacy by @boldblindbeauty
13
3 months ago
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As a battle-scarred SURVIVOR still fighting to show up, my team convinced me it was time to share my Woman On The Move feature. So over the weekend instead of shooting a scripted video, I showed up by turning on my camera and simply began talking. The video isn’t perfect but then neither am I and after the recent news I received I’m comfortable with the outcome. For the past several years I’ve noticed some changes in my thinking patterns. To give you a little background both my grandmother and mother died from Alzheimer’s Dementia. So after my mother’s death in April I finally scheduled an Alzheimer’s baseline test with a neurologist. The diagnosis I received was Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). So next steps are a brain scan, sleep study, and a battery of other tests. While I am typically a private person, I also believe in being transparent especially when my work is impacted. My diagnosis isn’t a surprise to me and it’s a relief as I now have an answer. Like anyone else, I have no idea what the future holds but for now, I’m going to keep learning and growing in an effort to establish new neural pathways. My only request for you is to please don’t give up on me. Thank you! ~Steph Description: An outdoor headshot of Stephanae leaning on the railing of her balcony wearing a pink ballcap with an olive v-neck tee. In the video, Steph is outside sitting under a tree at a picnic table at her condo complex. #Blind #Blindness #BlindnessIsASpectrum #LowVision #Strength #Perseverance #Survivor #Captioned by @boldblindbeauty
60
3 years ago
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Happy Disability Pride Month! Hi, I’m Steph @boldblindbeauty. I have disability pride because unmasking taught me that I was never meant to spend my life hiding. The moment I stopped trying to meet other people’s expectations of blindness, I found the freedom to show up as my whole self… My disability isn’t something to conceal. It’s part of the person I’ve become. Why do you feel disability pride? • ID:� Steph, a black woman, stands confidently in front of a massive black boulder in Jim Thorpe, PA. She wears a teal jumpsuit, a white denim jacket, white sneakers, and a rust-colored headwrap, with a crossbody bag. One hand rests on the boulder while the other holds a white cane with a red tip. The historic Hooven Mercantile Company building, a gazebo decorated for fall, vintage-style street lamps, and tree-covered hills with early autumn colors are in the background. by @boldblindbeauty
24
5 days ago
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NEW EPISODE DROP: One Step at a Time with Sylvia Stinson-Perez  "You don't really conquer the Camino all at once. You conquer one step at a time, one challenge, one hill at a time. And isn't that like essentially how life is?" In our latest episode of Bold Blind Beauty on AIR, we sit down with the incredible Sylvia Stinson-Perez as she shares her raw, grueling, and ultimately magical journey walking the historic Camino de Santiago. From navigating cobblestone streets and rocky dirt trails with a cane, to pushing through eight blisters and losing toenails, Sylvia’s story is a masterclass in resilience. It’s a vivid reminder that the grandest journeys in life aren’t about rushing to the finish line, they are found in the grit, determination, and magic of every single step. Tune In to Hear: ▫️The Reality of the Trail:  What it takes to navigate diverse, unpredictable terrain with a cane. ▫️The Magic in the Pain:  How Sylvia embraced the daily physical challenges and turned them into moments of profound insight. ▫️The Universal Metaphor:  How the lessons learned on the Camino apply directly to the hills and valleys we all face in everyday life. How to Listen: 👉🏾Click the link in my bio to listen to the full episode on our YouTube Channel or your favorite podcast platform! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and revie. Your support helps us keep bringing these powerful, unfiltered stories to light!  Description and transcript are in the comments. #PodcastDrop #PodcastCommunity #CaminoDeSantiago #Resilience #OneStepAtATime by @boldblindbeauty
7
12 days ago
