The Pulse

Joeita speaks with Kate Mann, Associate Professor Cornell University's Sage School of Philosophy & author of "Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia," which draws on personal experience & rigorous research to expose how size discrimination harms everyone, and how to combat it. HighlightsThe Insidiousness of Fatphobia - Opening Remarks (00:00)Society’s Fixation on Weight & the “Ideal Body” (01:07)Introducing Kate Manne, Author of “Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia” (01:59)Philosophical Interest in Misogyny & Fatphobia (02:22)Defining Fatphobia (04:17)Complicated Relationship Between Fatness & Health (06:03)Fatphobia in the Healthcare System (10:15)Weigh-In Process & Weight-Inclusive Physicians (12:27)Diabetes, BMI & Stigma (13:19)Intersections of Fatphobia, Race, Class, Ability & Gender (16:22)The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness (18:28)Thin-Privilege (19:36)Beyond Body-Positivity (22:24)Thinsplaining - Book Excerpt (24:22)Find the Book “Unshrinking: Facing Fatphobia” (27:51)Show Close (28:33)Guest Bio - Kate Manne is an associate professor of philosophy at Cornell University, where she’s been teaching since 2013. Before that, she was a junior fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. Manne did her graduate work in philosophy at MIT and is the author of two previous books, Down Girl and Entitled.“Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia” By Kate Manne from Penguin Random House“An elegant, fierce, and profound argument for fighting fat oppression in ourselves, our communities, and our culture.”—Roxane Gay, author of HungerFor as long as she can remember, Kate Manne has wanted to be smaller. She can tell you what she weighed on any significant occasion: her wedding day, the day she became a professor, the day her daughter was born. She’s been bullied and belittled for her size, leading to extreme dieting. As a feminist philosopher, she wanted to believe that she was exempt from the cultural gaslighting that compels so many of us to ignore our hunger. But she was not.Blending intimate stories with the trenchant analysis that has become her signature, Manne shows why fatphobia has become a vital social justice issue. Over the last several decades, implicit bias has waned in every category, from race to sexual orientation, except one: body size. Manne examines how anti-fatness operates—how it leads us to make devastating assumptions about a person’s attractiveness, fortitude, and intellect, and how it intersects with other systems of oppression. Fatphobia is responsible for wage gaps, medical neglect, and poor educational outcomes; it is a straitjacket, restricting our freedom, our movement, our potential.In this urgent call to action, Manne proposes a new politics of “body reflexivity”—a radical reevaluation of who our bodies exist in the world for: ourselves and no one else. When it comes to fatphobia, the solution is not to love our bodies more. Instead, we must dismantle the forces that control and constrain us, and remake the world to accommodate people of every size.Articles:In 'Unshrinking,' a writer discusses coming out as fat and pushing back against bias - NPR InterviewFighting Fatphobia and Embracing ‘Unshrinking’: The Ms. Q&A With Kate Manne - MS Magazine Reference:Belly of the Beast The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness by Da'Shaun L. HarrisonTo live in a body both fat and Black is to exist at the margins of a society that creates the conditions for anti-fatness as anti-Blackness. Hyper-policed by state and society, passed over for housing and jobs, and derided and misdiagnosed by medical professionals, fat Black people in the United States are subject to sociopolitically sanctioned discrimination, abuse, condescension, and trauma.Da’Shaun Harrison—a fat, Black, disabled, and nonbinary trans writer—offers an incisive, fresh, and precise exploration of anti-fatness as anti-Blackness, foregrounding the state-sanctioned murders of fat Black men and trans and nonbinary masculine people in historical analysis. Policing, disenfranchisement, and invisibilizing of fat Black men and trans and nonbinary masculine people are pervasive, insidious ways that anti-fat anti-Blackness shows up in everyday life. Fat people can be legally fired in forty-nine states for being fat; they’re more likely to be houseless. Fat people die at higher rates from misdiagnosis or nontreatment; fat women are more likely to be sexually assaulted. And at the intersections of fatness, Blackness, disability, and gender, these abuses are exacerbated.Taking on desirability politics, the limitations of gender, the connection between anti-fatness and carcerality, and the incongruity of “health” and “healthiness” for the Black fat, Harrison viscerally and vividly illustrates the myriad harms of anti-fat anti-Blackness. They offer strategies for dismantling denial, unlearning the cultural programming that tells us “fat is bad,” and destroying the world as we know it, so the Black fat can inhabit a place not built on their subjugation. About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks to Danielle Kaftarian, Executive Director of the Period Purse, about menstrual equity and what needs to change to ensure that all people who menstruate have access to period products. HighlightsPeriod Poverty & Menstrual Equity - Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Danielle Kaftarian, Executive Director of the Period Purse (01:22)Importance of Discussing Menstrual Equity & Period Poverty (01:40)Stigma & Lack of Political Will (02:08)Why Don’t People Want to Talk About Periods? (03:28)Issues Surrounding Access & Alternatives (05:31)The Healthcare System & Menstrual Equity Fund (06:58)Offsetting the Increasing Cost-Burden of Menstrual Products (11:15)Challenges for People with Disabilities Who Might be Menstruating (13:00)Period Poverty Around the Globe (14:40)Menstrual Cups & Environmental Impacts (15:54)Employers & Menstrual Leave (18:01)Improving Comfort Levels Surrounding Menstruation (19:57)How & When to Talk About Periods Within the Family (21:17)About the Period Purse Charity (23:24)The Period Pack (24:27)Collaborating with Organizations (25:56)Donations & Sourcing Period Products (26:20)Period Purse Outside the Toronto-Area (27:18)Find the Period Purse Online (28:26)Show Close (28:45)Guest Bio - Danielle Kaftarian (she/her) - Executive Director, the Period PurseDanielle is TPP’s Executive Director with ample experience! She studied Accounting and Business Administration and worked in the finance industry for over 10 years, along with other jobs. After having two children, she felt a strong desire to contribute to the community and support others. It was not until TPP was founded, that she discovered her true passion. From early TPP days, Danielle was involved in various roles, supporting its mission to achieve menstrual equity for everyone in Canada. She’s proud to serve as the Executive Director with an incredible team, working tirelessly towards period equity.About the Period Purse - theperiodpurse.comThe Period Purse creates menstrual equity by ensuring sustainable access to period products for all, and by ending the stigma associated with periods through education and advocacy. About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks to financial advisor Ron Malis about estate planning and financial management for a child with a disability.  HighlightsFinancial Planning for a Child with a Disability - Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Ron Malis, Financial Advisor & Founder of Reegan Financials (01:08)Getting Started Working with People with Disabilities (02:08)When Do Parents Typically Start Planning for their Child’s Future (3:41)Specific Considerations for Parents of a Child with a Disability (06:38)Impacts of Social Assistance Programs and Setting Up a Trust (08:34)                                                                               All About the Henson Trust & Choosing a Trustee (10:55)Impact of Inheritances and other Income on Social Assistance Payments (18:24)Eligibility Requirements for a Henson Trust (20:22)Estate Planning in a Tax Efficient Way (21:17)Benefits of Planning Earlier in Life (24:28)Closing Remarks (26:27)Learn More about Ron Malis & Reegan Financial - https://reeganfinancial.com/about/  About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks disability lawyer Sivan Tumarkin of Samfiru Tumarkin LLP about long-term disability claims and how to apply for them.HighlightsThe Ins and Outs of Long-Term Disability Claims – Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Sivan Tumarkin, disability lawyer and the National Co-Managing Partner of Samfiru Tumarkin LLP (01:14)What is Long-Term Disability and Who is Eligible? (02:14)Differences Between Personal Injury Claims, Workers’ Compensation & Long-Term Disability Claims (03:45)LTD Claims Across Canada (05:37)How to Start the Process of a Long-Term Disability Claim (06:37)HR & the Impact of Long-Term Disability Claims on Insurance Premiums (07:41)How Long Does the LTD Claim Process Take? (10:01)Documentation Requirements & Application Process (10:47)Pre-Existing Health Conditions & Reasons Disability Claims are Disqualified (12:44)How to Appeal or Challenge a Claim Denial (14:55)The Legal Process and Taking Insurance Companies to Court (18:11)Ombudspersons & Lodging Complaints Against Insurance Companies (22:41)Impact of Changes Within Employers or Insurance Companies on LTD Benefits (23:40)Breach of Policy & Reasonable Treatments (25:02)Recurrence Clauses, Episodic Illnesses & Disabilities (26:45)The David Versus Goliath Myth (Spoiler: David Wins!) (29:10)Visit Disabilityrights.ca & LTDFAQ.ca for More Info (30:09)Closing Remarks (30:58)Guest BioSivan Tumarkin is National Co-Managing Partner of Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and heads the firm’s Disability & Personal Injury Law practice group across Canada. He also acts as a mediator for parties seeking to resolve their disputes efficiently and equitably.Prior to co-founding Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, Sivan worked at one of the top insurance defence law firms in Canada. His clientele included insurance companies, municipalities and major retail corporations throughout Ontario. His previous experience working for insurance companies has given him unique insight into the long-term disability claim denial and appeals process, allowing him to secure strong results for his clientsReferenceDisability Rights WebsiteFrequently Asked Questions about Long-term Disability Claims  About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks with Beth Beattie and Carole Dagher about their new book “The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in the Legal Profession” which discusses mental health and well-being amongst legal professionals. HighlightsMental Health Within the Legal Profession – Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Beth Beattie & Carole Dagher (01:29)“The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in the Legal Profession” (03:12)Importance of Mental Health Amongst Legal Professionals (04:23)Fear & Secrecy Surrounding Mental Health Struggles (06:02)Contributors to “The Right Not to Remain Silent” & Mental Health Summit (08:31)What Can We Learn from Personal Essays on Mental Health? (12:27)Intersections of Mental Health, Sexism, Homophobia & Racism (15:56)Deciding to Disclose One’s Invisible Disability (19:31)Reducing Stigma & Changing the Culture Within the Legal Profession (22:24)Significance of Mental Health Awareness Amongst Legal Professionals (24:22)Closing Remarks (25:23)More Info: The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in The Legal Profession is a groundbreaking book that sets the stage for revolutionizing how mental health is perceived in the legal profession and beyond. It contains a series of candid and courageous memoirs by members of the legal profession living with mental health and addiction issues. The authors are judges, lawyers, and law professors with wide-ranging legal practices in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario including at Bay Street and small boutique firms.Young lawyers and senior members of the profession share their experiences of working while living with various types of challenges – depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, addiction, grief, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism.The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in The Legal Profession addresses the insidious nature of mental health stigma and isolation in the legal community. But it is fundamentally a book about hope. As the authors discuss their sometimes harrowing journeys, they also show routes back to