White Canes Connect

In Episode 137 of White Canes Connect , hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome John Berggren, Executive Director for Operations at the National Federation of the Blind. With just weeks to go before the 2025 national convention in New Orleans, John offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to coordinate the Federation's biggest annual event. From humble beginnings in 1999 buildin...

In Episode 136 of White Canes Connect , hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome retired Judge David Tatel, author of Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice . Judge Tatel reflects on his remarkable legal career—most notably, three decades on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit—while offering an unflinching look at his personal struggle with blindness caused by retinitis pigmento...

In Episode 135 of White Canes Connect , hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Martha Steele and Natanya Sortland to spotlight the inaugural Blind Birders Birdathon happening May 18, 2025. This nationwide event invites blind and visually impaired individuals to identify birds by sound during a flexible two-hour window within a 24-hour period. No birding experience required—just a love of li...

In Episode 134 of White Canes Connect , host David Goldstein is joined by Pam Baquero, President of the Pennsylvania Association of Blind Merchants, for a lively preview of the upcoming Spring Fling Blind Vendor Showcase , taking place May 17 at the Best Western Premier in Harrisburg. This high-energy event celebrates blind entrepreneurship with food, music, raffles, and a marketplace of blind and...

In this episode of White Canes Connect, David Goldstein plays the latest episode of Federation Focus. This weekly video mentions what is happening within the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania. Make sure you visit our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@nfbofpa/ and subscribe! Show notes at  https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/133         This is what the description on each ep...

In Episode 132 of White Canes Connect , hosts Michelle McManus and David Goldstein welcome Shawn Welker, founder of Visual Eyes Access , a low-cost visual interpreting service with a unique approach. Shawn shares how his background in accessibility and mobility training gives him a deeper understanding of blind users' needs, setting his service apart from other platforms like Aira and Be My Eyes....

In Episode 131 of White Canes Connect , host David Goldstein shares highlights from a powerful panel on digital accessibility and the expanded scope of ADA Title II, which now includes websites, mobile apps, and digital documents of publicly funded institutions. Moderated by Thomas DiAgostino and facilitated by JEME Agency and Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind, the panel features four exp...

In Episode 130 of White Canes Connect , hosts Stacie Leap and David Goldstein spotlight the fifth annual Piano Bar virtual fundraiser— Five Years at the Bar . This musical event brings together blind performers from across the U.S. to raise funds for the Pennsylvania Parents of Blind Children and Blind Parents divisions. Guests Eddie Salcido (California) and John Dowling (Minnesota) share their ex...

To make the beauty and grandeur of nature accessible to everyone, Bartram's Garden teamed up with a local audio describer and visually impaired accessibility consultant to produce audio descriptions of three gardens on their grounds. Join White Canes Connect contributor Simon Bonenfant, as he speaks with audio describer Beth Feldman Brant, along with Accessibility Coach Charmaine Parrish, about ev...

In episode 128 of White Canes Connect , hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome longtime National Federation of the Blind (NFB) leaders Gary Wunder and Chris Danielsen for a rich conversation about legacy, transition, and storytelling. Gary, former editor of the Braille Monitor , shares his journey from joining the NFB at 16 to his new role as Blind Narrative Curator, leading the Oral Histor...

In Episode 127 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Stacie Leap and Marva Hall from the Pennsylvania Organization of Blind Parents. This newly chartered division of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania (NFB of PA) is only the second of its kind in the entire NFB, marking a historic moment for blind parents nationwide. Stacie Leap, the division's pre...

In Episode 126 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Director of Government Affairs at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) and a proud member of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. Dylan shares his experiences as a policy advocate, including his recent congressional testimony on waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending...

In Episode 125 of White Canes Connect , hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Jesse Shirek, a government affairs specialist with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). This episode focuses on the recently concluded Washington Seminar, an annual advocacy event where blind individuals from across the country meet with legislators to discuss key policy issues affecting their community. J...

In Episode 124 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein sit down with Patti Cox, President of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI), and Glenda Such, head of Low Vision Now! The discussion, which takes place during Low Vision Awareness Month, highlights the challenges, advocacy, and support systems available for individuals with low vision. Patti shares...

In Episode 123 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Brandon Biggs, CEO and co-founder of XR Navigation. Biggs introduces Audiom, a groundbreaking digital map designed for non-visual users. As a blind individual, he shares his journey from opera singing to inclusive design, motivated by the inaccessibility of digital maps on mainstream platforms like Google Maps. Bi...

In Episode 122 of White Canes Connect , listeners revisit the 2024 NFB of Pennsylvania State Convention in Erie, featuring Dr. Sheena Rancher's insightful presentation, "Braille: The Language of the Blind." Dr. Rancher, an accomplished educator and advocate, shared her journey from special education teaching to becoming a Braille expert, emphasizing the vital role of early intervention and daily B...

In this engaging episode of White Canes Connect , listeners are treated to a dynamic presentation by Andy Burstein, CEO of Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind, during the 2024 NFB of Pennsylvania State Convention in Erie. Andy offers a captivating overview of his company's innovative services, which cater specifically to individuals with disabilities. Andy shares exciting updates about Acce...

In Episode 120 of White Canes Connect , we revisit the 2024 NFB of PA State Convention in Erie, featuring an insightful presentation by Dawn Sokol, Director of the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS). Dawn offers a comprehensive update on the agency's priorities, including hiring, outreach, and fiscal management, alongside an overview of key programs and initiatives. Dawn highlights BBV...

In episode 119 of White Canes Connect , host David Goldstein reflects on the highlights of the 2024 National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Pennsylvania State Convention in Erie. The episode centers on President Lynn Heitz's powerful presidential report, where she draws inspiration from Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar to parallel the journey of blindness with the caterpillar's transform...

In this episode of White Canes Connect , Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein are joined by Lynn Heitz, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania, to discuss the highlights, challenges, and successes of the 2024 State Convention in Erie. From the arduous 10-hour journey to the seamless event execution, the conversation provides an in-depth look at what made this year's conventio...

In White Canes Connect episode 117, co-hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Kennedy Zimnik and Karl Belanger from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to discuss the Accessibility Toolkit, a resource designed to empower blind and low-vision individuals to advocate for accessible technology. Kennedy, an Access Tech Specialist, and Karl, a Non-Visual Accessibility Analyst, share the s...

As all blind and visually impaired people know, some of our most enriching experiences come from interactions with like-minded peers. Overbrook School for the Blind, a renowned school for the blind and visually impaired in the Philadelphia region, recognize just how important these opportunities are for blind and visually impaired youth. To fulfill this need, they created the AmeriCorps mentorship...

In episode 115 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein are joined by bioengineers Chiadika Eleh and Joey Wei, who share the journey of creating See-Rynge, a groundbreaking liquid measuring device designed specifically for the blind and low-vision community. Originally developed as a senior design project at the University of Pennsylvania, See-Rynge was inspired by the need fo...

In Episode 114 of White Canes Connect, Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein sit down with Krystle Boateng, the creative force behind Inside Ability Books, a publisher of accessible, large-print children's books. Krystle, who lost her central vision due to uveitis at 19, shares how her personal journey led her to create books that prioritize accessibility through high-contrast text and large fonts.    T...

As we move through the fall, it's time to prepare for election day on November 5, 2024. Join White Canes Connect contributor Simon Bonenfant, as he speaks with Carson Eckhard, Youth Director of Vote That Jawn. They discuss the importance of voting, resources for involving youth in the voting process, and introduce their community voting event happening on October 16 th .   Vote That Jawn was creat...