I knew something was wrong, but what? This book helped me realize I have a disability. And it's treatable.
Today we meet David-Elijah Nahmod and we’re talking about the book that saved his life: Blind: A Memoir by Belo Miguel Cipriani. And Belo joins us for the conversation!
David-Elijah Nahmod is a freelance journalist in San Francisco, who writes for publications all over the country and in Canada.
Belo Miguel Cipriani is a digital inclusion strategist, author, and publisher. Blind: A Memoir is the story of how he became blind as a result of an assault.
In Blind, Belo chronicles the two years immediately following the assault. At the age of 26, Belo found himself learning to walk, cook, and date in the dark. Armed with visual memory and his newly developed senses, Belo shows readers what the blind see. He narrates the little known world of the blind, where microwaves, watches, and computers talk, and where guide dogs guard as well as lead.
The topics we discuss today include interpersonal violence resulting in blindness, brief descriptions of interpersonal violence, as well as conversations on emotional abuse, depression, and anxiety. Please listen with your self-care in mind.
If you feel like you are, or may be, in need of support, don’t go through this alone. There are people ready to help. There is the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color network to find a provider near you. There is Forge, who focuses on supporting trans and non-binary survivors. CenterLink can connect you to your local LGBT center. And there are a number of lifelines that you can call for immediate support: the GLBT National Help Center 1-888—246–7743, the Trans Lifeline 1-877—565-8860, the Black Line, created with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme lens 1-800-604-5841, and the DeQH hotline for South Asian/DESI LGBTQ individuals, family, and friends 908-367-3374.
Connect with David-Elijah and Belo
David-Elijah on Facebook: facebook.com/DavidElijahNahmod
Belo's website: belocipriani.com
Oleb Books' website: olebbooks.com
Oleb Media's website: olebmedia.com
Buy Blind: A Memoir
Visit our Bookshop for new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbook
To purchase Blind: A Memoir: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9781732312722
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Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard.
Permission to use clips from Firsts: Coming of Age Stories by People with Disabilities provided by Oleb Media and Belo Miguel Cipriani.
Permission to use clips from the audiobook, Blind: A Memoir provided by Oleb Media and Belo Miguel Cibriani.
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music
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