{"id":6720,"date":"2021-05-24T20:22:17","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T01:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6720"},"modified":"2021-05-24T20:22:21","modified_gmt":"2021-05-25T01:22:21","slug":"meet-actor-robert-tarango-the-first-deafblind-actor-in-a-lead-role-and-doug-roland-writer-and-director-of-the-academy-award-nominated-short-film-feeling-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6720","title":{"rendered":"Meet Actor Robert Tarango, the First DeafBlind Actor in a Lead Role, and Doug Roland, Writer and Director of the Academy Award Nominated Short Film, Feeling Through\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_1629\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6720-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=6717\">Full Transcript<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Show Summary:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a typical day for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.feelingthrough.com\/new-page-3\">Robert Tarango<\/a>, working in the kitchen of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.helenkeller.org\/hknc\">Helen Keller National Center<\/a>. That is until his boss summoned him to another building on the center\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not given any further information, Robert imagined a host of mostly ominous reasons for the sudden meeting.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last thing he considered was that he would be auditioning for the lead in the short film,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.feelingthrough.com\/\">Feeling Through.<\/a>Nor did he ever think he would receive the part and become the first DeafBlind actor in an Oscar nominated film. But that is exactly what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The film by writer\/director&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.feelingthrough.com\/workshops-demos\">Doug Roland<\/a>&nbsp;is based on his own real-life encounter he had over ten years ago late one night in New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was his first time meeting a DeafBlind person and the experience of learning alternative means of communicating never left him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Doug and Robert talk with guest host Lisa Bryant about casting an authentic DeafBlind person, and the value rather than the expense of providing accommodations. Doug also addresses what some have called unrealistic portrayal of Robert\u2019s character as too trusting of a total stranger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert talks about the wild ride of stardom and more importantly raising the awareness of talent in the DeafBlind community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on future projects, go to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.feelingthrough.com\/\">FeelingThrough.com<\/a>&nbsp;and sign up for the newsletter. You can also subscribe to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/feelingthrough\">Youtube.com\/feelingthrough<\/a>&nbsp;or follow them&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/feelingthrough\">@FeelingThrough<\/a>&nbsp;on Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact Your State Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you reside in Minnesota, and you would like to know more about Transition Services from State Services contact Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig by&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:Sheila.Koenig@state.mn.us\">email<\/a>&nbsp;or contact her via phone at 651-539-2361.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Contact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can follow us on Twitter&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/blindabilities\">@BlindAbilities<\/a><br>On the web at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/\">www.BlindAbilities.com<\/a><br>Send us an&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:info@BlindAbilities.com\">email<\/a><br>Get the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/blind-abilities\/id1085849859?l=es&amp;mt=8\">Free Blind Abilities App&nbsp;on the App Store<\/a>and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.blindabilities.android.blind&amp;hl=en_US\">Google Play Store<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/607027582712671\/\">Blind Abilities Community<\/a>on Facebook, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlindAbilities\/\">Blind Abilities Page<\/a>, and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/jobinsightsgroup\">Career Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a>&nbsp;group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_1631\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6720-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/FeelingThrough.mp3 Full Transcript Show Summary: It was a typical day for&nbsp;Robert Tarango, working in the kitchen of the&nbsp;Helen Keller National Center. That is until his boss summoned him to another building on the center\u2019s campus. Not given any further information, Robert imagined a host of mostly ominous reasons for the sudden meeting.&nbsp;&nbsp; The last thing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[17,514],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-transcribed"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-1Ko","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4941,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=4941","url_meta":{"origin":6720,"position":0},"title":"Career Expo: From Homeless, to Training, to Employment and Working on His Degree \u2013 Meet Bobby Binns","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"May 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Show Summary: State Services for the Blind hosted a Career Expo for high school and college students who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind. The event took place on Saturday, April 27. Throughout the Expo students had the opportunity to: Connect with adults with a vision loss from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image of man with cane and woman with service dog and City Skyline with Job Insights in bold letters.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7862,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7862","url_meta":{"origin":6720,"position":1},"title":"The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. &#8211; Creating Diverse, Sustainable, and Meaningful Employment opportunities. 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Katy Todd is the Community Engagement Manager and gives us an overview of the programs and opportunities at\u00a0The Lighthouse for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7285,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7285","url_meta":{"origin":6720,"position":2},"title":"American Foundation for the Blind\u2019s Workplace Technology Survey:\u00a0A Survey on\u00a0\u00a0the Workplace Technology Barriers Faced by Blind and Low Vision Individuals","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"April 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Podcast Summary: April 6 , 2022 is Assistive Technology Awareness Day, and on this day we have Arielle Silverman, Research Specialist from the American Foundation for the Blind, in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about AFB\u2019s Workplace Technology Survey that completed in January of 2022. You can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/AFBLogo.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9211,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9211","url_meta":{"origin":6720,"position":3},"title":"Minnesota Honors White Cane Day: Safety, Freedom, and a Future Without Limits","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"October 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: White Cane Day 2025 at the Minnesota State Capitol was a celebration of pride, freedom, and possibility. Leaders, students, families, and blind, low vision, and deafblind Minnesotans gathered to affirm a simple truth: the white cane is not just a mobility tool \u2014 it is dignity, safety, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9463,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9463","url_meta":{"origin":6720,"position":4},"title":"New Language, New Opportunities: Unlocking Independence Through English Learning with Abbi Mayland","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"March 20, 2026","format":"audio","excerpt":"Podcast Summary: What if learning English could open the door to independence, education, and meaningful work? In this episode of Blind Abilities, Jeff Thompson sits down with English Language Learning specialist Abbi Mayland from State Services for the Blind of Minnesota. Abbi shares how she helps students who are blind,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9480,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9480","url_meta":{"origin":6720,"position":5},"title":"No Limits to Learning: A Summer Program That Builds Independence","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"April 1, 2026","format":"audio","excerpt":"Step into a summer that could change everything. At the Colorado Center for the Blind, the\u00a0No Limits to Learning program\u00a0invites blind, deafblind, and low vision students ages 15\u201321 to live, learn, and grow in a fully immersive experience. You\u2019ll stay in real apartments, cook your own meals, travel using public\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6720"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6724,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6720\/revisions\/6724"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}