Podcast Summary: Full Transcript Valentine’s Day is often seen as a celebration of romantic love, but what if love starts from within? In this Wellness Wednesday episode, Beth and Robin explore the foundation of love—self-love. Without it, we risk settling for less, struggling with boundaries, and feeling unworthy. Self-love isn’t about grand gestures; it’s in the small acts of care—enjoying a morning coffee, setting boundaries, or...
Podcast Summary: The ACB Minnesota State Convention: Zooming into 2025 was an exciting gathering of Minnesota’s blindness community, offering insights, connections, and resources. Highlights included updates from State Services for the Blind, discussions on assistive technology like the NLS e-Reader, and opportunities in employment, including pharmacy technician training for those with low vision. The convention also featured a Metro Mobility...
Podcast Summary: In this 2nd episode of the Two Journeys to Employment, Gabby Gingras shares her inspiring journey from student to professional, emphasizing the importance of self-advocacy, resilience, and using available resources. As a visually impaired environmental Studies graduate, Gabby describes her role at Rainbow Tree Care, advocating for herself at work, and overcoming challenges in education and employment. She reflects on her...
Podcast Summary: In episode 1 of the Two Journeys to Employment series, Kat Wilke shares her inspiring journey from high school to becoming a speech-language pathologist. Diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease in eighth grade, Kat overcame challenges with vision loss by connecting with Minnesota’s State Services for the Blind (SSB), which helped her develop self-advocacy skills and provided vital resources like assistive technology. As a...
Podcast Summary: Beth and Robin revisit their most awkward, cringe-worthy, or downright baffling moments—the ones that weren’t funny at all back then. But hindsight (and a good sense of humor) turn those memories into laughable lessons. Discover how finding the funny side of life’s little mishaps can boost your well-being and lighten your load. Because let’s face it, laughter really is the best therapy (and cheaper than weekly...
Full Transcript Podcast Summary: In this Something to Think About episode, Jeff brings a bit of awareness to the data usage while updating apps. Updating apps can significantly impact your data usage, especially if you’re on a limited plan. Regular updates, sometimes over 500MB per app, can quickly add up. While updates can improve security and features, it’s worth considering whether automatic updates are right for you. Adjusting...
Podcast Summary: Hold onto your canes, because the Tech Abilities crew is back! Jeff and Serina round up Leslie Dickson, Cheryl Macintosh, and Katy Todd for the first New Year episode spanning the rains of Washington to the heights of Colorado. Cheryl’s ditching the guide dog for some hardcore O&M cane skills, while Katy’s testing out a hoverboard for the blind. Meanwhile,...
Podcast Summary: Full Transcript This episode of Blind Abilities highlights the inspiring journeys of three individuals—Judy Sanders, Janet Dickelman, and Ben Zheng—who exemplify advocacy in action. Judy recounts her pioneering efforts to challenge discriminatory policies in education and airline seating. Janet reflects on self-advocacy from her school days and her leadership within the American Council of the Blind, emphasizing the power...
Podcast Summary: This special holiday episode of the Wellness Wednesday series on the Blind Abilities Podcast is a heartfelt, lighthearted reflection on the holiday season and the approaching new year. Hosts Beth Gustin and Robin Ennis explore the joys and challenges of the festive season, sharing personal stories, traditions, and self-care tips. Beth’s enthusiasm shines as she discusses her love for holiday...
Full Transcript Podcast Summary: Jesse Anderson, Assistive Technology Specialist at State Services for the Blind of Minnesota, discusses the latest advancements in assistive technology for high school and college students. He highlights tools like Aira's AccessAI, BeMyAI, JAWS, and smart glasses, emphasizing the importance of learning both mobile and computer-based solutions to improve independence and efficiency. Jesse also explores emerging...