Tech is Failing People with Disabilities

July 13, 2020 by Bérénice Magistretti

Whether this surreal year is remembered as a year of reckoning or resetting, one thing is certain — 2020 has drawn much-needed attention to a myriad of social and environmental issues. Yet one topic that always seems to remain cloaked under age-old societal taboos is disabilities, especially the invisible ones. Think visual impairments, deafness, autism, dyslexia, epilepsy and anxiety — where there is nothing external, like a cane or a wheelchair, that signals a disability.

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Apporter De La Visibilité Aux Handicaps Invisibles

November 04, 2019 by Bérénice Magistretti

Chaise roulante, canne, chien d’assistance: ces aides signalent très clairement un handicap. Mais qu’en est-il des handicaps invisibles qui ne se voient pas de l’extérieur? Comment peut-on rendre visible l’invisible?

The Tech Writer Who Applies Eyeshadow With Both Eyes Closed

August 15, 2019 by Bérénice Magistretti

Being visually impaired, I’ve had to learn to apply makeup in a strategic way. When I close one eye, for example, it’s very difficult for me to see the other eye because of the blind spots in my vision. Over the years, I’ve learned to “feel” the makeup when I apply it.

Travelling With A Visual Impairment: Can We Make Accessibility Trendy?

July 10, 2019 by Bérénice Magistretti

While a visual impairment may be a disability that’s invisible, those who live with them certainly are not. As hotels, bars and restaurants get darker and louder, we ask: can accessibility be trendy?

Sonder Episode 2: When Curiosity Beats Adversity

November 19, 2018 by Bérénice Magistretti

In this new web series, I talk about my life in San Francisco, my challenges as a visually impaired individual, and my desire to launch a startup. Hope you enjoy it!

Oh Eye, Yes: Experiencing the OIS Retina conference with a visual impairment

August 24, 2018 by Bérénice Magistretti

I have been a reporter for a few years now, covering tech and startups for outlets like TechCrunch and WIRED UK. When I moved to San Francisco two years ago, I got a job as a full-time news reporter at VentureBeat, tracking the flow of money in Silicon Valley. But something got in the way of my ascending career. I suffer from a retinal degeneration known as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), which means that I have blind spots in my vision and am very impaired at night. Rather than try and match the visual acuity of my colleagues, I decided to resign from my job to better understand this disease.