AUSTIN, Texas — Faith Penn knows what it’s like to be perceived as different.
- Blind Cafe holds dining events in the dark
- Attendees can ask questions freely
She lost her sight 14 years ago after a freak accident.
"I was actually hit in the face with a soccer ball and that actually detached my retinas,” said Penn.
Penn worked hard to adjust to a world catered to those with sight.
“You go through a load of emotions. I did. I went through anger. I was very upset then, you know, I was just depressed. Then I snapped out of it really quick because my personality is that I can’t stay in one mode like that for a long time," said Penn.
Faith Penn with Blind Cafe Ambassadors. (Mimi Haruna/Spectrum News)
That’s why she jumped at the chance to get involved in a sensory experience that flips the script.
The Blind Cafe is a national organization staffed by people who are blind. Penn is a blind ambassador and leads people to a place where she feels at home — the dark.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to educate the public about blindness," said Penn.
It’s a dining experience like no other — the actual event is held entirely in the dark.
Event goers are given the opportunity to ask questions freely without judgement.
Guests ask a range of questions from “How do you decipher your money?" to "What’s your favorite thing about being blind?"
For Penn it’s all about being a source of light and positivity to others even in the darkest of rooms.
"It’s helpful for them to see blindness in a different light," said Penn.