meaningful engagement with colleagues and work.To read these personal accounts is to be moved, inspired, and hopefully galvanized into action at the individual, collegial, and organizational level. This book offers practical solutions to change the culture of legal practice and beyond so as to bust apart stigma and isolation, foster people getting the support they need, and cultivate more diverse workplaces.Book ContributorsDavid S. GoldbloomThe Honourable George R. StrathyThe Honourable Michele HollinsBeth BeattieCarole DagherThomas TelferKatherine CooliganOrlando Da SilvaMichael R. FergusonMichael HermanAidan JohnsonImran KamalRyan MiddletonYadesha SatheaswaranLeslie Anne St. AmourDan SteinCourtney WilsonLeena YousefiBrett D.M. JonesShayan ImranM. Ishrat Husain“Postpartum depression made me feel hopeless. Not Today.” article by Carole Dagher for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Guest Bio: Beth BeattieCalled to the Bar in 1994, Beth Beattie has a broad-based health law litigation practice.Since January 2018 Beth has been a Friend of the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. Her story of working as a lawyer with bipolar disorder has been featured on television, radio, podcasts, print media and even billboards across the country. Television appearances include The Marilyn Denis Show, CTV News, CTV North News, CP24 and a CTV prime time special, “In Their Own Words”.In 2021, 2022 and 2023 Beth co-chaired with the former Treasurer of the Law Society of Ontario, Teresa Donnelly, Mental Health Summits for Legal Professionals. Each year the Summits were watched by nearly 6,000 registrants.Beth is a founding member of Voices for Mental Health which is a group of employees at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General who have lived mental health experience or who have cared for loved ones with lived experience. Voices provides programming within the Ministry of the Attorney General and beyond on topics relating to mental health.In 2022 Beth was awarded the Law Society Medal, the highest honour available to a lawyer in Ontario. The Medal was awarded for outstanding service within the profession in accordance with the highest ideals of the profession. She was also awarded the Ontario Psychiatric Association’s Mental Health Advocate of the Year Award. About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Health Equity00:52 Barriers Faced by People with Disabilities06:07 The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Health Equity07:30 Addressing Health Inequities Highlighted by COVID-1909:39 Tackling Health Equity in the Canadian Healthcare System11:02 Understanding Sustainable Community Well-being15:29 Taking a Critical Disability Lens in Healthcare16:28 The Right to Health and Affirmation of People with Disabilities22:19 Conclusion and Future Conversations About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks with Dominic Roberts, author of a new book of poetry "Blinded by the Write: Poems from a Twisted Mind" in which he discusses his vision loss journey.Highlights:The Emotional Landscape of Blindness - Opening Remarks (00:00)Introduction – The Pulse Home Studio (01:14)Introducing Dominic Roberts, Poet and Author of “Blinded by the Write: Poems from a Twisted Mind” (4:22)Writing Process (06:30)Fantasy Side (6:58)Making Peace with Vision Loss through Poetry (08:04)“Eyes Tell Lies” (09:23)Prominence of Nature in Poetic and Vision Loss Journey’s (13:03)Other People’s Poetry (14:15)From a Poem to a Book (14:46)Nature’s Own Disco (15:32)Paradise Lost, Inspiration & the Milking Process (16:53)Deciding to Write & Publish a Book (18:09)“Blind is Beautiful” (20:40)Is Blindness Something to be Overcome? (24:16)Find More from Dominic Roberts (25:00)Show Close (26:11)Links:Blinded by the Write: Poems from a Twisted Mind (Amazon Canada, GoodReads)  About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks to Carli Friedman of the University of Washington about disability and intimacy. Highlights:The Value of Intimate Relationships - Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Carli Friedman, Director of research for the Council on Quality and Leadership (01:09)Studying Disability & Intimacy (02:17)Defining Intimacy (03:26)Benefits of Having Intimate Relationships (04:01)Barriers to Close Relationships (05:30)Impact of Housing Situation (06:11)Access to Privacy (07:39)Stigma Around Inter-Abled Relationships (08:40)Understanding Access-Needs (10:29)Common Experiences Versus Shared Interests (11:35)Social Media and Intimate Relationships (13:10)Attitudinal & Other Barriers (15:06)Facilitators & Gatekeepers (16:03)How to Form Intimate Relationships (18:56)Kinship, Belonging & Well-Being (20:15)Independence Versus Interdependence (21:06)Show Close (23:11)Guest Bio:Carli Friedman is the Director of Research for CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. CQL is an international not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to the definition, measurement, and improvement of personal quality of life, through a world of dignity, opportunity, and community for all people with disabilities. Carli’s research at CQL works to promote meaningful community participation and empowerment of people with disabilities by exploring the impact policy, service systems, and providers can have on quality enhancement and quality of life. Carli, who has a Doctorate in Disability Studies, is the author of over 230 journal articles, book chapters, research briefs, and reports, focusing on ableism, community integration of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Medicaid, and social determinants of health.Article: AAIDD Honors CQL’s Carli Friedman, PhD, With The 2022 Research Award  About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks to Andrew Leland about his book "The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight"Highlights:“What is Blindness?” - Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Andrew Leland, Author of “The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight” (01:14)About H.G. Wells’ “The Country of the Blind” Short Story (01:57)Memoir Writing Process (04:12)Curiosity in Exploring Vision Loss (06:30)Balancing Intellectualizing Blindness & the Emotional Reality of Blind People (09:30)Deciding Where to Draw the Line (12:16)Blindness & the Male Gaze (15:05)Culture of Blindness (17:38)Surprises, Revelations & Conclusions (20:57)Lingering Questions & Tensions (23:31)Show Close (26:02)Guest Bio: Andrew Leland’s writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, McSweeney’s Quarterly, and The San Francisco Chronicle, among other outlets. From 2013-2019, he hosted and produced The Organist, an arts and culture podcast, for KCRW; he has also produced pieces for Radiolab and 99 Percent Invisible. He has been an editor at The Believer since 2003. