Blind Abilities

In this SSB Success Story Leah Martinson talks about how she navigated the transition from high school to college and to the workplace. How the services at SSB assisted her decision making and helped support her goal of owning her own business as an Integrative Health Coach. Leah graduated high school and became a Massage Therapist and realized that she wanted more, and she pursued her college career at the University of Minnesota and became a Certified Health Coach and now provides services to students within the very same program. Leah also works with an organization and balances her time between work and home. Becoming a mom has changed her life and Leah is always looking for that creative solution as her business she says is always going to be a work in progress. Leah talks about how she coped with being a bit different from her peers in high school and how she now understands today what she did not understand back then. Leah writes a blog called Blurry Mom which focuses on mom’s and children. A place to go for answers and a bit of some good writing. Join Leah Martinson as she talks about her transition years and how she is making it happen today. Here are a couple of apps Leah suggested: Seeing IA and BeMyEyes. Both apps help one gain access to what they can not see. Check them out on the App Store. Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

That Blind Tech Show Rolls Again. Bryan brings Allison and Jeff back to the sho to talk about some of the latest Tech news, gidgets and gadgets and the latest from Sonos. We are proud to announce that Twitterrific for the Mac is Back, Downcast just got an update and AOL Messenger is no longer. Jeff gives us an update on the fire that hit Enchanted Hills Camp above Napa, CA and how we can all contribute and support #RebuildEHC. Be sure to check the links below to learn more about what the heck we were talking about.

Caroline Karbowski is a senior in high school with a passion for 3D imaging that led her to a 2nd place finish in the Tech Olympics. Her project is called See3D, which creates 3D images for the blind to feel and understand more clearly the shape and construct of something they never could have conceived without the added information the 3D image offered. Caroline somehow had a passion for Braille and taught herself so she could read in the car without getting dizzy, and later she came up with See3D and although this may seem like a natural progression, Caroline is not Blind, nor visually impaired. Caroline has pursued her passion and is now taking SEE3D to another level and bringing more opportunities for others to get involved in the See3D project. And you can too! Go to her web site at www.See3D.org and find out more and how you can request a model or how you can become part of the See3D providers. I really enjoyed talking to Caroline and hearing her passion for what she is doing so I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did interviewing Caroline. Be sure to check out her web page and give her some feedback on her See3D project on the web at www.See3D.org You can find her article on the American foundation for the Blind web site at www.AFB.org A BIG Thank you to CheeChau for your wonderful music! Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

October 10th is White Cane Day in Minnesota and the Blindness community came out strong to support the awareness of the White Cane. Speakers shared the history of White Cane day and others talked about the freedom and independence the white cane brings to them. The Minnesota State Academy for the Blind Choir shared their voices and sang aloud in the Capital’s newly remodeled Rotundra. With the support of the local Lions Clubs, MSAB, NFB of MN and Blind, Inc. the White Cane Day event was a great event with a lot of participation. From joining in on the choir songs to marching in the walk from the St. Paul Capital to the St. Paul Cathedral and bac, participants chatted and walked while enjoying the nice Autumn day in Minnesota. You can find out more about MSAB on the web. Check out the NFB of MN on the web at www.NFBMn.org And be sure to see what opportunities and events are happening at Blind, Inc. on the web. And check out your local Lions Club and see what they are doing in your community. Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

About Molly Burke: At just four-years‐old, Molly Burke’s world became a little bit darker: she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare retinal disease causing loss of vision. Despite this, and the ensuing obstacles and hardships she faced, it wasn’t long before she began bringing light into the lives of others. Molly began public speaking at the age of five as an ambassador for The Foundation Fighting Blindness Canada. Since then, she has inspired hundreds of thousands with her story. Over the years, as Molly’s vision deteriorated, her confidence and optimism only strengthened; but not without struggle or adversity. As a student she was tormented by bullies, and struggled with depression and anxiety. It wasn’t until she found the strength to face her challenges, and the courage to reach out to others, that she came to find her purpose – bringing hope to others Read more on Molly’s About Page and be sure to check out her entire web site MollyBurkeOfficial.com. AT&T Experience More is an innovative social project that celebrates how blind/low vision individuals Experience More – through their actions, passions, use of technology and more. Join us in the movement and share how you, a friend or family member Experience More using the hashtag #ExperienceMore. Check out our video and podcast series showcasing some extraordinary individuals and their ongoing pursuits to Experience More as well as our commitment to accessibility. You can find out more about the #ExperienceMore Campaign on the web. Aira’s goal is to develop leading technology and services that help remove remaining barriers for the visually impaired, expanding their possibilities to live with greater confidence and independence. Check out Aira on the web and find out how you can subscribe and learn more about getting instant access to information. Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an emailGet the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

