Aaron’s Opinion
Society & Culture
About
This is the podcast where we speak about critical issues in the blindness community. Help 1 person today help 1 million people tomorrow! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aaron-s-opinion--5920599/support .
Episodes
- On the record with Shelley Keeland
Shelley Keeland discusses her career as the first blind steno machine court reporter in Arkansas, emphasizing the importance of overcoming societal limitations for the blind community and acknowledging the judge who gave her a chance. She…
- The key to potential with James MacNeil
This episode features an authentic conversation with James MacNeil, focusing on the topic of potential. Support for the podcast is available through Spreaker.
- Mind over matter with Nick Yerhart
Nick Yerhart shares his experience overcoming Cerebral Palsy to build a national media company, emphasizing mindset over physical limitations. He discusses cultivating "infinite potential" through resilience, strategic systems, and using v…
- From a life of sightlessness to a life of happiness with Audriana Jessogne
Audriana Jessogne, diagnosed with RP at age 5, lost her sight at 28 but has been clean for 5 years. She recently launched a YouTube channel to motivate others and show that life is still valuable despite blindness.
- The adventures of J.B. Lawrence
J.B. Lawrence recounts his experiences starting in late 2017, including sudden vision loss from diabetic retinopathy, navigating family life and deaths, undergoing dialysis and a kidney transplant, losing his job, and facing divorce.
- Welcome to the great out doors with Jeff Skoglund
Jeff Skoglund, The Blind Outdoorsman, shares his real-life experiences with blindness and his guide dog, Natty. He creates content about everyday life, outdoor activities, and independence to bridge the gap between sighted and blind commun…
- The strike of success with Scott Joffre
Scott Joffre, a man born severely premature with resulting vision impairment, discovered his cataracts led to severe vision limitations. He now works as an accessibility tester and runs a YouTube channel, The Blind Stryker, sharing tech re…
- Looking on the bright side of life with Ben Akuoko
Ben Akuoko, a Ghanaian-Canadian thought leader with Retinitis Pigmentosa, discusses his work empowering racialized individuals and people with disabilities through Brightside Scope. He advocates for DEI+A in culture and media.
- Singing with the beat of The Bahamas with Labron Minnis
Labron Minnis, a resident of The Bahamas, shares his experiences, including graduating from school and launching a YouTube channel for global and local news. He was born blind and offers his contact information for further engagement.
- Life is just a hobby with L.A. Williams III
L.A. Williams, also known as “The Blind Master,” is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and sales strategist who helps people turn vision into action. Blind since age three, he has built a career spanning multiple industries and authored the…
- ASL & advocacy with Jennifer Beilis
Jennifer Beilis, author of 'Hear I Am' and 'Making Positive Changes', teaches American Sign Language at the college level. She is also available for tutoring in various subjects and can be found on social media.
- Making the dream come true with Michelle Steiner
Michelle Steiner shares her journey of achieving academic and professional success despite living with an invisible disability. She details her accomplishments, including earning a bachelor's degree, publishing articles, and working as a p…
- Ushering in Learning Blindness with Katherine Amadeo
Katherine Amadeo, founder of Learning Blindness, is the guest on this episode of Aaron's Opinion. The discussion covers her life experiences and her work with Learning Blindness.
- Been there done that & got the t-shirt with Sam Atwood
Sam Atwood, born with Glaucoma in 1976, has navigated life with varying degrees of blindness, undergoing 49 surgeries. He has held diverse jobs and pursued various interests including comedy, and is now developing a social media presence.
