Thriving with Vision Loss

What does accessible travel really look like when sight isn’t part of the plan?In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Linsay Lusyne, an accessible travel guide and advocate for independent travel experiences for blind and low-vision individuals. Linsay shares how she began guiding blind and low-vision travelers and what she’s learned about fear, confidence, and independence along the way. She talks honestly about common worries people have before traveling, how training and preparation help ease those concerns, and why meaningful travel is about far more than what you see. Through real stories and practical insight, Linsay shows what’s possible when access and adventure go hand in hand.Cover Art Description: The cover art shows a group of seven travelers posing together outside a shop with a red-and-black striped awning, a black-canopied rickshaw visible behind them. Two of the travelers hold white mobility canes, one with a blue tip. Several people have a fist raised in celebration, and two people in the back are flexing their arms and smiling. The group wears casual travel clothing, including yellow shirts, an orange shirt, and a maroon “Anishinaabe” t-shirt, and one woman wears bright green rain boots. Bold white text across the top of the image reads: Travel without sight. The eleVIVO logo appears in a white circle with a teal border in the bottom right corner.Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin each episode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listeners can fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, you will learn:• How Linsay began guiding blind and low-vision travelers• Common misconceptions about blind and low-vision people traveling• The most frequent worries people have before a trip — and how to address them• What makes travel meaningful when sight isn’t the focus• What independent travel really looks like in practice• Group sizes, expectations, and preparation for accessible trips• Encouragement for anyone who wants to travel but feels unsure or stuckWhat part of Linsay’s story resonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] and ResourcesIf you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.https://elevivo.comMore from Linsay LusyneFacebook Group — Vision Loss Travel:https://www.facebook.com/groups/visionlosstravelInstagram — @visionloss.travel:https://www.instagram.com/visionloss.travelWebsite & Group Trips:https://app.tern.travel/trips/aCUwlNI8y_duPaD6rrXkhQ/landing_pageAccessibility NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit and Thank YouEnding music: “Circles” by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

What happens when frustrationwith an everyday mobility challenge turns into an invention that changes howyou move through the world?In this episode of Thrivingwith Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Stephen Poirier, founder of SidewaysInnovations, whose own experience with low vision led him to invent the LightSword — a mobility tool designed to help people navigate their environmentswith greater awareness and confidence. Stephen shares how frustration,creativity, and lived experience shaped his approach to accessibility, from thestory behind the invention to the unexpected nickname “Blind Yoda” — and whypractical innovation so often grows directly from the blindness communityitself.Cover Art DescriptionThe cover art shows white textin the upper left reading Stephen Poirier, and white text in the upper rightreading Blind Yoda. The eleVIVO logo appears in the lower left corner. StephenPoirier, a man with curly gray hair, wears a brown flat cap and a black T-shirtwith a yellow Star Wars-style design reading “May the Lord Be With You.” Hesmiles at the camera while holding his illuminated Light Sword cane in bothhands, its shaft glowing blue-white with light streaming down toward the floor,against a solid black background.Thriving with Vision Loss is aneleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom frompeople building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin eachepisode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listenerscan fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and familiesnavigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agenciesand nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, youwill learn:●       Stephen’s personal journey with low vision●       How the Light Sword was invented and what problem itsolves●       The story behind the nickname “Blind Yoda”●       How adaptive technology can grow from lived experience●       Tools and technology Stephen relies on daily●       Innovation, creativity, and accessibility design●       Advice for people newly experiencing vision lossWhat part of Stephen’s storyresonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.If this conversation inspiresyou and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] and ResourcesIf you or someone you careabout is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.https://elevivo.comMore from StephenPoirier & Sideways InnovationsOfficial Website: https://www.sidewaysinnovations.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideways_innovations/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewaysInnovationsYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sideways_innovationsAccessibility NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTubeChannel: https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit and ThankYouEnding music: “Circles” byClassless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends inClassless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving withVision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heartof this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your wayto happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (sharedwith permission):YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflectspersonal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

