When Sayyida Victoria Hillard lost her sight at 30, she was raising four children and trying to understand what life would look like next. In her conversation with Cazerny Bussey on the Even Though I’m Blind Experience podcast, she speaks openly about that adjustment—and the confidence, purpose, and community she has built since.
“I like me better as a blind woman,” she shares.
That statement comes with a story. Sayyida talks about grieving her sight, learning to do things differently, and recognizing that her knowledge, skills, and abilities were still hers. She also describes how blindness changed the way she connects with people, giving conversations more weight than appearances.
Her experiences as a mother of five bring another dimension to the episode. Her older children lived through the early adjustment alongside her. Her youngest, born after she became blind, grew up with a mother who had become more confident in navigating everyday life. Sayyida shares both sides with honesty and humor.
Creating the Support She Needed
Sayyida’s community work began with a need she recognized personally. She wanted a place where blind professionals could talk with peers about employment, workplace barriers, career goals, and the pressure to prove themselves.
In 2019, she created the support group that became Blind Professionals Network. During the episode, she explains how that group grew into workshops, training, and a wider network of people committed to helping each other succeed.
Today, she serves as BPN’s founder and executive director. Its programs and services are free. Her work also includes BPN Workplace Solutions, which provides professional services and creates employment opportunities for blind individuals, along with development coaching through Better Blind Insight and Clear Vision Coaching.
Through Blind Table Talk, she makes space for conversations, stories, and resources that connect the blind and visually impaired community with one another and with the wider world.
More Collaboration, More Opportunity
One of the clearest messages in this episode is Sayyida’s call for collaboration. She believes the community benefits when organizations support each other, share resources, and recognize that no single organization can meet every need.
She and Cazerny also discuss independence, raising blind children with opportunities to participate, and the cost of holding yourself back because of other people’s opinions.
Her reminder to listeners is direct: never dim your shine because of what you think others might say.
Learn more about Sayyida’s businesses, coaching, podcasts, and community work at SayyidaVictoria.com.
Check Out the Full Episode Here
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