- Blindness is not the problem with Clint V Aiken
Clint V Aiken, blind for 13 years due to diabetic retinopathy, discusses his life experiences, including overcoming health issues like diabetes and kidney failure. He emphasizes his positive outlook, stating blindness is not his main probl…
- Elevating our lives with Michelle Benczkowski
Michelle Benczkowski, Head Researcher at eleVIVO, shares insights on their platform designed to help individuals with low vision thrive. eleVIVO provides resources, professional connections, research trial information, and practical tips f…
- Down on the farm with Jason Duck Barber
Jason Barber, also known as Duck, discusses his life as a legally blind, eighth-generation farmer managing a 100-acre family farm in Tennessee. He shares his experiences adapting to vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa, his career as a fi…
- Traveling the world with Sheldon Francis
Sheldon Francis, also known as Sheldon the Blind Traveller, shares his journey of visiting 23 countries despite losing his eyesight 15 years ago. He aims to inspire people with and without disabilities to travel and experience life outside…
- The colors of our world with Susan Day
Susan Day discusses her podcast, Mental Health Matters: Voices of Change, a show focused on amplifying conversations around mental health, resilience, and community. The podcast features inspiring guests who share their experiences and str…
- Always blind & never bored with Hannah Weymouth
Hannah Weymouth, the creator behind the social media brand Blind & Bored, shares her experiences as a blind content creator. Her videos offer a humorous and relatable perspective on the challenges of going blind, emphasizing laughter as a…
- No limitations with Cory Rainford
Cory Rainford shares his mission to help others live without limits through his YouTube channel, Legally Blind No Limits, emphasizing independence and resilience.
- Stuttering succeeding & a walkie-talkie with Samuel Dunsiger
Samuel Dunsiger joins Aaron's Opinion to discuss stuttering. Links for Samuel Dunsiger's Patreon and to support the podcast are provided.
- More & more innovation with Martin Fleming
Martin Fleming joins Aaron to discuss his work with Spectrom Connect, an audio-first dating and friendship platform for the blind and visually impaired. He also shares his coaching strategies for professionals to rediscover their purpose a…
- The toastmaster with Elise Lonsdale
Elise Lonsdale shares her experience transitioning into access technology training for individuals with blindness or low vision, covering tools like JAWS and VoiceOver. She highlights the importance of foundational skills and her work esta…
- Our other uncle named Victor Lee
Aaron shares his observations about his personal transformation into a grumpy old man, finding the process both unsettling and interesting.
- The haptic gadget with Jack Walters
Jack Walters, CEO of HapWare, explains ALEYE, a haptic technology system using a wristband and smart glasses to detect and translate nonverbal communication into tactile patterns, aiming to improve accessibility in various environments.
- Life is but a HurriKane
Donnell Moten, known as Hurrikane and creator of "Retina Rap," shares his life story, including being adopted, diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a past crime spree, and his subsequent focus on music and family after legal troubles.
- Wheels & warriors with Michael Martin Humel
Michael Martin Humel, a 47-year-old disabled writer, speaker, podcaster, and athlete from Long Island, New York, aims to end judgment surrounding disability. He shares his mission to ensure people within the disabled community are seen, he…
- The motivated mathematician named Rishabh Jain
Rishabh Jain, an Applied Scientist at Microsoft, shares his experience in building AI systems, particularly large language models. A graduate of IIT Roorkee, Jain also discusses his passion for travel and adapting to life with Retinitis Pi…
- Learning living & happiness with Professor Heidi Lourens
Professor Heidi Lourens, a Counselling Psychologist and Associate Professor, shares insights on learning, living, and happiness. She discusses her academic career and personal experiences, including living with visual impairment.
- Our angry Asian uncle named Reynold Chen
The Angry Asian Uncles podcast, hosted by Victor and Aaron, features discussions on various topics, sometimes with an Asian perspective or a cultural comparison. The podcast serves as a therapeutic outlet for the hosts, who both live with…
- Talent with Eezo The Blind DJ
Raeez Kuhn, known as Eezo the Blind DJ, shares his story of becoming a DJ after losing his eyesight at age two. Despite challenges, he has gained a following and seeks to acquire equipment to perform professionally.
- Access the podcast with Cheryl & Thomas
Cheryl Green and Thomas Reid, founders of POD Access, share insights on their platform which supports d/Deaf and disabled podcasters. POD Access provides community, resources, and aims to grow audiences for disabled creators, emphasizing d…
- The dinner I never saw coming with Chef Riq Unseen Cuisine
Chef Riq, a blind holistic chef, discusses his journey after a chemical accident cost him his vision. He transformed his passion for cooking into Unseen Cuisine, an audio-only brand offering inclusive, allergy-friendly recipes designed for…
- Daring to succeed with John Dowling Jr.
