Sammy Wredberg says there are a lot of misconceptions about blind people. She says she knows what it’s like to be treated differently just because she can’t see the world around her.
“We’re either looked at as super inspiring or we are considered mentally challenged,” Wredberg said.
The 31-year-old Fremont resident was born blind, often telling people “I’m just like you, except my eyes are broken.”
“The misconception is ‘you’re not like me.’ I’m here to point out I’m probably more like you than you even know,” she explained.
Wredberg recently wrote a new manuscript to bring awareness and educate sighted people about blindness, especially when it comes to social interactions. She said she's been faced with challenges when it comes to applying for a job.
“When they see a blind person walk into an interview, they’re very frightened. They don’t know how to conduct the interview because their first thought is ‘how can she do this job?’” she said. When in reality, she says she uses a screen reader for both her phone and computer.
One incident she highlights in her book is the time she got her phone stolen in Dec. 2019 while riding a BART train. Unable to see the suspect, she felt helpless.
“It was shocking at the time, but it really opened my eyes to what we’re dealing with in the world,” Wredberg said. “Instead of complaining about this I thought, why don’t I do something bigger and write a book about it?”
She’s hoping her story and her message helps eliminate fear and instill real connections among one another instead.
“A lot of people make assumptions and judgements rather than coming and talking to us, so I think the biggest thing that we can take from this is that we are all a part of each other,” she said.