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"I thought my life was over."  In our latest Women on the Move feature, advocate Beth Deer shares the raw, life-altering moment she unexpectedly lost her sight at age 15. Going from riding her bike and participating in school to navigating sudden sight loss felt like hitting an absolute wall. But being a Woman on the Move means finding a way forward when the path disappears. Beth’s story is a powerful testament to reclaiming your narrative, rebuilding independence, and defining success on your own terms. Watch Beth’s full, incredibly moving feature, "Beyond Seeing Nothing: Why Blindness is a Spectrum" on our channel now. Link in bio! To learn more about Beth be sure to follow her at: @the_blind_girlie Description: Beth is a young woman with fair skin and long, wavy, light-brown hair, sitting beside and embracing a tan Labrador guide dog. She's wearing a striped top with blue jeans. A softly blurred version of the same photo fills the background, while a sharp oval crop of the image appears near the top center. Large white and gold quotation marks introduce the bold text, "I thought my life was OVER," with the word "OVER" highlighted in gold. The design conveys a pivotal moment in a personal story, suggesting a journey from despair toward hope and resilience #BlindnessIsASpectrum #AccessibilityMatters #Inclusion #BlindAdvocate  #WomenEmpowerment by @boldblindbeauty
5
15 days ago
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What if your worst enemy was actually looking out for you? Jeff Garber’s relationship with his blindness took a radical turn when he realized it wasn’t just playing tricks on him, it was protecting him from the superficial distractions of the outside world. This is one of the most brilliant pieces of insight I’ve ever encountered. As physical sight declines, the noise of the outside world quiets down, allowing intuition and instincts to expand. Sight can be a massive distraction from what is actually real. Jeff reminds us that sometimes, losing something physical forces us to tune into our true reality. Drop a 🧠 if you needed this mindset shift today. Watch the full story: Head over to our YouTube channel (link in bio) to watch the complete feature, Flipping the Script: The Day Blindness Changed the Rules.  👉🏾 Follow Jeff’s journey on Instagram: @jephilosopher Description: Jeff speaks directly to the camera from a home studio. He wears black-framed glasses, a blue graphic T-shirt, and a black athletic jacket with white stripes. As he talks, he gestures while describing a baseball-related experience, with on-screen captions appearing throughout the clip. Behind him are blue acoustic panels, a hanging electric guitar, and music-themed artwork. The clip has an engaging, conversational tone and focuses on a personal story involving blindness, adaptation, and navigating sports and everyday life from a different perspective.  #InnerVoice #Intuition #MindsetShift #VisuallyImpaired #DeepWisdom by @boldblindbeauty
3
a month ago
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The anxiety was vivid, but nobody knew the real story. Imagine standing in the outfield, a fly ball heading right for you, and "Blindness" physically steps up and covers your eyes while everyone is screaming. That is how Jeff Garber describes the terror of hiding a degenerative eye condition as a kid. When I read Jeff’s transcript, this moment struck me so deeply. His storytelling is brilliant because it makes an invisible struggle totally tangible. As my own eyesight has declined, I’ve noticed a profound shift: when the distraction of physical sight begins to fade, your instincts and intuition expand to fill the space. Jeff captures that exact threshold where survival turns into deeper sight. Catch Jeff’s full story on our upcoming Men In Motion feature, premiering this Friday, June 26, on BBB’s YouTube Channel!  Transcript is in the comments. Description: Jeff speaks directly to the camera from a home studio. He wears black-framed glasses, a blue graphic T-shirt, and a black athletic jacket with white stripes. As he talks, he gestures with his hands while describing a baseball-related experience, with on-screen captions appearing throughout the clip. Behind him are blue acoustic panels, a hanging electric guitar, and music-themed artwork. The clip has an engaging, conversational tone and focuses on a personal story involving blindness, adaptation, and navigating sports and everyday life from a different perspective.  #Intuition #HiddenDisability #MindsetShift #InnerVision #Blindness by @boldblindbeauty
14
a month ago
