In this episode, Kerri Fitzgerald sits down with Jahkori Dopwell Hall at The Glaucoma Foundation offices in New York City to talk about his experience with primary congenital glaucoma, a progressive vision condition he was diagnosed with at just 6 months old. Jahkori never let his vision challenges interrupt his dream of becoming an artist. Jahkori talks about a teacher who inspired him, the family that supported him, and how he turned his passion into a career.
Key Highlights:
- Be inspired by Jahkori’s work with The Glaucoma Foundation, where he serves as an Ambassador and an example of what a young person with glaucoma can accomplish.
- Hear how Jahkori Dopwell Hall’s family first learned he had glaucoma.
- Learn why Jahkori became interested in art.
- Hear about how Jahkori turned his passion for art into a career and a business venture.
Transcript:
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Hello and welcome to another episode of My Hero 360. My name is Kerri Fitzgerald, and today I am joined by Jahkori Dopwell Hall. Jahkori, thank you for joining us.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
Hello. Thank you for having me.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Jahkori, you are an artist in all facets of the word, and we’ll definitely get into your artistry in a little bit, but first I want to start with your health journey. You were diagnosed with primary congenital glaucoma. It’s a rare genetic condition that typically presents at birth or in early childhood. Can you tell us a little bit more about the condition for people who are not aware and how it has impacted you?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
Primary congenital glaucoma is a condition that affects the optic nerve, and it affects the eye pressures. That’s something I had to deal with since I was very young. It was actually a relative that noticed a cloud film over my eye. They brought me right to the urgent care and directed me to the glaucoma specialist. I didn’t even know. My parents didn’t know. It was my aunt who discovered that when I was only 6 months old. The great thing about it is when you get it at an early stage, that’s how you can monitor it and make sure it doesn’t get to blindness.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
With the monitoring, was there any sort of treatment or anything that you’ve been through over the years to also preserve that vision there?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
Yes. I’ve had to have 2 different eye surgeries. I had a goniotomy and trabeculectomy surgery on my eye to reduce the fluid buildup and pressure in the eyes. I’ve also had to take various different eye drops over the years, throughout childhood, sometimes during my favorite classes. I was the one that had to miss those classes to go to those early morning doctor appointments.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
That’s a lot to deal with as a young child, a young kid, growing up. This is a progressive disease, right? Glaucoma is. How has your vision been over the years?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I’ve had pretty much 20/20 vision in my right eye, but my left eye, I’ve had blurry vision ever since I can remember. I’ve been struggling with that, the blurred vision, and just being able to see clear through my left eye. But I just made sure that I followed the doctor’s orders. I went and got my checkups and everything so that he could monitor and make sure that it was taken care of.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Yeah. It’s important to follow the doctor’s orders and to stay on top of your eye health just like you would other aspects of your health. As I mentioned, you’re an artist, but you’ve talked about dealing with this blurry vision for as long as you can remember. How has that impacted the way you approach art and the way you were able to experience art?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
Yeah. I’ll say that one of the classes that I missed was my art class. That was really sad for me because I had a lot of joy in experiencing the arts at a young age, having that time where we could just create. I felt a different connection than the other people in my class to art because that was just a safe space where I felt that I can express myself differently in a way that I wasn’t able to do during our regular classes.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Did you feel you were able to express maybe some of your emotions or your feelings or even your fears toward what you were going through?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I would say so, yeah. Definitely. I was able to just paint and draw what I was seeing. Sometimes I would close 1 eye and draw what I see from the other eye and that’s a different perspective there on what I’m seeing from the left eye versus what I’m seeing from the right eye.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Right. That probably makes for some very unique and different art than an artist who has 20/20 vision, as you said, in both eyes. You said you felt art was a creative outlet for you. What else drew you to expressing yourself through different mediums?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
My mom took me to the Guggenheim Museum when I was younger and just seeing the different art around there, different artists and how they were able to express themselves. I remember learning about Salvador Dali and the way that he interestingly painted his portraits in different areas, his landscapes and how it was just surreal and something that you wouldn’t expect the normal eye to see. It was just a different way of seeing things and that’s what opened me up to exploring those avenues.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
What has helped you get through difficult or challenging times as it relates to your health and pursuing these interests and dreams in the arts?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I would have to say my family. They always stuck by me and they always pushed me to continue doing what I loved no matter what. They told me that even though my eyesight is not the best, that it shouldn’t stop me from doing what I wanted to do and I just kept that and held onto that and I continued to pursue my dreams. I went on to go to the High School of Art and Design and then to the Ringling College of Art and Design. The arts have just been following me on my journey and it’s like, glaucoma didn’t become a setback, but it became part of who I was.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
