Blind people do not need to see | Santiago Velasquez | TEDxQUT

Why should blind people need to see? There are 285 million people around the world with a vision impairment, and why should they all need to see. Are they broken, or is that just the sighted world’s perspective? In this video you will hear the perspective from a blind person about sight, while getting to look at his cute Guide Dog along the way. In this emotional video, your perceptions, assumptions and current stereotypes about blind people will be challenged. However, don’t worry, you will get to laugh. Santiago Velasquez is the founder of EyeSyght, a budding tech company with a focus on solving one of the biggest accessibility issues in the modern world. Additionally he is a two times participant for the Kokoda challenge, has completed the Oxfam trail-walker, Ride for Life challenge, participated in the Opti Minds challenge, and has also taken part in the Griffith and Google robotics challenge. He is the first visually impaired person to attempt an electrical engineering degree in Australia and has repeatedly been invited to participate in the MIT innovation and entrepreneurship boot-camp. In addition to all of the aforementioned experiences, he was invited to be a Mentor and a judge at the first Hackathon that was run by the Perkins School for the blind in Boston. Massachusetts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@alika207]

Thank you so much for this! As a person who was born blind, I feel the exact same way!

[@lucianofrancisco1514]

Hi I totally agree because I am I am blind to that was the way I was born and I'm content even though at times it isn't easy I knew I got to know throughout the years to accept that thank you for your video is very encouraging

[@theteacher8528]

Had the pleasure of Santiago's company when I was teaching at Cavendish Road High School. If you you ever wonder where quality adults come from, well ..... they come from being quality young(er) people. Santiago was the first student in Queensland (Australia) to have a guide dog at school with him. I believe he is now studying engineering. Watch this space .... he will continue to do great things and inspire others.

[@lazarv6065]

He's so aware of world around him even tho he can't see it. It's just so amazing...

[@conors4430]

his point is "why is it amazing?

[@rogeliomaldonado4745]

Beautiful brilliant job Santiago. You're absolutely right all we can't do is see, after that... Well you know the rest.

[@mumbimwakio8050]

Love your spirit!

[@marianmccraith4041]

Inspiring. Thank you.

[@joaoermensongomes]

Excelente, Santiago.

[@sandraespana6509]

¡Excelente, Santiago! Muy buena charla

[@JenniferNg0529]

Love the video Santi

[@jenniferpalmer5130]

I have just got the green light to get my white cane. I am so excited to be getting it but i also have nerves thanks to social stigma associating to the white cane.

[@abdullahak2204]

This was really nice!

[@zenarashid4422]

I am blind. I can't tell the results of the exercise in the beginning

[@jt_rooster3228]

Better to be blind than deaf IMO. Even though I'm sighted and hearing, blind people seem to have more potential in life than deaf as Helen Keller says, "Blindness separates people from things, and deafness separates people from people". Deaf people seem to live a simpler life being independent, but being blind has more potential in learning to surrender your independence.

[@zulekhadossani877]

No lo sabía que es latino fue increíble

[@Levita_]

YOOOOOOOOO! CAV ROAD SQUAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ﾉ◕O◕)ﾉ

[@conors4430]

I am blind and funnily enough I both agree and disagree with this. I think society has to go further than we currently are because there is definitely an unnecessary amount of barriers that exist that don't need to in this day and age. So much could be changed by technology, education, perspective changes but in my opinion that isn't the entire story. social setup and attitudes may be 70 to 80 percent of the problem but 20 percent or so is nature. At the end of the day humans have evolved to do certain things well under certain circumstances and our senses and organs reflect that. We are meant to see biologically. That doesn't mean we should be seen as lesser because society can fill in the gaps left by biology but in my opinion it's not just societies problem. Some blind people wouldn't see if given the choice. I would.

[@engr.fahadasgharcpecc9499]

How are you typing if you're blind?

[@shivanisingh6146]

Than how u can comment ?

[@saisaran5709]

He must be using speech to text feature

[@R_Thakur963]

@@shivanisingh6146 blind person can type with the help of screen reader available in the gadgets Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. Users may also use the spell checker in a word processor or read the cells of a spreadsheet with a screen reader...

[@R_Thakur963]

@@engr.fahadasgharcpecc9499 blind person can type with the help of screen reader available in the gadgets

[@samgold9151]

Can you have new Blind, or Deaf Expo? 1 Can you provide? Blind Expo Company and Services In Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA Start August 2028 2 Can you provide? Deaf Expo Company and Services In Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA Start May 2026

[@samgold9151]

Can you make? New Technology to get around our world 1 Visual World make best for Blind Individuals and Blind Community in Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA in October 13 2032 2 Auto World make best for Deaf Individuals and Deaf Community in Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA in May 18 2029

[@samgold9151]

Can you work on? Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA Blind Community in Development Now to August 1, 2028 In USA American English Language, or Japanese Language. To have Speaker Community to make new relationships With free Auto Classes to become Fluently in Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA

[@samgold9151]

Can we growing Blind Community in Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA? Group 1 for Blind Individuals In Speaking and Listening with Ears in USA American English Language. In Reading and Writing in Language of American Braille AB. Group 2 for Blind Individuals In Speaking and Listening with Ears in Japanese Language. In Reading and Writing in Language of Japanese Braille JB. For Grants Pass Oregon USA Blind Community growing Biggest Blind Community in World Start October 18 2025 for years to come You can be Sighted work with Blind Community.

[@samgold9151]

Can you provide? All age 21 or older to move here to Grants Pass Oregon USA Blind World in Josephine Country in Grants Pass Oregon USA. Now to February 18 2026 More years In development improving Blind Individuals needs with Technology Environment and Accessible places through Town Make friends and or lovers of Blind Community, now Higher % Resources for jobs of work make for Blind Individuals Abilities

[@sherifnabil50]

I love this presentation, but blind people should NOT drive! I hope that was a joke.

[@alika207]

Self driving cars are coming eventually. I will admit, though, that the thought of being in one makes me anxious, as a blind person who has been in cars and bosses that have been driven by humans all my life.

[@shivanisingh6146]

They should at least give blind people, a chair and make them sit rather than making standing them 4 a long time, so that these kinda ppl feel comfortable

[@raghavendrangurumurthy3173]

Being a visually impaired person, I dont understand why you think he needs a chair to sit? I can clearly understand that you didnt understand anything that Sandy wanted to convey. Please watcg tge video again but this time, blind folded abd try to understand it.

[@caseycampbell4787]

@@raghavendrangurumurthy3173 Same. I’m confused. Maybe he likes standing.