ALEXANDRIA, VA (JULY 21, 2021) —The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly announces the 2021 Achievement Awards in Audio Description, an initiative of the Council’s Audio Description Project (ADP).
The awards will be presented on ACB Media 1 during ACB’s 60th annual conference and convention General Session on July 22, 2021. Help us celebrate those who are making an impact in 2021 in Audio Description.
The Achievement Awards are given to individuals and/or organizations for outstanding contributions to the establishment and/or continued development of significant audio description programs. The Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description recognizes an individual for outstanding contributions to the field of audio description over an extended period of time, leading, inspiring, or providing exceptional service to others.
“Audio description uses words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative to convey visual images from television, film, DVDs, theater, museums and many other settings,” Dan Spoone, President of the American Council of the Blind. “The organizations and individuals honored with these awards are among the leaders in description. They help make so many aspects of our culture accessible to people who are blind or have low vision; they deserve this special recognition.”
Recipients of the 2021 awards include:
- Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts/Individual: Magan Harms, Mind’s Eye Radio, St. Louis, MO
- Achievement in Audio Description — Media/Individual: Roy Samuelson, Voiceover Artist, Los Angeles, CA
- Achievement in Audio Description — Media/Organization: International Digital Centre, Audio Description Department , NY, NY
- Special Recognition, Achievement in Audio Description — Media/Individuals: Talk Description to Me Podcast with Christine Malec and JJ Hunt, Toronto, Canada
- Special Recognition, Achievement in Audio Description —Media/Organization: Imagination Videobooks, Inc.; Denver, CO
- Achievement in Audio Description — Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers/Individual: Stasha Boyd, QMedia Productions, Winter Garden, FL
- Achievement in Audio Description — Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers/Organization: U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum, Colorado Springs, CO
- Achievement in Audio Description — International: Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand, Wellington, NZ
- Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award for Research and Development – Audio Description: Dr. Anna Matamala, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain
- Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description: Thomas Wlodkowski, Vice President of Accessibility and Assistive Technologies, Comcast, Inc.
For more information about the awards and the Audio Description Project, please visit adp.acb.org, or contact Jo Lynn Bailey-Page at [email protected].
The American Council of the Blind is a national member-driven consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. During the organization’s 60-year history, ACB has become a leader in national, state, local, and even international advocacy efforts. With 68 affiliates, ACB strives to increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve the quality of life for all people who are blind and visually impaired. For more information, visit www.acb.org