{"id":9117,"date":"2025-08-31T12:46:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T17:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9117"},"modified":"2025-08-31T12:46:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T17:46:02","slug":"the-blind-drive-humanness-first-ambassadorship-second","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9117","title":{"rendered":"The Blind Drive: Humanness First, Ambassadorship Second"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_9624\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9117-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Podcast Summary:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In this opening episode of The Blind Drive, Jeff Thompson, Liz Bottner, and Tim Schwartz get real about \u201cambassadorship,\u201d authenticity, and living blind life on our own terms. With humor and sharp storytelling\u2014from a \u201cScarlet Letter B\u201d riff to a crosswalk shove gone wrong\u2014they tackle the tension between educating the public and simply being human, bad days and all. They argue that respect should start with humanness first, that education helps but can\u2019t be forced, and that confidence grows by getting out there: bus rides, ballgames, breakfast spots, and small wins that build community. Practical encouragement and gentle challenges abound\u2014bring a friend, take that first route, learn the skills, and decide when (or if) to teach in the moment. No waiting for perfect tech. This is about motion, mindset, and everyday mastery\u2014today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>thanks for sharing and listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Give us feedback and suggestions at 612-367-6093, we&#8217;d love to hear from you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9114\">Full Transcript:<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_9626\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9117-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/1BlindDrive.mp3 Podcast Summary: In this opening episode of The Blind Drive, Jeff Thompson, Liz Bottner, and Tim Schwartz get real about \u201cambassadorship,\u201d authenticity, and living blind life on our own terms. With humor and sharp storytelling\u2014from a \u201cScarlet Letter B\u201d riff to a crosswalk shove gone wrong\u2014they tackle the tension between educating the public and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[17,555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-the-blind-drive"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-2n3","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9214,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9214","url_meta":{"origin":9117,"position":0},"title":"The Blind Drive: \u201cFrom Federal Cuts to New Tech: Apple, Aira, and the Shifting Road Ahead for the Blind Drive\u201d","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"October 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: The Blind Drive puts you in the passenger seat with Jeff Thompson and Tim Schwartz as they run down what\u2019s shaping life for blind and low vision people right now. From federal cuts hitting the Rehabilitation Services Administration to new pressure in Iowa over blind Iowans\u2019 right to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=467"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":255,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=255","url_meta":{"origin":9117,"position":1},"title":"Good Training and Drive and the Super Blind Guy By Jeffrey Thompson","author":"blind Abilities","date":"November 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Good Training and Drive and the Super Blind Guy By Jeffrey Thompson @JThompson6835 I am not dependent upon anyone for my existence. I do have friends and family that assist me in particular activities when needed. Like, reading the label on the aquarium to let me know what kind of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=239"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9172,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9172","url_meta":{"origin":9117,"position":2},"title":"The Blind Drive: PiccyBot, Precision, and Being Present","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"September 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: The Blind Drive dives into PiccyBot\u2014an AI that can describe not just photos but video. Tim Schwartz shares how it\u2019s changing the way he explores the world, while Jeff Thompson zooms out to ask where this AI wave is taking us. Jeff also puts a new Wixey Bluetooth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=467"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9204,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9204","url_meta":{"origin":9117,"position":3},"title":"The Blind Drive: Beyond Compliance: Why Accessibility Must Be Usable to Be Real &#8211; Compliance Is for Lawyers\u2014Usability Is for Humans","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"October 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: In this episode of The Blind Drive, Jeff Thompson and Tim Schwartz dig into the heart of something far bigger than a news headline\u2014it\u2019s about access, equity, and the right to fully participate in life. A recent class action lawsuit filed against DraftKings for failing to make its\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=467"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5518,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=5518","url_meta":{"origin":9117,"position":4},"title":"Start Your Impossible! Dr. Amit Patel is Racing Forward with No Finish Line in Sight. And Like Toyota, This Experience is Not Just for the Driver&#8230; It\u2019s for the Entire Community","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"October 23, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Show Summary: Dr. Amit Patel is\u00a0\u00a0a proud father, a speaker, motivator and becoming an advocate for the Blind. After suddenly losing his eyesight six years ago, Amit was devastated and within 6 months he started to take charge of his situation and get on with the life he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2262,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=2262","url_meta":{"origin":9117,"position":5},"title":"Blue Collar Blind: Not Necessarily About Blindness &#8211; The V8 Engine","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"November 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Blue Collar Blind: Not Necessarily About Blindness derives from talking to so many people who met the challenges of blindness and forged forward. They are who they are because they had the drive to succeed at their ambitions. They carved out their own niche in life and are living\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9117"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9118,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9117\/revisions\/9118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}