January 31, 2025 • 8 mins
Dr. Tyler speaks to entrepreneurs Krystle Allen and Naquela Wright-Prevo, who are both blind, and Lisa Durden who is producing a documentary feature about these two amazing women. Krystle and Naquela share their stories about how medical malpractice led to their unique blindness issues, and how both have thrived in their family lives and careers. Lisa Durden tells us how her fascination with these two women led to a documentary called 'Blind Divas', currently in production.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And now as a brown person, you just feel so invisible.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Where we're from and brothers and sisters, I welcome you
to this joyful day.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And we celebrate freedom.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Where we are, I know someone's heard something and where
we're going.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
We the people means all the people.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
The Black Information Network presents Blackland with your host Vanessa Tyler.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome back, Hello guys, I am a contestant for Miss
Blind Diva Pageant.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
I would love for you to share and light my video.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Nicuella Write Privo and Crystal Allen, through their nonprofit Eyes
Like Mine, hold a yearly Miss Blind Diva Empowerment pageant
contestants sends in videos of their full lives.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I am total blind. I love to cook clean and
I have things brailed in my kitchen so I will
know where everything at.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
They say it's women like that they want us to see.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
We started our nonprofit organization called Eyes Like Mine INK
and we have a few different slogans that vision loss
doesn't break us, it builds us. And when people go
through vision laws, they do experience the seven stages. Agree
just like any one losing a loved one, you know
(01:19):
you're losing a part of yourself that you may or
may not be able to reconnect with and it's hard.
So sometimes people can get stuck in depression. There's a
lot of suicidal rates that happen because a person couldn't
imagine themselves being blind and that they wouldn't be able
to enjoy life after blindness. So with us, with our
(01:41):
live experience and all the people that we met along
the way, we are able to be visionaries for what
the possibilities are and what they can continue to be
in our lives and in the lives of others.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
There's also an added layer. They must also navigate being
blind and black. It makes a it does.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It does not to an extreme, but there's a lot
of people who, let's say the white people who go
as more resources, more people on their side, more money,
you know, to get the technology that they need. We
(02:24):
got a weak for the technology to come out. They're
testing the technology.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Another big issue for these women financial. It's tough being
blind and getting a job. Luckily, today with technology it
has made it easier. That's one of the many aspects
of their lives covered by documentary producer Lisa Durden, who
captures their lives in the film Blind Divas.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
These ladies have jobs too.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
They have jobs.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
They can use the technology to be on the computer
and work at a call center. This I mean, of
course you can't be an uber driver your but their
quology should make it much easier than it.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
No.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, although there's now this talk about cars driving itself,
and now some of them say they will get in
the car and drive itself. So like Crystal's a really
quick story to talk about when she was almost not
getting this job years ago and she cried. She tried
to fake like she was in blind So I want
people to know that they have abilities. You can hire them,
they can be your babysitter. They can do a lot
of things and if you just give them a chance.
(03:25):
So I think I want to blow the doors off
of the misconceptions and now make it real clear that
you can see literally what they can do.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
They say blindness can happen to anybody at any time,
although Nicuela and Crystal say they became blind due to
medical malpractice, which resulted in both being diagnosed with the
condition that leads to blindness called pseudo tumor cerebrae. They
say blindness is increasing in the black community.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
You know, diabetes has grown extensivelyse pecially since the pandemic
and a lot of the black communities. But in terms
of like organizations, like how we have our five on
one C three being a black led organization by women
will just so happen to be visually impaired this end
(04:16):
of Jersey, Northern New Jersey, we were definitely one of
the first, and in southern New Jersey there are two
other organizations led by black blind women, and we just
reached our ten year milestone.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
But a larger statistic around the United States is thirty
nine million people thirty nine million black, not black, thirty
nine million blind people around the blind slash visually impaired
people in the United States. So it's bigger than so
the two hundred and something thousand is Jersey. But this
is a national platform, so I want people to know
it's bigger than just New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
That's why it's vital to get the word out. The
documentary will do just that. You see their full lives,
including how they date love. Duquela met her husband by
literally bumping into him as she was making her way
to the restroom in a restaurant and he can see so.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, see my husband is cited. I actually went to
Maryland in twenty fourteen. I went to Maryland because I
was in a showcase out there. I won a competition
in Jersey and I went to Maryland. I was going
to the bathroom and he was going to the bathroom.
