“I Identify as Blind” disability pride, music and unmasking with Lachi

On this episode of National Disability Radio, we sit down with award-winning recording artist, advocate, and author Lachi for a powerful conversation about disability pride, music, and unmasking.

Lachi shares her journey, from navigating the music industry as a blind artist, to founding RAMPD, a coalition amplifying disability culture across the industry. We talk about what it means to say “I identify as blind,” move beyond the medical and social models of disability into a cultural model rooted in identity and joy, and remind listeners that no one can defeat someone who hasn’t given up.

From glam canes to Grammy stages, this episode is about claiming space, rejecting internalized ableism, and turning perceived flaws into flexes.

Transcript:

Alden Blevins:

It’s Lachi? I feel very-

Lachi:

Lachi like Versace.

Alden Blevins:

Lachi like… Oh, I love that.

Michelle Bishop:

That is the best way to explain it.