Learning the art of skateboarding takes courage and the willingness to fall and get up again. Imagine how much courage it takes to do that when you can't see where you are going. Dan Mancina is a blind skater who founded Keep Pushing Inc., an organization dedicated to serving the differently-abled community. He built the world's first accessible skate park in Detroit, Michigan. The Ranch is designed for blind skateboarders who use a cane, and also for those with low vision and even people who use wheelchairs. In the video above, Mancina explains some of the adaptive features of the skate park, which include Braille labeling, high contrast, and audio signals. You can see other blind skaters try the park out at Laughing Squid.
Mancina was a skater before he went blind, but then returned to the sport he loves. He is determined to open up that world to other blind skaters. Continue reading to see his story.