An Interview with Chelsey VIBlindResources (Guest Blog Post)

1. What is your name?

I’m Chelsey Zumpano and I created a website, YouTube channel and various social medias to prove that we as visual impaired and blind people can do anything and to provide resources for our community.

2. Age?

I’m 22 and will be 23 in August.

3. Who has inspired you the most in life and your blogging?

I am inspired by the author Rick Riordan because he touches lives with his diverse characters and shows that it’s okay to be yourself, and YouTuber Joy Ross because she shows me how independent I can become.

4. Besides writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Besides writing in my spare time I like to draw, read, (i’m a huge bookworm), hang out with my animals, hang out with my family, and make YouTube videos.

5. Name a bad habit that you have?

I have a bad habit of not drinking enough water.

6. Name your best quality?

I would have to say that one of my best qualities is that I am an open-minded person and that I don’t judge people.

7. If you could interview anyone living or dead who would it be and why?

If I could interview one dead person it would have to be Edgar Allan Poe because I would like to know some of the thought processes behind his poems. A person that I would like to interview that is alive would be Joy Ross because I believe she is a great role model and more people need to see her story.

8. What is your college major/Minor?

My major is early child education because I want to become an occupational therapist. I’m also thinking of majoring in journalism because the other night I was watching this TV show called “The Bold Type” and they are all journalists and watching them made me think, “I want to do that and that’s what I’m pretty much doing on my blog right now.”  I have two majors now.

9. What school (college or university) did you go to?

I’m going to be starting college in the fall at my local community college.

10. What is the title of your blog?

The title of my blog is VIBlindResources.

11. When and why did you start your blog?

I started VIBlindResources nine months ago and I created it because I want to help people and to show that you are never alone!

12. Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years I hope to see myself as a published author, having a guide dog, dating or in a serious relationship, having a bigger following on VIBlindResources, and having a job as an occupational therapist.

13. What is the name/cause of your visual impairment?

My visual impairment is called retinopathy of prematurity, I have a detached retina in my right eye and a partially detached retina in my left, so I have zero vision in my right eye and low vision in my left and you can learn about how it was for me growing up with it by reading “My True Experience Growing Up Visionally Impaired”

14.  How does your visual impairment effect you on a daily basis?   Some ways my visional impairment affects me on a daily basis are light sensitivity, (so I wear sunglasses when I’m going in and out), i’ll get migraines easier if I’m on my iPad for too long, I navigate with a cane, I read braille. If you want to see what my day to day life is like watch: The VIBlind experience and vlogs.  
15. What do other people feel about your visual impairment?

My family treats me the same as my siblings and my friends treat me  how they do any other friend.

16. If you had to give one piece of advice to others about having a visual impairment what would it be?

My advice to those who are visually impaired or blind is that your disability does not define you, so remember that we are all made up of multiple parts and we can do anything we set our mind to!

Where can other people find you on Social media (Please list and provide links)

If you like to be featured on VIBlindResources please email me at: viblindresorces@gmail.com

Website: https://viblindresources.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtorb__ooFW8Ytk7ZbucVyg

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/viblind/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/viblindresources

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/viblind

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/viblindresourc.