Reflections

Nisreen Abdel-Majid dives into Lynn Jensen’s journey of losing her sight and finding her way back to the world through travel. After sudden vision loss at 27, Lynn faced the emotional and practical realities of starting over, learning new ways to navigate, rebuilding confidence, and making the life-changing decision to work with a guide dog she never wanted. Through conversations with Lynn and her...

How does our history of segregation and discrimination towards minority communities impact the way social justice movements and disability rights organizations operate? Joeita Gupta speaks with three individuals from the Black disability community to learn more about how conversations about race and disability are interconnected. Dr. Sami Schalk, Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies at the Univer...

How does AI continue to help blind people interpret the visual world? Grant Hardy learns about a new accessibility tool called ViddyScribe. He talks to Developer and Co Founder Aaditya Vaze, a Graduate of OCAD University's Digital Futures Program, and CEO and Co Founder Patrick Burton, about this app that uses AI to make video content accessible for blind and low vision users. We hear from Dr. Ale...

Kelly MacDonald highlights Tim's Fencing Academy in Toronto, a space and program that started building safety, recreation, and community since the moment it opened its doors. Founder and Coach Tim Svidnytskiy reflects on his journey into Canada from The Ukraine, taking his passion for fencing with him into this new world, and cultivating this space for anyone willing to try it out with him. Hooley...

From sparing someone’s feelings to smoothing over awkward social moments, most of us tell white lies more often than we confess to. Are these little lies harmless or is honesty really the best policy? Nisreen Abdel-Majid unpacks the psychology behind white lies. Clinical Counsellor Dillon Lewchuk explains why we all feel compelled to bend the truth and offers us empathy to help us sit with these s...

Every year on March 1st, we observe Disability Day of Mourning to memorialize and honour victims of filicide around the world.  Zoe Gross began Disability Day of Mourning back in 2012, and Joeita Gupta invited her to speak about the importance of this day. Zoe shares how systemic ableism, media bias, and attitudinal barriers have skewed the way the stories of these filicide victims are told.  Dax...

Why don't indoor spaces always work as well as they should, and what can be done to make them work better? Grant Hardy consults with a group of experts and changemakers on how we can make indoor spaces more accessible. Grant opens things up with legally blind consumer, Stephen Ricci about some of the challenges he experiences navigating indoor spaces. He speaks to Maayan Ziv, Founder and CEO of Ac...

In the United States, public broadcasting is anchored by NPR, PBS and other household names, which are currently fighting significant battles to stay alive. Kelly MacDonald reached out to Maine Public, a state-wide broadcaster out of Maine, to learn more about the current media landscape, and public broadcasting's place within it. Recent funding cuts to The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the...

For some, cooking is about survival and nourishment. For others, it’s an adventure, challenge, hobby, and a source of joy. Either way, getting started in the kitchen with new recipes, tools, and appliances can be tricky and overwhelming. Joeita Gupta is admittedly not the most enthusiastic to be in the kitchen, but she wanted to explore some of the best tips and tricks for the blind home cook so e...

Nisreen Abdel-Majid understands that fear doesn’t stop at a border, it travels through headlines, protests, and deeply personal moments. It did for her and her sister, which you'll hear about through this story. As conversations around immigration enforcement and mass deportation intensify in the United States, Nisreen reflects on a moment in downtown Toronto when she and her sister were confronte...

Can blind and low vision people be visual eaters too? Kelly MacDonald explores how our senses come into play in building our appetites. Food enthusiast Bill Oakley gives us a peek behind the curtains of how food is staged, presented, and plated to draw us in. Terri-Lyn Dietrich, Lily Cereghini, and Brian Arthur share how unflattering descriptions from sighted guides affect their chances of trying...

What happens when the life you built around your talent suddenly falls apart in front of thousands of people? In this AMI-original, writer and performer Julia Bonnett reflects on the night her vision loss led her to walk off the stage mid-performance. What began as a humiliating moment became a turning point that forced her to confront the end of her opera career and re-imagine her way forward. Th...

