Dr. Kirk Adams Posts

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams reflects on the personal and universal power of poetry during National Poetry Month. Writing as a totally blind person who has experienced poetry through braille and sound, he draws on voices ranging from Sonia Sanchez and Audre Lorde to John Lee Clark and Emily Dickinson to argue that poetry is not a luxury but a necessity, one that gives marginalized communities a platform to speak, resist, and belong.

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams shares a deeply personal remembrance of Jim Whittaker, the legendary mountaineer and first American to summit Mount Everest, who passed away on April 7, 2026, at the age of 97. In 1981, a young Kirk Adams, blind since childhood, joined Whittaker’s rope team on Project Pelion, a multi-disability expedition up Mount Rainier, becoming the first blind person to reach the summit. Adams recalls Whittaker not as a distant icon, but as a vibrant, generous man whose belief in others made the impossible feel natural.

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams frames Autism Acceptance Month as a call to move beyond simple awareness and toward real belonging, arguing that autism is not something to be “fixed” but a complex, fully human way of experiencing the world. He emphasizes that autism includes a wide range of lived experiences, from extraordinary strengths like creativity, precision, and deep focus to significant support needs, and insists that every autistic person is equally worthy of dignity, care, and inclusion.

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams explains that he is supporting the campaign to save the BrailleDoodle because it is not merely an inspiring idea, but a practical, proven tool that helps blind and low-vision learners build braille literacy, explore tactile graphics, and engage with STEM concepts. He emphasizes that the device’s value lies in its simplicity and accessibility: it is durable, affordable, battery-free, internet-free, and useful across many settings, from homes and classrooms to adults adjusting to vision loss. For Adams, the BrailleDoodle stands out because it addresses real educational needs in a concrete way, rather than relying on abstract talk about inclusion and opportunity.

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams highlights a rare and hopeful moment in entertainment: the independent film Family Trip (filming in Los Angeles in summer 2026) is conducting a nationwide casting search for a legally blind girl ages 8-11 to play Abby, specifically choosing a blind child to portray a blind character, with no prior acting experience required. He shares the submission details for families and urges readers to help spread the word so the right child can be found.