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and son.About The Country of the BlindNamed one of the best books of the year by: THE NEW YORKER • THE WASHINGTON POST • THE ATLANTIC • NPR • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY • LITHUBA witty, winning, and revelatory personal narrative of the author’s transition from sightedness to blindness and his quest to learn about blindness as a rich culture all its own“After reading Andrew Leland’s memoir, The Country of the Blind, you will look at the English language differently . . . Leland rigorously explores the disability’s most troubling corners . . . A wonderful cross-disciplinary wander.” —The New York Times Book ReviewWe meet Andrew Leland as he’s suspended in the liminal state of the soon-to-be blind: he’s midway through his life with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that ushers those who live with it from sightedness to blindness over years, even decades. He grew up with full vision, but starting in his teenage years, his sight began to degrade from the outside in, such that he now sees the world as if through a narrow tube. Soon—but without knowing exactly when—he will likely have no vision left.Full of apprehension but also dogged curiosity, Leland embarks on a sweeping exploration of the state of being that awaits him: not only the physical experience of blindness but also its language, politics, and customs. He negotiates his changing relationships with his wife and son, and with his own sense of self, as he moves from his mainstream, “typical” life to one with a disability. Part memoir, part historical and cultural investigation, The Country of the Blind represents Leland’s determination not to merely survive this transition but to grow from it—to seek out and revel in that which makes blindness enlightening.Thought-provoking and brimming with warmth and humor, The Country of the Blind is a deeply personal and intellectually exhilarating tour of a way of being that most of us have never paused to consider—and from which we have much to learn.Related Links:NPR Article - As a writer slowly loses his sight, he embraces other kinds of perceptionBlindness isn't a tragic binary — it's a rich spectrum (Ted Talk, July 2023)Andrew Leland Website: https://www.andrewleland.org/The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight (Wikipedia) About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita discusses emergency preparedness for people with disabilities with Kaitlynne Lowe, Policy Researcher at MacEachen Institute for Public Policy at Dalhousie University.  From Emergency Supply Kits and Vulnerable Person’s Registries to accessibility barriers in transportation and housing, people with disabilities are often especially vulnerable during a crisis, disaster, or emergency.Highlights:“Vulnerable in an Emergency Situation” - Opening Clip (00:00)Disability & Emergency Preparedness - Opening Remarks (00:34)Introducing Kaitlynne Lowe (01:47)Public Safety for People with Disabilities (02:15)Emergency Response Capacity Across Canada (03:17)How are People with Disabilities Vulnerable During a Crisis? (05:41)Effective Communication During an Emergency (07:36)Accounting for Local Nuance in Emergency Planning (09:46)Accessibility Barriers in Transportation & Housing (12:30)Vulnerable Person’s Registry (16:23)Emergency Supply Kits (19:25)Rethinking What Constitutes an “Emergency” (22:49)The State of Emergency Preparedness for Canadians with Disabilities (24:57)Show Close (27:27)Guest Bio:Kaitlynne Lowe is a Policy Researcher at the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Kaitlynne is a Dalhousie MPA graduate, hopeful life-changer, book lover, theatre-goer, adventurer, and cat mom.Follow Kaitlynne Lowe on X/Twitter: @KatieALowe   About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

In the third of three episodes on Accessible Fashion, Joeita speaks to Alexa Jonovavic, founder of Aille Design, a brand featuring clothing with Braille beadwork. Alexa dives into her collaborative process with members of the blind and partially sighted community. Plus, a fascinating exploration of the relationship blind women have with colour.  Highlights:“So Much More Than Clothing” - Opening Clip (00:00)“Accessible Fashion as a Social Good” - Opening Remarks (00:28)Introducing Alexa Jovanovic of Aille Design (01:40)Discovering Love of Fashion & Design (02:36)Functionality Versus Aesthetics (04:00)Caring for Braille Beadwork Clothing (6:06)Learning & Writing Braille (7:27)Impact of Braille Beadwork Messages (9:12)Establishing Your Fashion Brand (11:18)Why Beads for Braille? (13:25)Formal and Professional Beaded Attire (15:02)Custom & Bespoke Braille Beadwork (19:54)Relationship Between Colour & Blindness (21:25)Influencing the Broader Industry (24:12)Personal Journey Through Accessible Fashion Work (26:11)Show Close (29:51)Aille Design on AMI-tv’s Fashion DisGuest Bio: Now known as "The Braille Fashion Designer," Alexa Jovanovic first began creating Braille fashion as a research project in university where she was taught the importance of disrupting fashion industry norms through innovative design thinking and the co-design process.Alexa built strong relationships with local blind and partially sighted individuals and together they discussed everything from shopping, clothing trends, and closet organization, to society’s misconceptions of what it means to “look and feel” blind.About Aille Design - ​https://ailledesign.com/Our brand name comes from the French verb Aller which means "to go" or "to move forward". We believe inclusivity is the direction the fashion industry needs to move forward in and we're ready to help lead the change!The pronunciation of our name alludes to the personal "I" since our products help to empower and increase independence, as well as the physical "eye" since braille provides a source of vision and understanding.Did you know? The two dots in our logo are the braille character for the letter "i". It represents the importance of braille while helping you remember the pronunciation of Aille.We make clothing and accessories with fully legible braille that are designed alongside the blind and visually impaired community.Use the braille to describe the physical garment, choose one of our value based phrases, or customize the braille to say anything you want! The tactile braille beadwork is the focal point of each design. It generates conversation about accessibility and inclusion and makes for an incredibly unique gift. 5% of all t-shirt sales are donated to organizations for the visually impaired. About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

