Connect the Dots and Dot Experience Cast Provide Perspective on Access and Inclusion

Access and inclusion are core values at the heart of The Dot Experience and our education series, Connect the Dots, powered by the PNC Foundation. We are working diligently to educate our audiences on how people who are blind or low vision adapt to the world around them and what can be done to make that world more accessible. On August 3rd, families who visited the Southwest Louisville Regional Library had the chance to participate in our August Connect the Dots event which centered around different forms of access in the home. At this event, families learned essential concepts and basic principles for organizing a home with access in mind, including universal design in play and recreation.

Attendees had the opportunity to cook a snack utilizing accessible tools and strategies with a guest instructor from the Charles W. McDowell Center for the Blind. Mary Harrod, a teacher from the McDowell Center, and Mary Rickert, an Education Associate with The Dot Experience, guided participants through the steps of preparing and cooking Ketchup Fried Rice. This specific recipe came from MasterChef season 3 winner Christine Ha’s cookbook Recipes from My Home Kitchen. It’s no coincidence that this recipe was chosen for our Connect the Dots activity. Christine Ha is not only a blind cook, but she is also going to be featured in The Dot Experience as one of its cast members.  

One of the aspects that will make The Dot Experience truly unique is the diverse and dynamic group of blind or low vision individuals that APH has brought together to serve as its cast. This eclectic mix includes artists, adventurers, businesspeople, advocates, parents, students, teachers, and innovators. Their voices, alongside those of historical figures like Helen Keller and Louis Braille, will blend with the experiences of everyday APH customers, community members, and staff. Together, they will provide a rich combination of perspectives on the successes, struggles, realities, hopes, and hurdles of living with their eye condition.

The cast represents a broad spectrum of age, background, identity, vision acuity, and context of blindness or low vision, ensuring that a wide range of experiences and viewpoints are shared. These authentic, personal stories at the heart of The Dot Experience, will be woven into every facet of the museum —from media and signage to the app, programming, promotions, and social media. What makes this even more special is that these narratives will continually evolve and rotate, allowing The Dot Experience to remain fresh and engaging. Our cast will ensure that visitors always find something new and exciting, making every visit a unique journey into the world of blindness and low vision. 

Want to learn more about other cast members of The Dot Experience? Make sure to read our blogs The Dot Experience Cast: Deanna Lambert and The Dot Experience Cast: Mike May. 

For more updates on The Dot Experience and Connect the Dots events,  follow The Dot Experience on Facebook and X.