16th annual North Texas White Cane Safety Day

Registration is now closed for North Texas White Cane Safety Day 2025

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Happy White Cane Day!!

Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm 2201 West 7th Street Fort Worth 76107

Parking

There is limited parking at the Police and Firefighters Memorial. There is on-street metered parking nearby. The first two floors of the parking garage behind Chuy's restaurant are free. There are several options -- come early and grab your space!
commencement
11:00 am: Registration/Check-In/Seating followed by opening remarks/welcome, The National Anthem, and Invocation
Local Presentations
11:15 am: Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth: The Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth has been serving the community for over 90 years, empowering children, youth, adults, and seniors who are blind or visually impaired to achieve independence and success. The mission is to encourage and support individuals through competitive employment, specialized training, and free client services. The Client Services Department offers assistive technology evaluations, community outreach, independent living skills training, and orientation and mobility instruction—helping each person maximize their personal and economic independence. 11:25 am: Computers for the Blind: Marci Duty with Computers for the Blind is a dedicated professional certified in Job Access with Speech (JAWS), with a passion for empowering individuals who are blind to achieve employment, education, and independence through accessible technology. Before joining Computers for the Blind, she made impactful contributions at the Austin Police Department, the Iowa Department for the Blind, Bank of America, Electronic Data Systems, and Christal Vision. Known for her warm heart and contagious smile, Marci embodies the spirit of Texas hospitality, bringing positivity and encouragement to everyone she meets. 11:35 am: Mayor's Committee on Persons With Disabilities: Dr. Nikosi Rodrigues is a distinguished speech-language pathologist and child development specialist with extensive experience supporting individuals across the lifespan. She empowers people who are deafblind to communicate through tactile sign language and brings expertise in executive function, dyslexia, educational technology, and artificial intelligence. As Chair of the Mayor’s Committee on Persons with Disabilities in Fort Worth, she is a passionate advocate for inclusive education and accessibility. Dr. Rodrigues regularly provides training and consultation to parents, caregivers, educators, therapists, and community leaders. She is honored to present at the 16th Annual North Texas White Cane Safety Day, continuing her mission to promote awareness, connection, and equity for individuals of all abilities. 11:45 am: Cheyenne Meyer and Team USA Blind Soccer Team and Metro Blaze Blind Athletes of Texas VIPs Ricardo Castaneda and John "Moose" Marquez-Gonzalez: Cheyenne Meyer is a sighted guide for athletes who are blind, low vision, and DeafBlind. She serves as a Sport Ambassador for the United States Association of Blind Athletes and United in Stride, and volunteers with organizations including Camp Abilities Texas, DeafBlind Camp of Texas, Ainsley’s Angels, and Team Catapult. Cheyenne also serves on the Board of Directors for Metro Blaze Blind Athletes of Texas. She has guided athletes in everything from 5K runs to 40K tandem cycling races to Ironman triathlons, and she regularly teaches clinics on guided running in her local community. Passionate about accessibility and inclusion, Cheyenne is dedicated to empowering people to give blind sports a try.

Lunch

12:00 pm: Lunch will be served to the first 100 registered participants, which will include Texas Prime Black Angus chopped beef sandwiches from Indian Creek Smokehouse, bottled water, and chips.
All Star Headliner Presentations
12:00 pm: Chris Prentice: Chris D. Prentice, Esq., is the President of the American Council of the Blind of Texas, Inc., and the Immediate Past President of the American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys. Chris was the first blind student admitted to Texas Tech University School of Law in 1983. He has been a Texas-licensed attorney since 1987, and has held several positions throughout his career, including the elected County Attorney for Hale County, Texas, and an Assistant General Counsel for DARS and TWC. He currently works as a Civil Enforcement Prosecutor for Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation. Chris also serves as the President of the Levelland Evening Lions Club. Chris has been active in ACB for nearly 35 years on local, state, and national levels. 12:30 pm: John Bramblitt: John Bramblitt is an accomplished and internationally recognized artist based in Denton, Texas. His artwork has been sold in more than 120 countries, and he has been featured in print, television, and radio around the world. He is also the author of an award-winning book and consults with museums on inclusivity and accessibility. After losing his vision in 2001, John taught himself to paint using a technique called haptic visualization, which allows him to “see” his subjects through touch. He believes everyone has an artist within them—sometimes they just need a little help bringing it out. We are honored to welcome him to his first presentation at a North Texas White Cane Safety Day celebration. 1:00 pm: Michael Hingson: Michael Hingson is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, and advocate for people with disabilities, particularly those who are blind. On September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson survived the collapse of the North Tower of the World Trade Center building, walking down 78 flights of stairs with his guide dog, Roselle. His story gained international attention as an inspiring example of trust, teamwork, and the abilities of people with disabilities. He is recognized as a well-credentialed and internationally acclaimed public speaker who captivates audiences with his personal and compelling story and also speaks on subjects such as trust, teamwork, inclusion, strategization, and adaptation to challenging times. 1:30 pm: Tommy Edison: Content creator Tommy Edison produces The Tommy Edison Experience, a series of videos available on multiple social media platforms, including YouTube. His videos offer a glimpse into his life and the experiences of others who are blind or have low vision. With a unique sense of humor, he breaks down stereotypes and offers a perspective unlike anyone else. His content is both educational and entertaining, helping sighted people better understand blindness while also showing people who are blind or have low vision that life can be lived fully and with joy. We are honored to welcome him on his first trip to the Dallas–Fort Worth area to participate in the 16th annual North Texas White Cane Safety Day.
walk
2:00 pm: The Independence Walk will commence at the crosswalk on the northwest corner of West 7th Street and Harrold Street across the street from the Police and Firefighters Memorial (2201 West 7th Street, Fort Worth 76107). From there, we will walk west along West 7th Street in front of Montgomery Plaza to Carroll Street. At Carroll, we’ll cross to the south side of West 7th Street, then head east back toward the Memorial. The walk will end back at the Police and Firefighters Memorial Pavilion. The event concludes with the end of the walk.
CREDITS
  • Master of Ceremonies event hosting by Antoinette McDonald-Ellis. Thank you, Antoinette!

  • The official Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) of the 16th Annual North Texas White Cane Safety Day is Ashley Stanley. Thank you, Ashley!

  • The official rental company of the 16th Annual North Texas White Cane Safety Day is J&R Event Rentals LLC. Thank you, Emilee!

  • Travel and accommodation assistance and support by Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) Melanie White. Thank you, Melanie!

  • Treasurer support and accounting by Sheila Derrick. Thank you, Sheila!

  • Invocation by Reverend Stacey Miller. Thank you, Stacey!

  • Texas prime black angus BBQ by Indian Creek Smokehouse. Thank you, Todd!

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