Blind, not broken | Annie Brady | TEDxBuffalo

[@marienhornyak1941]

This is the TED Talk I’ve always wanted to give. Thank you for giving us such a powerful voice and representing us so well. ❤️

[@siennaprice1351]

I was born blind. It annoys me when people either don’t take me seriously, or they get impatient with me if I constantly touch everything, run into things or ask questions about what certain things look like. I was miss-treated by my caregiver due to things about my blindness, and I was punished for doing things that benefit my blindness. I was told that I was unmotivated and that I was choosing to not have a job because of being blind, and that I was using blindness as an excuse to not have a job. We’ve tried finding jobs here where I live, and there’s not a whole lot. I’m a musician, and even though I don’t make money off of it, I feel like it’s the best job and reward I could ever ask for. I’ve been bullied due to being blind, but I’m still living, I’m still going with life, and the bullies will never bring me down. They used to, but they don’t anymore.

[@novoid2fill]

I think her speech is the most honest one in delivering her struggle of blindness among the youtube videos I've seen. I have never been blind although having my fair share of personal struggle and challenge... I wish I could meet somebody I could share what I've gone through and how I felt... just one person to share that with would be enough!

[@yourfriendfabrizio]

I am blind and I really hate the way sighted people sometimes treat blind people like babies. I also hate when people see my blindness as the only aspect of my personality. So please, share this video! Like this video!!!

[@MyhorseInthegravy]

Omg, I am crying right now. I just love you Annie and what you stand for and for all other "blinds" inc my husband who has severe end stage glaucoma. You go girl and never ever stop. You're in my heart and in many others' I'm sure. Deep respect. 👍🏼❤

[@thomasback7274]

I have been re diagnosed with acute chronic end stage glaucoma sarcoma eye cancer and had to have both eyes removed, but I know where Annie is coming from I'm proud to be that 28% and Tell you the truth if I could trade blindness for sight I have accepted the new reality of my life being eyeless there wasn't any surgery to correct this glaucoma sarcoma not even the doctors knew I had eye cancer and the only way to remove the cancer is total inoculation

[@lukasvasek1381]

I really appreciate somebody like this who is willing to share their life story and her everyday lives pain🥹

[@charmaineross3946]

You go girl! You are a role model for all young girls. Beside having a fabulous voice!

[@andrewwest179]

I have knobloch syndrome... And I am becoming a chemistry teacher because I WANT to! 😊 Not to be an, "inspiration"! Thank you for helping me figure some difficult things out, Annie!!!

[@DanielGonzalez-ko4kj]

Thanks. U. For encouraging me. And. Keep. Up. The. GOOD. WORK,,, THANKS. AGAIN

[@blue-wb8yn]

This is great. Made me cry 😭

[@dianalinares9037]

It is true. Life of legally blind people from underdeveloped countries is pretty hard. I am legally blind, and I struggle a lot to earn incomes.

[@alika207]

I am so sorry to hear about that. I hope you will one day find the job and the support you are seeking that makes you happy. Best of luck to you.

[@guidebydog]

Yes! So good and I am with you fully!

[@storyspot3216]

This is one of the most inspiring ted talks I have ever watched

[@kathleengriffin6214]

Great insightful talk. Thank you.

[@alika207]

That applause was fantastic! Go blind people!

[@allenwalkeranime7968]

Amazing and very inspiring.

[@rachelsimcha00]

THIS WAS AMAZINGG!!! great job annie!

[@Amethystsquirrel]

An amazing speech Annie.

[@thomasbunch2878]

Very interesting point about suddenly having the opportunity to become sighted. As a sighted person, if I had grown up in a society where everyone had a sixth sense that was "the most important sense" (or at least, was widely perceived to be the most important), would I suddenly want to gain that sense, say, in my mid-20s? It could be more trouble than it's worth, for reasons you touched on. Particularly if it costed $450k to have only part of it. I think I'd rather keep doing what I'm doing, and maybe have a nice house instead! I just never really thought about this, and you made a very compelling argument.

