Drawing on his own experiences of visual impairment, Adam Cureton encourages a new approach towards disability. After years of attempting to hide his impairment from others, Adam realized social attitudes surrounding disability, even when working to benefit the disabled, often fail to recognize individual needs and desires. Social stigmas and a failure to recognize individual identity can often turn a act of support into an emotional burden. Adam's experiences from childhood into adulthood offer insight into how we consider and practice care and respect for others, particularly those living with disability. Adam hopes a consideration for disabled people as individuals with unique needs, going beyond the stereotypes, becomes the basis for how we interface with disability in society. Adam Cureton is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Tennessee, having done his graduate work at Oxford University, as a Rhodes Scholar, and at UNC Chapel Hill. Adam is visually impaired, which has led to an interest in philosophical issues of disability, especially ones concerning attitudes of respect and care for people with disabilities. He is also a committed advocate for people with disabilities, serving on various diversity committees and boards as well as the founder and president of the Society for Philosophy and Disability. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx