Blind singer Lachi calls it her "glam cane": a colorful, bedazzled cane that helps her navigate her surroundings while also stylishly matching her outfits.
Also known as a white cane — although hers are far more vibrant than that — the device gives Lachi autonomy when she's traveling, as she's often on the road for personal trips and gigs as a touring performer and speaker. "I am a globally touring performer and speaker, so heavy travel is a part of everyday life for me," the New York City-based singer, whose full name is Melissa Ulachi Ulanma Offoha, told USA TODAY. Her cane serves as a conversation starter, creating the chance to educate people about her disability.
Lachi – her stage name a play on her Nigerian middle name Ulachi – was born with colomba, a condition in which the fetus' eyes fail to develop properly. As she gets older, her vision also progressively worsens, now making her fully blind in one eye and partially blind in the other.
According to the American Optometric Association, vision disability is one of the most common among both adults and children. There are around 12 million Americans over the age of 40 with vision loss, and an additional million who are considered legally blind.
