Speaking Out for the Blind

A special group of students and faculty members at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are creating a unique device. The device is going to help blind and visually impaired marching band members stay in position. Joining us to talk about the device are Cal Poly faculty members and students Chandni Sharma, Professor Robert Crockett, music teacher Brent Boon, and Emma Merriman.               For more info rela...

We’ll be talking to ACB’s Florida affiliate: The Florida Council of the Blind (FCB). Joining us to speak out and talk about FCB will be Mikey Wiseman, the Florida Council of the Blind’s President.   For more info related to this week’s show, go to: https://speakingoutfortheblind.weebly.com/list-of-episodes-and-show-news/for-more-information-episode-363-fcb Ways to Connect to Speaking Out for the B...

One ACB affiliate establishes the right of low vision people to fully use their vision through available technology, servicers, and aids. This affiliate also provides a system for low vision individuals to express their own preferences, interests, and needs. And the special group educates low vision people, the public, and professionals about the needs, capabilities, and potential of low vision in...

We’re talking about one of ACB’s finest state affiliates: The American Council of the Blind of Nebraska. Joining us to talk about ACBN will be Kristal Platt. She’s the American Council of the Blind of Nebraska’s President.   For more info related to this week’s show, go to: https://speakingoutfortheblind.weebly.com/list-of-episodes-and-show-news/for-more-information-episode-361-acb-of-nebraskaacb-...

Monterey County Now reports that The Blind and Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County has opened a new low-vision clinic. The low-vision clinic is located in Salinas, California. We welcome back Steven Macias. Steven is the Executive Director of the Blind and Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County. He joins us to talk about the new low-vision clinic. For more info related to this week’s...

We’re very excited to welcome back American Council of the Blind’s Cindy Hollis. Cindy is ACB’s Manager of Membership Engagement. She’s here to talk about ACB’s Community Calls and how they’ve positively changed ACB and the blind community for the past five years.   For more information on this week’s show, go to: https://speakingoutfortheblind.weebly.com/list-of-episodes-and-show-news/for-more-in...

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that many blind and visually impaired listen to a video without visuals and can’t get the whole experience. That’s the experience the blind and visually impaired have when using social media and watching video tutorials. University of California, UC Santa Cruz Computational Media Department and Baskin School of Engineering Professor Sri Kurniawan is trying to solve...

Texas Tech Now reports that two Texas Tech Clinical Psychology professors: Adam T. Schmidt and Sarah Victor are conducting a study on blind and visually impaired children. The study examines the kids’ experiences around their families, peers, schools, and other settings. The professors earned an over $3,000,000 grant from the National Eye Institute for the study. Sarah and Adam join us to talk abo...

The Blind of Nevada in Las Vegas assists the blind and visually impaired in achieving their highest potential. How does the center do that? Blind Center of Nevada President Todd Imholte is here to tell us.   For more information on this week’s show, go to: https://speakingoutfortheblind.weebly.com/list-of-episodes-and-show-news/for-more-information-episode-356-blind-center-of-nevada Ways to Connec...

KOLR-TV. In Springfield, Missouri is talking about the Southwest Kids in Action group. The group provides recreational opportunities for blind and visually impaired kids. One of the opportunities is learning boxing and self-defense. Southwest Kids in Action and 417 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu joined forces. They gave a boxing and self defense class. Glenn Cozzens, who helps run 417 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, an...

The BBC reports that blind man Dave Smith sits on an accessibility advisory panel. The panel is a part of Britain’s Translink Railway System. Dave just wrote an audio guide for the blind and all people with disabilities to understand the train layout before traveling. Dave will be here to talk about the layout and guide.   For more info related to this week’s show, go to: https://speakingoutforthe...

The website mentalfloss.com reports that Virginia is the first State to receive colorblind-friendly viewfinders. The viewfinders are at all of Virginia’s forty-five State parks. Natural Tunnel State Park, in Duffield, Virginia, was the first to add the viewfinders in 2023. The viewfinders got quite the reception. So the viewfinders were installed at the rest of Virginia’s State parks. Enchroma Vic...

The Standard reports that worldwide magicians are being challenged. That challenge is showcasing the best tricks for the blind and visually impaired. These tricks only use sound. There’s a new competition for showcasing the sound-only magic tricks. Associate Professor in Psychology Dr. Gustav Kuhn of the University of Plymouth in England will talk about the contest.   For more info related to this...

