Limitless: Blind Beginnings Podcast

Episode 155 - Let’s Talk About Blindness and Partial Sight

As anyone who has spent any time listening to the podcast is well aware, blindness is a gradient, and every person has their own acuity and level of vision. In this episode Shawn sits down with co-hosts Jinnie, Ishita, and Randi to compare and contrast their own lived experiences, from total blindness to low vision. From terminology and labels, to social situations and adaptations, they discuss how their experiences can vary wildly while also being very similar. It’s a frank and open discussion about vision that you don’t want to miss!

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 154 - Let’s Talk About Teachable Moments

Self advocacy is important, but finding the right moment to educate friends, family, and even strangers can be a challenge in day to day life. This week Shawn welcomes Keisha and Ishita to the podcast to discuss these “teachable moments” and what kind of factors go into the decision to educate others while avoiding awkward or challenging social situations. 

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 153 - Let’s Meet Sarah Kane

The sky is definitely NOT the limit this week as Shawn welcomes back co-host Keisha who has brought with her a very special guest! Sarah Kane is a physics major at the College of Arts and Sciences at Penn State and is headed to get her PhD in astrophysics at the University of Cambridge next fall as a Marshall Scholar - and she also just happens to have been born legally blind. She discusses what inspired her love of science, the attitudinal barriers she had to overcome to enter the astronomy field, some of the adaptations she uses on a regular basis including the process of sonification, the importance of STEM accessibility, advice to those interested in entering the science field, and much much more! 

Intro to Sonification
https://youtu.be/Gr8bz7-05as

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 152 - Let’s Talk About Living In Japan

The Limitless Podcast goes international this week as Shawn welcomes co-host Clement and his very special guest Kaho to the show! Kaho grew up in Japan but came to Canada when she was 20 and has been living in Canada for the past 7 years. They discuss what it was like growing up blind in Japan, the cultural differences in how disability is viewed, what education and employment opportunities are like there, and how accessible major cities like Tokyo are. 

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 151 - Let’s Talk About Going Out In a Group

What happens when a group of people who are blind or partially sighted people go out in a group together? Find out as Shawn welcomes co-hosts Nika, Jill, and Ishita along with special guest Monty for a discussion you won’t want to miss! They discuss strategies used when everyone in a group is blind or partially sighted, and each share a few anecdotes of hilarious misadventures that have occurred during everything from trips to the mall to camping.

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 150 - Let’s Talk About Prosthetic Eyes

This week Shawn welcomes co-host Jinnie back to the podcast after an extended absence to talk all about prosthetic eyes. They discuss common misconceptions, the fitting process, what it’s like caring for them, the ways that people tend to react to them, and much more! And of course no discussion about prosthetic eyes would be complete without a few funny stories thrown in for good measure. It’s a fascinating and honest conversation aimed to demystify prosthetic eyes that you won’t want to miss!

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 149 - Let’s Talk About Moving To The City

Moving from a small town to a larger city is a big adjustment for any young person, but when you are blind or partially sighted, it can come with a whole other set of challenges. This week Shawn and co-hosts Acacia and Nina welcome Jill to the podcast to talk about her experiences moving from a small town in the Northern Interior of BC to Vancouver to attend University. From traffic noise to orientation and mobility, Jill tells us how she adjusted to city life and offers up some invaluable advice for anyone looking to do the same.

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 148 - Let’s Talk About Meaningful Outings

It’s a special episode this week as Shawn and co-host and Blind Beginnings Programs Coordinator Keisha Anderson discuss making outings and events meaningful and inclusive for children who are blind or partially sighted. They discuss the methods that Blind Beginnings uses in their Community Discovery outings and share their own personal experiences growing up to shed light on the importance of providing inclusive opportunities that allow children who are blind or partially sighted to fully engage with the world around them.

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 147 - Let’s Talk About Image and Self Descriptions

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but how many words are worth making a concise and impactful description for those who can’t see it? This week Shawn is joined by Jill, Clement, and Nika to talk about their experiences and preferences when it comes to image description online, from social media and websites to messaging apps. They discuss what exactly “alt-text” is, how it works, and tips on how to craft effective image descriptions that are full of context and meaning before also discussing their feelings on the new trend of meeting participants describing their appearance for other attendees who may be blind or partially sighted. It’s an informative and fascinating insight into what descriptions can mean for the community that you won’t want to miss!

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!

Episode 146 - Let’s Meet Anthony Ferraro

It’s an exciting episode this week as Shawn and co-host Keisha sit down with Anthony Ferraro, skateboarder, musician, aspiring Paralympian, social media influencer, and advocate, to talk about his story and his efforts to motivate and inspire people to push through the obstacles in life. 

Anthony’s Website
https://asfvision.com/

Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more!