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Dr. Jasmine Simmons on DeafBlind Identity, Usher Syndrome, and Living Fully  What happens when your world begins to shift, and your vision and hearing start to fade? Our latest Connected & Curious with Andy podcast episode is live today! In this conversation, we sit down with the incredible Dr. Jasmine Simmons. Dr. Simmons shares her deeply personal journey of navigating Usher syndrome, a progressive condition that leads to tunnel vision and changes how she interacts with the world. This conversation is an exploration of DeafBlind identity, grief, and resilience. Together, we dive into the raw complexities of facing progressive vision loss, but more importantly, how Dr. Simmons has carved out a life defined by joy, nature, and purpose. If you are looking for a powerful perspective on navigating life’s deepest transitions, this episode is a beautiful reminder of the strength found in shared stories. 🔹The episode is officially out now! 🔹Where to listen: Bold Blind Beauty’s YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/h-edCLVTUMo or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Description: The cover design features a black textured background with gold accents and a stylized gold audio waveform running across the bottom. At the top, curved text reads “LISTEN NOW,” followed by the headline “New Podcast Episode.” Two photos; one of host, Andy Chadwick are displayed side by side. In the left image, Andy wears a denim jacket and over-ear headphones, looking toward the camera. In the right image, Dr. Simmons smiles while wearing a blue blazer over a white shirt. Text near the photos reads, “with special guest, Dr. Jasmine Simmons.” A podcast microphone logo appears in the upper left corner. In the video clip, Dr. Jasmine Simmons is speaking directly to the camera from an indoor setting. She wears clear-framed glasses and a green top, with shoulder-length locs framing her face. Throughout the clip, on-screen captions emphasize her reflections on living with Usher syndrome, hearing loss, and progressive vision loss.  #UsherSyndrome #GriefAndLoss #DisabilityAdvocacy #SharedStories #PodcastsOfInstagram by @boldblindbeauty
12
a month ago
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For a long time, I wondered where I fit into the promise of "liberty and justice for all." Still, I worked hard. I built a global career, traveling internationally before joining Deloitte as a Regional Lead Project Coordinator to deliver specialized systems training across the country. I navigated life at a fast pace. Then, a single evening changed the trajectory of my life forever. Experiencing progressive vision loss due to high myopia, glaucoma, and uveitis was a journey marked by fear and endless surgeries. But it also pulled back the curtain on a growing public health crisis and the steep barriers patients face just to protect the sight they have left. Last week, I carried that little girl's questions and the adult advocate's resolve to Capitol Hill with Prevent Blindness. Because children’s eye health is directly tied to the future of our nation, we must speak up in the rooms where decisions are made. 📌 Watch the Full Story: Tap my profile to watch my full sight loss journey, it is the second pinned video right at the top of my grid. Let's protect the next generation's future together. Descriptions: Slide 1 - A group photo taken inside a congressional office building. Stephanae McCoy stands with members of her advocacy team, including individuals with disabilities and allies, gathered in a hallway near an office entrance. Steph holds a white cane while participants smile toward the camera. An American flag is visible in the background. Above the photo, text reads: “One evening, I removed my contact lens and couldn't see my reflection in the mirror.” The slide connects Steph’s personal sight loss journey to her advocacy work on Capitol Hill. Slide 2 - A professional portrait of Stephanae McCoy wearing a dark blazer, patterned blouse, and hoop earrings. The image appears against a faded American flag background. The heading reads “The Corporate Climb.” Text highlights her career accomplishments, including building a global career with international travel, being promoted to... Cont'd. In the comments #MyopiaAwareness #ChildrensEyeHealth #PreventBlindness #RepresentationMatters by @boldblindbeauty
17
a month ago
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Ever wondered what it’s like to live with Usher syndrome?  Living with Usher syndrome means navigating a world where vision is slowly fading. It’s not just about losing sight; it’s about losing moments. Every day becomes a profound balance between living fully and facing the shifting reality of a changing condition. But what happens when you choose to thrive? How do you redefine independence when the world around you is changing? Find out in this week's upcoming episode of Connected & Curious! We are sitting down with the incredible author, speaker, and advocate, Dr. Jasmine Simmons, for a real, raw talk about the struggles often overlooked, adapting to change, and finding joy in the little escapes, like sunsets and the beach. Let’s keep this conversation going. Redefining independence starts here. 🔹Dropping this Friday, June 19th!  🔹Link in bio to subscribe so you don't miss it! Transcript is in the comments. Description: Dr. Jasmine Simmons is speaking directly to the camera from an indoor setting. She wears clear-framed glasses and a green top, with shoulder-length locs framing her face. Throughout the clip, on-screen captions emphasize her reflections on living with Usher syndrome, hearing loss, and progressive vision loss. Dr. Simmons speaks candidly about the emotional challenges of knowing her vision is changing while choosing to continue living life fully. The tone is thoughtful, personal, and empowering, highlighting DeafBlind identity, resilience, and navigating life with authenticity. #ConnectedAndCurious #UsherSyndrome #DisabilityAwareness #LivingFully #PodcastTeaser by @boldblindbeauty
