Ever since Pres. Johnson proclaimed its establishment in 1964, White Cane Day has been a big deal for the blindness community. As the linked press release explains, the white cane is a sign of blind people’s empowerment and independence. While being one of four major ways of doing mobility for us who are blind, cane travel is perhaps the most recognized by the general public as enabling the independence of people who are blind.
Here’s one city’s celebration plans for the day and I hope more cities around the country will be following suit. Austin is home of the Texas State School for the Visually Impaired and a major hub for blindness research. It’s also one of the most progressive cities when it comes to paratransit services, bus routes, and traffic lights with audible-signals. You can find out more about Austin’s observance of White Cane Day here: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/news/2023/09/hhsc-celebrate-white-cane-day?fbclid=IwAR1MARydMDMThP7RZBP3vfr7tb8-0KkCTxvK0pKaLEeAaNClWXCgBVhkDI8
Boldly Blind 