[Nfbnet-members-list] Inaugural $25,000 Holman Prize

Tue Feb 7 21:04:23 UTC 2017

>
>Greetings from LightHouse for the Blind in San 
>Francisco! I hope this finds you well in Minnesota!
>I'm writing to let you know about an awesome new 
>opportunity here at LightHouse called The Holman 
>Prize, which will support the ambitions of blind 
>and low vision people worldwide with prizes up to $25,000.

>LightHouse's inaugural 2017 prizes will provide 
>financial backing for as many as three 
>individuals to explore the world and push their 
>limits through travel, connections, creation and 
>communication. Projects can be small or 
>large-scale; we are open to ideas of any size. 
>The ideal candidate is someone who is willing to 
>probe their environment and savor the richness 
>of a world that is so often thought of as inaccessible to the blind.
>
>The contest begins with a challenge: blind 
>applicants must submit a first-round pitch, in 
>the form of a 90-second YouTube video. More 
>information, including FAQs and the application 
>itself, can be found on the Holman Prize 
><https://www.holmanprize.org/>website .
>
>In closing, here's a quote from Bryan Bashin, 
>CEO at LightHouse, that I think sums up the prize perfectly:
>
>"The Holman Prize is not meant to save the world 
>or congratulate someone for leaving the house. 
>This prize will spark unanticipated 
>accomplishments in the blindness community. You 
>will see blind people doing things that surprise 
>and perhaps even confuse you. These new 
>LightHouse prizes will change perceptions about 
>what blind people are capable of doing."
>
>Thanks again, and please feel free to reach out 
>to me with any questions you may have!
>
>Best,
>
>Max Savage Levenson
>
>
>Make a difference in the lives of blind people 
>everywhere. 
><http://lighthouse-sf.org/donate/form>Donate now 
>to support the learning, community and confidence-building of the LightHouse.
>
>

Make a difference in the lives of blind people 
everywhere. 
<http://lighthouse-sf.org/donate/form>Donate now 
to support the learning, community and confidence-building of the LightHouse.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO – (Feb. 7, 2017) – What would you 
do with $25,000? This year the 
<http://lighthouse-sf.org/>LightHouse for the 
Blind and Visually Impaired is asking blind 
people worldwide that very question. It’s not 
just an exercise, but a new set of awards 
designed to fund the international projects of 
legally blind individuals: this is The Holman Prize for Blind Ambition.

“The Holman Prize is not meant to save the world 
or congratulate someone for leaving the house,” 
says LightHouse CEO Bryan Bashin, “This prize 
will spark unanticipated accomplishments. You 
will see blind people doing things that surprise and perhaps even confuse you.”

<http://holmanprize.org/>The Holman Prize 
website, now accepting applications from blind 
individuals around the world, already reflects a 
diversity of faces and ideas: 
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNuuuzLedH4&index=4&list=PLBgTkRMP5uaz784GjDzUKRvog4TSpAwPA>blind 
podcasters from Brooklyn, 
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyQXU-WI-Ro&index=6&list=PLBgTkRMP5uaz784GjDzUKRvog4TSpAwPA>blind 
skateboarders from the Midwest, and blind 
technologists, educators and scholars passionate 
about taking on their own projects anywhere from 
Canada to Kyrgyzstan. In March, the LightHouse’s 
hand-picked Holman Committee will select a group 
of semifinalists to go through a formal 
application process, ultimately resulting in a 
few large awards to be given this summer. 
Applicants must be 18 or older and able to 
produce proof of legal blindness upon request.

For the LightHouse, putting “blind ambition” on 
display across social media is as much a goal as 
the projects themselves. Contestants are 
encouraged to promote their videos widely to 
their friends, family and followers, with the 
promise that the most popular pitch on social 
media will be guaranteed consideration in the Holman Prize’s final round.

Facebook Live Q&A:

The Holman Prize is unprecedented in scope and 
size, and as such, the LightHouse would like to 
give prospective applicants a chance to ask 
questions and feel confident in their emerging 
proposals. On February 15 at 4 PM Pacific Time, 
Holman Committee members will host a live Q&A 
session on the <https://www.facebook.com/lighthousesf/>LightHouse’s Facebook.

Prospective applicants can send questions ahead 
of time to 
<mailto:holman at lighthouse-sf.org>holman at lighthouse-sf.org, 
or via Facebook during the Q&A itself. To tune in 
to the Q&A, just head over to our Facebook page, 
<mailto:https://www.facebook.com/lighthousesf/>LightHouse 
for the Blind - San Francisco Bay Area, at 4 PM PST on February 15.

About LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Founded in 1902, San Francisco’s LightHouse for 
the Blind and Visually Impaired promotes the 
independence, equality and self-reliance of 
people who are blind or have low vision. The 
LightHouse offers blindness skills training and 
relevant services such as access to employment, 
education, government, information, recreation, 
transportation and the environment. We also 
pursue the development of new technology, 
encourage innovation, and amplify the voices of 
blind individuals around the world.

Links:

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaBef3zywxI&list=PLBgTkRMP5uaz784GjDzUKRvog4TSpAwPA&index=1>YouTube 
Playlist: Holman Prize Candidates

<http://holmanprize.org/faq>Holman Prize FAQ for Prospective Applicants

<https://soundcloud.com/user-205085650/bryan-bashin-talks-holmanprize-for-blind-ambition-with-ami-live-from-studio-5>CEO 
Bryan Bashin Talks about ‘The Holman Prize’ Live on Canadian Radio

<https://www.holmanprize.org/jamesholman/>Who was 
James Holman? Learn about the prize’s namesake

<https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/189278?hl=en>How 
blind people use YouTube: Screen Reader Support

Other Dates:

January 18, 2017: Applications open at <http://holmanprize.org/>HolmanPrize.org

February 15, 2017: Q&A with Holman Prize 
committee on <https://www.facebook.com/lighthousesf/>Facebook Live

February 28, 2017: Applications close at 12 PM Pacific Time

March: Semifinalists announced

May: Finalists announced

July: Prizewinners announced

Press Contact:

Will Butler, Director of Communications

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired

<mailto:wbutler at lighthouse-sf.org>wbutler at lighthouse-sf.org

415-694-7309

###

Will Butler
Director of Communications
(415) 694-7309
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1155 Market Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103

Make a difference in the lives of blind people 
everywhere. 
<http://lighthouse-sf.org/donate/form>Donate now 
to support the learning, community and confidence-building of the LightHouse.

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