John Dowling Jr., a singer, songwriter, and broadcaster, discusses his life experiences, musical tastes, radio show 'The Old Wooden Barn,' and his podcast 'The Smoking Circle,' which explores cannabis from a blindness perspective. He also…
- The golden thread of resilience with Goddest
Goddest Jenkins is an advocate and leader who overcame significant adversity, including a life-altering accident and domestic violence. She has achieved notable success in pageantry and humanitarian efforts, becoming a symbol of resilience…
- An awesome AI world with Shawn Keen
Shawn Keen, founder of AI for the Blind, shares how his community empowers over 14,600 blind and low-vision members globally to utilize AI. The initiative focuses on creating opportunities for learning, earning, and connection through tech…
- Falling from a chair to a new perspective on life with Grant Matthews
Grant Matthews recounts losing his eyesight in 2018 and the subsequent challenges, including his mother's dementia diagnosis and his role as her caregiver. He describes his journey from self-pity to acceptance, learning to navigate life wi…
- The audio description legend with Roy Samuelson
Roy Samuelson is an award-winning audio description performer, author, and consultant with over a decade of experience. He collaborates to ensure blind audiences can enjoy storytelling and transforms accessibility into a creative asset.
- Flying with an eagle named, Oluwakemi
This episode of Aaron's Opinion features a discussion with Oluwakemi, a guest from Nigeria. They explore Oluwakemi's experiences traveling the world and her experiences within Nigeria.
- The deepest dive ever with Jodi and Keith
Aaron's Opinion features Jodi and Keith from the Disability Deep Dive podcast. They discuss their podcast and their work with Disability Rights Florida.
- Courage curiosity & kindness with Marc from Montreal
Marc, who has been blind since birth, discusses his life experiences, including his career in radio and government, his advocacy for the blind and Braille usage, and his perspective on blindness as an inconvenience rather than an obstacle.
- The road of improvement with Rob Castrogiovanni
Rob Castrogiovanni, a blind singer-songwriter from London, Ontario, shares his musical journey, inspirations, and goals to gain recognition in the music industry. He also discusses his upcoming memoir about his experiences with abuse at a…
- Tamer’s victory
Tamer Zaid, author of 'Blind War,' shares his experiences as a blind Palestinian navigating life in America, discussing health adversities, cultural identity, and the resilience of the human spirit. He aims to inspire readers by sharing hi…
- From the computer to the chessboard to the amateur radio universe with Gabriele
Gabriele discusses his life experiences, including being blind since birth, his travels, and his development of skills in computer science and amateur radio (call sign IZ4APU), with a particular passion for CW. He also shares his unconvent…
- Never napping and always advocating with Ashley Jackson
This episode features Ashley Jackson discussing her experiences as a visually impaired woman, including navigating discrimination and finding her voice through self-advocacy. The conversation highlights the emotional impact of vision loss…
- Confidence
Dr. Confidence Onyeka Chukwuemezie, a globally recognized advocate for disability inclusion, shares his journey of overcoming blindness to become a leading voice for persons with disabilities. His work includes securing university admissio…
- Loving a life of travel & adventure with Linsay Lusyne
Linsay Lusyne, a travel advisor and guide dog mobility instructor, shares her passion for creating accessible and inclusive travel experiences for blind and low vision travelers, drawing on her expertise to foster confidence and independen…
- Serina the audio snob
Serina Gilbert is an advocate and program manager focused on disability equity in employment and education. As 'Blindy Girl,' she uses humor and storytelling to educate and empower the blind and visually impaired community.
- Moving forward with a Devine vision with Dr. Charles W. Powell II
Dr. Charles W. Powell II, who lost his sight, founded Divine Visions Consulting & Paralegal Services LLC to advocate for equity and opportunity for the blind and sight-impaired. He believes blindness is not brokenness but brilliance and en…