The AT&T ExperienceMore Campaign and Aira present “My Weekend with Emmitt Smith”. Join Pete Lane as he and his son Patrick travel to Dallas, Texas to attend a Cowboys NFL game courtesy of AT&T and Aira. Pete takes us through his weekend, from jumping on his flight from Jacksonville to DFW Airport in Fort Worth, to “Game Day”. Enjoy the sounds of AT&T stadium, from the field level to the Ring of Honor Suite and special seats on the 50 yard line. Best of all, join Pete as he connects to his very special Aira Agent, Emmitt smith: NFL Hall of Famer, all-time NFL leading rusher, and former star of the University of Florida Gators. Hear Emmitt call the plays of the game in real time, his knowledge of the game of football and his understanding of what a blind fan wants to hear while viewing the game. Finally, join Pete and Patrick as they enjoy a special tour behind the scenes of AT&T Stadium the day after the game. Sit back and relax as Pete presents this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in a way that only Blind Abilities can offer! Check out the experience More Campaign at ExperienceMore.ATT.Com and learn more about the fabulous Aira service on the web. You can find more podcasts with a blindness perspective at www.BlindAbilities.com.

Susan Robinson’s TEDTalk just surpassed 1 million views and is still going strong. Susan’s humor and unique presentation about her experience with vision loss is educational to all, not just the Blind and Visually Impaired community, as her intent reaches out to the world wide community to broaden their thinking and to reshape their philosophy and to transform their philosophy on “What Is” possible. Susan authors the Oh Fabled One blog on the web which continues her experiences she shared on her Ted Talk. Be sure to check out the blog and leave your comments as Susan wants to hear from you. This podcast is based on her vision loss experiences; however, there is so much more as Susan talks her talk the way only Susan Robinson can. You will learn a lot as she talks about her experiences and her views from a perspective only she can tell. But remember, She failed at being disabled. You can find her blog on the web at Oh Fabled One. Subscribe and don’t miss any of her posts! Follow Susan on Twitter @OhFabledOne And be sure to check out Susan Robinson on TedTalk! Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

The State Services for the Blind Success Series continues as Rakeb Max sits down with Blind Abilities Team member Jeff Thompson and talks about preparing to transition from high school to college and the workplace. Rakeb was recently appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to the Young Women’s Initiative cabinet where she will assist the Governor and the Women’s foundation to develop initiatives and policies to close opportunity and disparity gaps between men and women, specifically women of color. Last summer Rakeb attended George Washington University for a summer intensive program giving her some experience that will help her make decisions for her transition to college next year. Rakeb has already began the process and has some good advice for others as she talks about her experiences and successes. You can find out more about State Services for the Blind on the web. Or call the main office at 651-539-2300. Outside of Minnesota? Check out the State Agency Directory on the American Foundation for the Blind web site at www.AFB.org Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

Allison Hartley and Jeff Thompson join Bryan Fischler on this 7th Episode of That Blind Tech Show. With the release of the iPhone 8 and the 8 Plus, a lot of people are interested in stepping up and shining their new apples. With the new iPhones came the release of the new iOS 11 and it’s all about the accessibility on this episode of That Blind Tech show. From Allison’s new Apple Watch Series 3, to the New High Sierra on Jeff’s iMac to Bryan’s Demonstration of NFB Newsline on Amazon’s Echo Dot, this episode brings out more than just Apples, yup, the entire orchard is coming out. Check out the related articles in the links below. South Park punks Amazon Echo owners Has your guide dog ever ordered anything from amazon? Amazon Alexa Coming to Glasses NFB Newsline Could be coming to the Amazon Echo. Currently they are looking for beta testers email them Is Bluetooth really off? You can find That Blind Tech Show on twitter @BlindTechShow and contact Bryan and his team of co-host by email You can find Allison on Twitter @Hot4Technology Bryan Fischler on Twitter @BlindGator and Jeff Thompson on Twitter @KnownAsJeff Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

