Next show: june 4 - 6, 2015 @ Payne Mansion hotel

Date: June 4 - 6th, 2015
Location: Payne Mansion Hotel 1409 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Time: Thursday, Friday and Sat. TWO SHOWS: 6PM & 8:30PM

Get Tickets HERE!!

Positive Social Change In The Dark

The San Francisco Blind Cafe, is a ‘pop-up event’, a mind bending / heart opening experience where the audience indulges in a vegetarian ‘Sensory Tasting Experience' prepared by a local Chef, participates in a Q & A with their blind wait staff and enjoys a concert of original music…all in the pitch dark. This is NOT just another dinner in the dark…it’s a community experience where people connect, learn and grow from working together to participate in something greater than themselves. The Blind Cafe is designed to help you feel more alive, awake, present and connected to your world. We will be contributing a portion of the proceeds from our San Francisco events to the VEX Project, a vocational enrichment program of the Blind Café energized to “redefine Blind,” through the positive awareness of community resources.

Wait! What I am I getting myself into?

Just to be clear! The Blind Cafe event you are about to sign up for is NOT a regular dinner in the dark! If you want a regular dinner in the dark, there are some restaurants in California and New York where it is solely about the food and you sit with the table mates you come with and it's like a regular restaurant.

What you ARE getting at the Blind Cafe is:

A Social Experience of breaking bread together in the dark! A dinner at 6 - 8 person tables shared with others from the community.

A group discussion between the audience ( you ) and our amazing warm heart felt legally Blind keynote speakers/ servers who will share their personal stories with you and you will have the chance to ask questions, and discuss blindness in the dark with the entire room all paying attention.

A Music Performance in the dark! A 6 - 8 songs set of live music performed with the intention of listening to music without your cell phones, visual conditioning and social etiquette!

What you ARE NOT getting at the Blind Cafe is:

We are not simulating what it is like to be blind! You will get an insight / window into blindness by hearing the stories of our awesome blind staff and participating in a discussion together but you are NOT going to experience what it's like to actually be a blind person.

You will be in the pitch dark and uncomfortable feeling may come up for you. We find that if you stay present, breath and bring attention to letting go of control, it can be a life changing experience. If you don't, you will go home upset because you couldn't control anything because, well you were completely blinded.

The Blind Cafe is a very powerful experience and can be challenging but that's what you signing up for right? Outside our comfort zone - growth! You can't grow with our stretching your comfort zone. So be warned, The Blind Cafe is an awesome, exciting and growth initiating experience. Your experience will depend on your ability to be with yourself, when you don't know what to do. What ever comes up for you in the dark, make room for it! Welcome those feelings and you may find a release on the other side. Call me Rosh, if you have questions! Thanks Rosh & The Blind Cafe team! 720 495 7797

"There is something about engaging in organic conversation with a room full of strangers who can’t see each other that instills a sense of community among the group. At the end, a candle is lit and it feels as if you're waking up from a dream that you somehow shared with everyone around you.

- Hayley Besecker | 7x7 SF Magazine Read Article...

The Blind Cafe's Blind Awareness Impact Partnership

Who We Are

A Colorado-based organization, The Blind Cafe is a fiscally sponsored organization operating under the non-profit 501(c)3 of The Boulder County Arts Alliance. Since 2010, The Blind Cafe has been delivering unique and inspiring positive social change events nation wide, all held in complete darkness & facilitated by legally blind keynote speakers and facilitators. Donations and contributions raised from our events and fiscal sponsorship donations, support the continuation of the innovative and experimental social change programs The Blind Cafe brings to the world!

Our Mission - How we benefit people ( sighted and blind )

The Blind Cafe's mission is to initiate 'positive social change' in the lives of everyone who participates in our programs. We seek to entertain and educate patrons ( both younger and older generations, people of difference race, class, gender and / to disabilities ) on how to connect in a deeper way to: blindness, the value of active listening, appreciation of music, the development of compassion and valuing of others, to relate to one another with a deep sense of compassion and openness to listen and understand people who are different than them.

The vex Project

To empower the blind community, the Blind Cafe partners with The VEX Project-a vocational enrichment provider, redefining blindness through community resources, career mentoring, and professional consultation. Richie Flores key-note speaker of the Austin Blind Cafe and a private Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist devotes his time to coordinating various initiatives that promote positive growth for the blind community. To inspire healthy living, sports, and recreation Richie encourages the blind to "keep moving forward," as we all should towards a positive future.

Please review testimonials from programs, Richie is proud to be involved with.

Richie was a part of the 2014 Championship Beep baseball Team The Austin social change within ourselves. Black hawks, who were featured in Texas monthly: http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/blind-boys-summer

Richie's work with Sports Vision 20/20-a nonprofit dedicated toward advancing the lives of the blind through sports and recreation inspired the Bowling for Blindness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw5a2YjEejw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_WtrQ8M_2o

Blind Youth Participate in the Color Run

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCm0bx2BRfE

Bringing Beep baseball to the Dominican Republic Sports Vision 20/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rOeYrefWUo

Watch the Blind Café’s favorite Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning video that we had a chance to visit in 2011, NFB BELL Program in Austin!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP_CHohOJuA

Richie’s Featured in this Austin Black hawk Beep baseball World Series Championship Article:

http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/localsports/texas-team-wins-beep-world-series/article_5719715e-

c9ac-5430-9d1c-459eae2b4077.html

Make a tax deductible donation to THe Blind Cafe

As you may or may not know, ticket sales only cover a small percentage of the operating costs of our budget. This event is run on a ton of volunteer help and people who just give everything they got to make it happen, which is AMAZING!

At this time, we don't have any major sponsors or financial backing. If you wish to become a sponsor or contribute to this awesome cause in addition to joining us for ticketed events, please consider making a significant tax deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor The Boulder County Arts Alliance. Your contribution will help us to continue this amazing work.

Want to help us grow?

As you may or may not know, ticket sales only cover a small percentage of the operating costs of our budget. This event is run on a ton of volunteer help and people who just give everything they got to make it happen, which is AMAZING!

At this time, we don't have any major sponsors or financial backing. If you wish to become a sponsor or contribute to this awesome cause in addition to joining us for ticketed events, please consider making a donation via the button below or contact us here to make a significant tax deductible donation and learn about our plans to grow to become a financially sustainable organization.

Donate to the Blind Cafe