[@fuzzyapplepie6940]

Idk, I'd want it. a new experience, a way to engage with the world in new ways sounds exciting. Isn't that the reason we do anything? For new experiences and sensations?

[@ezdositcn]

My granddaughter is Deaf and feels the same way as you she Definitely thinks outside of the box She is a teacher and teaches ASL I wish that this was close caption she would relate so much . She also said decided that’s who she is deaf would never want to change it she said

[@WorkingOnThatSong]

I have a job interview Monday over video and I’m soooooo nervous to the point of severe anxiety. It never gets easier but I have to still try 🤷🏼‍♂️ Thanks for the video.

[@andrewwest179]

Hey, how'd it go? :D

[@glenpudney]

I’ve been blind since birth, I have quite a rare condition, septo optic dysplasia and optic nerve hypoplasia. When people say you should try to see if you can get surgery to improve your sight, to that I reply with, well if you feel that passionate about me being sighted, how about you go to medical school and train to be a brain surgeon, then when you’ve finished your training and graduate, get me on the surgery table and see if you can work out how to work with optic nerves, making them normal size and rewire them to my eyes and brain, and I’ll give you 50 million dollars if I have full sight because of your surgery. That usually shuts them up lol.

[@alexhorton3759]

The other side of things is that a lot of blind people grow up with no expectations they will get a job or make anything of themselves so they don''t even learn some basic social or behavioural skills needed for getting a job or being successful in any other area of life.

[@shoshannafachima1306]

A huge bravo💪👍

[@brandonmccranie]

strong

[@scarlettebriones]

It’s so exhausting, I’m also blind, trying to get a job.

[@kadyh]

@Subham Biswas is that a joke?

[@alika207]

What do you see yourself doing? I was born blind, and I’ve been a classroom music teacher for nine years.

[@alika207]

@@kadyh I don’t think it was.

[@henrikharbin5521]

Even before I became legally blind in 2012, I was disabled, by everybody else's standards. By my stsndards, I've always been me. That's what matters.

[@manuelaheiderdejahnsen6924]

how to contact ms brady? i lost 90 percent of my eyesight in anoperation, lived with this for 3 years, now i got 50 % back and lost 30 % again. the up and down by my brain to adjust is something i would like to share.

[@alika207]

I found her on Facebook a while ago. And I might also be able to help you, although I amb totally blind like her, not visually impaired. So I am not sure what services would be beneficial for you, because I don’t know how much you can see.

[@alika207]

@Venomous I can’t see any light at all.

[@alika207]

@Venomous there is a voice that is built into the iPhone settings that you can turn on so that you can hear what is on the screen. It also tells you which keys your fingers are on when you type on the keyboard. I can also use dictation to speak my messages, just like some people who can see. I have noticed that even some sighted people find that a lot faster than typing.

[@alika207]

@Venomous no need to be sorry for asking! I was born blind because I was born three months early. I only weighed 1 pound and 11 ounces. And when I was born, my retinas did not fully develop. My retinal disease is called retinopathy of prematurity, so it’s a different disease than the one Annie has.

[@alika207]

@Venomous Lebers congenital amaurosis. Not sure what it specifically means, but that’s the name of it.

[@velaviz2568]

You have most excellent annunciation!

[@debby18131]

you go girl :D

[@LauraBellanova]

💪❤️

[@knownow486]

I wonder where she is now

[@michaelwallaceiii521]

I have Lebers' and I know the hallowness

[@adtkr]

why do i hear Amy Adams

[@mindhackz]

If it was $5, you’d get it. The prohibitive factor is cost lol. Let’s not kid ourselves.

[@henrikharbin5521]

The people who are more blind or disabled are those who don't take the time to unfrrstsnd.

[@3219geek]

Great job Annie! (For a blind girl.......😉)

[@alika207]

What is that supposed to mean?

[@Rolando_Cueva]

@@alika207 It means that I love you, Alex.

[@alika207]

@@Rolando_Cueva i’m blind also. Thank you.

[@joessj5]

Take that faith and go after Jesus and you will see again.

[@alika207]

She has never seen and doesn’t want to. Lots of us who were born blind feel this way, including myself.