I'm Sam Kelly, and you're listening to talking vision on Vision Australia, radio associated stations of age and the community radio network. If you'd like to find out more about the program, like where to find your local radio frequency or listen to past programs, you can find all this info and more on the toking vision web just taught just talking vision into your search engine, or you can find the program on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia Library. And now his A Glory with Maude. Well, one of last year's Hollman Prize winners based in the UK and Lee Comstat from the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. The home and prize is named after blind adventurer James Holman and Stella began by asking Maude what it was about James that inspired her to enter.

I'm Sam Kelly, and you're listening to talking vision on Vision Australia, radio associated stations of age and the community radio network. If you'd like to find out more about the program, like where to find your local radio frequency or listen to past programs, you can find all this info and more on the toking vision web just taught just talking vision into your search engine, or you can find the program on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia Library. And now his A Glory with Maude. Well, one of last year's Hollman Prize winners based in the UK and Lee Comstat from the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. The home and prize is named after blind adventurer James Holman and Stella began by asking Maude what it was about James that inspired her to enter.

Yeah, absolutely. So James Holman, for whom the Holleman prize was named, was an amazing 18th and 19th century explorer. He was incredible. He was completely blind from the age of about 25, which I really resonated with because I went blind at 19 as a young adult, completely out of nowhere points in the term, although I still have some partial vision. He was originally in the Navy, but he had already retired by the time he went blind because he had chronic rheumatism, and he was sort of recovering from that when he lost his sight out of nowhere, and he decided that he would then go on to travel the world. He circumnavigate the globe in a time when that was still very difficult and he wasn't at all touristy in the way he travelled. When he went to a new country, he was heading straight for the wildest and most remote parts of that country. He learned languages as he went. He fought slavery in Equatorial Guinea. He rode mules through the Brazilian rainforest at a time when the only way they knew how to navigate it was just to set massive mile long swathes of it on fire. So he was navigating that completely using senses other than sight. Yeah, he was just an amazing, amazing man, and I really recommend his biography, A Sense of the World by Jason Roberts. And it was honestly reading that and learning about him, someone from history I'd never known about before finding out through someone else who had won the Holman Prize. Actually, they mentioned it and I looked up who he was and then read the book. And I mean, I'd never heard of him before, and then finding out his story just kind of crystallized that what he did travelling so adventurously and writing about it was just absolutely my dream as well. And so my Holman Prize idea was based very much on paying tribute to Holman, who is absolutely my favorite person from history. So he was never able to make it out to Japan in his lifetime because Japan was under a system of Sekhukhune and kind of isolation, which made it very difficult for people to travel there. So I'd really like to go there. It's a country I already had a preexisting connection with, which is what I kind of meant when I talk in my application video about this idea kind of existing before I knew that I was going to apply for the whole enterprise. I always otherwise known I want you to go back that it was my undergraduate degree Japanese. And so I spent a year abroad there, and so I'd always known I wanted to go back and just to kind of combine that with a kind of ambitious tribute to home and was just an absolute dream come true. So the home and prize funding, it is just an incredible opportunity, and I'm just it's such an honour.

Yeah, absolutely. So James Holman, for whom the Holleman prize was named, was an amazing 18th and 19th century explorer. He was incredible. He was completely blind from the age of about 25, which I really resonated with because I went blind at 19 as a young adult, completely out of nowhere points in the term, although I still have some partial vision. He was originally in the Navy, but he had already retired by the time he went blind because he had chronic rheumatism, and he was sort of recovering from that when he lost his sight out of nowhere, and he decided that he would then go on to travel the world. He circumnavigate the globe in a time when that was still very difficult and he wasn't at all touristy in the way he travelled. When he went to a new country, he was heading straight for the wildest and most remote parts of that country. He learned languages as he went. He fought slavery in Equatorial Guinea. He rode mules through the Brazilian rainforest at a time when the only way they knew how to navigate it was just to set massive mile long swathes of it on fire. So he was navigating that completely using senses other than sight. Yeah, he was just an amazing, amazing man, and I really recommend his biography, A Sense of the World by Jason Roberts. And it was honestly reading that and learning about him, someone from history I'd never known about before finding out through someone else who had won the Holman Prize. Actually, they mentioned it and I looked up who he was and then read the book. And I mean, I'd never heard of him before, and then finding out his story just kind of crystallized that what he did travelling so adventurously and writing about it was just absolutely my dream as well. And so my Holman Prize idea was based very much on paying tribute to Holman, who is absolutely my favorite person from history. So he was never able to make it out to Japan in his lifetime because Japan was under a system of Sekhukhune and kind of isolation, which made it very difficult for people to travel there. So I'd really like to go there. It's a country I already had a preexisting connection with, which is what I kind of meant when I talk in my application video about this idea kind of existing before I knew that I was going to apply for the whole enterprise. I always otherwise known I want you to go back that it was my undergraduate degree Japanese. And so I spent a year abroad there, and so I'd always known I wanted to go back and just to kind of combine that with a kind of ambitious tribute to home and was just an absolute dream come true. So the home and prize funding, it is just an incredible opportunity, and I'm just it's such an honour.

