Will Butler

Vice President, Be My Eyes

Will Butler is the community vice president for the mobile app Be My Eyes. He attended UC Berkeley with a B.A. in American History. His previous work includes freelance journalism at NPR, East Bay Express, and The Atlantic. Between 2015 and 2019, he was the director of communications at the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco.

Will was declared legally blind at age 19, yet he didn't fully accept the diagnosis for several years, and he didn't display his blindness publicly during that time. At first, using a cane felt like a defeat for him, but he learned to find empowerment in it, opening up a whole new world for himself. Read more about Will's journey here.

Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and visually impaired users with a network of sighted volunteers that assist them in everyday tasks. With over 5 million volunteers offering services in around 180 languages, Be My Eyes is the largest online community for blind and low-vision people as well as one of the largest micro-volunteering platforms in the world. In 2017, the app was chosen as Google Play's Best App in the "Most Innovative," "Best Daily Helper," and "Best Hidden Gem" categories as well as the "Best Accessibility Award" category in 2018.

Podcasting

In addition to his work with the Be My Eyes community, Will cohosts multiple podcasts. Say My Meme provides audio descriptions and explanations of current memes for a blind audience. 13 Letters discusses accessibility, universal design, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance, and digital best practices. The Be My Eyes Podcast hosts interviews with prominent members of the blind and low-vision community. You can also find these shows on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

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