The Leader Newspaper reports that the Houston Lighthouse out of Texas is offering tandem bike rides for the blind on the first Saturday of each month. Here to talk about tandem biking for the blind is Lighthouse of Houston’s Marketing and Development Director Daryan Jones.   For more info related to this week’s show, go to: https://speakingoutfortheblind.weebly.com/list-of-episodes-and-show-news/f...

Mattel has just launched its best Barbie doll in years. It’s a blind Barbie doll. Yes my fellow listeners. We now have a blind Barbie doll. Here to talk about the new doll is UK based blind broadcaster and blind Barbie Ambassador, disability activist, and journalist Lucy Edwards and American Foundation for the Blind Assistant Vice President of Communications Tony Stephens. Barbie joined forces wit...

KCTV reports that several visually impaired students just attended a special summer camp in Kansas City, Missouri. The students learned how to build websites and good cybersecurity practices to better protect themselves online. The camp was known as Alphapointe’s annual technology camp. Alphapointe Senior Manager of special events Jake McLaughlin joins us to talk about the camp.   For more info re...

According to northjersey.com , New Jersey’s Department of Human Services just began an annual mentorship program for its second year. The program strengthens connections between older and younger New Jerseyans with vision loss. Here to talk more about the program is Dr. Charles Pat McKenna. Pat is New Jersey Department of Human Services Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired Assistant Divi...

WPIX-TV of New York reports that Flushing, Queens blind fifth grader Hao Wen Deng is a piano prodigy. Hao Wen currently studies music at the city’s Filomen M. D’ Agostino Greenberg, or FMDG school. The FMDG music school serves blind and visually impaired people from five to ninety-five years old. Hao Wen and his fellow students just performed in a big concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. FMD...

We’re talking about a new app on today’s show. The app is called Friendly Like Me. Friendly Like Me helps people with disabilities and individuals with body weight concerns find accessible places and events just for them. Some of these events and places are accessible for all blind and visually impaired users of the app. Co-Founder and CEO Elysia Everett joins us to talk all about the app called F...

We’re going to be talking with Dolly Lewis (Tess), Agam Darshi (Sunny), and Executive Producers Nikolijne and Karen Troubetzkov about the new CTV Canada and CW US TV series  Sight Unseen . They’ll tell us how visually diverse homicide detective Tess Avery and her sighted guide Sunny solve some rather unresolved cases.    For more info related to this week’s show, go to:  https://speakingoutfortheb...

The San Francisco Chronicle and KRON-TV report that advocates for California’s blind voters want help from federal courts. The advocates are suing California’s Secretary of State. The suit comes after the State’s rules give no other choice to blind and visually impaired individuals, but to give their ballots to other people in order to vote by mail. The two major Plaintiffs are the California Coun...

The American Council of the Blind has a new Executive Director. ACB’s new Executive Director is Scott Thornhill. Scott took office on March 18th. The ACB Board voted Scott in to lead the over sixty-year-old organization. Scott joins us to talk about his experience and plans for leading ACB.   For more info related to this week’s show, go to:  https://www.acb.org/acb-names-scott-thornhill-new-execu...

Miami’s Community News reports that a benefit concert is coming up. The show is hosted by American Heritage Schools and the Lighthouse of Broward in Florida. The event is called Heroes. Heroes is a benefit auction and concert for the blind and visually impaired. Heroes will be featuring singer Mitch Franco. Mitch, along with American Heritage Schools CEO Dr. Douglas Laurie, and Lighthouse of Browa...

The Orientation Center for the Blind is located in Albany, California. OCB is operated by the California Department of Rehabilitation. The Center assists the State’s blind job seekers with acquiring some important skills. The skills help the students adjust to vision loss and receive the tools for getting their dream jobs. California Department of Rehabilitation’s Specialized Services Director Sue...

We’re going to Monterey, California. It’s just over an hour away from San Jose. It’s home to beautiful beaches, a large aquarium, and one of Forrest Gump’s favorite seafood restaurants. And there’s a special place in nearby Pacific Grove. The Blind & Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County. BVIC’s Executive Director Steven Macias joins us to explain how the center provides services for Mon...