SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — In a small garage across from the High School in Brookings, the smell of walnut and maple fills the air. And the man shaping it all—never actually sees a thing. Izzy Callazo lost his eyesight to diabetes. At his wife’s urging, the former chef took a woodworking class in Sioux Falls.
“I just needed to do something, because I didn’t want to sit down and do nothing,” said Izzy.
And he found purpose building handcrafted cutting boards in his garage. His company is playfully named “Blind Guy Boards.”
“Every piece of that cutting board has been touched by me, so I know every imperfection that cutting board has, and I have to fix all those imperfections, so to me it is as perfect as I can get it,” said Izzy.
My first thought was, How does a blind person work around power tools and saws?
“The number one rule was safety, measure everything a hundred times, make sure your fingers aren’t where the blade is,” said Izzy.
With custom jigs, tactile guides, and tools adapted for touch, Izzy feels his way through every cut and curve. You’ll notice the cutting boards have a nice pattern of light and dark woods. Izzy says he can tell which kind of wood he’s placing in the cutting board simply by the smell.
“So when I was at the table saw, I knew I was cutting maple because it smells like roasted maple syrup, and when I was at the planer, I knew what I was cutting because it’s Brazilian Cherry because it has a cherry smell to it,” said Izzy.
He sells his Blind Guy Boards on Facebook. The page also shows bowls, trays, and jewelry boxes.
But woodworking is only half of his mission. Izzy also serves as president of the South Dakota chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, advocating for independence, accessibility, and jobs for visually impaired people.
“Blind people can still do stuff. And we can do it good,” said Izzy. “I mean, look at my cutting boards, and my business is doing good, and what has come from my business? I now know how to tear apart a machine, I know how to do my books I’m also my own salesperson, I know how to tear down, when I go to craft fairs, I know how to tear down my tent, I know how to set up everything, and I’m a hundred percent blind.
His daughter Keya is 16 and says she is proud of Izzy’s drive to try new things and improve his life and the lives of others.
“I think it’s really cool that he is able to do woodworking even though he is blind. It’s really nice that he is spreading awareness to it as well,” said Keya.
Whether he’s advocating for others or crafting his next board, Izzy Callazo is building something bigger than a business—he’s building opportunity and leading by example.
“If I can do it, anybody can do it,” he said.
Proof that vision isn’t only something you see, but something you share.
Check out Blind Guy Boards Facebook Page below