Blind Abilities team member Jeff Thompson gets a chance to sit down with Karen Santiago for an opportunity to learn more about the person behind The Blind perspective News Letter. Karen was attending the National Federation for the Blind convention 2017 in Orlando, Florida, her first convention and her first time meeting up with a lot of virtual friends. Karen talks about her adjustment to Blindness and the tools and determination that she incorporated on her journey to reestablish her place in the World, and how to accept her new Blind World. Through classes at Hadley Institute for the Blind ranging from Braille, Guide Dogs, Elevated Gardening, to Technology, Screen Readers and mobility, karen took them all. She was Student of the Year in 2010 at Hadley Institute and learned enough to land her job at Easter Seals. Karen is a mom and she experienced it all from family, work, education, internships, guide dogs, distance learning and initiating and creating The Blind Perspective News letter. How to Subscribe to The Blind perspective: To start your FREE subscription just send an email to the following address, click here to subscribe to The Blind Perspective. Then you will be receiving a confirmation email that you are Wanting to subscribe to The Blind Perspective. All you are needing to do is use your email program’s reply feature & send a blank reply and you will be automatically added to the distribution list. Please note: if you do not see the confirmation email in your in-box check your junk mail. And don’t forget to like us on Facebook at The Blind Perspective A big Thank You to CheeChau for his wonderful music, written and produced by @LCheeChau Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store

Blind Abilities brings you another installment in the series, presented by AT&T and Aira featuring individuals who have influenced the blindness community through their passions and their actions. This installment introduces Belo Cipriani. belo is an author, an eloquent advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, and so much more. Join Jeff and Pete as they explore Belo’s story, beginning with the tragic assault that led to his blindness, to his rehabilitation at Orientation College for the Blind (OCB), finishing his Masters Degree, writing his book: “Blind, A Memoir”, and his life as a gay blind person. Belo offers a deep look at his thoughts, his fears and his noteworthy attitude that its great to be blind. This podcast is the second in a series featuring “influencers” who show not only their ability to survive blindness but their insistence to excel and #ExperienceMore through their passions and their actions. Check out all the details about the AT&T #ExperienceMore campaign at: ExperienceMore.ATT.com, including a variety of videos about these “influencers”. Check out the amazing Aira technology at Aira.IO Stay tuned for more interviews in this series. Look for Belo at his web site: www.BeloCipriani.com, on Instagram and Twitter @Beloism. A big Thank You to CheeChau for his wonderful music, written and produced by @LCheeChau Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

Jeff Thompson of The Blind Abilities Podcasting team explains why upgrading to the Apple Watch Series 3 will be a good thing if you want the full experience in this Apple Watch experiment. Seems like the Apple Watch to me is an ongoing process and as you wear this Jewel of the Nile of a watch, it seems to become more and more of your daily life. Yes, it is a simple yet expensive piece of kit that seems a bit excessive; however, with just a little help from the new 2 core processor giving this kit some 70 percent more horsepower and the addition of a cellular option, well… let the experiment begin. Join Jeff as he shows you how the Apple Watch operating system 4.0 gets around using Siri and playing music through Bluetooth speaker. A big Thank You to CheeChau for his original music! You can find CheeChau on Twitter @LCheechau You can follow Jeff Thompson on Twitter @KnownAsJeff Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

Bryan Fischler is joined by Allison Hartley and Jeff Thompson for coverage of the Fall Apple Event where the new iPhone 8, 8+ and the iPhone 10 were announced. The Apple Watch Series 3, Apple TV4K and iOS 11 are all just around the corner. You can check out apple.com for all the latest order, pre-order, and delivery estimates. A big ThankYou to Drew Weber for his original music and you can find more of his music on the web at www.Weber-Air.com Follow Drew on Twitter @RadioDrew1 You can find That Blind Tech Show on twitter @BlindTechShow and contact Bryan and his team of co-host by email You can find Allison on Twitter @Hot4Technology Bryan Fischler on Twitter @BlindGator and Jeff Thompson on Twitter @KnownAsJeff Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