You also have your master’s in the arts.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I do, in art education.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
What made you… Because you’re obviously talented. You have a personal interest in the arts, but then you went on to study it. You’re educated now in art history and different areas of art. What made you want to go to, like you said, this prestigious school, the Ringling College of Arts?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
It was just the teachers that kept pushing me. When I was in elementary school, I had teachers that would just say, “You’re really talented, Jahkori. You should take this somewhere. You should do something with this.” They would push me, they would just inspire me and I took that advice that they gave me and I was like, “You know what? Maybe I should take it to the next level.” I took it to the next level and more and I just decided that this was what I was meant to do. It was like destiny and once I was in that spot and in that space, it was amazing to just be in that area where I was able to get all these different tools and skills and hone my craft and get all of these teachers that were giving me lectures, but it inspired me to do more. They had art history course, they had design foundation and all these different building blocks, I would say, helped to build me and my career path and they were all meant to be stepping stones to lead me to where I am now.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
That’s amazing. Teachers can really make a difference in a lot of ways, but also to inspire you, like you said, on a particular career path. Is there a particular teacher or class over the years, whether it was from elementary school to college that has really stuck with you or made an impact on you?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
My elementary art teacher. That was the building block that really set it in motion because she saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I asked what would happen if I wanted to become an artist. Because at that time, a lot of people were against artists. They thought that you’re a starving artist, you’re not going to make it out there, it’s not the usual career path. Even the fact that I was interested in being an art teacher at that age as well, I told my teacher I wanted to be an art teacher and she was like, “Are you sure?” Because she was an art teacher and she was like, “We don’t really get paid that good.” But I just became an art teacher because I know that impact that they had on me is something I wanted to have on the students I’m teaching now.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
You are an art teacher now after graduating. I think you actually were doing your master’s program while you were teaching too.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I was.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Good for you. That’s a lot.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
It was.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
What do you hope to instill or impart on your students? You’re now educating the next generation of potentially artists or educators.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
That it’s not impossible to achieve what you want to achieve and that it’s only you that can stop you basically. That’s what I always tell my students. I’m like, “There’s no limits to what you can do so this is your opportunity. You can take it and you can take it to the next level or you can take it and you can leave it where it is, but it’s up to you and the choice is in your hands,” and that just inspires them the same way it inspired me to just do more and explore and reach that next level.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
That’s amazing. You’re likely guiding another person just like you, who maybe 15-20 years from now is going to be sitting here talking about how you inspired them. It’s really beautiful that you’ve parlayed your craft into now helping and educating younger individuals.
I want to talk a little bit more about your art that you create because in addition to being a teacher, you create art in a variety of mediums. You’ve written a song called “Keep Going” that you’ve developed in honor of Harriet Tubman. You also create an annual Black History Year Calendar. I want to hear more about this. The 2026 calendar must be out now, right?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
Yes.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Tell us about why you started this annual calendar and what you hope people get out of it.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
The calendar was actually my senior thesis at the Ringling College of Art and Design. Everyone in the classroom was instructed to create a children’s book for their senior thesis and I just was naturally trying to be different because I was one of the only Black students in my class. I decided to ask my professor if there was a way that I could do this completely different project for my thesis. It would still be in the form of a book, but it would incorporate all the different things that I do. He was weighing down the options I had because I did have the book idea that I was going to do, but I did have this other idea where it shows a vast amount of mediums that I can use. Rather than sticking to one medium, the calendar explores all the different mediums that I’m capable of using and it just puts all of that in a nice little snapshot.
This is basically what happened. He gave me a 5-day deadline. He was like, “Okay, we want to see what this is going to look like.” Put it all together and I used charcoal, I used gouache paint, oil paint, acrylic paint, and I made all these different pieces that were relating to the Black experience and Black history. I put those as the centerpieces of the months. Then the next thing I did was I created titles to go with each month. It wasn’t just April, but it was Afro April. It wasn’t just June, but it was Juneteenth June. They all had a theme and the themes went along with the artwork. Then I have poetry that I do as well. I put poetry to go with each month different poems for the months and closing it out, I put Black history facts for every day of the year.