Unfortunately, though, you were not able to go to Japan in 2021. How is that going for you now? When do you have a sense of when you might be able to go in?

Unfortunately, though, you were not able to go to Japan in 2021. How is that going for you now? When do you have a sense of when you might be able to go in?

And yeah, it's it's been very tricky, though the Holleman prize team have been amazingly supportive, but obviously coronavirus has complicated things. Somewhat, Japan's borders are currently shut. And so while I originally intended to leave last November, that hasn't worked out. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to get out there this spring. And but it is just it's all very uncertain. I mean, it's the same thing. So almost everyone in the world that COVID has been frustrating, but I'm just trying to stay positive and I know it will eventually happen. And you know, the whole and prize team have been amazing at just saying, you know, the funding is there when I can get out there. And so this project will happen. It's just that things have had to be a little bit flexible in the pandemic context.

And yeah, it's it's been very tricky, though the Holleman prize team have been amazingly supportive, but obviously coronavirus has complicated things. Somewhat, Japan's borders are currently shut. And so while I originally intended to leave last November, that hasn't worked out. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to get out there this spring. And but it is just it's all very uncertain. I mean, it's the same thing. So almost everyone in the world that COVID has been frustrating, but I'm just trying to stay positive and I know it will eventually happen. And you know, the whole and prize team have been amazing at just saying, you know, the funding is there when I can get out there. And so this project will happen. It's just that things have had to be a little bit flexible in the pandemic context.

So was this the first year that you applied Mordor? And the other question is when you were talking, you've actually you're only 25 years of age and you saying you lost vision when you were 19 and it was only six years ago, like eight, do you feel? Um, oh, I feel like you're really putting yourself in a vulnerable position. I don't want to sound like your mother or anything like that. I'm really into the adventure.

So was this the first year that you applied Mordor? And the other question is when you were talking, you've actually you're only 25 years of age and you saying you lost vision when you were 19 and it was only six years ago, like eight, do you feel? Um, oh, I feel like you're really putting yourself in a vulnerable position. I don't want to sound like your mother or anything like that. I'm really into the adventure.

Yeah, I mean, six years is not really a long time. I've been blind. For a relatively small portion of my life and my journey has been very much. It started out with blindness being something that was very traumatic and felt really tragic. And now, you know, I feel really empowered and I love being blind and I love my identity, and I have a really healthy self-esteem regarding my blindness and being disabled. And so much part of that journey, honestly, was finding out about Holleman and how incredible he was and how blindness did not hold him back at all. And if anything, he went on to do much, much cooler things with his life than I think he would have done had he just been a retired naval officer hanging out in Bristol. So honestly, finding out about him was really transformative for me. And so the Holleman prize is what technically brought me on on that journey. So I'm so grateful to them for wanting to help people remember who this person from history was and keeping his name alive and honoring him in this way and showing that, you know, blind people can be adventurous and ambitious. I have sort of forgotten the other half of that question. Oh yeah. This was the first year I applied. I felt really honestly like serendipity. I found out about the Holman Prize, I think at the start of last year in January, so applications would have just opened. I read the book quite quickly because it was so riveting. And then I saw the applications were currently open and I thought, This is sort of perfect. Holman is incredible. I would love the chance to pay tribute to him with a project that kind of echoes his life and his accomplishments. And so I applied. I think I must have submitted my video literally the day before the deadline. I'll be honest, the time difference worked in my favor this time. But yeah, so it was. It wasn't last minute in terms of making the video, but it was towards the end of the application window that I realized that actually this could be a really good fit for something I'd already thought I'd like to do. And yes, it all, it all worked out well for me and Lee.

