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The makeshift bedsheet noose was around the young man’s neck, when Deputy Juvenile Officer Langford Cun-
ningham intervened. He can still remember the boy screaming “LET ME DIE!” repeatedly as he uncoiled the sheet.
“I never thought I’ve ever be in a similar situa-tion,” Cunningham reflected.
A late stage glaucoma diagnosis and thirty failed surgeries last year didn’t save his eye-sight.
Depression and pills filled him up. He was right where that boy was.“I called up my drug dealer and asked him
if he had anything to ‘put me to sleep’,” Cun-ningham remembered.
This time, God used a different type of in-tervention. His drug dealer was arrested by state troopers while making the delivery. As he waited, Cunningham heard God as a voice in his head, driving away those thoughts of ending himself.
“Just because you lost your sight doesn’t mean you lost your vision,” the voice said.
After that moment, Cunningham realized he could still help those lost in darkness like he was. On March 9, 2020, Cunningham launched “Blind City”, a nationwide podcast that helps people struggling with depression and suicide, substance abuse and addiction, violence, etc.
“The feedback I got from the first podcast was very inspiring,” Cunningham said.
Currently the first episode is available to listen at https://www.blindcitythepodcast.com/. A new episode will be released next month in June.
“Right now, this is a perfect time to reflect on your mental wellbeing and spiritual connec-tion to God,” Cunningham stated when asked what to do during the stay-at-home order. “It’s a time to reflect. It’s a time to get help if you need it. Don’t ignore the pain, physical or mental.”
Langford Cunningham
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Blind City, a first of its kind podcast, fo-cused on helping people to overcome depression, suicide, substance abuse, vi-
olence, and now, this deadly coronavirus.Blind City, birthed in St. Louis, Missouri
by Langford Cunningham, a man who himself has lived a life of corruption, drugs, and gang violence.
His motto: “I had to lose my sight to find my vision!”, ask the question: “How many of us had to lose site of reality to find the vision of truth?”.
Less than a year ago, Langford lost his sight in both eyes. He became bitter and an-gry with the world, including God, that he wanted to commit suicide, but God stepped in, and gave him purpose.
Prior to this, Langford, received a bach-elor’s degree in criminal justice, becoming a counselor at a State Prison, created projects for Juvenile Detention, formulated lesson plans for Juvenile Delinquents as a Deputy Juvenile Officer.
His interest in helping the youth, began in 2008, when Langford began a powerful community project called the “Hood Chron-icles”, a documentary that explores crimes,
sexually transmitted diseases, and debilitating issues affecting the community. Various pub-lications wrote articles due to the raw and frank discussions on gangs and violence; July 21, 2009, the “Riverfront Times”, August 16, 2009, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Even the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the His-tory Channel, and Home Box Office (HBO) showed national interest. At that time, Lang-ford partnered with Congressman Lacy Clay Jr., and other local officials.
This year, on March 4, 2020, the “West End Word”, wrote about the new podcast which was successfully launched on March 9th. The second podcast in June, will discuss street violence in the middle of the COVID 19 pandemic. The guest, a 22 year old young man named Stebo, discussing challenges of street life today.
For further information, contact Andria Brown at: [email protected] or Langford Cun-ningham, 636-825-9647, or check us out on the web: www.BLINDCITYTHEPODCAST. Blind City Podcast, the first nationally syndicated podcast out of St. Louis.
“HE HAD TO LOSE HIS SIGHT TO FIND HIS VISION”
Blind City Podcast: How Darkness Can Transform Into Light For OthersBy Patrick Jenkins
All the dreams I prayed you’d be, are all the things you are. You were once my little girl, and now my shining star. Congratulations on all your achieve-ments. You have made us all proud! Love, mom (Sausha), dad (Tez), and
family. Mascoutah High School Class of 2020.
CONGRATS, YOU DID IT!Section B May 14 - 20, 2020