What happens when an artist begins to lose her sight, but not her creativity?In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Lena Regina Smith, a multidisciplinary artist based in Northwest Arkansas whose work gained national recognition after she transitioned from photography to tactile, multi-sensory painting following vision loss from Granular Corneal Dystrophy (GCD). Lena shares her journey of artistic reinvention, her experience winning the 2024 National Rare Artist Award, and why accessibility, texture, and community have become central to her practice.Cover Art Description: The cover art shows Lena Regina Smith smiling outdoors, holding two paintbrushes crossed in front of her, one a wide house-style brush and the other a long fine-tipped artist's brush. She wears a colorful paint-splattered top in blue, red, and yellow. Text on the cover reads: Lost her sight. Not her art. With Lena Regina Smith. The eleVIVO logo appears in the lower left corner.Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin each episode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listeners can fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, you will learn:● How Granular Corneal Dystrophy affected Lena's vision and identity as an artist● What it took to reimagine her creative practice after vision loss● How tactile and multi-sensory art became her medium, not a workaround● What accessible art means for both artists and audiences● What galleries, museums, and arts organizations could do better● How winning the 2024 National Rare Artist Award changed how she sees herself● What she wants newly vision-impaired artists to knowWhat part of Lena's story resonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] and ResourcesIf you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.https://elevivo.comMore from Lena Regina SmithInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/lenareginaartist/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lenareginaartist/Portfolio:https://www.cohart.com/lenaregina/profileEmail: [email protected] NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit and Thank YouEnding music: "Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.Support and ResourcesMore from Lena Regina SmithAccessibility NoteMusic Credit and Thank You

Thumbnail Description: A woman in a bright yellow hi-vis jacket and black riding helmet stands on a quiet country road holding a lead rope. A large dark brown and white horse leans its head toward her face. White bold text on the right side reads: "Rides Blind. Won't Stop."In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Nikki Watson, founder and administrator of the Blind Riders Network, a global Facebook community connecting blind and low-vision equestrians around the world. Nikki lives in Great Britain and has been riding her whole life. Vision loss did not change that. It just changed how she does it.This is also a conversation between two people who share a deep love of horses. Before her work with eleVIVO, Michelle spent more than thirty years as a horseback riding instructor. This episode goes places most interviews about blindness never do, into the feel of a horse beneath you, the trust required to hack out without sight, the grief of stepping away, and the joy of coming back.If you are navigating vision loss and wondering whether the things you love are still available to you, this conversation is your answer. If you work in the blindness field, Nikki's story is a reminder of what is possible when people are given access, community, and the freedom to keep going.Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, you will learn:How Nikki has ridden throughout her life with progressive vision lossWhat it feels like to ride without sightHow a guide dog changed her independenceWhy she stepped away from riding for a time, and what brought her backHow the Blind Riders Network startedWhat she wants anyone with vision loss to know about what they fear losingWhat part of Nikki's story resonated with you? If this conversation inspires you to share your story, email [email protected] and ResourcesIf you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers individual subscription options, with pricing details on our website.https://elevivo.comMore from Nikki WatsonBlind Riders Network (Facebook):https://www.facebook.com/groups/354939781898398/Additional Facebook communities mentioned in this episode:Blind Riders UK (Facebook):https://www.facebook.com/groups/737244519723254/Visually Impaired Equestrians - Guiding Change (Facebook):https://www.facebook.com/AssociationVisuallyImpairedEquestriansAccessibility NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit and Thank YouEnding music: "Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