Yeah, I mean, six years is not really a long time. I've been blind. For a relatively small portion of my life and my journey has been very much. It started out with blindness being something that was very traumatic and felt really tragic. And now, you know, I feel really empowered and I love being blind and I love my identity, and I have a really healthy self-esteem regarding my blindness and being disabled. And so much part of that journey, honestly, was finding out about Holleman and how incredible he was and how blindness did not hold him back at all. And if anything, he went on to do much, much cooler things with his life than I think he would have done had he just been a retired naval officer hanging out in Bristol. So honestly, finding out about him was really transformative for me. And so the Holleman prize is what technically brought me on on that journey. So I'm so grateful to them for wanting to help people remember who this person from history was and keeping his name alive and honoring him in this way and showing that, you know, blind people can be adventurous and ambitious. I have sort of forgotten the other half of that question. Oh yeah. This was the first year I applied. I felt really honestly like serendipity. I found out about the Holman Prize, I think at the start of last year in January, so applications would have just opened. I read the book quite quickly because it was so riveting. And then I saw the applications were currently open and I thought, This is sort of perfect. Holman is incredible. I would love the chance to pay tribute to him with a project that kind of echoes his life and his accomplishments. And so I applied. I think I must have submitted my video literally the day before the deadline. I'll be honest, the time difference worked in my favor this time. But yeah, so it was. It wasn't last minute in terms of making the video, but it was towards the end of the application window that I realized that actually this could be a really good fit for something I'd already thought I'd like to do. And yes, it all, it all worked out well for me and Lee.

How do you feel when you hear Maud saying that the home and prize was transformative for her and she hasn't actually even left the country as yet?

How do you feel when you hear Maud saying that the home and prize was transformative for her and she hasn't actually even left the country as yet?

I feel very privileged to be a tiny part of something that has the impact on people's lives. And I. Came to the home and price a little bit of a skeptic, to be honest with you, Stella. I've only worked at the light house for a couple of years. I have my anniversary this month, actually, but I knew about the home and price and I was living and working in the UK when I heard about it. And I must admit that I sort of thought, you know, well, it's just another price. And it's just, you know, it seems like a good amount of money that somebody could do something with. But I must admit I wasn't. I wasn't blown away by it. And now I am totally on board and I absolutely love it. And I'll tell you what did it? It was when all the applications come in and we have, you know, 120 or so applications, and every one of those has a 90 second pitch video that they upload to YouTube. And there's a committee of people who get together and watch every single one of those 90 second videos. And it is the most extraordinary experience listening in my case, to blind and visually impaired people. Talk about their lives from all walks of life, from all around the world, talking about what they want to do and and their ambitions, and then going through the process of meeting the judges and whittling them down and then finally know awarding the final three. Yeah, I'm a convert. I just think it's it's an amazing prize and they don't even have to pay me to say it.

I feel very privileged to be a tiny part of something that has the impact on people's lives. And I. Came to the home and price a little bit of a skeptic, to be honest with you, Stella. I've only worked at the light house for a couple of years. I have my anniversary this month, actually, but I knew about the home and price and I was living and working in the UK when I heard about it. And I must admit that I sort of thought, you know, well, it's just another price. And it's just, you know, it seems like a good amount of money that somebody could do something with. But I must admit I wasn't. I wasn't blown away by it. And now I am totally on board and I absolutely love it. And I'll tell you what did it? It was when all the applications come in and we have, you know, 120 or so applications, and every one of those has a 90 second pitch video that they upload to YouTube. And there's a committee of people who get together and watch every single one of those 90 second videos. And it is the most extraordinary experience listening in my case, to blind and visually impaired people. Talk about their lives from all walks of life, from all around the world, talking about what they want to do and and their ambitions, and then going through the process of meeting the judges and whittling them down and then finally know awarding the final three. Yeah, I'm a convert. I just think it's it's an amazing prize and they don't even have to pay me to say it.

Nelly, can you tell us what are the judges are looking for?

Nelly, can you tell us what are the judges are looking for?

In the 90 second pitch, it's got to pop, right? We you have 90 seconds to tell us a little bit about you. Get us to sort of feel warmly about you and I'm talking about me as a judge. I'm only involved in the first round. And then and then the judging goes out to a range of people. And in the end, it's a jury of about 14 blind eminent people from around the world. So we want to see people who can grab attention. And I come back to that thing that I mentioned earlier seller about personal growth. I think that we would like to see where people will end up after their home in a year. And I also think that they might be a little misconception that the whole menu is about giving to the community or training other blind people to do something. And those are really worthy things for people to do. But it is certainly not people, certainly not limited by that ambition. So please don't feel like you are being super selfish when you say, I want to do this simply because I want to do it. I don't know any other blind or visually impaired people who have done it or not many. And I think that I could really make something fantastic that would be useful for people all around the world to see that would maybe change their perception of people who are blind and visually impaired. So those are the elements that we're looking for. Does that answer your question?

