What is albinism and what unique challenges does it present? In the eighth episode of Legally Blonde & Blind, Marissa explains how the physical appearance of people with albinism can lead to ostracization, discrimination, and low self-esteem. Tune in to learn more about how she learned to embrace her white hair, pale skin, and wiggly eyes!

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Key Points:

3:30 - What is albinism? (aka Albinism 101)

9:41 - What unique challenges does albinism present?

11:30 - Media Representation

14:15 - Struggles in Developing Countries

16:40 - How did I learn to embrace my appearance?

17: 20 - Body Positivity vs. Neutrality

20:00 - Building Confidence

22:40 - Embracing Identity-First Language

Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/8-white-hair-don-t-care-self-love-acceptance-and-albinism

How do parents of a visually-impaired child process a new diagnosis and encourage their child to develop a positive attitude towards blindness? How does one navigate the alphabet soup of IEP plans and other accommodations? In Legally Blonde & Blind’s Mother’s Day Special, Marissa’s mom shares her unique experiences and perspectives as a parent of a child with albinism.

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Key Points:

1:30 - How did you find out about my albinism?

3:15 - How did you process my albinism diagnosis?

4:56 - What resources did you use to learn more about albinism?

7:00 - What was it like getting early intervention and accomodations at school?

11:05 - How did you handle pushback and reluctance from school administrators?

14:45 - How do you foster self-advocacy skills in blind and visually-impaired children?

17:00 - How can you help holders develop a positive view of blindness?

19:45 - How do you use social media to spread albinism awareness without oversharing?

22:55 - How did you respond to rude comments or remarks?

Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/7-mother-s-day-special-a-conversation-with-mama-nissley

How does one define independence and set reasonable goals for daily living? In this episode of Legally Blonde & Blind, Marissa discusses developing a healthy mindset towards independence and asking for help. She also shares toxic ways she used to view independence and offers advice for sighted people when assisting a blind person.

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Key Points:

2:00 - When did I start thinking about independence?

3:15 - What are some toxic mindsets I developed towards independence?

3:30 - Does being independent mean I can never ask for help?

5:30 - Are there certain “levels” of independence?

8:05 - Is independence a binary?

10:00 - How did I develop healthy attitudes towards independence?

21:50 - How can sighted people best assist those who are blind?

Resources & Transcripts - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/6-miss-independent-what-does-independence-mean-to-me

In the fifth episode of Legally Blonde & Blind, Marissa shares her favorite things about being legally blind, such as being able to make friends in the blind community, scroll through her phone with her nose, and much more! She also discusses how her blindness helped her develop communication, social, and organizational skills.

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Key Points:

1:29 - Inspiration for Episode

6:39 - Carpooling and Reducing Carbon Footprint

8:30 - Communication Skills

12:26 - Not having to see things you don’t want to!

14:30 - Using your Nose to tap your Phone!

15:30 - Perseverance

18:03 - Reading in the Dark!

18:40 - Planning and Organization Skills

21:00 - Finding the Blind Community

Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/5-legally-blonde-blind-benefits

Samantha Hurley, a high school senior who has made several YouTube videos about her experiences with albinism, joins Marissa to discuss bullying, activism, and raising awareness for albinism on social media.

Samantha is a rising sophomore at the University of Georgia studying Journalism with a minor in Spanish. She is also receiving certificates in News Media and Public Affairs Communication. Her YouTube channel features several videos about albinism, body positivity, and disability activism.

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Connect with Samantha Hurley!

YouTube - https://m.youtube.com/c/SamanthaHurley

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/samhurley/?hl=en

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-hurley-b03a20203

Key Points:

4:00 - What was it like appearing on the TV show Kim of Queens as a young child with albinism?

9:20 - Why did you make the YouTube video “Here’s the Disabili-TEA”?

11:50 - What were some of the main messages you wanted to send in the video?

15:22 - How did people react to the video?

19:00 - Did anyone ever apologize or change their behavior?

21:45 - How can people make meaningful change on social media and avoid performative activism?

Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/4-spilling-to-the-disabili-tea

From web accessibility to Zoom fatigue, blind students face a unique set of challenges while learning virtually. Marissa discusses the roadblocks she has encountered and offers practical advice based on her experiences as an online college student.

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Key Points:

2:20 - Why has the pandemic been especially challenging for blind people?

4:21 - What unique challenges do virtual learning present for college students with visual impairments?

6:25 - Website Accessibility

8:52 - Timed Exams

11:00 - Being on Camera

12:30 - Lack of Services

13:30 - Eye Strain & Focusing

15:14 - Advice for Blind College Students Learning Virtually

15:20 - Requesting Accommodations

18:30 - Time Management & Procrastination

23:11 - Self Care

Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/3-virtual-learning-with-a-visual-impairment

Marissa interviews Kaleigh Brendle, a high school senior in New Jersey who learned in March that the College Board would not provide paper, Braille copies of her AP exams. They discuss the legal action Kaleigh took and share self-advocacy tips.

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 

X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

In the first episode of Legally Blonde & Blind, Marissa discusses how humor helped her develop confidence and feel more comfortable talking about her visual impairment.

Connect with Blonde & Blind!

Website  - https://www.blondeblind.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeblindgirl/ 

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/legallybb/?locale=sq_AL 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blonde-blind 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJz_ng0bHVm0s33plEl5Kpg 
X - https://twitter.com/marissa_nissley

Key Points:

2:06 - Why did I find talking about my disability challenging as a child?

3:57 - How did I learn to approach blindness and disability with humor?

7:20 - Why do I tell blind jokes?

13:25 - How should sighted people approach blind jokes?

21:20 - Rating blind jokes!

Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/1-the-art-of-the-blind-joke