An engineer losing his sight.Frustrated by the tools that were supposed to help.So he built something new.UPDATE! Lumin is now live on Apple's App Store!Gmail users can download it here:https://trylumin.ai/r/elevivoUsing an Android phone or Outlook for email?Sign up for the Lumin waitlist here:https://trylumin.ai/r/elevivoIn this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Sriram Ganesh, a lifelong builder and founder of Lumin. In his early 30s, Sriram was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, an incurable condition causing progressive central vision loss. As he adjusted to his new reality, he found accessibility tech lagging far behind innovation and existing tools, including screen readers, too hard to learn. So he built Lumin, a voice-first AI assistant for the blind and low vision community, on the belief that designing for accessibility creates the best products for all of us. Today Lumin lets you manage your email just by talking to it, with more on the way.Together, they explore what it takes to build technology for a community existing products have too often overlooked, and what Sriram's own vision loss taught him about designing something people could trust from the first try. If you are navigating vision loss and looking for tools that work with you, this conversation will give you a lot to think about. If you work inside an agency, nonprofit, or organization serving this community, this episode shows you what people are asking for right now.Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original podcast and YouTube series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, you will hear:• What Lumin is and how it lets you manage your email just by talking, and where it is headed next• Sriram's own experience with vision loss and his diagnosis of cone-rod dystrophy• Why existing accessibility tools were not built for how he needed to work• Why he set the bar at people learning Lumin in five minutes, and what that took to build• What organizations serving the blind and low vision community should understand about tools like thisIf this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] and ResourcesIf you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers individual subscription options, with pricing details on our website. You will find the link below.https://elevivo.comLearn more about eleVIVO's story:https://elevivo.com/#/our-storyFollow LuminLumin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talktolumin/Lumin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talktoluminLumin X: https://x.com/TalkToLuminLumin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talktoluminConnect with SriramSriram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsriramg/Sriram TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsriramgSriram X: https://x.com/sriramganeshSriram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sriramganesh/Accessibility NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit and Thank YouEnding music: “Circles” by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of the series."Find your way to happiness."Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

Blind or low-vision and not sure what help is available?State rehabilitation services exist to support independence, employment, and a path forward - and most people don't know how to access them. Michelle sits down with three leaders from the AlabamaDepartment of Rehabilitation Services: Dana Barber, State Coordinator for Blind Services; Matthew Haynes, who leads the OASIS program for older adults navigating vision loss; and Bedarius Bell, Director of Special Programs who inaddition to serving people who are deafblind or living with dual sensory loss, directs quality control, policy, contracts and outreach for ADRS. Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original seriessharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them. The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) isthe lead state agency serving Alabamians with disabilities at any age and stage of life. Blind and Low-Vision Services are provided through the Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VRS), one of the four main ADRS divisions. The others are Alabama's Early Intervention System, Children's Rehabilitation Service, and the State of Alabama Independent Living-Homebound Program. For more information, visit rehab.alabama.gov, send us a message, or call 800-441-7607.(TTY users dial 711 or visit alabamarelay.com for more information. American Sign Language interpreters and language translators are available. ADRS doesnot endorse or sponsor any commercial product, service, or activity. ADRS's participation in this program does not constitute endorsement by ADRS.) Theseprograms exist in every state - ask your state's rehabilitation agency what's available near you. What state rehabilitation services do and who is eligibleHow Vocational Rehabilitation supports employment for blindand low-vision peopleWhat the OASIS program offers older adults navigating visionloss If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,learn more about eleVIVO at the link below. https://elevivo.com Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS):https://www.rehab.alabama.gov ADRS Blind and Low-Vision Services:https://www.rehab.alabama.gov/services/vr-bd/vr-bd Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) foraccessibility insights that helped shape this episode. The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker Ending music: "Circles" by Classless Act, usedwith permission. Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindnesscommunity. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness. Learn more about Classless Act: Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/classlessact Live fan performances (shared with permission): YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy This conversation reflects personal and professionalexperience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.IN THIS EPISODESUPPORT AND RESOURCESMORE FROM OUR GUESTSACCESSIBILITY NOTEMUSIC CREDIT AND THANK YOU

