Olegario ollie cantos biography of georgetown

by Charles D. Nabarrete

In June 2022, a friend invited me to a meet-and-greet with Olegario D. Cantos VII, who goes by “Ollie.” A blind attorney, he was beginning a bid for city council in West Covina, Calif.

Even though I did not live in his district, I decided to try to help him in his quest for public office.  I had heard of a blind member of the California legislature who had served in the early 1900s. The American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys (AAVIA), an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, had searched for visually impaired elected officials but only found a legislator from Minnesota.

Olegario “Ollie” D. Cantos VII, National Disability Rights Activist.

Olegario “Ollie” D. Cantos VII, National Disability Rights Activist.

RespectAbility Board Chair Olegario “Ollie” Cantos agrees.

Ollie Cantos is the Chairman-Emeritus of RespectAbility's Board of.

Erlinda and Orlando Cantos are the parents of Olegario Cantos VII, the newly elected President of the California Association of Blind Students (CABS).

Book Olegario Ollie D. Cantos, VII, Esq. for your next event.

I had invited Ollie to speak to AAVIA during the 2023 ACB convention. His presentation was well-received by the membership.

When I read Ollie’s official campaign website (http://www.OllieCantos.com), I learned that he was born without sight in his left eye and had very limited vision in his right.

His parents, Orlando and Linda Cantos, immigrated from the Philipp