Sherlock Washington’s Story
Sherlock Washington is a 54 year old entrepreneur who is blind due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition first detected when he was 7 years old. A sports devotee most of his life, Sherlock is well known for his athleticism in the visually impaired community. He is a co-founder Blind Athletes – New Jersey many years and currently serves as a board member. Having made the U.S. Paralympic Team in 1990, he journeyed to the Netherlands where he won the bronze (3rd place) medal in the high jump. Sherlock also played goal ball from 1986-1995and his team received the gold (1st place) medal in the 1993 national competition. Sherlock is the holder of 2 Beep Baseball World Series championship rings earned as a member of The West Coast Dawgs. In 2001 he made the offensive all-star team. He has played for other states for several years and each he has played on has had top ranking but in 2009, he co-founded New Jersey’s first beep baseball team for blind athletes, the NJ Lightning.
He is a mentor for the EDGE program for adolescents who are blind or visually impaired and serves as a board member for NJCRID-New Jersey Commission for Recreation for individuals with disabilities. He also served as a Governor’s appointee to the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s State Rehabilitation Council for several years. An active motivational speaker, Sherlock voluntarily addresses students and other groups to dispel stereotypes and promote awareness of the capabilities of people who are blind.
Sherlock established SW Unlimited LLC in 1998 and 10 years later was honored by the Granville Academy as the recipient of their 2008 award for Entrepreneurship. The primary focus of SW Unlimited is working with Fortune 500/1000 companies, state and federal government in buying and selling new and used computer equipment, as well as adaptive technologies. In 2007, SW Unlimited LLC partnered with Freedom Scientific/Vispero and HIMS Inc. And became a regional distributor of low vision and blindness products as well as products to individuals with learning disabilities. SW Unlimited LLC also works to minimize the adverse impact on the environment by coordinating the appropriate disposal of used computer equipment.
Sherlock, who is a graduate of Rider University with a degree in Computer Science lives in Matawan, NJ, with his wife Kim and son, Edward.