Beauty, Boldness & Breaking Barriers | Krystle Allen, Eyes Like Mine & The Ms. Blind Diva Movement

Beauty. Boldness. Breaking Barriers.

This week on Right Now with Rhenotha, Rhenotha Whitaker welcomes Krystle Allen, Co-Founder and CEO of Eyes Like Mine, along with queens from the Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant, for a powerful conversation about confidence, representation, advocacy, and the importance of being seen.

Since 2014, Eyes Like Mine has worked to empower blind and visually impaired individuals through innovative programs and community-building initiatives, including Dancing with the Blind and the Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant.

Krystle shares how being known as the "Blind Diva" because of her fashion-forward style and signature bedazzled cane inspired a movement that now celebrates beauty, confidence, leadership, and self-expression. Joined by fellow queens, she discusses the impact of representation, breaking stereotypes, and creating opportunities for others to shine.

This inspiring conversation explores what it means to challenge perceptions, embrace individuality, and lead with purpose.

Whether you're interested in advocacy, empowerment, pageantry, disability awareness, or simply hearing extraordinary stories from extraordinary people, this episode is for you.

Guest:
Krystle Allen
Co-Founder & CEO, Eyes Like Mine

Featuring:
The Queens of the Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant

Learn more about Eyes Like Mine:
www.eyeslikemine.org

Right Now with Rhenotha
Hosted by Rhenotha Whitaker

Right Now with Rhenotha is an experience designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. Blending conversation, storytelling, and everyday moments, it captures the energy of what’s happening right now.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Can you share a little bit about that? Uh yes, I can. Everybody's vision loss is not equally yoked in New Jersey. There's a growing estimated number of 259,000 residents with vision loss. So we do use differently able to represent all types of disabilities, all types of the tiers of vision loss, because honestly, this is a community that anyone can join at any point in their life.

SPEAKER_04 0:30

Good evening, everybody, and thank you for tuning in to Right Now with Renata. I'm so excited to have a feature Eyes Like Mine. It is an organization that is focusing on the visually impaired community. And I have the CEO founder with me, Crystal D. Allen from Newark, New Jersey. And of course, you know, a diva can't be alone. So she brought another D.Va with her, all the way from the story. Miss Lakeisha Guest. She is the first African-American visually impaired MDF title holder for the Miss Blond Diva pageant. Of course, put on by eyes like mine. All right, so we're about to get into it. Good evening, you two. Thank you for being here.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Thank you, Renata. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 1:27

You are so welcome. You are so welcome. You divas, okay, we're gonna get right into it with these divas, honey. Crystal, for those that don't know who you are or what Eyes Like Mine is, enlighten the people for me, okay?

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Sure, gladly. So hello everyone. My name is Crystal Allen. I'm North, New Jersey native, and Eyes Like Mine Incorporated is a community-based 501c3 nonprofit organization which has a mission to share awareness about the abilities and potential of individuals with vision loss through community service initiatives, comprehensive empowerment workshops, and innovative social change awareness events. And we are home of Dancing with the Blind and the Miss Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant, which are our signature programs.

SPEAKER_04 2:18

Oh my goodness. Now I heard that the Miss Blind Diva pageant started because somebody was being a diva. Tell me that story.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

Well, you are absolutely right. I was attending um Essex County College, and I used to always be known for walking around campus with my heels and my cane, and both things were conversation starters. But um what would get the conversation going and how I was referred to was always that, oh, there goes that blind chick, there goes that blind girl, there goes that blind lady. And I felt that I wanted to kind of switch the narrative a bit when we started Eyes Like Mine, because I felt that there may have been many other women who identify with vision loss in their communities who may always get that as well. There goes that blind person, and our blindness does not define us. We are human beings first, we're people first, and it's important for people to get to know who we are as individuals and as a collective. So uh when we were thinking of different ways to bring awareness, we started off with doing a nomination process of finding Miss Wine Diva, and anyone from around the New Jersey community could nominate a woman who they felt was a community pillar, and that was in 2015, and then it transitioned to a full-fledged pageant that we launched in 2017, and so many years later, up until now, our pageant has grown, and we gave it the name the Miss Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant after the nickname I gave myself in college, Blind Diva.

SPEAKER_04 4:08

Yes, honey, you better tell all of that origin story, okay, because it is fabulous, okay? And thank you so much for turning that um, not necessarily negative, but you, you know, when you said, Oh, there goes that blind chick, there's a get there goes that blind girl, you were like, Oh no, okay, call me by my name, blind diva, thank you. Okay. And you just and you turn that into an organization. You turn that into um, you know, empowerment versus seeing something, seeing a disability, right? Um and you also use the word differently abled instead of disability. Do you want, can you share a little bit about that?

