Ismael Collazo, president of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of South Dakota, visited the Brookings Rotary Club to share how the volunteer-led organization is expanding access to art and STEM, and to preview a groundbreaking 3D tactile art exhibition slated for the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls in March 2026.
“Our organization is an advocacy group made of blind people for blind people,” the NFB of South Dakota president said. “We’re volunteers at the state and local level, and we work so blind South Dakotans can live the lives we want - equal terms.”
The NFB affiliate is raising funds to bring “Art Through the Ages,” a six-piece, hands-on gallery featuring famous works (including the Mona Lisa) reproduced as 3D, touchable portraits with audio description and interactive touchpoints. “Think of the Mona Lisa in 3D—you can feel every angle and curvature of the face,” Collazo said. “Raised markers trigger descriptions of the painting and the artist, and a front-panel button offers audio about the period when it was created. It’s a powerful experience whether you’re blind or sighted.”
The exhibit will run for three months beginning March 2026 at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, SD. The affiliate is fundraising $36,000 to cover the installation so admission can be free to the public.
“That may sound like a lot, but we don’t want to charge anyone,” the president added. “Many in the blind community live on fixed incomes, and we also want sighted visitors to experience another way of knowing - not just seeing, but sensing through your fingertips.”
Founded in 1940, the NFB has affiliates in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with local chapters that meet regularly. “In Brookings, we meet monthly at Bethel Baptist—the last Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.—and we combine the meeting with a potluck,” the president said. “Everyone is welcome to come see how we work together.”
The affiliate also engages in statewide and national advocacy. “I just returned from Washington, D.C. to advocate on workforce issues,” the president noted. “Our philosophy is simple: equal rights and equal expectations for blind people.”
The president also highlighted 2026 plans for a non-visual STEM program serving youth across South Dakota—potentially hosted in Brookings—“and we’ll be looking for volunteers.”
The president estimated about 19,000 South Dakotans are visually impaired, emphasizing that vision loss exists on a spectrum. “Visual impairment isn’t all-or-nothing,” the president said. “Some are legally blind with usable vision; others are totally blind. There are hundreds of eye conditions, and people experience everything from light perception to no vision at all. Even within our community, those of us who are totally blind are a minority—roughly one in ten.”
“If you go to the exhibit,” Collazo added with a smile, “try it with a blindfold. Let your fingers do the seeing. You might discover details you’ve never noticed before.”