She is wearing a cream-colored crocheted sweater with an intricate floral pattern and a simple beaded necklace with a small pendant. The softly blurred background and warm lighting draw the viewer’s attention to her expressive face and radiant smile.
There is a sense of delight and kindness in Julia’s expression, as though she has just been greeted by someone she loves. Her smile is both gentle and exuberant, capturing the joy that so many people remember about her.
Today, this photograph represents more than a cherished memory. It introduces the Julia Gebert Technology Fund, which continues Julia’s legacy by helping provide assistive technology to Alaskans who are blind or visually impaired, opening doors to greater independence, opportunity, and connection.
Julia Gebert was a member of the blind community in Alaska who touched every single life she came across in unforgettable ways. Her laughter, wit, and precociousness were all wrapped up in a tiny body with a big personality. She represented what it meant to be a “cool blind girl!” Cane skills, check. Braille skills, check. Technology skills, check.
In her memory, this fund will foster the blind skills that Julia embodied by providing device and technology scholarships for other blind and low-vision Alaskans.
Though Julia experienced the world without sight, she helped others see with their hearts. Through the Julia Gebert Technology Fund, her light continues to shine; bringing possibility, independence, and connection to others throughout Alaska.