My grandmother was there too, and she's seen us like
(05:31):
colliding at the bathroom, and she was like, well, why
don't y'all both go in the bathroom. I was like, Oh,
I'm gonna go over there. But that kind of sparked
up a conversation, and my grandmother kind of got us
together because she was like, y'all go outside and talk.
And then once we started talking, we realized, like, oh,
we vibe it. So we chatted it up for like
(05:52):
probably a whole month, and then I went back out
to Maryland and it's history from there.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yes, blind girls like to have fun to again. Lisa
Dirden captures it all. What is it that you want
us to walk away after we've seen blind divas.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
I want the stigmas to disappear. It won't happen right away.
The misconceptions because I had them myself, and the discrimination,
and I want people to know that they the abilities
of blind people. I want the world to see their abilities,
but I also want them to see it in such
(06:30):
a way where it's not a ooh always me. It's fun.
So there's some you're gonna cheer for them, You're going
to clap, you're gonna cry. I want this film to
touch every emotion so that you feel connected. So that's
why I'm kind of glad they let me into their
world to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
When can we see the documentary and how could we help?
Speaker 3 (06:51):
We are not finished the film yet, so we have
a little bit of a crowdfunding campaign. So if you
go on click on gofund me Blind Divas and don'tate
a dollar, five dollars, any amount you want. So we're
doing a crowdfunding campaign and then we just launched. We're
having eclips and conversations for those who want to see
a little bit of a clip that we have so far.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Also, the Divas have several events coming up, including their
premier event, Miss Blind Diva Empowerment pageant. To contribute and
help their mission, go to their website eyesli likemind dot
org and to make sure Blind Diva's the documentary comes
to a big and small screen near you go to
(07:32):
the support the Inspiring Blind Divas go fundme page and
follow documentary producer Lisa Dirden on all platforms for updates.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
We all have intervision, right and sometimes it'd'll always tap
into that intervision. Sometimes they i'd be forced to tap
into that intervision, especially when you lose physical fight. So
it just signifies that you know there's still life after blindness.
You can still be a visionary for what matters most
(08:04):
to you in life in spite of vision.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Lize, I'm Vanessa Tyler. Join me next time with more
about black lives in Blackland. Like and subscribe. Let me
know what you think at Vanessa Tyler one on Instagram
And now as a brown person, you just feel so invisible.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Where we're from and brothers and sisters, I welcome you
to this joyful day.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And we celebrate freedom.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Where we are, I know someone's heard something and where
we're going.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
We the people means all the people.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
The Black Information Network presents Blackland with your host Vanessa Tyler.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome back, Hello guys, I am a contestant for Miss
Blind Diva Pageant.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
I would love for you to share and light my video.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Nicuella Write Privo and Crystal Allen, through their nonprofit Eyes
Like Mine, hold a yearly Miss Blind Diva Empowerment pageant
contestants sends in videos of their full lives.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I am total blind. I love to cook clean and
I have things brailed in my kitchen so I will
know where everything at.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
They say it's women like that they want us to see.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
We started our nonprofit organization called Eyes Like Mine INK
and we have a few different slogans that vision loss
doesn't break us, it builds us. And when people go
through vision laws, they do experience the seven stages. Agree
just like any one losing a loved one, you know
(01:19):
you're losing a part of yourself that you may or
may not be able to reconnect with and it's hard.
So sometimes people can get stuck in depression. There's a
lot of suicidal rates that happen because a person couldn't
imagine themselves being blind and that they wouldn't be able
to enjoy life after blindness. So with us, with our
(01:41):
live experience and all the people that we met along
the way, we are able to be visionaries for what
the possibilities are and what they can continue to be
in our lives and in the lives of others.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
There's also an added layer. They must also navigate being
blind and black. It makes a it does.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It does not to an extreme, but there's a lot
of people who, let's say the white people who go
as more resources, more people on their side, more money,
you know, to get the technology that they need. We
(02:24):
got a weak for the technology to come out. They're
testing the technology.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Another big issue for these women financial. It's tough being
blind and getting a job. Luckily, today with technology it
has made it easier. That's one of the many aspects
of their lives covered by documentary producer Lisa Durden, who
captures their lives in the film Blind Divas.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
These ladies have jobs too.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
They have jobs.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
They can use the technology to be on the computer
and work at a call center. This I mean, of
course you can't be an uber driver your but their
quology should make it much easier than it.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
No.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, although there's now this talk about cars driving itself,
and now some of them say they will get in
the car and drive itself. So like Crystal's a really
quick story to talk about when she was almost not
getting this job years ago and she cried. She tried
to fake like she was in blind So I want
people to know that they have abilities. You can hire them,
they can be your babysitter. They can do a lot
of things and if you just give them a chance.
(03:25):
So I think I want to blow the doors off
of the misconceptions and now make it real clear that
you can see literally what they can do.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
They say blindness can happen to anybody at any time,
although Nicuela and Crystal say they became blind due to
medical malpractice, which resulted in both being diagnosed with the
condition that leads to blindness called pseudo tumor cerebrae. They
say blindness is increasing in the black community.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
You know, diabetes has grown extensivelyse pecially since the pandemic
and a lot of the black communities. But in terms
of like organizations, like how we have our five on
one C three being a black led organization by women
will just so happen to be visually impaired this end
(04:16):
of Jersey, Northern New Jersey, we were definitely one of
the first, and in southern New Jersey there are two
other organizations led by black blind women, and we just
reached our ten year milestone.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
But a larger statistic around the United States is thirty
nine million people thirty nine million black, not black, thirty
nine million blind people around the blind slash visually impaired
people in the United States. So it's bigger than so
the two hundred and something thousand is Jersey. But this
is a national platform, so I want people to know
it's bigger than just New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
That's why it's vital to get the word out. The
documentary will do just that. You see their full lives,
including how they date love. Duquela met her husband by
literally bumping into him as she was making her way
to the restroom in a restaurant and he can see so.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, see my husband is cited. I actually went to
Maryland in twenty fourteen. I went to Maryland because I
was in a showcase out there. I won a competition
in Jersey and I went to Maryland. I was going
to the bathroom and he was going to the bathroom.
My grandmother was there too, and she's seen us like
(05:31):
colliding at the bathroom, and she was like, well, why
don't y'all both go in the bathroom. I was like, Oh,
I'm gonna go over there. But that kind of sparked
up a conversation, and my grandmother kind of got us
together because she was like, y'all go outside and talk.
And then once we started talking, we realized, like, oh,
we vibe it. So we chatted it up for like
(05:52):
probably a whole month, and then I went back out
to Maryland and it's history from there.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yes, blind girls like to have fun to again. Lisa
Dirden captures it all. What is it that you want
us to walk away after we've seen blind divas.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
I want the stigmas to disappear. It won't happen right away.
The misconceptions because I had them myself, and the discrimination,
and I want people to know that they the abilities
of blind people. I want the world to see their abilities,
but I also want them to see it in such
(06:30):
a way where it's not a ooh always me. It's fun.
So there's some you're gonna cheer for them, You're going
to clap, you're gonna cry. I want this film to
touch every emotion so that you feel connected. So that's
why I'm kind of glad they let me into their
world to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
When can we see the documentary and how could we help?
Speaker 3 (06:51):
We are not finished the film yet, so we have
a little bit of a crowdfunding campaign. So if you
go on click on gofund me Blind Divas and don'tate
a dollar, five dollars, any amount you want. So we're
doing a crowdfunding campaign and then we just launched. We're
having eclips and conversations for those who want to see
a little bit of a clip that we have so far.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Also, the Divas have several events coming up, including their
premier event, Miss Blind Diva Empowerment pageant. To contribute and
help their mission, go to their website eyesli likemind dot
org and to make sure Blind Diva's the documentary comes
to a big and small screen near you go to
(07:32):
the support the Inspiring Blind Divas go fundme page and
follow documentary producer Lisa Dirden on all platforms for updates.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
We all have intervision, right and sometimes it'd'll always tap
into that intervision. Sometimes they i'd be forced to tap
into that intervision, especially when you lose physical fight. So
it just signifies that you know there's still life after blindness.
You can still be a visionary for what matters most
(08:04):
to you in life in spite of vision.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Lize, I'm Vanessa Tyler. Join me next time with more
about black lives in Blackland. Like and subscribe. Let me
know what you think at Vanessa Tyler one on Instagram
Host
Vanessa Tyler
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