Glider Spotlight: Meet Molly Burke!

In this monthly series, we put the spotlight on our Gliders community to celebrate individuals who inspire us. This month, we’re highlighting Glider Molly Burke, the world-renowned jet-setting content creator, influencer, author, and more!

Thanks for taking the time to join us, Molly. Let's dive into the questions!

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Where do you live at the moment? Are you home often, or do you spend a lot of time on the road?

I live in Los Angeles, but I’m often traveling—both across the U.S. and internationally.

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You're a speaker, influencer, advocate, author, content creator, and more. Tell us a bit about your work!

I’ve been public speaking since I was five years old and went full-time professional at eighteen. By twenty, after years on the road, I was already experiencing burnout and knew I needed to pause and reevaluate. That’s when I began sharing videos on YouTube—everything from makeup tutorials for the blind to educational content about guide dogs. Over the past eleven years, that channel has grown into a community of nearly five million people worldwide, something I never could have imagined. Today, I continue to speak, create content across platforms, consult corporations on universal design, and now add “author” to the list with the release of my debut memoir, UNSEEN.

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What’s a typical "day in the life of Molly" like?

There really isn’t a typical “day in the life” with my travel schedule, and that’s part of what I love about it. I get bored easily, and this lifestyle keeps me constantly engaged. One non-negotiable is taking my guide dog to the park for fetch—it’s how he burns off energy. I also prioritize strong morning and evening routines. Even on the road, I carve out time to ground myself, recharge mentally, and care for my physical health. That balance is the only reason I can keep up with everything.

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Is there a particular mission or motivation guiding your work that you'd like people to know?

I’m not in this for me to succeed—I’m in this for my community to succeed. Everything I do is about uplifting and empowering other disabled people, whether that’s creating online content that represents our lives or advocating behind the scenes for greater accessibility.

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What's one thing most people don’t know about you?

Fun fact: I’m double-jointed in my thumbs. Totally useless, but it makes for a quirky party trick!

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If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation, hands down. With all the travel I do, it would save me so much time.

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Who is your biggest inspiration, and why?

Oprah Winfrey has always been my biggest inspiration. As a kid, when my classmates rushed home to watch SpongeBob, I was glued to Oprah. I dreamed of working in entertainment but didn’t see myself represented. Watching a minority woman use entertainment as a platform to elevate tough but important conversations was life-changing for me.

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What’s one accomplishment you’re most proud of?

When I started posting on YouTube 11 years ago, disability representation online was almost nonexistent. A handful of creators and I set out to change that. Today, you can scroll through any social platform and find endless disability content. Knowing I played even a small part in carving that path is something I’m deeply proud of—it’s changing lives, educating non-disabled people, building community, and even creating income opportunities for disabled creators.

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If you could wave a magic wand and change anything in the world today, what would it be?

I’d love to see universal design principles widely implemented. My blindness isn’t what disables me—the lack of accessible design is. If every website were accessible, every building intuitive, and every product designed inclusively, my vision loss wouldn’t be a barrier. And we know designing with accessibility in mind benefits everyone.

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What’s one or two lessons you’ve learned in life that you’d like to pass on?

Independence looks different for everyone, so comparison is useless. Live in a way that feels fulfilling to you and let go of the “shoulds.” If you love something, there’s a way to adapt it. I’ve found ways to enjoy fashion and makeup without sight, and I have blind friends who surf, play soccer, ride motorcycles, and more. Sometimes it’s harder or takes longer, but it’s possible.

Adapting to vision loss isn’t easy—the grief is lifelong. But it does get better. Two things that helped me most were leaning into community with other blind and low-vision people, and taking small steps each day to reclaim independence until I had rebuilt a full life.

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We hear you’ve got a book coming out soon. Can you give us a sneak peek?

UNSEEN is for anyone who has ever felt invisible in their own life. It’s for people struggling with imposter syndrome or people-pleasing. It’s not a “struggle to success” story—it’s about how struggle and success often coexist. It’s about the duality we all live with.

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We've also heard you’ve given Glide a try. What was that experience like?

I’ve always believed we need more mobility aid options for the blind. I’ve been a guide dog user for 18 years, but when I travel internationally—like to Australia—sometimes bringing my dog isn’t possible. Using a cane feels unnatural for me since I’ve had a dog since I was 13. Having an option like Glide would be game-changing. It would give me flexibility when my dog is sick, when it’s too hot for him to work, or when travel makes bringing him impractical. It’s the tool I’ve been waiting for.

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Anything else you’d like to share with the Gliders community?

My memoir, UNSEEN: How I Lost My Vision but Found My Voice, is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold, with an audiobook narrated by me! It releases October 14, just in time for World Sight Month. You can also follow my journey on all platforms: @MollyBurkeOfficial.

Check out Molly's work on her website, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok!

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