Blind. Raising an autistic son alone. Building a business from nothing.Thumbnail Description: This thumbnail is a two-panel image. On the left, a solid cyan panel displays bold black text reading "Blind." "Single Father." "Business Owner."stacked on three lines. On the right, Reynold Chen, an Asian man with short dark hair, is photographed indoors against a white wall, wearing a gray collared shirt and appearing to speak. A black-and-white framed photo hangs on the wall behind him.In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Reynold Chen, a Blind Enterprise Program entrepreneur who operates vending services in government buildings andco-hosts the Angry Asian Uncles YouTube channel and podcast with Victor Lee.Reynold shares his lived experience navigating vision loss while rebuilding his life after diagnosis. He reflects on mental health challenges, the role of culture and environment, andhow time spent in Taiwan - with greater access to transportation and mobility - helped him regain confidence and direction. He also talks about returning to the U.S., finding work, and raising his autistic son as a single parent.This is a real, grounded conversation - sometimes heavy, sometimes hopeful - about rebuilding identity, independence, and purpose after vision loss.In this episode, you will learn:•     How Reynold navigated mental health challenges after vision loss•     Why access to transportation and mobility matters more than most people realize•     How culture shaped his experience - both positively and painfully•     What the Blind Enterprise Program offers and how it supports independence•     What it means to rebuild work, identity, and familylife after vision lossThriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom frompeople building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers individual subscription options, with pricing details on our website. You will find the link below.https://elevivo.comAngry Asian Uncles YouTubeChannel:https://www.youtube.com/@angryasianUnclesAngry Asian Uncles Podcast(available on major podcast platforms)If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTubeChannel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerEnding music:"Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

THUMBNAIL DESCRIPTION: Black and white photo of Chef Riq, a Black man with a shaved head and dark glasses, wearing a black chef coat, looking down as he works in a kitchen. A solid cyan bar across the bottom of the image displays the words: Blind. Hospitalized. Still Cooking.In this episode of Thriving withVision Loss, Michelle sits down with Chef Riq, a blind chef and creator of Unseen Cuisine - an audio-first cooking channel teaching every recipe through sound, timing, and texture. No sight required.Riq spent nearly 30 years in fine-dining kitchens. He was four months from completing a nursing degree when a chemical accident took his vision. Placed in a nursing home with few options, his documented dairy allergy was repeatedly ignored - leading to hospitalizations. That experience redefined his mission.Unseen Cuisine teaches blind and disabled people to cook with confidence through instruction that centers whatyou hear, feel, and taste. Since this conversation was recorded, Riq has released Cook With Your Senses and the Culinary Cockpit eBook - together forming the Unseen Cuisine Method, a system for teaching cooking through sound, aroma, and touch that builds confidence and control in the kitchen without relying on sight.Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, you will learn:- How a chemical accident ended a 30-year culinary career- What a nursing home placement revealed about institutional gaps and safety- How repeated medical harm from an ignored food allergyreshaped his mission- What audio-first, sensory-based cooking actually soundsand feels like- Why allergy-aware instruction is a matter of safety,not preference- What independence in the kitchen means for someonenavigating vision lossWhat part of Chef Riq's story resonated with you? Share yourthoughts wherever you listen to podcasts.If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial.You will find the link below.https://elevivo.com/#/freetrialLearn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.comMore from Chef Riq and Unseen CuisineOfficial Website:https://www.unseencuisine.comYouTube (audio-first cooking):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpgEAGOowjX7ORIS7OiToJwInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/unseen_cuisineFacebook: Chef Riq UnseenCuisineThe Unseen Cuisine Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Audible.Interested in sharing your story or collaborating?Email: [email protected] thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMVgNxzK-zbyBhHtC3uAM8gEnding music:"Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0t2bhMk4U9ILm3SlJdNWggThis conversation reflectspersonal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

