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<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font face="Calibri"><br>
Greetings from LightHouse for the Blind in San Francisco! I hope this
finds you well in Minnesota!<br>
I'm writing to let you know about an awesome new opportunity here at
LightHouse called <b>The Holman Prize</b>, which will support the
ambitions of blind and low vision people worldwide with prizes up to
$25,000.</font></blockquote><br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font face="Calibri">
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.<br><br>
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 <a href="https://www.holmanprize.org/"><b>website
</a></b>.<br>
<br>
In closing, here's a quote from Bryan Bashin, CEO at LightHouse, that I
think sums up the prize perfectly:<br>
<br>
"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."<br>
<br>
Thanks again, and please feel free to reach out to me with any questions
you may have!<br><br>
Best,<br><br>
Max Savage Levenson <br>
</font><br><br>
Make a difference in the lives of blind people everywhere.
<a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/donate/form"><b>Donate now to support
the learning, community and confidence-building of the
LightHouse.</a><br>
</b><br>
</blockquote><br>
Make a difference in the lives of blind people everywhere.
<a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/donate/form"><b>Donate now to support
the learning, community and confidence-building of the
LightHouse.</a><br><br>
</b> <br><br>
<br><br>
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
<br><br>
SAN FRANCISCO – (Feb. 7, 2017) –</b> What would you do with $25,000? This
year the <a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/">LightHouse for the Blind and
Visually Impaired</a> 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.<br><br>
<br><br>
“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.”<br><br>
<br><br>
<a href="http://holmanprize.org/">The Holman Prize website</a>, now
accepting applications from blind individuals around the world, already
reflects a diversity of faces and ideas:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNuuuzLedH4&index=4&list=PLBgTkRMP5uaz784GjDzUKRvog4TSpAwPA">
blind podcasters from Brooklyn</a>,
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyQXU-WI-Ro&index=6&list=PLBgTkRMP5uaz784GjDzUKRvog4TSpAwPA">
blind skateboarders from the Midwest</a>, 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.<br><br>
<br><br>
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.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Facebook Live Q&A:<br><br>
</b>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
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lighthousesf/">LightHouse’s
Facebook</a>. <br><br>
<b> <br><br>
Prospective applicants can send questions ahead of time to
<a href="mailto:holman@lighthouse-sf.org">holman@lighthouse-sf.org</a>,
or via Facebook during the Q&A itself. To tune in to the Q&A,
just head over to our Facebook page,
<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/lighthousesf/">LightHouse for
the Blind - San Francisco Bay Area</a>, at 4 PM PST on February
15.<br><br>
<br><br>
About LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired<br><br>
</b> <br><br>
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.<br><br>
<b> <br><br>
Links:<br><br>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaBef3zywxI&list=PLBgTkRMP5uaz784GjDzUKRvog4TSpAwPA&index=1">
YouTube Playlist: Holman Prize Candidates</a><br><br>
<a href="http://holmanprize.org/faq">Holman Prize FAQ for Prospective
Applicants </a><br><br>
<a href="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</a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.holmanprize.org/jamesholman/">Who was James Holman?
Learn about the prize’s namesake</a><br><br>
<a href="https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/189278?hl=en">How
blind people use YouTube: Screen Reader Support</a><br><br>
</b> <br><br>
<b>Other Dates:<br><br>
January 18, 2017: Applications open at
<a href="http://holmanprize.org/">HolmanPrize.org</a><br><br>
February 15, 2017: Q&A with Holman Prize committee on
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lighthousesf/">Facebook
Live</a><br><br>
February 28, 2017: Applications close at 12 PM Pacific Time<br><br>
</b>March: Semifinalists announced<br><br>
May: Finalists announced<br><br>
July: Prizewinners announced<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Press Contact:<br><br>
</b>Will Butler, Director of Communications<br><br>
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired<br><br>
<a href="mailto:wbutler@lighthouse-sf.org">wbutler@lighthouse-sf.org</a>
<br><br>
415-694-7309<br><br>
<br><br>
###<br><br>
<br>
Will Butler <br>
Director of Communications <br>
(415) 694-7309<br>
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired<br>
1155 Market Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103<br><br>
Make a difference in the lives of blind people everywhere.
<a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/donate/form"><b>Donate now to support
the learning, community and confidence-building of the
LightHouse.</a><br><br>
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