Alexandria practices Krav Maga, a type of self-defense and is a powerlifter. With the Holman Prize, she would train and compete in powerlifting competitions, with the hopes of qualifying for the 2020 Paralympics.
2019 Semifinalists
Read about our 41 Semifinalists and dive into their pitch videos on our YouTube playlist.
Natalie Devora
Natalie is an author and activist. With the Holman Prize, she would travel and collect stories from people of color with albinism around the world and share these stories in an anthology and documentary.
Michelle Young
Michelle has worked with blind people on structured discovery in Qatar, the United States, and Australia. With the Holman Prize, she would hold residential workshops on structured discovery and echolocation orientation and mobility techniques.
Chad Allen
Chad has been a performing magician for over twenty years. He would use the Holman Prize to digitize notable magic books, making them accessible for the first time to blind people.
Abdullah Aljuaid
Abdullah is interested in e-commerce. With the Holman Prize, he would create a global consultation app for blind people to find information on learning, mobility, fitness and e-commerce.
Michael Aguilar
Michael is passionate about inclusivity in the beauty industry. With the Holman Prize, he would market his company, Visionary Cosmetics, a makeup brand with braille labels, and vivid color descriptions.
Marx Vergel Melencio
Marx Vergel plays acoustic and electric bass. With the Holman Prize, he would develop a device he created called VIsION with the goal of mass production. The product is a wearable AI device for the blind.
Shon Mackey
Shon has completed in dancing competitions and talent shows. With the Holman Prize, he would open Blind Rhythm Dance Studio, to teach dance to blind and low vision individuals.
Natalie & Sarina
Natalie loves yoga and Sarina practices jiu jitsu. With the Holman Prize, they would create an online platform that focuses on blindness awareness and accessibility training for employers and organizations.
Pauline Dowell
Pauline and her guide dog live on a sailboat on the Boston Harbor. She would use the Holman Prize to form an all-female crew of blind sailors to compete in the 2020 Newport to Bermuda Race.
Note: Originally, Pauline was going to complete in the Marblehead to Halifax Race. Since this will will not take place again until 2021, she has changed it to the more difficult Newport to Bermuda Race.