Submitted by Jeanette Kutash
Barbara Black grew up in New York City, and attended college at State university of New York Stony Brook. She completed her Master’s Degree at Bank Street College in New York.
Barbara was diagnosed as legally blind with R.P. at the age of 28. Initially she met a group of blind women who began having lunches together, continuing to get to know her.
She was a preschool teacher, and also worked as an early childhood director, working both in the community and in public schools.
She learned about BSCB when she started getting the Braille Forum on cassette; she went to a BSCB conference where she met Kim Charlson. She began learning braille at 50 years of age, but other obligations meant she made the choice to have somewhat functional braille skills. She says she joined BSCB because she needed this interaction with other blind people, and needed to learn advocacy skills. She has been a member of BSCB for 25 years.
About five years ago she and some others explored the option of forming a Western Massachusetts Chapter, and while ultimately she decided to join the Central Massachusetts Chapter, she learned much from going through the process of contacting people and thinking bout starting another chapter.
She appreciates that she can give back to BSCB by doing things such as donating her knitting to raise money at the yearly auction. She feels more connected when she sees audio-described plays and musicals. She feels that BSCB is a core group of people who are paying attention. She has contributed by contacting her legislators about the child care Regional Transit Authority and other blindness issues.
She enjoys her knitting, but has also rowed on the Connecticut River for the past 20 or so years, and once participated in the MIT Head of the Charles event. She loves to read, and is the co-president of her synagogue. She is also involved with the North Hampton Parent Center and Community Action Center for Hampshire and Franklin counties.