It was a lot of work that went into it, but it was so unique and so different that the professor said this was really out there and that it was one of the standout things that he’s never seen. I was one of the students who went on from college to start my own business right out of college with that thesis and it’s still going today.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Wow, that’s incredible. Where can people buy your calendars?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
My website is my name, www.jahkoridopwellhall.org and there’s my artwork, there’s the calendars, and even the songs. You’ll see all the different arts that I do. I am one artist with many different talents and that’s one thing that I also learned growing up that trying new things is okay. I didn’t want to stick to one thing. I wanted to always explore different avenues like, “Well, what if I did music? Well what if I did graphic design?” Now I have all these different things that I can do and it’s a nice set list of things. If anyone ever comes to me and asks, “Well, can you do this?” I can.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Very versatile. That’s amazing. You have paintings that people can purchase as well on your website. That’s incredible. You launched this business, you said right out of college. That’s pretty amazing to navigate that. What was that like to set this all up?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
It was a process. I’ll say that. I’ve never created a business before, so I had to go to my aunt and ask her a lot of questions. “Well, do I need to have a business name? How do I get that? Do I have to file for a license?” All these different things, a different account for the business. A lot of work went into it, but laying that foundation and groundwork was so important because now it’s like second nature because having all of those different pieces already in place, it came together. Another thing about Ringling College that I really love was that they prepare you for life and it’s like they turn your passion into a profession. Basically, while we were at the college, we created our website, we created a business card, and we basically had different things set. All we had to do when we came out was to put it in motion.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
That’s amazing that they provide that kind of foundation and training and skills because you don’t see that often. We’re filming here at The Glaucoma Foundation office in New York. You are very connected with this organization. You are a TGF Ambassador. You’ve previously won the TGF Art Challenge. How did you first get involved with The Glaucoma Foundation?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
This is a really nice story. It was my last doctor’s appointment with Dr. Robert Rich and he was my primary care glaucoma specialist since I was very young and he did all the surgeries. My mom would not let anyone else do my surgeries. He’s been with me. Basically, he watched me grow up. It was my very last appointment with him before he retired and before we moved from here to Florida. Then he just suggested that I get in contact with The Glaucoma Foundation. He got my name and he wrote it down and then he said he would give it to the president of that. That was Ms. Elena Sturman and that’s how I got connected with Elena. Then Elena got me connected with all these different other things. I was like, “Wow.” Because I didn’t even think that someone like me could make such an impact for The Glaucoma Foundation or even be noticed like that. I just have to say thank you to Dr. Rich for making that connection and seeing the potential in my partnership with The Glaucoma Foundation.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
That’s incredible. You spoke at their recent Gala event. How was that?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
That was very impactful as well because sharing my story wasn’t something that I ever thought I would be able to do, but having an audience that was there and just open to listening to my story and where I’m coming from, seeing my story, because I had the pictures when I was younger and I had those eye patches on my eyes right after the surgery. It really did touch a lot of people. I was able to even see a family that looked just like mine, that had a younger child who just literally reminded me of myself. He was a young child and he was going through primary congenital glaucoma as well and it was just an impact because the parents were there and they were telling me, they were like, “It’s just so nice to see that there’s others out there that have this, that are going through this and they’re telling their stories.”
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Yeah. I’m sure for the parents to see all that you’ve accomplished and what you’re doing with your art and your passion, you could be an example for their son. I’m sure that was incredibly impactful.
What do you want people to learn or understand about glaucoma? Often we think of it as something that impacts people maybe later in life. What would you want people to understand about it?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I want people to understand that glaucoma, it can affect anyone at any given time. Always go to your ophthalmologist and make sure to get checked, make sure that you are keeping your eye health and taking care of your eyes because that is so important. You only get 2. You want to make sure that you’re seeing because there’s so much to see in the world.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
Yeah, that’s really important. Jahkori, we like to end our My Hero 360 interviews by asking the same question of everyone. What would you tell your younger self knowing what you know now?
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
I would tell my younger self to just keep going. That’s literally what I would tell him. Keep going, don’t give up. Keep going.
Kerri Fitzgerald:
That’s awesome. Well, thank you so much, Jahkori, for joining us on My Hero 360. Your story is really incredible and I think it will touch a lot of people, so we appreciate it.
Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
Thank you for having me.
–
Connect with Jahkori Dopwell Hall:
https://www.jahkoridopwellhall.org/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mr.jahko
https://www.instagram.com/jah_kori/
https://www.youtube.com/@Mr.Jahko_
Learn more about The Glaucoma Foundation:
https://glaucomafoundation.org/
About My Hero 360: At My Hero 360, we honor, celebrate, and connect heroes worldwide. By sharing their stories, we aim to inspire and provide hope for humanity. Follow us to hear more incredible stories of unsung heroes who make a difference in the world.
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