Champions for Change Celebrated at 2025 Helen Keller Achievement Awards

• Author Andrew Leland Breaks Down Misconceptions of People with Disabilities;
• Business Leader Thomas Wlodkowski Recognized for Bolstering Access to Media;
• Mattel Lauded for Blind Barbie’s Global Impact on Positive Perceptions of blindness

/EIN News/ -- NEW YORK, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) celebrated the achievements of champions for inclusion in media, culture, and the arts this evening during its annual Helen Keller Achievement Awards held at the New York Yacht Club in Midtown Manhattan. The evening’s honorees — author and journalist Andrew Leland, business leader and accessible media innovator Thomas Wlodkowski, and Mattel’s Blind Barbie — were recognized for their steadfast commitment to keep Helen Keller’s spirit alive as they drive opportunity and inclusion for people with disabilities.   

“Each of our honorees this year has made significant strides toward expanding the inclusion of people with disabilities in our society,” said AFB president and CEO Eric Bridges. “They serve as trailblazers in their own right, building on Helen’s rich spirit of independence and access that she exemplified throughout her life.”

Recognized for his outstanding contributions as a published author and journalist, Mr. Leland brings a body of published work that reflects Helen Keller’s own artistry in crafting narratives with mass appeal. Mr. Leland’s nonfiction book, “The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight,” published in 2023 by Penguin/Random House, has received high acclaim from the literary community. The book chronicles his experience of losing sight due to retinitis pigmentosa while offering a deeper insight into blind culture. His further published works across print, radio, and podcasting speak to the hearts of millions of people who are blind or have low vision.

Mattel is lauded for its successful line of Barbie Fashionista dolls, including the Blind Barbie Fashionista released last summer, which was praised across the blindness community for expanding the inclusion of people who are blind or have low vision. First launched in 2009, the Barbie Fashionista line offers children a range of skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashions to tell more stories through play.

For over three decades, Thomas Wlodkowski has remained one of the leading champions for accessible and inclusive media, working across the broadcast, cable, mobile, and internet industries to make entertainment more accessible for individuals with disabilities. Mr. Wlodkowski began his career at public broadcast station WGBH in Boston in 1992, where he worked with Descriptive Video Service, now known as Audio Description. From there, he moved to AOL, working on multiple accessible user interfaces for web, video, mobile, and desktop applications during his 10-year tenure. Today, Tom serves as Vice President of Accessibility at Comcast, a global media and technology company, where he leads inclusion efforts for people with disabilities. 

Since 1994, the Helen Keller Achievement Award has recognized the finest thought leaders, change-makers, and performing artists committed to carrying on Keller's mission to create a world of full and equal inclusion for people with disabilities. For over 40 years, Helen Keller was AFB's leading ambassador, inspiring millions worldwide as she demonstrated all that can be accomplished through determination and perseverance.

AFB continues to honor Keller's legacy by recognizing exceptional individuals and organizations from industry, education, and the arts who have distinguished themselves in pursuit of expanding possibilities for those who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. Past honorees include filmmaker Shawn Levy, tech leader and entrepreneur Bernard Newcomb, Chef Christine Ha, actor Charlie Cox, and performing artists Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.

Founded in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind creates equal opportunities and expands possibilities for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision through advocacy, thought leadership, and strategic partnerships. In addition to publishing the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), AFB is also the proud steward of the Helen Keller Archive, which is available on the AFB website at www.afb.org.

Contact:
                    Tony Stephens, AVP for Communications
                    212.502.7627 | tstephens@afb.org