About Belo
Digital Inclusion Strategist, Author, and Teacher
Belo Miguel Cipriani, Ed.D. is a digital inclusion strategist who became passionate about making online spaces accessible after being blinded by a group of men in 2007. His books and articles on disability issues have received numerous awards and international recognition. He has guest lectured at Yale, and, in 2020, he was appointed by Governor Tim Walz to the Minnesota Council on Disability. Through his digital access consulting firm, Oleb Media, he has helped countless organizations build inclusive websites and apps. HuffPost referred to him as an “Agent of Change,” and SF Weekly named him one of the best disability advocates. Tony Coelho, the primary author and sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act, called him an “important voice” in disability writing.
My Story
How I Got Started
Out of all of the structures that popped up during those formative years, there was one building that stood out from the pack. Cipriani shared, “I used to take the bus to school every day, and as it entered downtown San Jose — the glimmering Adobe building saluted me. I wanted to go inside to explore but knew I could only enter if I worked for the company.”
“So,” he continued, “I asked one of my teachers about Adobe, and he introduced me to their products. Shortly after, I was using Photoshop and PageMill and started making websites, which then led me to immerse myself in other technologies.”
And immerse himself he did, with jobs after college as a Unix administrator and in software sales. However, Cipriani found his footing in technical recruiting. “I liked the feeling of helping people find their dream job,” he said. “But I also liked that this experience allowed me to become a thought leader in resume writing — a service I could donate.”
“In fact,” he said, drawing a deep breath, “I had taught a resume editing workshop at a nonprofit that funded scholarships for women earlier in the day when I was blinded.”
In the spring of 2007, Cipriani was assaulted by a group of former friends in San Francisco, CA. He received multiple blows to the head, which rendered him completely blind. A time he describes as one of the toughest in his life.
