Sarah was born legally blind with Bilateral Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. Shortly after, she worked as a job readiness program coordinator at Horizons for the Blind in Crystal Lake, IL
As a lifelong martial arts practitioner, Sarah proceeded to embark on a journey to learn judo in hopes of competing in the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Her dream came true after two short years and many competitions. After the Games, in the fall of 2016, Sarah began graduate school and ran in her first Chicago Marathon. She completed her Master of Arts in Counseling with a specialization in sport and health in 2019. Today, Sarah works as an accessibility analyst at Google.
In her spare time, she enjoys participating in adaptive sports, traveling, reading, playing the ukulele (piano, and trumpet too,) and spending time with their friends, family, and guide dog. Sarah believes in taking opportunities despite the potential risks. Weigh out the options in front of you and make smart decisions. Aim for what excites you.
Outreach and Advocacy
In 2018, Sarah founded Samcha Cicago, a group focused on supporting Korean-identified LGBTQ+ people in the Chicagoland area. You can listen to her interview here as a guest on Pride Connection, hosted by the American Council of the Blind, where she discusses growing up in two worlds, entering the world of competitive Judo, and her understanding of queer identity.
If you have any questions or would like to connect, please send an email to sarahchung610 [at] gmail.com.