Foresight: An Alphapointe Series

Trischa Zorn-Hudson was born with Aniridia, an eye disorder that results in a lack of development of the iris in a person’s eye. In Zorn-Hudson’s case, that meant blindness. “When I was young, my parents were both told that I would probably end up in an institution and have to be dependent on people,” she said. As it turns out, Zorn-Hudson had other plans, which included becoming the most decorated Olympic/Paralympic athlete in history. During a 24-year swimming career spanning seven Paralympic Games, Zorn-Hudson captured 55 medals, including 41 gold medals. By herself, Zorn-Hudson’s total is more than the cumulative Paralympic medals earned by more than 120 nations around the world. Zorn-Hudson covers a number of subjects, including the challenges she faced in the education system as a child, coming within 1/100th of a second of making the U.S. Olympic Team, serving as an international advocate for athletes with disabilities and much more. Hosted by Alphapointe Director of Public Policy Scott Thornhill, this is an amazingly insightful conversation.

Trischa Zorn-Hudson was born with Aniridia, an eye disorder that results in a lack of development of the iris in a person’s eye. In Zorn-Hudson’s case, that meant blindness. “When I was young, my parents were both told that I would probably end up in an institution and have to be dependent on people,” she said. As it turns out, Zorn-Hudson had other plans, which included becoming the most decorated Olympic/Paralympic athlete in history. During a 24-year swimming career spanning seven Paralympic Games, Zorn-Hudson captured 55 medals, including 41 gold medals. By herself, Zorn-Hudson’s total is more than the cumulative Paralympic medals earned by more than 120 nations around the world. Zorn-Hudson covers a number of subjects, including the challenges she faced in the education system as a child, coming within 1/100th of a second of making the U.S. Olympic Team, serving as an international advocate for athletes with disabilities and much more. Hosted by Alphapointe Director of Public Policy Scott Thornhill, this is an amazingly insightful conversation.

The first blind governor in U.S. history and the fourth African-American governor in American history, Gov. David Paterson offers incredibly candid insights into of the challenges he faced growing up in an education system unequipped to serve children with disabilities, his rise to prominence as the youngest New York state legislator, the unprecedented challenges he faced after being thrust into the governorship amidst a global economic crisis, the difficulties in handling his insulting portrayals in programs such as Saturday Night Live and much more. Hosted by Alphapointe Director of Public Policy Scott Thornhill, this is an amazingly unfiltered and frank conversation you won’t want to miss.

The first blind governor in U.S. history to serve more than two weeks and the fourth African-American governor in American history, Gov. David Paterson offers incredibly candid insights into of the challenges he faced growing up in an education system unequipped to serve children with disabilities, his rise to prominence as the youngest New York state legislator, the unprecedented challenges he faced after being thrust into the governorship amidst a global economic crisis, the difficulties in handling his insulting portrayals in programs such as Saturday Night Live and much more. Hosted by Alphapointe Director of Public Policy Scott Thornhill, this is an amazingly unfiltered and frank conversation you won’t want to miss.