Comedian. Former blindness counselor. Both eyes removed.Still the funniest person in the room. Sam Atwood has lived with low vision his entire life, workedas a Blind and Low Vision Services Counselor, survived multiple eye surgeries, and ultimately made the decision to have both eyes removed. He also happens tobe genuinely funny about all of it. In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle andSam talk about what humor does for survival, what it was like to support others through vision loss while navigating his own, and what he wants anyone facing a new diagnosis to hear. In this episode, you will learn:-       How Sam's personal journey with low vision shaped his work as a counselor-       Why humor became one of his most powerful tools for resilience-       What it felt like to lose more vision after working to restore it-       The decision to have both eyes removed and what came after-       Practical advice Sam gave his clients that he also lived himself-       What he wants anyone newly diagnosed to know Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original seriessharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.The thumbnail has a bold, high-contrast design with a bright turquoise background framing the image and text.At the center is a photo of a man standing on a stage doing stand-up comedy. He is holding a microphone and smiling while speaking to an audience. He has a beard, short hair, and is wearing red-tinted glasses, a dark fitted T-shirt, gray pants, and black shoes. Behind him are dark stage curtains lit by warm stage lighting.Near his feet on the right side is a guide dog lying calmly on the stage floor, wearing a harness. The microphone cable hangs down from the microphone to the floor, emphasizing the live performance setting.At the bottom of the thumbnail, in large bold black text, are the words:“Blind. Funny. Still Here”The overall tone feels confident, humorous, and resilient, suggesting the podcast episode focuses on comedy,blindness, personal experience, and perseverance.If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial. You will find the link below. https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial Learn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.com If this conversation inspires you and you would like toshare your story, email [email protected] Special thanks to Vann Millhouse and Scott Joffre (The BlindStriker) for technical advice and accessibility insights that helped shape this episode. The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker Ending music: "Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission. Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generouslysharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness. Learn more about Classless Act: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact Live fan performances (shared with permission):https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy This conversation reflects personal experience and is notintended as medical or legal advice.Thumbnail Description:SUPPORT, RESOURCES, AND FREE TRIALACCESSIBILITY NOTEMUSIC CREDIT AND THANK YOU

Special education teacher. Lost his sight. Found blindhockey. Has not stopped since. Josh Schneider is a defenseman on the United States BlindHockey Team, founder of The Dented Puck Foundation, and host of The Dented Puck Podcast. He knows what it feels like to lose your career, your identity, and your sense of what comes next - and he knows what it feels like when somethingunexpected gives it all back. In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle andJosh talk about the trauma of sudden vision loss, what it took to start over, and how blind hockey became so much more than a sport. In this episode, you will learn:-       How vision loss forced Josh out of a career he loved and what that grief felt like-       What blind hockey actually is and how it works on the ice-       Why sound, positioning, and teamwork replace sight in the game-       How adaptive sports support healing in ways that therapy alone cannot-       What community means when you are starting over after vision loss-       Why access is not charity - it is design Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original seriessharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership withagencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them. If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial. You will find the link below. https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial Learn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.com The Dented Puck Foundation on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@dentedpuckfoundation The Dented Puck Podcast:https://www.thedentedpuck.com/podcast United States Blind Hockey Team:https://unitedstatesblindhockeyteam.com/ CASA - Community Access Support Alliance:https://wearecasa.org/ If this conversation inspires you and you would like toshare your story, email [email protected] Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) foraccessibility insights that helped shape this episode. The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker Ending music: "Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission. Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generouslysharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing yourown path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness. Learn more about Classless Act: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact Live fan performances (shared with permission):https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy This conversation reflects personal experience and is notintended as medical or legal advice.SUPPORT, RESOURCES, AND FREE TRIALMORE FROM JOSH SCHNEIDERACCESSIBILITY NOTEMUSIC CREDIT AND THANK YOU

Tech reviews are everywhere. Accessibility only workswhen it is shaped by lived experience. Scott Joffre is the creator of The Blind Striker, one of themost trusted voices in blind and low-vision assistive technology. Scott grew up with low vision, adapted as his sight changed, and built a channel dedicated to testing technology the way blind and low-vision people actually use it — not the way manufacturers assume they do. In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle andScott explore what makes assistive technology genuinely useful, what fails in the real world despite looking good on paper, and why blind and low-vision users must be part of designing the tools meant to serve them. In this episode, you will learn:-       How Scott’s low-vision journey shaped his approach to technology-       What makes assistive technology actually usable in daily life-       How Ray-Ban Meta glasses and Be My Eyes work together-       Why accessibility fails without lived experience behind it-       How technology can support independence when it is designed right Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original seriessharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them. If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial. You will find the link below. https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial Learn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.com The Blind Striker on YouTube: / @theblindstriker If this conversation inspires you and you would like toshare your story, email [email protected] Scott Joffre works with eleVIVO on every episode and withthe company itself to help ensure our content and platform reflect real accessibility needs — not assumptions. This conversation reflects personal experience and is notintended as medical or legal advice. 

