Blind Posts

Subscribe to RSS Feed

Real People, Real Stories 2020-E9:Steve Sawczyn, Principal Digital Accessibility Engineer at Optum

By Mark Miller on December 22, 2020

A group of people with various disabilities. Real People, Real stories, brought to you by The Paciello Group

Mark Miller, the host, and his producer Marissa speak with Steve Sawczyn, Principal Digital Accessibility Engineer at Optum (part of UnitedHealth Group). Steve talks about how, although “It’s a great time to be blind,” he still runs into accessibility challenges that can be mildly embarrassing (how do you ask someone to tell you if you’re standing six feet away from them to abide by social distancing rules?) to potentially dangerous (information...

IAP 2020-E7: Morten Bonde, Senior Art Director at LEGO

By Mark Miller on November 5, 2020

Mark Miller, the host, his producer Marissa, and colleague Todd Waites, chat with Morten Bonde, senior art director at LEGO. Morten describes a stressful 14-year phase during which time his eyesight deteriorated due to retinitis pigmentosa and he couldn’t bring himself to accept what was happening. He recounts his “death” of who he was before he embraced his visual impairment and who he transformed into, after months of dedicated meditation and...

IAP 2020-E4: Rebecca Bridges, project manager at The Paciello Group

By Mark Miller on May 8, 2020

In this episode: The host, Mark Miller, producer Marissa Sapega, and TPG Director of Marketing Brad Henry all chat with their coworker Rebecca Bridges. Rebecca and her husband are blind, and she shares the difficulties of being quarantined and frustration at not being able to help her son with schoolwork because it is inaccessible. She discloses her thoughts on disability etiquette (make sure I know you’re there if you want me to social distance...

IAP 2020-E2: Tony DePalma, Director of Public Policy for Disability Rights Florida

By Mark Miller on April 13, 2020

IAP logo

In this episode: Mark Miller, the host, and Marissa Sapega, podcast producer, speak with Tony DePalma about the many ways COVID-19 has significantly impacted people with disabilities. From getting basic necessities like food to accessing student online education, the ways in which the pandemic has negatively affected this community are almost endless. Tony surfaces anecdotes from his own experience as Director of Public Policy for Disability...

IAP 2020-E1: Victor Calise, Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

By Mark Miller on January 29, 2020

IAP Logo

In this episode: Victor regales the host, Mark Miller, with vignettes on how he and his team work to accommodate the almost one million people with disabilities living in New York City in all boroughs, as well as the thousands of tourists with disabilities who visit each year. They discuss the unique challenges of each borough when it comes to accommodating PWDs, and specific examples of has been implemented in Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge Park...

IAP 2018-E5: Interview with Director of MABVI

By Mark Miller on November 12, 2018

logo

Mark chats with Sassy Outwater-Wright, director of the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. They discuss such topics as the need to support people with multiple disabilities and the right way to approach a conversation focusing on the concerns of people with disabilities. Sassy talks about the mission of MABVI and how it impacts the lives of the visually impaired people it supports....