Nation’s Blind Podcast

May 19, 2022 - Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access #GAAD

In this special episode for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (#GAAD), Anil Lewis and his special guest co-host take a deep dive into the work of the National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access (CENA). Meet the team behind the work of this center, funded in part through a grant from the Maryland Department of Disabilities, and learn about the events and trainings provided, as well as resources like the International Braille and Technology Center, Accessibility Switchboard, and more. The episode also includes a message from Maryland Secretary of Disabilities Carol A. Beatty. For more information about the CENA or to collaborate with us, visit nfb.org/cena or email access@nfb.org.

January 19, 2022 - Behind the scenes of JAWS with Ted Henter

The Nation’s Blind Podcast is back for 2022! On this first new episode, recorded in the fall of 2021, Anil and Melissa talk with Ted Henter, who is one of the pioneers of the modern Windows screen reader. Mr. Henter was the cofounder of Henter-Joyce, which created the original Job Access With Speech (JAWS) screen reader still available and widely used today. Listen to find out about his fascinating life before JAWS as well as about how this groundbreaking, life-changing product came into being.

June 30, 2021 – Convention Preview with President Riccobono

In this episode, Anil talks with President Riccobono to get a sneak preview of #NFB21, the biggest event of the year. Learn how our President prepares his banquet speech, what his favorite parts of the convention are, and more. For the latest information about the convention, be sure to visit www.nfb.org/convention. The Nation’s Blind Podcast will take a brief post-convention hiatus and then be back better than ever!

May 6, 2021 – Spectrum Access: Audio Description to Go

In this episode, Anil and Melissa talk with Petr Kucheryavyy, senior manager at Charter Spectrum’s Product Accessibility Center of Excellence, about Spectrum Access, a free and innovative smartphone app for both iOS and Android that uses audio synchronization to allow you to hear audio description for a variety of content without regard to source or streaming platform, even if you are not a Spectrum customer. Petr explains how the app works, talks about its expanding library of over 500 movies and shows and counting, and briefly touches on other efforts that Charter Spectrum is making to incorporate accessibility across its services. For more information, you can contact: Spectrum Access inbox: SpectrumAccess@charter.com Spectrum’s Disability Support Desk: 1-844-762-1301 Spectrum’s Product Accessibility Center of Excellence: Accessibility@charter.com

April 23, 2021 - And The Audio Description Goes to…

In this episode, Anil and Melissa talk with Rick Boggs, CEO and general manager of AudioEyes. He has breaking news about a forthcoming event with live audio description (AD) provided through a partnership among his company, Vitac, and a major television network, with sponsorship from Google. You’ll want to listen right away so you won’t miss the big event! You may even want to issue the Audio Description Challenge to a friend and watch it together. Rick also talks about AudioEyes, the only company providing audio description that is run and staffed by blind people, and the differences between live and pre-recorded audio description, as well as providing some interesting information about the history and craft of AD.

Diversity and Inclusion in the National Federation of the Blind

In this episode, Anil and Melissa talk with Colin Wong, who co-chairs the diversity and Inclusion Committee of the National Federation of the Blind. Colin talks candidly about his own lived experiences as a blind Asian American, including the conflict between the “model minority” myth and low expectations for the blind in both the Asian community and among the general public. He also talks about why intentional diversity and inclusion efforts are important in the National Federation of the Blind and what members can do to get involved in and enhance the committee’s work.

March 18, 2021 – A Conversation with the National Federation of the Blind Survivor Task Force

Content warning: This episode of the Nation’s blind podcast discusses abuse and sexual assault. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone. The National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential support, 24/7, at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or online.rainn.org. In this episode, Anil and Melissa talk with Marci Carpenter and Daphne Mitchell of the NFB Survivor Task Force. They discuss the role of the task force in helping to advance a safer culture in our organization. They also explore related topics including: Who is a survivor? Why might blind people in particular struggle with the concepts of boundaries and consent, and what other specific challenges do blind survivors face? What is grooming, and what role do power dynamics play in making people vulnerable to it? For the latest information about survivor-led change within the National Federation of the Blind and additional resources, visit nfb.org/survivors.

Meet Blindness Tech Pioneer Dean Blazie

On this episode, Anil and Chris talk with Dean Blazie, who has been working with blind people to develop technology we can use since the 1960s. They discuss how dean got involved in working with blind people through his relationship with Tim Cranmer; how initial ideas they worked on developed into products for blind people; and the origins of the Braille’n’Speak, the pioneering Braille notetaker that took the blind community by storm in the late 1980s and paved the way for similar devices in use today.

November 10, 2020 – The Continued Fight for Fair Wages

On this episode, Anil and Melissa talk with Stephanie Flynt, government program specialist for the National Federation of the Blind. They discuss the continued momentum to eliminate the practice of paying workers with disabilities subminimum wages, including recent reports from the United States Commission on Civil Rights and the National Council on Disability. They also talk about why there is continued resistance to phasing out this practice and what can be done to better educate lawmakers, families of people with disabilities, and the general public.

September 29, 2020 – Use Your Power at the Polls

In this episode, Anil and Melissa talk with Lou Ann Blake, the NFB’s Help America Vote Act project coordinator, about the November 3 election and how blind people can cast our votes. They discuss what the law says about the rights of blind voters, different ways we can vote accessibly, and what the NFB is doing to ensure that more blind voters can cast our ballots privately and independently. They urge everyone to vote and to take our forthcoming voting survey so we can learn how jurisdictions are doing in protecting the rights of blind voters. Watch our video "The Blind Voter Experience" to learn about your rights under federal law and how to exercise them. Also, take a look at our voting resources page.