Blind Beginnings

06/05/2026

Conversations about how to build accessible organizations are a great starting point for this week. But to create genuine understanding, we need to hear directly from the people navigating those barriers. That is the exact philosophy behind our Limitless Podcast and why we started it up way back in 2020.

The show is guided by our Limitless Youth Committee, a group of blind and low vision youth and alumni who take on the roles of co-hosts, storytellers, and brainstormers. By participating in this podcast, our youth are gaining vital, real-world skills in public speaking while actively educating the public and shaping a more inclusive world for themselves and their peers.

By tuning in, you aren't just listening to a show but also actively supporting a space that amplifies authentic lived experiences and breaks down stigma and misconceptions about blindness and low vision. If you're looking for a place to start this week, here are a few recommended episodes from our catalog:

Episode 232: Blindness 101 and National AccessAbility Week https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/limitless-podcast/episode-232-blindness-101-and-national-accessability-week
Episode 209: Seeing Limitless Possibility: A Conversation for National AccessAbility Week
https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/limitless-podcast/episode-209-seeing-limitless-possibility-a-conversation-for-national-accessability-week
Episode 202: Low Vision or Partially Sighted?
https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/limitless-podcast/episode-202-low-vision-or-partially-sighted

Click the links above, head over to www.blindbeginnings.ca/limitless-podcast, or search for the Limitless Podcast on your favorite streaming platform to subscribe today!

The Limitless Podcast releases once per week, and is anchored by Blind Beginnings founder Shawn Marsolais, with a rotation of regular co-hosts that consist of program youth and alumni.

06/04/2026

Happy National AccessAbility Week!

Accessibility means creating spaces where people who are blind or low vision can navigate independently, access information equally, and feel welcomed in their communities.

That’s why we’re so excited to introduce 3B Printing Services, a new youth-led initiative and extension of our Youth Leadership & Pre-Employment Program with a powerful dual purpose: creating more accessible spaces while helping blind and low vision youth build real-world employment skills.

Through 3B Printing Services, we create affordable custom braille and tactile products designed to make everyday environments more inclusive.

But the impact goes far beyond the signs and products themselves.

Through this initiative, youth gain hands-on experience with:
• 3D modeling and digital design
• Braille embossing technology
• Production workflows and quality control
• Marketing, pricing, and customer service

They’re developing practical skills, confidence, technical skills, and leadership experience that will support them in post-secondary education, employment, and beyond. Every order helps create a more accessible community while directly investing in the future of blind and low vision youth.

Learn more about our 3B Printing Services below:

https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/3b-printing

If you're curious to learn about the origins about this initiative and the team behind 3B Printing, listen to the latest episode of the Limitless Podcast:
https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/limitless-podcast/episode-233-introducing-3b-printing-services

06/03/2026

Happy National AccessAbility Week!

A lot of organizations assume that becoming accessible requires a massive budget and months of planning. It doesn't. One of the best first steps is actually surprisingly simple. Adding braille to your business cards is a quick change that sends a very clear message about who is welcome at your table.

Networking is ultimately about making meaningful connections. When you hand over a standard print-only card, it automatically excludes professionals who are blind and low vision. We can fix that. We take your existing printed business cards and emboss up to five lines of clear, tactile braille right onto them. Your contact info becomes fully accessible, and your existing design stays exactly the same.

We can emboss up to five lines (14 characters per line) including your name, title, or phone number. Just ship your cards directly to us or drop them off at our East Pender Street office in Vancouver.

Make your networking a truly inclusive experience! Click the link below for more information and get your business cards brailled today and help us build a strong, accessible Canada!

https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/braille-business-cards

06/01/2026

Happy National AccessAbility Week!

This week is all about dismantling barriers, and at Blind Beginnings, we believe the biggest barrier our youth face isn't blindness and low vision, it is society's misconceptions.

To kick off the week, we are highlighting how we are working to change those perceptions through our Blindness 101 Workshop.

When we train educators, HR departments, customer service teams, and individuals, we are actively trying to create a world where children and youth who are blind and low vision can step into classrooms, businesses, and workplaces feeling welcomed and understood, rather than underestimated.

Blindness 101 is a two-hour interactive session designed to challenge common assumptions about blindness and provide practical tools for inclusion. What makes our workshop truly unique is that it is entirely led by facilitators with lived experience.

In just two hours, your team will learn about various topics such as communication and etiquette, assistive tools such as braille and the mobility cane, and how to make spaces more accessible, all in a safe, hands-on learning environment.

And we have some incredibly exciting news! Thanks to funding for National AccessAbility Week from the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program, we are able to provide up to 30 Blindness 101 sessions to organizations in 2026 at absolutely no cost!

These funded spots are limited. Click the link below to request a workshop for your team and help us build a more accessible community for the next generation!

For more information or to request your fully funded session of Blindness 101:
https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/blindness-101-workshop-naaw

05/29/2026

Two hours left!

