[Colorado-Talk] Helen Keller Video

[Nate Trela]

For those of you that don’t know me, I write about misinformation spreading on social media for USA TODAY. If there is a version of this circulating enough  on Facebook or Instagram, regardless of which platform it was created or first shared on, it could actually be something I could write about. I ran this through a tool we have, and  because this is not being shared on Meta's platforms, I can't  right about this specific video.  If anybody comes across a video or other post like this, making a claim on any social media platform,about Helen Keller or other misinformation about blindness,  feel free to forward it to me at ntrela at usatoday.com and I will see if it is something I can write about.  over the past year, two  pieces I’ve done  dealing specifically with misinformation about blindness included a claim about an unusual cure for blindness as well as another claim that a guide dog repeatedly went into one of the World Trade Center buildings on their own and led hundreds of random  people to safety on 9/11.
Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 30, 2023, at 12:24 PM, Doula Jarboe via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello,
>  
>      Thanks for alerting us to this video.  I have not watched it myself, but as a DeafBlind person it saddens me that people are spreading such a negative view.  I’m not sure what sighted teacher they are talking about, because Annie Sulbbivan who was her first teacher was blind.  I think she had some useable vision, but she attended Perkin’s before she was Helen Keller’s first teacher.  I know the President of our national DeafBlind division is aware of this video, and I’m sure we will be discussing ideas of how to combat what it is doing and teaching.
> Warmly,
> Doula 
>  
> From: Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Cerridwyn Nordstrom via Colorado-Talk
> Sent: Monday, October 30, 2023 10:58 AM
> To: colorado-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Cerridwyn Nordstrom <iamcerridwyn at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Colorado-Talk] Helen Keller Video
>  
> Hi All, 
>  
> I hope you all are well after the Convention this weekend. I mostly just lurk in the forum, however, a viral video with 1.3 million views has been brought to my attention. I am going to tag the video below, but I also want to put a trigger warning here for ableism, particularly towards the Deaf Blind community. 
>  
> Here is the link to the video: https://www.tiktok.com/@immadisonnn/video/7290734183389957418?_r=1&_t=8gwoYAbTBxG 
>  
> The video is a family discussing Helen Keller and how there is no way that she can be real. They talk about how there is no way she could have written books, flown a plane or done any of the other great things she did. Basically, this video just reinforces the the idea Deaf Blind people can't achieve the great things that Helen Keller achieved, that her sighted teacher was really the one doing everything, and just generally reinforces low standards. The ablism in the video is so blatant. I am not sure what, if anything we can do it combat the impact of this video which has over a million views, but this is not the first time I have heard the sentiment online that Helen Keller is not "real" and the idea seems to be becoming more mainstream. 
>  
> I hope you all are keeping warm in the snow, and I would love to hear y'all's thoughts. 
> Take care,
> 
> Cerridwyn Nordstrom (She, her, hers)
> 
> “‘No’ has fueled many a revolution.”
>                                                       - Cheryl Marie Wade 
> 
> Member of the National Federation of the Blind and the National Assocaition of Blind Lawyers
> 
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