Digital Accessibility Coordinator, NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
Born in Egypt and raised in New York, Walei has had significant transitions in his life. First from one country to another and then through varying degrees of vision. The journey from being sighted to blind has given Walei many insights into this transition. The most important is that people with disabilities can accomplish many things if given the support, tools and opportunities to do so. Walei believes that the most disabling thing about being blind is the way that others treat him. That’s why Walei is out on a mission to increase access wherever he can. Whether it’s by conducting website audits, providing staff awareness trainings or representing the disability community in his everyday life, wherever he goes, Walei is constantly changing perceptions one situation at a time.