SPEAKER_01 4:58

Uh yes, I can. So everybody's vision loss is not equally yoked in New Jersey. There's a growing estimated number of 259,000 residents with vision loss. And um everyone has a different lived experience. So we do use differently able to represent all types of disabilities, all types of the tears of vision loss. Because honestly, this is a community that anyone can join at any point in their life for any reason or circumstance. You know, it can just happen throughout life. It's not only that you're assigned it, vision loss doesn't pick you, disability doesn't pick you, but with all of that, being considered differently able, it kind of signifies our uniqueness and how we can adapt and still do everyday things that anyone else does, but with periods adaptations.

SPEAKER_04 5:58

Wonderful. And not only when you okay, so when you started the Miss Blonde Diva pageant, just like you said, it started off local, but now Miss Blonde Diva is nationwide, okay, and you have participants from all over the country, namely Miss Lakeisha Guest, title holder, Lakeisha Guest, all the way from Missouri, okay. When you entered into the pageant, what were your expectations? Did you think you would become a title holder? And also, please just give me a little bit about yourself as well, Lakeisha.

SPEAKER_03 6:41

If I'm deaf and blind, I did not expect I was gonna be winning a title holder. So basically I would just want to um come in to connect with other um blind women there and to share our uh story and our journey, you know, and to uplift others. I didn't expect that I was gonna win the title holder for where. But you're doing that.

SPEAKER_04 7:06

You are uplifting individuals who could be deaf, and you're up to you're uplifting individuals who could be blind, right?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

In your town, in your town, and you know, all over the country. I will also share with you that back in 2018, we did have another deaf blind title holder. Her name was Tara Envidiado, but she was from New Jersey. And the uniqueness about the deafblind community, it's a completely different sector within the tiers of vision loss that is a little more vulnerable and underserved than maybe someone who's legally blind or someone who's totally blind. And when we got an opportunity to hear Lakeisha's story from her being the applicant turned contestant to now title holder, she was hand-picked by all four of our previous 2024 title holders because of how she stood out in her contestant experience and on the day of the pageant. So our director's choice became a whole new title back in 2024, and it continues on, and we were so proud that Lakeisha was selected because she is our first African-American death blind title holder.

SPEAKER_04 8:28

How has it changed your life, Lakeisha? How has it changed your life?

SPEAKER_03 8:33

I was shot. It was emotion and, you know, proud of myself, you know, that I'm so grateful and glad they understand me because me as a deaf person, I thought I would be struggling. I mean, I was struggling in speech, you know, and trying to get people to understand when I was trying to stage to when I uh inspire others on that stage. But it was shy. So it's it's showing me that, you know, it deserves we deserve to be heard and seen. And, you know, our voices marriage, you know.

SPEAKER_04 9:10

You're inspiring me right now, Lakeisha, okay? You are not letting any um impediment stop you from expressing yourself, and I'm just so proud of you myself. So congratulations, Miss Blonde, okay? First African American, first African American deaf blind title holder. You go girl.

SPEAKER_03 9:34

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 9:35

So, Crystal, um, you know, like like we said earlier, you've started this since 2014. You know, you've been building this for years. Have you seen what have been some challenges and what have what have been some triumphs from this for the eyes like mine organization?

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Definitely uh challenges, learning as we're going. You know, me and Nikula Wright Privo, we both born and raised in North, New Jersey. And through our friendship and a lot of our own lived experience, we poured into our organization. But because we didn't have like formal training on how to run a nonprofit, you know, learning as you go, sometimes you run into challenges, sometimes you run into different types of barriers that might be seen as um stumbling blocks. But we have the resilience within us to continue to just see our vision through. And um, some of the triumphs, I can say, well, we've been supported with our city every year uh that we've held our pageant. We've had a recorded public service announcement, which then moved on to the city filming our events, starting with the pageant and then down to dance with the blind, so we can bring more awareness on the local cable channel. And then even just growing our pageant.

SPEAKER_00 11:02

Tune into the change agents who happen to be native Newarkers, Crystal Allen and Aquila Wright Prevo, who will share a message accompanied by their reigning pageant title holders, Miss Blind Diva, Courtney Brown from Tallahassee, Florida.