Kirk Adams sits down with the Blind Abilities team members Pete Lane and Jeff Thompson for this informative podcast on the American Foundation for the Blind. Kirk talks about the history and some of the latest happenings at AFB and the resources available to all students, teachers, TVI’s and parents. You can find a multiple of categories of articles ranging in topics from Transitioning to college,Life skills, Work Preparedness, Access Technology, Parents of Blind Children and much more. You can find out about the apps available from AFB that put the information in the palm of your hand. Kirk also mentions the AFB Leadership Conference coming up on April 5-7 2018 in Oakland, California. Where AFB brings together all the entities around Blindness can be part of the conversation. Check out AFB.org on the web and download their apps so you can stay in touch with the latest happenings and information available from the American Foundation for the Blind. Check out the Apps below! Access World: This is the official app of the American Foundation for the Blind’s online publication AccessWorld. AccessWorld is an online magazine dedicated to technology and people with vision loss This app has been optimized for iOS VoiceOver and Accessibility features. With this free app you can: • Browse and read articles from the latest issue of AccessWorld. • Browse and read any article in AccessWorld’s entire archive of back issues. • Contact any member of the AccessWorld team. AFB Career Connect: This is the official app of the American Foundation for the Blind’s resource center AFB CareerConnect. AFB CareerConnect is a free online resource center specific to career exploration, job seeking skills, transition from school to work, e-mentoring, and navigating the employment process as a person who is blind or visually impaired. This app has been optimized for iOS VoiceOver and Accessibility features. With this free app you can: · Browse and utilize transition lesson plans from AFB CareerConnect · Browse and read “Our Stories,” firsthand accounts from AFB CareerConnect mentors · Browse and read blog posts from the CareerConnect Blog · Contact AFB and the AFB CareerConnect team You can find out more about Aira on the web and follow Aira on Twitter @Airaio Explore your world like never before From exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants in the city, to traveling the globe – Aira empowers the blind to experience their world and surroundings like never before. Accessible devices Aira’s platform works on wearable devices such as Google Glass and Vuzix that can be paired with your smartphones. Real-time request The tiny camera mounted on your wearable device provides instant feedback so Aira Agents can safely guide you with any activity. Certified agents Our network of trained Aira Agents, who could even be one of your family or friends, are able to assist you whenever and wherever. Team Sea To Sea and the Race Across America! check out Team Sea To See on the web And follow the Team Sea To See on Facebook. (from the web) Team Sea to See is committed to proving that blind people can succeed in any field. We believe that demonstrating this capacity to succeed is critical to empowering oth...

AT&T and Aira present the first in a series of interviews featuring individuals who have influenced the blindness community through their passions and actions. This podcast is produced by Blind Abilities. Jeff Thompson andPete Lane chat with Deborah Sunday, representing AT&T, and Kevin Phelen, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Aira, to discuss the Experience More Campaign, a social campaign observing the achievements of various blind and visually impaired people across the blindness community, including Christine Ha, Erich Manser and others. Also captured in this campaign will be a series of visits to AT&t stores in eleven cities across the nation, and perhaps most appealing: a Sweepstakes for which the winner will receive two tickets to Dallas to attend a professional football game. Add to this the fact that they will also have use of a pair of Aira glasses and the Aira Agent for the game will be the one and only Emmitt Smith, NFL Hall of Famer, and all-time leading rusher. Emmitt will call the play by play for the entire game. What better way to experience more at a professional football game! Stay tuned to Blind Abilities for more interviews around the Experience More Campaign, and Aira. You can read more about the campaign at: www.ExperienceMore.ATT.com You can enter the sweepstakes on Instagram or Twitter by using the Hash Tag: #ExperienceMore #Sweepstakes @ATT, or by going to the web site above. You can find out more about Aira and find the plan that fits your needs. good luck and enjoy the podcast… and the trip to Dallas! Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.