In the 90 second pitch, it's got to pop, right? We you have 90 seconds to tell us a little bit about you. Get us to sort of feel warmly about you and I'm talking about me as a judge. I'm only involved in the first round. And then and then the judging goes out to a range of people. And in the end, it's a jury of about 14 blind eminent people from around the world. So we want to see people who can grab attention. And I come back to that thing that I mentioned earlier seller about personal growth. I think that we would like to see where people will end up after their home in a year. And I also think that they might be a little misconception that the whole menu is about giving to the community or training other blind people to do something. And those are really worthy things for people to do. But it is certainly not people, certainly not limited by that ambition. So please don't feel like you are being super selfish when you say, I want to do this simply because I want to do it. I don't know any other blind or visually impaired people who have done it or not many. And I think that I could really make something fantastic that would be useful for people all around the world to see that would maybe change their perception of people who are blind and visually impaired. So those are the elements that we're looking for. Does that answer your question?

It certainly does. And the other question that popped up is, are you seeing the difference in the pictures people from different countries? Because, you know, I imagine a lot of us in Western countries where you want to travel the world, but then you have somebody like a Robert Melinda in Zimbabwe who wants to provide computer orientation and mobility and social skills training to blind Zimbabweans.

It certainly does. And the other question that popped up is, are you seeing the difference in the pictures people from different countries? Because, you know, I imagine a lot of us in Western countries where you want to travel the world, but then you have somebody like a Robert Melinda in Zimbabwe who wants to provide computer orientation and mobility and social skills training to blind Zimbabweans.

Yeah, we do. We are seeing a lot of those sorts of program ideas coming from East Africa and sometimes in Asia, I think we had two people, one from India and one from Nepal in 2020, kind of doing the same sort of thing, although on a different scale. And two very specific sections of population. So we do see that we were very excited last year when we received our first entry from China. That was amazing because YouTube isn't a medium used in China. So we were thrilled about that.

Yeah, we do. We are seeing a lot of those sorts of program ideas coming from East Africa and sometimes in Asia, I think we had two people, one from India and one from Nepal in 2020, kind of doing the same sort of thing, although on a different scale. And two very specific sections of population. So we do see that we were very excited last year when we received our first entry from China. That was amazing because YouTube isn't a medium used in China. So we were thrilled about that.

That is fantastic and I love the way the home and prize balances all these out now, even though people have to film themselves and put it up on YouTube, you are not looking for stunning production skills, are you?

That is fantastic and I love the way the home and prize balances all these out now, even though people have to film themselves and put it up on YouTube, you are not looking for stunning production skills, are you?

We certainly aren't. It's about it's about you. It's about conveying in 90 seconds who you are and your enthusiasm for your big idea.

We certainly aren't. It's about it's about you. It's about conveying in 90 seconds who you are and your enthusiasm for your big idea.

Now, speaking of big ideas, is there something now? We did talk about the personal growth, but every year when the when you sit down to judging, is this sort of one thing you think I'd like to see something a little, is there a project or dying to see but haven't seen yet?

Now, speaking of big ideas, is there something now? We did talk about the personal growth, but every year when the when you sit down to judging, is this sort of one thing you think I'd like to see something a little, is there a project or dying to see but haven't seen yet?

I don't think I'm going to tell you that still, because, you know, at some point I

I don't think I'm going to tell you that still, because, you know, at some point I

might apply

might apply

for the whole.

for the whole.

You sneaky thing you

You sneaky thing you

you never know. I personally would like to see more women apply to do things in areas that women are not necessarily strong in. So I would like to see for myself some more kind of stem science, technology, mathematics based ideas from women and that that I think would be really, really incredible. I also would like to see. And this is just my personal view. I would like to see some more kind of leadership based initiatives and a little bit more social based initiatives. I think that's that's my bent. That's what I'm interested in. So I'd love to see a little bit more of that.

you never know. I personally would like to see more women apply to do things in areas that women are not necessarily strong in. So I would like to see for myself some more kind of stem science, technology, mathematics based ideas from women and that that I think would be really, really incredible. I also would like to see. And this is just my personal view. I would like to see some more kind of leadership based initiatives and a little bit more social based initiatives. I think that's that's my bent. That's what I'm interested in. So I'd love to see a little bit more of that.

We always need more women out in the world. And speaking of. Speaking of a woman out in the world, Maud, what would you say to someone who is at home maybe listening to this and thinking, Oh, I've got this crazy idea of this idea? Should I? Should I? What would you say to someone like that?

