Bay State Council of the Blind

10/14/2026

Calling all film critics! The American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project (ADP) and the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) are once again accepting entries for The Benefits of Audio Description In Education (BADIE), an essay contest for young people (ages 7 to 21) who are blind or have low vision.

How students can enter:
1️⃣ Browse the free DCMP library at https://dcmp.org/.
2️⃣ Watch any audio-described film (there are more than 6,000 educational titles to choose from!).
3️⃣ Write an evaluation of the film’s audio description, commenting on the ways the audio description enhanced or detracted from your experience.
4️⃣ Visit http://badiecontest.org to submit your entry. There you’ll also find guidelines and prize details, tips on writing a good review, and information about how audio description is created.

Contest winners receive first, second and third place prizes, and the grand prize winner is awarded an iPad mini, and the chance to read his/her winning essay at the American Council of the Blind's 2027 National Conference and Convention in Jacksonville, Florida. Teachers of first place winners also receive prizes.

Don't delay! The deadline for contest entries is March 15, 2027. Winners will be notified in April.

10/14/2026

Join us next month for the 5th Annual New England Regional Cane Quest, presented by the Braille Institute of America! 🎉

Cane Quest is a fun and challenging Orientation & Mobility contest for blind and visually impaired students in grades 2 and up who use a white cane. For the first time, we’re bringing the event to the Natick Mall, where students can put their white cane skills to the test while building confidence and independence in a real-world community setting.

📅 Wednesday, November 11 | All Levels: 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
📍 Natick Mall, 1245 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760
🌟 Learn more and register: carroll.org/events/cane-quest

It’s a new setting, a new challenge, and a great opportunity to show the community what blind and visually impaired students can do! Thank you to our partners at the Natick Mall for helping make this event possible! 💙

10/07/2026

Dianna is a board member of BSCB and editor of BayLines Express!

"It's-a-me, Mario!" After a successful wrap on filming this year's Audio Description Awards Gala, ADP Coordinator Dianna Leonard has some fun and is pictured imitating the signature Mario pose by the Mario statute on glass display at the NintendoNYC store in Rockefeller Center.

A friendly reminder to mark your calendars for the 2026 Audio Description Awards Gala! This year's gala will take place virtually on November 12, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The annual Audio Description Awards Gala celebrates inclusivity and recognizes the entertainment industry’s role in providing access to film and television through audio description for people who are blind or have low vision.

For more information about this year’s gala, follow us on social media and visit our website at https://adawardsgala.org/awards/

10/02/2026

Bay State Council of the Blind is incredibly saddened to share that Steve Dresser, longtime member and host of the Council Connection podcast, has passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. Further information on Steve's obituary will be shared at a later time. He is greatly missed.

09/30/2026

The September issue of BayLines Express is now available to read on our website!

BayLines Express BayLines Express September 25, 2026 From the Editor Fall is here, and while I’m not super big on pumpkin spice lattes, I am a pumpkin pie girly. I did spend a whirlwind 36 hours in New York City earlier this month for work, though, overseeing some filming at NBC Studios at Rockefe...

09/24/2026

🦯 Register Now! Join MCB for a White Cane Celebration!

The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) invites you to celebrate the independence and empowerment represented by the white cane and help raise awareness of the White Cane Law in Massachusetts.

The law requires drivers to identify and yield to pedestrians using a white cane or dog guide at street crossings.

📅 Friday, October 23, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Massachusetts State House – Great Hall
24 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108

📝 Register today:
https://forms.mass.gov/eohhs-mcb/form/28/

Join us as we celebrate independence, accessibility, and awareness! 🦯

09/15/2026

ACB’s Caitlin Lee continues a strong season of competitive running!

After taking first place in the Para Athlete T13 female division at the Boston Marathon in April and placing second overall in the Para T11-T13 division at the B.A.A. 10K in June, Caitlin was back at it this past weekend.

She ran the Half Marathon by the Sea in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, finishing the 13.1-mile race in 1:46:18 and placing fourth in her age group.

Congratulations, Caitlin, on another impressive race!

Pictured is Caitlin taking a selfie after finishing the race. She is holding up a green, Massachusetts-shaped race medal with the text “Half Marathon by the Sea.” Other runners appear in the background on a rainy day.

08/28/2026

How do Meta AI Glasses help you in everyday life? ACB is seeking 5- to 10-minute videos from adults who are blind or have low vision showing the glasses in a real-world situation. The videos will be shared on a future ACB Community call, where you can join us to explain your video and answer questions.

You don’t need to be an ACB member, and you may submit more than one video. If your video is selected and all criteria are met, you will be compensated!

Learn more and submit your video at https://acbmedia.org/glasses/submit.

Contact [email protected] if you have questions or feedback.

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08/26/2026

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08/24/2026

An American Council of the Blind partnership. Get the ACB Recipe Collection from the community's Recipe Swap, pre-loaded, plus a year of Cookie Voice Recipes Premium — hands-free, voice-first cooking built for people who are blind and visually impaired.