Blind professional. Inside a university. Helping studentsthrough what she is living with herself. Leighann Fuller is the Visually Impaired ServicesCoordinator at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She has lived with glaucoma since her teenage years, lost vision in one eye over a decade ago, and lost vision in her other eye in 2023. She also lives with rheumatoid arthritis.She knows what it feels like to grieve your sight, to ask for help, and to keep going — and she brings all of that into the work she does every day supporting blind and low-vision students. In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle andLeighann explore what real support looks like from the inside — not just accommodations on paper, but the emotional labor, advocacy, and human connection that actually help people move forward. In this episode, you will learn:-       What a Visually Impaired Services Coordinator actually does inside a university-       How Leighann navigated losing vision in both eyes while continuing to support others-       The emotional stages of grief that come with vision loss and how to move through them-       How acceptance shapes the choices you make and the support you give-       Where blind and low-vision students fall through the cracks Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them. If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial. You will find the link below. https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial Learn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.com Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Visually ImpairedServices for Students:https://www.siue.edu/access/visually-impaired-services/index.shtml If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected] This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice

Blind for over a decade. Changed by a single morning he never saw coming.In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Clint Aiken, whose life was profoundly redirected after an unexpected and life-altering moment. Clint shares the deeply human side of vision loss — including an intense emotional crisis, the moment he lay down to rest, and waking up blind. He opens up about accountability, family, faith, and the internal reckoning that followed.This is a real, honest conversation — sometimes serious, sometimes reflective — between two people exploring what responsibility, meaning, and redirection can look like after vision loss.Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin each episode with a brief visual description to ensure blind and low-vision viewers can fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.In this episode, you will learn:How Clint's sudden vision loss became a turning pointThe role family support played after blindnessHow a faith-informed perspective reshaped meaning and valuesWhy learning and service became central to his lifeWhat sighted people often misunderstand about blindnessWhat part of Clint's story resonated with you? Share your thoughts in the comments or send us a message.If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected], Resources, and Free TrialIf you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial. You will find the link below.https://elevivo.com/#/freetrialLearn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.comMore from Clint AikenYouTube — Blindboss TV: https://www.youtube.com/@blindrossAccessibility NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit and Thank YouEnding music: "Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series — choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.Tagsblindness and faith, woke up blind, sudden vision loss, Clint Aiken, blind community, vision loss recovery, Florida blind services, blindness training center, blind independence, thriving with vision loss, vision loss podcast, eleVIVO, disability and redemption, faith and disability, family and blindness, blind advocacy, living with blindness, assistive technology, blindness supportHashtags#ThrivingWithVisionLoss #ClintAiken #Blindness #VisionLoss #FaithAndDisability #FamilySupport #RedemptionStory #BlindCommunity #eleVIVO

Connor Standingready is blind, Indigenous, and practicing family and Indigenous law in Saskatchewan. This is what happens when vision loss does not get the final word. In This Episode You Will Learn•      How Connor describes his vision impairment to people encountering it for the first time•      What drew him to family and Indigenous law•      What it is like to navigate the courtroom with a vision impairment•      What assistive technology and accessibility tools make his work possible•      How Connor's journey inspired his niece and what that means to him•      What he wants anyone newly experiencing vision loss to hear Connor Standingready is a lawyer in Saskatchewan, Canada specializing in family and Indigenous law and a memberof the White Bear First Nation. He also happens to be blind. In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Connor to talk about what it means to practice law with a vision impairment, how Indigenous people with vision lossnavigate systems not built for them, and why representation in courtrooms and in communities changes everything. They also explore what individuals, agencies, and organizations need to understand about disability,identity, and the power of refusing to let vision loss define your ceiling. Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them. If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial.You will find the link below. https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial Learn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.com Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode. The Blind Striker YouTubeChannel:https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker Ending music:"Circles" by Classless ActUsed with permission. Deep thanks to our friends inClassless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heartof this series — choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness. Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/classlessactLive fan performances (shared with permission):YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.More from Connor StandingreadySupport, Resources, and Free TrialAccessibility NoteMusic Credit and Thank You