In the second of three episodes on Accessible Fashion, Joeita speaks to Wendy Wong, founder of June Adaptive on her creative choice and journey. Wendy discusses the practicalities of getting her business off the ground, including obtaining feedback from People with Disabilities.    Highlights:“Adaptive Clothing for People of All Abilities” – Opening Clip (00:00)“You Are What You Wear” - Opening Remarks (04:46)Introducing Wendy Wong, Creator of June Adaptive (01:52)Inspiration from Aunt June (02:55)All About Aunt June (04:43)Challenges in Catering to a Niche Community (05:25)Making JuneAdaptive.com Accessible (06:57)Adapted Clothing Designs: Zipper Sneakers (08:09)Grip Socks (08:59)Magnetic Button-Down Shirt (10:25)Open-Back Tops (11:48)Denim Jeans with toggles, loops, thigh pockets, velcro ankle-openings (12:58)Process of Creating Adapted Clothing (14:54)Ensuring Quality (15:42)Collaborating with Suppliers (16:30)Evolution of Adaptive Fashion (17:53)Universal Design in Clothing (19:19)Affordable & Accessible Fashion (21:02)Wardrobe Essentials (23:46)Adaptive Fashion Goals (25:03)Show Close (26:02)About June Adaptive: From people frustrated by inaccessible buttons and zippers to people recovering from medical treatments, people living with mobility challenges or disabilities can find fashion solutions at June Adaptive.We found pieces that helped people in our lives and we hope we can help you too.“The Start of June Adaptive”June was more than just a “cool” aunt to our founder Wendy; she was a sister, friend, and a hard-working medical professional who adored her cocker spaniel. Following an accident later in life, June had lost mobility in her arms and legs.With a fashion background, Wendy wanted to help June maintain her independence and dignity by finding clothing that was beautiful yet functional. To Wendy's surprise, it was nearly impossible to find adaptive pieces that fit into June’s new everyday life.As life went on, Wendy had found that additional family members had developed mobility challenges, sharing related issues in finding accessible fashion.After discovering the adaptive fashion space, Wendy wanted to bring back the joy of fashion to people experiencing similar struggles. June Adaptive was created out of an inspiration to provide an inclusive shopping experience for different levels of ability.Our goal is to create a universally designed experience for more people to shop. We want to make adaptive fashion more accessible because everyone should be able to look good.Links Toronto Star - These adaptive fashion designers are making personal style more accessible - Fashion Magazine - Adaptive Fashion Brands You Should Know AboutSeneca Journalism -Making Fashion Fit for EveryoneAbout The Pulse On The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada. Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on Twitter: @JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/recent_ep... About AMI AMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.ca Connect on Twitter @AccessibleMedia On Instagram @accessiblemediainc On Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc On TikTok @accessiblemediainc Email feedback@ami.ca About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

In the first of three episodes on Accessible Fashion, Joeita speaks to  Izzy Camilleri, the founder of IZ Adaptive, a clothing brand that provides accessible fashions for people with disabilities. We discuss her foray into inclusive fashion and design at a time when no one was talking about it. She discusses how her desire to create clothes that are functional, as well as beautiful, changed the course of her life while conferring dignity to people with disabilities.Highlights:Opening Clip – Izzy on Adaptive Clothing (00:00)Opening Remarks – Accessible Fashion as Function (00:39)Accessible Fashion Series Overview (01:42)Introducing Izzy Camilleri & IZ Adaptive (03:32)A Life-Changing Phone Call (04:11)Initial Challenges Designing Clothes for a Wheelchair User (06:30)Designing for People Who Need Help Dressing and Those Who Dress Themselves Independently (08:19)Disability Inclusive Features of Adapted Clothing (09:58)Inspiration for Getting into Fashion Design (11:11)Reaction of Colleagues to Izzy’s Shift into Adapted Clothing (11:46)The Business Side of Adaptive Clothing (13:58)Consulting with Large Labels on Accessible Design (14:58)Toronto as Accessible Fashion Hotbed (16:11)Creativity in Adaptive Clothing (17:01)Wardrobe Essentials (18:53)Feedback on IZ Adaptive (19:40)What’s Next for IZ Adaptive? (21:44)Show Close (22:38)Guest Bio: Izzy Camilleri is one of Canada’s leading and most celebrated fashion designers, and a pioneer in adaptive clothing. Izzy first ventured into the world of accessible clothing after initially doing custom work for a wheelchair user in 2004. It opened her eyes to the huge necessity for this type of clothing in the world.In 2022, Izzy received 2 awards for her adaptive line. She won the Innovation Award from the Women’s Empowerment Awards and the Fashion Impact Award from the CAFA Awards. In 2006, she received CAFA’s Womenswear Designer of the Year Award. Her adaptive line has been featured in the Royal Ontario Museum. For more than 39 years, she has designed custom clothing for an international clientele, crafted gorgeous collections featured in fashion magazines from Vogue to InStyle, and dressed celebrities like Daniel Radcliffe, Mark Wahlberg, Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie and David Bowie. Since 2009, Izzy has focused on inclusive fashion through her brand IZ Adaptive, with the mission to make great looking and well-fitting clothes accessible to everyone. To learn more about