We always need more women out in the world. And speaking of. Speaking of a woman out in the world, Maud, what would you say to someone who is at home maybe listening to this and thinking, Oh, I've got this crazy idea of this idea? Should I? Should I? What would you say to someone like that?

Oh, my gosh. Just go for it. I mean, you have nothing to lose. But I really do think Lee is so right to emphasize the personal growth aspect because that's what makes the whole my party so special. The fact is that there are other grants out there for, you know, setting up projects to help other blind people and train them to do things like that. And as absolutely as she says, those are such worthy things to do. But the fact is that the Holleman prize also celebrates that doing something adventurous for yourself does inspire others, and it can enact change for others. The fact is, I say in my video, but James Holman traveled for himself. It was absolutely his dream what he wants to do with his life. It wasn't about other people, but what he did inspired and educated others. And that's so important. And I know the transformative impact that can have on someone's life because that's exactly what his example did for me. So I would say, if you have an idea and it's about you and it's your dream, then this is absolutely the prize for you to to go for. I mean, if you're blind and you're over 18, then you're qualified, done. So just send an application. And I just honestly just go for it. You have nothing to lose. And at the moment, I really do feel that not, you know, there are millions of blind people in the world to the Holman Prize isn't getting millions of applications, so you've got a better shot than you think. So definitely just just go for it.

Oh, my gosh. Just go for it. I mean, you have nothing to lose. But I really do think Lee is so right to emphasize the personal growth aspect because that's what makes the whole my party so special. The fact is that there are other grants out there for, you know, setting up projects to help other blind people and train them to do things like that. And as absolutely as she says, those are such worthy things to do. But the fact is that the Holleman prize also celebrates that doing something adventurous for yourself does inspire others, and it can enact change for others. The fact is, I say in my video, but James Holman traveled for himself. It was absolutely his dream what he wants to do with his life. It wasn't about other people, but what he did inspired and educated others. And that's so important. And I know the transformative impact that can have on someone's life because that's exactly what his example did for me. So I would say, if you have an idea and it's about you and it's your dream, then this is absolutely the prize for you to to go for. I mean, if you're blind and you're over 18, then you're qualified, done. So just send an application. And I just honestly just go for it. You have nothing to lose. And at the moment, I really do feel that not, you know, there are millions of blind people in the world to the Holman Prize isn't getting millions of applications, so you've got a better shot than you think. So definitely just just go for it.

Applications for the home and prize are open now, and you have until March 20th to get your application in. For more information, including the application process, head to Holleman Lighthouse Hyphen S.F. for San Francisco dot org or simply type Holman Prize into your search engine. There you'll find all the information you need, including frequently asked questions, and there's a section about applying during the time of the pandemic. It's everything that you need to know. Vision Australia will also be promoting the prize on our social media pages and including the upcoming newsletter. If Y and you can also email the program Talking Vision at Vision Australia dot org and we can send you the link. And I have been chatting with Maude RaAl, who was one of three winners of the 2021 Hohmann Prize, and also Lee Coum attacked from the lighthouse for the blind and visually impaired in San Francisco. And if you think her voice sounded familiar, you might know that she is originally from Australia and you might know her work from the BBC. And now it's back to you.

Applications for the home and prize are open now, and you have until March 20th to get your application in. For more information, including the application process, head to Holleman Lighthouse Hyphen S.F. for San Francisco dot org or simply type Holman Prize into your search engine. There you'll find all the information you need, including frequently asked questions, and there's a section about applying during the time of the pandemic. It's everything that you need to know. Vision Australia will also be promoting the prize on our social media pages and including the upcoming newsletter. If Y and you can also email the program Talking Vision at Vision Australia dot org and we can send you the link. And I have been chatting with Maude RaAl, who was one of three winners of the 2021 Hohmann Prize, and also Lee Coum attacked from the lighthouse for the blind and visually impaired in San Francisco. And if you think her voice sounded familiar, you might know that she is originally from Australia and you might know her work from the BBC. And now it's back to you.

Sam, thanks very much, Stella, and thanks as well to Maude and Lee there.

Sam, thanks very much, Stella, and thanks as well to Maude and Lee there.

You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during business hours on 103000 eight four seven four six. That's one 300 eight four seven four W6 or by visiting Vision Australia dot org. That's Vision Australia dot all.

You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during business hours on 103000 eight four seven four six. That's one 300 eight four seven four W6 or by visiting Vision Australia dot org. That's Vision Australia dot all.