The thumbnail shows Shawn Keen from the chest up, smiling broadly with a wide, genuine smile. He has short salt-and-pepper hair and is wearing black-framed glasses with a small white assistive device mounted on the top of the frame. He is dressed in a dark navy button-up shirt. The background is softly blurred with natural light coming through large windows. Bold yellow text in the lower portion of the image reads: This Changes Everything. The eleVIVO logo appears in the top right corner inside a teal circle.Artificial intelligence is giving blind and low-vision people new toolsfor independence, creativity, and employment — and the people leading thatchange are blind themselves.In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down withShawn Keen, founder of AI for the Blind — a community of more than 15,000 blindand low-vision people using AI tools to create, learn, and live with greaterfreedom. Shawn shares how AI for blind users is different from traditionalassistive technology, why learning to prompt AI may be the most important skilla blind person can develop, and why this moment may be as significant as theinvention of Braille. Together, they explore what blind individuals, agencies,and nonprofits need to understand right now.This episode also touches on faith, recovery after stroke, the culture ofa positive creative community, and what Shawn wants people navigating visionloss — and those who serve them — to know.In this episode: Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series. We begin eachepisode with a brief visual description so blind and low-vision listeners canfully share the experience.If this conversation resonated with you, please leave a review on ApplePodcasts or Spotify. It helps more people navigating vision loss find thisshow.Support and Free Trial If you or someone you care about is navigatingvision loss, eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial for the first1000 people who sign up. elevivo.com/#/freetrialLearn more about eleVIVO: elevivo.comWould you like to be featured on an upcoming episode of Thriving withVision Loss? Email [email protected] from Shawn Keen AI for the Blind: aiftb.com YouTube — PrayedPrompted: youtube.com/@PrayedPrompted The HUMM Method — turning the music inyour head into a real song you can hear: thehummmethod.comAccessibility Note Special thanks to Scott Joffre, The Blind Striker, foraccessibility insights that helped shape this episode. The Blind Striker onYouTube: youtube.com/@theblindstrikerMusic Credit Ending music: Circles by Classless Act. Used withpermission. Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharingtheir music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindnesscommunity. Learn more about Classless Act: Instagram:instagram.com/classlessact YouTube: youtube.com/@classlessactarmyThis conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended asmedical or legal advice. 

Thumbnail description: Two photos of Gale Pollock. On the left, Gale in U.S. Army dress uniform in front of an American flag. On the right, Gale smiling in an equestrian helmet beside a black horse. Black text on a white background reads Gale Pollock, Major General (Ret) Thriving with Vision Loss. The eleVIVO logo appears in the lower right corner.Sometimes change begins with a single question. A question asked in a congressional hearing that no one in the room was prepared to answer. In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Gale Pollock — retired Major General, former Commander of U.S. Army Medical Command, 22nd Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, and Acting Surgeon Generalof the Army. Gale does not live with vision loss herself. What she witnessed during her service is what brought her here — and what led her to found eleVIVO. Together they explore the moment in a congressional hearing that Gale could not unhear, what the data revealed about wounded service members falling through the cracks after rehabilitation, how the gap between military and civilian vision loss support came into focus, and why she felt compelled to build something that did not yet exist. This episode also touches on faith, the personal cost of seeing a problem clearly, and what Gale wants people navigating vision loss —and those who love them — to know. In this episode:- The congressional hearing moment that changed the direction of Gale's life- What the data showed about service members succeeding medically but falling through the cracks in life- How the military experience revealed a much larger civilian gap- The role of faith in sustaining long-term service work- What Gale wishes more people understood about vision loss- What eleVIVO is and why it was built- What she wants people early in their vision loss journey to hear Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series. If this conversation resonated with you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more people navigating vision loss find this show. Support and Free TrialIf you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial for the first 1000 people who sign up.elevivo.com/#/freetrial Learn more about eleVIVO:https://elevivo.com Would you like to be featured on an upcoming episode ofThriving with Vision Loss? Email [email protected]  Accessibility NoteSpecial thanks to Scott Joffre, The Blind Striker, for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.The Blind Striker on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker Music CreditEnding music: Circles by Classless Act. Used with permission.Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community.Learn more about Classless Act:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessactYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.