Izzy, visit www.izzycamilleri.com.See more of Izzy Camilleri on AMI-tv’s Fashion Dis!Each episode of Fashion Dis celebrates the head-to-toe overhaul of a frustrated style seeker discouraged by an industry that lacks adaptive options. The Story of IZ Adaptive IZ Adaptive was launched in 2009 after fashion designer Izzy Camilleri spent a few years creating custom clothing for a client who was a wheelchair user living with paralysis. This experience opened her eyes to the clothing challenges and limitations people face while living with a physical disability.After years of creating these first custom pieces, Izzy realized that if her client had all these obstacles around clothing, there must be many others with the same issues. Izzy decided to hold a focus group meeting where other voices were heard around  the challenges, likes and dislikes around everyday clothing while living with a physical disability. With listening and learning, the seeds of creating a line of adaptive clothing were being planted.  After doing online research of the market, she saw that there was very little out there designed specifically for this demographic of people.  Most of what was available was for the elderly or for people living in long term care facilities. Clothing that was very dated in both design and fabric choice. Seeing this huge void in the market, Izzy saw this as an opportunity to create a line of clothes for people living with a disability, starting with modern wardrobe basics.   In June of 2009 IZ Adaptive was born.Izzy Camilleri was hailed a trail blazer pioneering the category of adaptive clothing in the form of fashionable, functional pieces. Her new and innovative work was called revolutionary. The path since that time has been long and hard, but Izzy kept it on life support, knowing the importance of what she was creating and how many lives IZ Adaptive positively affected. At the beginning of the pandemic, Izzy also created the first ‘Seamless Back Pant’ which helps to reduce the risk of life threatening pressure sores.  This patented technology is the most important work Izzy has done throughout her long career. These pants have become an important staple in many of IZ Adaptives customer’s wardrobes.Today, Izzy is seen as the Thought Leader in this space. IZ Adaptive has a global reach with its online store. Major media outlets have featured IZ, and museums have also displayed this work. Universities and colleges reach out as well to learn about this new and exciting category of clothing for their studies.IZ Adaptive continues to push boundaries, lead in innovation and is looking to the future with plans of big growth.  About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

This week, Joeita speaks to Jacqueline Alnes, author of The Fruit Cure: the Story of Extreme Wellness Turned Sour - "an unforgettable deep dive into the world of fruitarianism".Highlights:Excerpt from “The Fruit Cure” by Jacqueline Alnes (00:00)Opening Remarks “Disability & Wellness Culture” (00:43)Jacqueline Alnes Introduction (01:58)About her book “the Fruit Cure” (02:24)Combining an Autobiography with a History of Wellness Movements (03:22)Jacqueline’s Experience with the Medical Establishment (05:35)The Rise of Wellness Influencers (08:30)Racist & Puritanical Origins of Thinness (11:04)Desperate Need for Cures & Answers (13:25)Difference Between Cures & Healing (16:14)Are Social Media Platforms Responsible for Wellness Misinformation? (18:09)Navigating Contradictory Wellness Trends (21:00)Jacqueline Reads from “the Fruit Cure” (24:38)Where to find “the Fruit Cure” (26:18)Show Close (27:10)Guest Bio: Jacqueline Alnes has published essays in The New York Times, Guernica, The Boston Globe, Women's Running, Iron Horse Literary Review, and elsewhere, and her interviews with writers can be found in Longreads, The Rumpus, and, more regularly, Electric Literature, where she serves as a contributing writer. A series of her paintings featuring inspiring athletes was featured on NBC during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and in Runner's World. Currently an Assistant Professor of English at West Chester University, Alnes earned her MFA from Portland State University and her PhD from Oklahoma State University.​Alnes's first book, The Fruit Cure: The Story of Extreme Wellness Turned Sour details how mysterious neurological symptoms derailed her career as a Division I runner and left her desperate for answers. She found hope in an unlikely place: a thriving, online community of fruit-eaters. In The Fruit Cure, Jacqueline Alnes takes readers on a spellbinding and unforgettable journey through the world of fruitarianism, interweaving her own powerful narrative with the popularity and problematic history of fruit-based, raw food lifestyles. ​About The Fruit Cure“A deeply compelling read … Spellbinding ….” – BookPage“Her journey from desperation to self-acceptance is moving and well rendered. In the crowded medical memoir field, this stands out.” — Publishers WeeklyA powerful critique of the failures in our healthcare system and an inquiry into the sinister strains of wellness culture that prey on people’s vulnerabilities through schemes, scams, and diets.Jacqueline Alnes was a Division One runner during her freshman year of college, but her season was cut short by a series of inexplicable neurological symptoms. What started with a cough, escalated to Alnes collapsing on the track and experiencing months of unremembered episodes that stole her ability to walk and speak. Two years after quitting the team to heal, Alnes’s symptoms returned with a severity that left her using a wheelchair for a period of months. She was admitted to an epilepsy center but doctors could not figure out the root cause of her symptoms. Desperate for answers, she turned to an online community centered around a strict, all-fruit diet which its adherents claimed could cure conditions like depression, eating disorders, addiction, anxiety, and vision problems. Alnes wasn’t alone. From all over the world, people in pain, doubted or dismissed by medical authorities, or seeking a miracle diet that would relieve them of white, Western expectations placed on their figures, turned to fruit in hopes of releasing themselves from the perceived failings of their bodies.In The Fruit Cure, Jacqueline Alnes takes readers on a spellbinding and unforgettable journey through the world of fruitarianism, interweaving her own powerful narrative with the popularity and problematic history of fruit-based, raw food lifestyles. For readers plagued by mysterious symptoms, inundated by messages from media about how to attain “the perfect body,” or caught in the grips of a fast-paced culture of capitalism, The Fruit Cure offers a powerful critique of the failures of our healthcare system and an inquiry into the sinister strains of wellness culture that prey on people’s vulnerabilities through schemes, scams, and diets masquerading as hope.About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.Find Joeita on Twitter: @JoeitaGuptaThe Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/recent_episodesAbout AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal.Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