SPEAKER_04 11:21

Because it shows the rest of the world that just because I'm blind doesn't mean I have to depend on, you know, someone else to do something for me all the time. So continue. Right. Right.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

And then that was, you know, announced the night before the pageant. And then Miss Blind Diva, she was only selected through a panel of judges. And we we didn't even have a cash prize at first. So our pageant has evolved where we went from no cash prize and two titles to cash prizes that were growing because of sponsorships and supporters. And then now we have five titles. We introduced five uh three additional titles back in 2024 so that we can start to have a court of title holders and to also just identify everybody's strength when you compete. Because when you compete, you take the risk of losing or winning. But everyone who decided to take a chance to apply, they're already winners because many of the women who joined never competed in a pageant, never saw themselves wanting to be even on the stage. And even though they may be visually impaired, they didn't want the idea of being on stage and having people watch them and speaking out loud with public speaking. So now our additional titles include Miss Altruistic, which this year is Miss Bianca Johnson from North Carolina, and she is um selected because of her ways to amplify community service. Then Director's Choice is selected by all of the previous title holders from the year prior, who is really watching an outstanding contestant as she's going toward her journey to the crown. And then we have Miss Photogenic, which is our online photo contest, which is kind of like another people's choice where supporters anywhere and everywhere can vote for the best photo. And then it's just the other two, Miss Independent and Miss Windiva. So that gives us a court of ladies. And so our current um Miss Photogenic is Miss Courtney Brown from Florida, and she's a dual title holder because she actually won Miss Windiva last year. And then our Miss Independent is Miss Ashley Innis from Georgia, who recently let us know that she is also Deathblindness Blessed. Wow.

SPEAKER_04 13:57

Yes. Wow. So, you know, I'm not gonna say it, but I'm gonna say it, you know, you just you, you know, you you're not name dropping, but you state dropping, okay? Because the pageant is so successful that you have individuals from all over the country, and that is a testament to how you are making sure that this is an this is an actual empowerment pageant and not just, you know, beauty, beauty, beauty, beauty, beauty. You are really inspiring young ladies, older ladies all over the country. And I'm just I'm just in awe. Um this really should be picked up by major TV network fans, you know, it should be something on a national, international, sponsored by everybody, Lottie Dottie and everybody, because this is just something. What you what you've created is something short of, I mean, just you know, a miracle. And it is yours, it is your proprietary, okay? And so nobody can steal it. And so, you know, like you know, I've been a part of Miss Blind Eva and I was like mine since I've known you. Um, I've been a host for the event the night before for dancing with the blinds. And um, you know, I'm just truly inspired and continue to be inspired by everything that you're doing. And I want to see your, I want to see your $100,000 sponsorships, okay? And so that's why you're here. That's that's why, that's why we're on, you know, that's why you're on right now with Renata, because I want to sell it to the masses. Sell it to the masses, not sell it, but you know, you know what I mean. Yes, yes. Oh, wow. So, um, so listen, we're gonna go ahead and play a game, okay? Um, you know, like you said, it's an empowerment um pageant. And you know, but so you know, but we also gotta be a diva, okay? We also gotta be a diva. So um, we're gonna call this what a diva gonna do, okay? All right, I want both of you to answer, okay? You ready? Yes. All right, cool. So, what a diva gonna do? Heels or flat? Crystal, you first. Heels heels for you too, Lakeisha? Hill. Okay, okay. Well, I'm gonna tell you this, diva. This diva wearing flat. All right, okay. Are we gonna be fashionable over comfort or no? We're gonna be fashionable or comfortable. What diva gonna do? Fashionable. Oh, all right, all right. Lakeisha first. What deeper gonna do? We're gonna do sparkles or sequence. What eeva gonna do? Sparkle.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

What about you, Crystal? I'm gonna do a sparkle also. Sparkle never hurt nobody, okay?

SPEAKER_04 17:17

Okay, okay. All right, um, let's see. What either gonna do? And Crystal, you're first. Patty LaBelle or Beyonce? Man, dang. Oh, whoa, wait, wait. You can say both.

SPEAKER_02 17:38

You can say both.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

Well, I'll say, I like to say Patty LaBelle because I love that song, you are my friend.

SPEAKER_04 17:45

Yeah, you are my friend. Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay, Patty LaBelle. Okay, what about you, Lakeisha? What do you mean? Beyonce.