The Limitless Potential 50/50 draw officially closes at 8:00 PM tonight. This is your absolute last chance to get in on the Jackpot (which is almost $2500) while supporting an incredible summer camp experience for blind and low vision youth and their families from across BC.

Tickets are $10 for a single or 3 for $25. We pull the winner soon!

https://blindbeginnings.rafflenexus.com/

05/28/2026

Only 8 hours left to get your Limitless Potential 50/50 tickets!

Every $10 ticket goes directly to funding campfires, kayaking, archery and much more at Camp Limitless. Just as important, it gives these youth and their families a Summer Camp experience surrounded by peers who actually understand what navigating the world with blindness and low vision feels like.

Single Ticket for $10
3-Ticket Pack for $25

The draw ends at 8:00 PM tonight and the current jackpot is over $2200! Don't miss out!

https://blindbeginnings.rafflenexus.com/

05/28/2026

Today is the final day of our Limitless Potential 50/50 draw. We pull the winning ticket tonight at 9:00 PM!

When you buy a ticket today, you are directly funding Camp Limitless, which gives children and youth who are blind and low vision the chance to make some unforgettable summer memories alongside their families.

Grab your tickets before tonight's deadline and help us send these kids to camp and get a chance to win half the pot!

Tickets are $10 for a single, 3 for $25

BUY YOUR 50/50 TICKETS NOW!
https://blindbeginnings.rafflenexus.com/

05/26/2026

Last chance for tickets! Ticket sales end Tuesday at 4:00PM!

On Thursday May 28, we’re turning the Blind Beginnings office (2411 E Pender Street in Vancouver) into our very own movie theatre to celebrate National AccessAbility Week and to raise funds for Camp Limitless.

Your $20 ticket covers your snacks and gives you a front-row seat to three incredible short documentaries highlighting the real, lived experiences of our community.

The short form documentaries we will be viewing include:

Through My Eyes (25 mins): Our founder Shawn Marsolais's honest journey from being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa to eventually founding Blind Beginnings and developing her passion in changing how the world perceives blindness and low vision.
Do The Grind Blind (50 mins): AMI’s Grant Hardy joins a group of Blind Beginnings youth as they push their physical limits to conquer Vancouver's infamous Grouse Grind.
Limitless Beauty (23 mins): A behind-the-scenes look at the training camp and preparation for our Limitless Beauty fashion show.

We'll wrap up the night with a live Q&A with the folks featured on screen, AND we'll be pulling the winning Limitless Potential 50/50 ticket live!

More importantly, every single ticket sold goes directly toward funding Camp Limitless, helping us send more kids to camp this summer so they can build confidence and connect with other peers and families who understand their lived experience.

Due to limited seating, ticket sales will officially close this Tuesday, May 26 at 4:00 PM and will not be available at the door, so this is your last chance to grab tickets:

https://pci.jotform.com/form/261249404754257

05/22/2026

On Thursday May 28, we’re turning the Blind Beginnings office (2411 E Pender Street in Vancouver) into our very own movie theatre to celebrate National AccessAbility Week and to raise funds for Camp Limitless.

Your $20 ticket covers your snacks and gives you a front-row seat to three incredible short documentaries highlighting the real, lived experiences of our community.

The short form documentaries we will be viewing include:

Through My Eyes (25 mins): Our founder Shawn Marsolais's honest journey from being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa to eventually founding Blind Beginnings and developing her passion in changing how the world perceives blindness and low vision.

Do The Grind Blind (50 mins): AMI’s Grant Hardy joins a group of Blind Beginnings youth as they push their physical limits to conquer Vancouver's infamous Grouse Grind.

Limitless Beauty (23 mins): A behind-the-scenes look at the training camp and preparation for our Limitless Beauty fashion show.

We'll wrap up the night with a live Q&A with the folks featured on screen, AND we'll be pulling the winning Limitless Potential 50/50 ticket live!

More importantly, every single ticket sold goes directly toward funding Camp Limitless, helping us send more kids to camp this summer so they can build confidence and connect with other peers and families who understand their lived experience.

Due to limited seating, ticket sales will officially close this Tuesday, May 26 at 4:00 PM and will not be available at the door.

Don't wait until the last minute—grab your tickets before Tuesday's cutoff:
https://pci.jotform.com/form/261249404754257

For more information, visit:
https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/events-calendar/blind-beginnings-documentary-movie-night

There is something really special about getting the community together to share a great story, and we've got three of them! To celebrate  National AccessAbility Week  this year, we are turning the Blind Beginnings office into our very own movie theatre. We're hosting a documentary

05/21/2026

Thursday, May 28, is the deadline for our Limitless Potential 50/50 Draw. The jackpot is growing fast, but the clock is officially ticking to get your entries in and time is running out.

The concept is simple: you buy a ticket, and the pot gets bigger. One lucky winner takes home half the cash, and the other half goes directly toward funding Camp Limitless.

Tickets are $10 for a single, or 3 for $25. Get yours now:
https://blindbeginnings.rafflenexus.com/
#5050