For over twenty years, Darlene O’Brien has been an inspiring speaker, dynamic trainer, and passionate disability rights advocate.  She’s also a holistic educator, with a successful bio-energetics practice in both Northern and Southern California. 

Since going blind in 1998, she has dedicated herself to demonstrating that all people, with or without disabilities, deserve the same considerations and opportunities found through social interaction and competitive employment. 

After going blind at the age of 35, and with two young children to support, Darlene realized that the career development needs of those with blindness and low vision were profoundly underrepresented in her area of Northern California. So she created the career development program in Sacramento, where she addressed the vocational needs of the blind and low vision community. She also realized that employers would benefit from a better understanding of how to hire and work with individuals with disabilities, so she co-created the Spirit of Inclusion workshop, with a local non-profit organization, A Touch of Understanding where she delivered a lively, hands-on Disability Awareness and Etiquette Training program, to thousands of employees throughout the greater Sacramento area.

She has developed a reputation for being a dynamic inspirational speaker.  Her enthusiasm and tell-it-like-it-is humorous style have won over audiences in both the public and private sectors.

In addition to serving on ATOU’s board of directors for over 18 years, she continues to facilitate their annual event, An Evening of Insight, which enables its participants to experience a meal under blindfold, while interacting in a lively social environment.   

She is currently writing her teaching memoir, in addition to developing a new talk show.  Darlene believes that genius is held within each one of us, regardless of physical, intellectual, or mental ability, and that this genius is here to serve the greater good.  She believes that it is incumbent on each of us to discover that genius and bring it into the world, because it is only then that we will raise humanity to its highest potential.

A Touch of Understanding - the organization that Darlene speaks about in the episode.

To learn more about Robert Maggio, the composer of our theme music, please check out his website.

To learn more about the inspiration for this podcast, please check out Suzanne's memoir,  Estrellas - Moments of Illumination Along El Camino de Santiago. 

Find Suzanne on Social Media

Do you know someone who has a story to tell? Someone who is giving back to their community? Working to make our world a better place? Send an email to suzanne@suzannemaggio.com. Nominate them for a future episode of From Sparks to Light.

To learn more about Robert Maggio, the composer of "Where Love is Love," our theme music, please check out his website.

To learn more about Suzanne, visit her website.

To learn more about the inspiration for this podcast, please check out Suzanne's memoir, Estrellas - Moments of Illumination Along El Camino de Santiago

Follow Suzanne on Social Media

• Instagram @suzannemaggio_author
• Facebook @ Suzanne Maggio author
• Threads @suzannemaggio_author