SPEAKER_03 17:54

Beyonce.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Okay. Okay, I see you on the beehive. I see you on the beehive. Every year for 153 days exactly, we are in recruitment season from March 1st to July 31st. So now is the time to submit your application. Any woman ages 18 and older who identifies with vision loss, that includes someone wearing prescription eyewear, someone who has astigmatism, someone who's legally blind, totally blind, death blind, a high partial. If you identify with vision loss, Miss Blind Diva is for you. Take a chance on yourself and just help us get you towards your journey to the crown. Um, our cash prize for the top winner is $1,500 this year. And we prepare you once July 31st is done, we prepare you from then until the actual weekend of the pageant. And this year, the pageant will be on October 16th and 17th. And it is going to be in Newark. We always have our pageant in Newark every year. Our venue is likely going to be the Robert Tree Hotel downtown Newark this year. And there'll be more information on our website as we get closer and closer to the date. But if you want to volunteer with us, virtually or in person, we welcome all volunteers, anyone who has a passion to help us make a difference. And any woman anywhere, as long as you can get to New Jersey, because our pageant is in person, you're definitely welcome to join. And every Tuesday from 6 to 7, we have what is called Tiara Tuesday. Today was Lakeisha's Day, and each one of our title holders, Lakeisha, Bianca, Ashley, and Courtney, have their Tiara Tuesday, 6 to 7 p.m. on our Miss Wayne Diva Facebook page live stream so that you can get to know them, get to know their uh lived experience, and we have different topics that we focus on every month. So this month was Women's Health Month, which is in May every year, and we'll be continuing on until the pageant of 2026 arrives. And I'll tell you, like I said earlier on, we didn't have formal training as we began producing our different innovations. And because of that, I wanted to get the idea of the contestant, what that experience was like. So, and when 2023 came around, I became a contestant, and I became the first legally blind Miss North USA of that pageant system. And every year since then, I continue to compete, not only for myself, but also because it gives me inspiration to expand Miss Wayne Diva and to also see what is out here in the trends and culture of pageantry and how pageantry is not only about beauty and what you're wearing, it's definitely about the individual and how you can make a difference in your community. And Miss Wine Diva is the first and only pageant in New Jersey, which started right in Newark, New Jersey, the largest municipality in New Jersey, to bring awareness about the abilities of those who have vision loss. So visit us at eyeslikemind.org, connect with us by emailing us at events at eyeslikemind.org, and you can follow us on YouTube, on Facebook, on Instagram, and just shout us out. You can follow us um at YouTube, on Instagram and Facebook using our handles at eyeslike mind. You can call us at 973 327 3035. And definitely feel free to follow any of our queens, Miss Lakeisha Guest, our Director's Choice 2025, at LGest at eyeslikemind.org, our Bianca Johnson, Miss Altruistic 2025, B Johnson at eyeslikemind.org, Ashley N. Our Miss Independent 2025 A Innis at eyeslikemind.org and our Miss Photogenic and Miss LangDiva 2025, Courtney Brown at C Brown at eyeslikemind.org. And definitely keep following us. We thank you so much, Renata, for sharing this time with us and allowing us to be on your platform. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_04 22:22

You are so welcome. No, thank you for creating this community. Thank you. This community of empowered women, individuals who are now connected and joined together because what you just did was drop their emails. So that means they are with you for life. That's what it sounds like, right? So basically, you're creating a community of differently able individuals that's going to keep beating the drum for vision-impaired awareness. And so, Crystal, like I said, I am always in your corner, sis. I am always, you know, one pumping my fist to make sure that we get this out to the masses, to the masses. Because as far as I'm concerned, we're the money at. Okay. Run. They need to run you coins. Okay. They need to run you coins. And then I dare, I dare anybody to try and copy and replicate. What? I dare. Okay, this was born in Newark, New Jersey by Crystal and Niquella. And you have really created something special. And again, I'm I'm so honored to have you here on right now with Renata. All right. So I want both of you to answer, to answer this. People see blindness and think blank, but the truth is blank. Crystal, you first.

SPEAKER_01 23:53

People see blindness and think our senses are heightened and we have amazing hearing. But the truth is it's a myth, and we're really just paying attention. Oh, I love that. I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_04 24:12

That was that's all I needed. Okay. Oh man, again, thank you for being on right now with Renatha. I appreciate you so much, the both of you. Thank you for spreading awareness and thank you for creating community. All right, everybody. Thank you for tuning in to right now with Renatha. If you have not subscribed, please subscribe to Ranatha on YouTube. Okay, everybody, we'll see you next week. Bye. Bye.