We know technology wins a lot of the time, but no tech can connect to humans the way our four-legged working friends do, as they steadily lead us along in their trusted Guide Dog harness, encouraging us to get out there with confidence and ease. Beth Deer takes us through her personal (and sentimental) guide dog experiences. Beth’s husband, Cody, will join Beth to introduce their family, their pet...

Since I was a child, I’ve had a fear of fires that has fostered a healthy respect for fire safety. Lithium-ion batteries have created a dose of awareness recently as they become part of a growing Concern. Division Chief Marla Friebe Public Education and Professional Development at Toronto Fire Services, informs us as to what’s currently happening with this disturbing trend and lays out a road map...

Grant Hardy helps us take a closer look at the reality of life on disability assistance, following a recent report in the mainstream media about turmoil at BC’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Helaine Boyd, Executive Director at Disability Alliance BC speaks about DABC’s position on the recent story, and how attitudinal barriers impact marginalized people. Student and Researc...

What is an inter-abled relationship? Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Feature Reporter Joeita Gupta wanted to learn more about inter-abled relationships, the stereotypes, the risks of caregiver abuse, and celebrate the love that any two people share, regardless of their different backgrounds or abilities.  Joeita turned to her trusted friend, Brock Richardson, and his wife Megan to help her challenge som...

Are people still hanging out at malls? We shop online and socialize differently, so how are malls being affected? Nisreen Abdel-Majid finds out if malls are on their way out or if they still serve an important purpose. Bruce Winder is a Retail Analyst, and he paints a picture of the North American retail landscape, describing how malls fit into our current shopping norms, lifestyles, and community...

Many of us are shopping on a budget, so let's learn how to shop even smarter. From coupon clipping to unexpected discount discoveries and dumpster diving, Kelly MacDonald explores how we can stretch our dollar even further and engage in the conversation around accessible deal-finding. Social Media Influencer Cassandra Marques shares savvy shopping tips and tricks that her followers appreciate, eve...

On January 25th, 2026 the Greater Toronto Area received almost 60 centimetres of snow in a storm that many people have dubbed historic. While most of us may have been hunkered down in our homes for the storm, what was going on in the City of Toronto?  Joeita Gupta speaks to representatives from organizations across the city, and residents to gather their stories and capture a snapshot of Toronto l...

The CCRW’s second annual Untapped Talent Summit takes place online February 10, 2026. It provides resources for job seekers and employers on inclusive employment. The theme, Disability in Action: Navigating the School-to-Work Transition, is particularly welcome this year with an uncertain job market and some of the lowest rates of employment for youth with disabilities that we’ve seen since the CO...

Countries are racing to regulate big tech and keep kids safe from the harms of social media, but the fight isn’t over. Grant Hardy examines how far countries like Australia are willing to go to legislate in hopes of a safer internet. Lifestyle and Tech Expert Andy Baryer provides his perspective on Australia’s new social media laws, and whether there’s an appetite to bring them to Canada. It’s unc...

We know we’re tired. We talk about burnout constantly. And yet, when we finally slow down, rest can feel uncomfortable. Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores why rest so often feels like failure, and how we can take small steps towards embracing rest and reassessing our needs. Susi Niazi is a senior corporate executive navigating leadership responsibilities and a nonstop pace at work. She's also a mother o...

Joeita Gupta finds some helpful tips to navigate a complicated relationship with food from culinary expert Mary Mammoliti, Master Chef winner and restaurant owner Christine Ha, and Dietician Gena Hamshaw.  Learn to be gracious with yourself, approach your diet with moderation in mind, and find ways that work for your season of life to make those weeknight dinners less stressful. To find support fo...

It takes a bit of thought and a bit of change, but not as much effort as we believe, to create and maintain a sustainable lifestyle. Kelly MacDonald brings us along as he learns how our small choices impact how we care for our Earth. Laura Newton, Founder of The Kind Matter Company, is an expert on sustainable living, and shares how we can move to clean purchases and clean products, without it hav...

Generally speaking, there's an honour system when it comes to using public transit, but when it comes to priority seating on buses, trains, and planes, it can get grey. Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores this topic. Suzanne Holder is the Customer Experience Manager at MiWay, Mississauga, Ontario's major transport system. She shares how riders with invisible disabilities can identify themselves through t...