36
a month ago
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The Day I Coded: From Brain Tumor to Bold New Beginnings The Women On The Move and Men In Motion series are officially BACK! We are so excited to bring these powerful, empowering stories to our YouTube channel. Moving forward, you can tune in for a fresh dose of empowerment every month: 🔹 Women On The Move | Dropping on the 2nd Friday of each month 🔹 Men In Motion | Dropping on the 4th Friday of each month To relaunch the series, we are sharing Lynn Jensen’s incredible journey of resilience, focus, and forward momentum. Prepare to be deeply moved by her perspective on life's most challenging moments. Here is a glimpse into the heart of Lynn's story: "For me, January 26, 1997 is one of those dates you just never forget. It's the day I lost all of my sight suddenly and unexpectedly. But it's also the day my family was told I had 2 to 3 months to live." Lynn’s story is a beautiful testament to what it means to move forward with purpose, no matter the obstacles. Head over to our YouTube channel now to watch "The Day I Coded: From Brain Tumor to Bold New Beginnings" and witness her extraordinary journey. 🔗 Link in bio to watch the full episode! Description: Lynn Jensen is speaking directly to the camera during her online interview. She wears a bright pink top and a black over-ear headset with a microphone while seated indoors against a neutral background with a dark wooden cabinet. As she speaks, captions appear on screen highlighting a personal story about vision loss and resilience. The video has a thoughtful, reflective tone and focuses on lived experience, self advocacy, and navigating life after sight loss. #Empowerment #Accessibility #Inclusion #Representation by @boldblindbeauty
2
a month ago
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MISSION: EYES ON CAPITOL HILL This week, through the Prevent Blindness’ ASPECT Patient Engagement Program,  I joined forces with advocates across the country for Eyes on Capitol Hill. Our objective was clear: bring real stories to lawmakers and secure commitments on three vital fronts: 1️⃣ The EDVI Act (H.R. 2527): Early intervention is vital. We must catch vision issues before they cause irreversible academic and developmental damage to vulnerable children.  2️⃣ The Safe Step Act (H.R. 5509): Patients should not be forced by insurance companies to fail on cheaper, ineffective medications while their eyesight actively deteriorates.  3️⃣ The Congressional Vision Caucus: We need leadership to keep vision health a national priority and ensure equitable access to care for all Americans. YOUR MISSION: Advocacy doesn't stop in D.C. Lawmakers need to hear from you, their constituents—and it takes less than 5 minutes to do it. We are making this mission seamless. Download the 5 Calls app (or visit 5calls.org). It automatically locates your specific representatives, provides their direct phone numbers, and gives you a short, pre-written script so you know exactly what to say. Step-by-step instructions are pinned to my 'Learn' Story Highlight! Tap there to grab the script and get started. Let’s get to work. Are you accepting the mission? Let me know in the comments with a 👇🏾 The transcript in the comments. Description: The video opens inside Union Station, an historic building with vaulted ceilings and the text “Mission: Eyes on Capitol Hill.” It then shows brief behind-the-scenes clips of trip preparations. Additional text highlights legislative priorities, including support for the Safe Step Act. The video concludes outdoors near the U.S. Capitol, where Stephanae McCoy stands with a silver and red Glam Cane, encouraging viewers to take action and help advance vision-related legislation. Throughout the video, text overlays emphasize advocacy, civic engagement, and the importance of ensuring that the voices of people impacted by vision loss are heard by policymakers.  #EyesOnCapitol Hill #PatientAdvocacy #VisionCare #SafeStepAct taken in Washington, DC by @boldblindbeauty
9
a month ago
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