We continue our annual Christmas story tradition with O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi, read by Andy Lehrer."The Gift of the Magi" is a short story by O. Henry first published in the New York Sunday World on December 10, 1905. Highlights:“Holiday Tradition” - Opening Remarks (00:00)Introducing Andy Lehrer (01:02)About “Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (02:19)“Gift of the Magi” read by Andy Lehrer (3:48)Remarks on “Gift of the Magi” & Gift Giving (15:02)Sacrifice, Stress and Showing Appreciation (16:36)Most Memorable Gifts (21:59)Show Close (23:58)About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.Find Joeita on Twitter: @JoeitaGuptaThe Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/recent_episodesAbout AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks with Ashley Nemeth about her journey as a blind parent raising three children.Guest Bio: Ashley Nemeth is vocal advocate breaking down barriers for people with disabilities. Ashley identifies as a deafblind woman sharing her story, educating and changing opinions on the importance of accessibility for all. Highlights:“How Can You Manage?” - Opening Remarks on Parenting (00:00)Introducing Ashley Nemeth (01:13)How Did it Feel to Discover You Were About to Become a Mother? (02:45)Worries About Becoming a Blind Parent? (3:19)Public Perception of Blind Parents (4:35)Reaction of Medical Professionals (6:33)Scrutiny from Social Workers & Family Support (7:57)Educating the “Professionals” (9:21)Relevance of Mainstream Parenting Books & Resources? (10:48)Help with Managing a Newborn? (11:55)Surviving the Early Years as a Blind Parent (13:03)Squeaker Sneakers and Other Parenting Tips (13:51)Accessibility Issues in Being Involved with Kids’ Education (17:00)Congenital Conditions, Parenthood & Disability Discrimination (18:30)The Joys & Challenges of Parenting Teenagers (21:56)Benefits of Growing Up with a Mother Who is Blind (24:40)“Take the Blindness Out of It” - Advice People Who Are Blind or Partially-Sighted and Considering Parenthood (25.58)Show Close (26:59) More about Ashley: How Blogging Turned Ashley Nemeth into an Entrepreneur   About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks with Rod Michalko about his book "Letters with Smokie" discussing blindness and what it can reveal about the relationship between humans and animals. About “Letters with Smokie” From University of Manitoba Press: Leave it to a dog to put the “human” back in “humanities”In September 2020, Rod Michalko wrote to friend and colleague Dan Goodley, congratulating him on the release of his latest book, Disability and Other Human Questions. Joking that his late guide dog, Smokie, had taken offense to the suggestion that disability was purely a human question, Michalko shared a few thoughts on behalf of his dog. When Goodley wrote back—to Smokie—so began an epistolic exchange that would continue for the next seven months.As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world and the realities of lockdown-imposed isolation set in, the Smokie letters provided the friends a space in which to come together in a lively exploration of human-animal relationships and to interrogate disability as disruption, disturbance, and art. Just as he did in life, Smokie guides. In these pages, he offers wisdom about the world, love, friendship, and even The Beatles. His canine observations of human experience provide an avenue into some of the ways blindness might be reconceptualized and “befriended.”Uninhibited by the trappings of traditional academic inquiry, Michalko and Goodley are unleashed, free to wander, to wonder, and to provoke within the bonds of trust and respect. Funny and thoughtful, the result is a refreshing exploration and re-evaluation of learned cultural misunderstandings of disability.Highlights:Opening Remarks on Guide Dogs (00:00)Introducing Rod Michalko (01:03)Who is Smokie and Why is Smokie Writing Letters? (01:38)How Did this Correspondence Between Friends Evolve into a Book? (03:00)Was it Challenging to Adopt Smokie’s Perspective? (04:06)How Can Animals Deepen Our Understanding of Blindness and Disability? (05:06)Moving Towards a Different Concept of Blindness (07:17)First Day Out with a Guide Dog (08:55)Appreciating the Blurriness of Life (10:37)Guide Dogs as Experts on Blindness (12:58)Shifting One’s Vantage Point (14:50)Rethinking Human-Animal Relationships (16:48)How Does Journeying with a Guide Dog Change Your Perspective on the Design of Physical Spaces? (18:51)Disability and Disrupting Normalcy? (21:07)Why is the Theme of Community So Important? (23:11)The Personal Impact of Revisiting Guide Dog Relationship (24:53)More Letters with Smokie? (26:47)Show Close (27:32)Guest Bio: Rod Michalko is a retired professor from the University of Toronto where he taught disability studies. His current writing, both fiction and non-fiction, stems from his experience of blindness.“Letters with Smokie” was co-written by Dan Goodley, Professor of Disability Studies and Education at the University of Sheffield. His Previous books include Disability and Other Human Questions (Emerald, 2020) and Disability Studies (second edition, Sage, 2016).LinksLearn more about “Letters with Smokie” on AMI Audiobook Review"Letters with Smokie" Website About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.Find Joeita on Twitter: @JoeitaGuptaThe Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/recent_ep...About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal.Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Dr Ann Leahy, a PhD graduate of Maynooth University Sociology Department, recently published her new book Disability & Ageing: Towards a Critical Perspective. This book challenges assumptions about impairment in later life and the residual nature of the ‘fourth age’. It proposes that the experience of ‘disability’ in older age reaches beyond the bodily context and can involve not only a challenge to a sense of value and meaning in life, but also ongoing efforts in response.Highlights:Introduction (00:00)Opening Remarks “Ageing Parents” (01:12)Introducing Ann Leahy (02:27)Linkages Between Disability & Ageing (03:01)Importance of Self-Identifying as Disabled (04:24)“Disability Identity in Older Age” Study (05:28)Difficulties in Defining Disability (06:58)Key Findings from Research Interviews (09:15)Divisions Between “Old Age” and “Disability” Services (11:40)Ageing Out of Public Services and Programs (13:17)Problem of Medical Model of Disability Being Pervasive Amongst Older Adults (17:15)Disability Stigma (19:22)Younger Adults with Disabilities Living in Nursing Homes (21:40)Alternatives to Nursing Homes & Institutionalization (25:22)Show Close (27:25)Guest Bio: Ann Leahy joined the ERC Consolidator funded project, DANCING (Protecting the Right to Culture of Persons with Disabilities and Enhancing Cultural Diversity through European Union Law: Exploring New Paths), in September 2020. Her main focus is qualitative research on cultural participation by people with disabilities. She has an MA in Social Justice and Public Policy (first class honours) and a PhD in Sociology. Her PhD was an interdisciplinary qualitative study that examined the intersection between disability and ageing, engaging with literature across both areas. Her academic awards include a John and Pat Hume Scholarship (2013) from Maynooth University and an Irish Research Council Employment-based PhD Scholarship (2014). In 2019 she was awarded a Government of Ireland, Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship to disseminate the findings of her PhD thesis. Ann also has a background in law. Early in her career, she qualified as a Solicitor and worked for some years in commercial law with McCann FitzGerald, solicitors. She subsequently changed direction, working for nearly two decades in the NGO voluntary sector. She was Assistant CEO of Age & Opportunity for over a decade with responsibility for policy and public affairs, as well as for the organisation’s work on arts and culture.In addition to disability and ageing, her areas of research include equality, poverty and healthcare, and she has completed a body of research and policy analysis on these issues for Social Justice Ireland. She has also extensive experience of public-policy processes across a variety of areas and has served on several policy and advocacy committees.Reference:Follow Ann Leahy on X / Twitter:  @ALeahyResearchAbout Ann’s Book “Disability Identity in Older Age: Exploring Social Processes That Influence Disability Identification With Aging” from Disability Studies Quarterly     About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks about "Affective Ablenationalism" with Anastasia Todd from the University of Kentucky.SUMMARYAn in-depth conversation about disability and ablenationalism, exploring how disabled individuals are often coded as able-bodied in the imagined community of the nation. Using the story of Trevor Maroshek, a former Navy SEAL, and his service dog, Chopper as a case study, we examine the concept of service dogs as a technology of rehabilitation, allowing disabled individuals to fit into the able-bodied norm and the white American nuclear family, the veneration of Chopper as a national hero and the role of military dogs in securing the nation state. Looking at the real-world implications such as confusion about the rights of people with service dogs and the discrimination they face.Guest Bio: Anastasia Todd is an Assistant Professor of Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Kentucky. Broadly, her research investigates the intersections of disability and girlhood from a feminist disability studies perspective. Her forthcoming book, Cripping Girlhood (winner of the 2022 Tobin Siebers Prize for Disability Studies in the Humanities), is interested in what happens and what it means when certain disabled girl subjects gain cultural recognition and visibility as “American girls, too,” to use the words of Melissa Shang, who in 2014 created a viral Change.org petition imploring American Girl to create a disabled doll of the year. The book explores the promise and peril of this newfound cultural visibility for select disabled girls. In examining representations and self-representations of disabled girls and girlhoods across the mediascape at the beginning of the twenty-first century, spanning HBO documentaries to TikTok, Cripping Girlhood uncovers the variegated ways the figure of the disabled girl is imbued with meaning and mobilized as a spectacular representational symbol. Cripping Girlhood also explores how disabled girls, more than symbolic figures to be used in others’ narratives, circulate their own capacious re-envisioning of what it means to be a disabled girl. The book uncovers the cultural and political work that disabled girls’ self-representational practices perform, from cultivating disability community through generating intimacy online, to affirming the value of care labor and interdependence across the species barrier.Highlights:Show Open (00:00)Introducing Anastasia Todd (01:59) What is Ablenationalism? (02:27)History of Reliance on Service Dogs (07:00)Technology of Rehabilitation (08:36)How does the story of Chopper Perpetuate the Nation State? (10:53)The State of Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing (16:40)Reciprocity in Service Dog Relationships (19:23)Service Dogs as Saviors (23:10) Show Close (28:13)Links:Pre-order Cripping Girlhood (University of Michigan Press, 2024)Her new research project, in collaboration with Heather Switzer (WGS, Arizona State University) explores the intersection of invisible disability and young womanhood through creating and analyzing an archive of invisible disability narratives. As a cripistemological intervention, the project seeks to expand disability studies by taking seriously bodyminds that experience ableism yet have an uneasy and tenuous relationship with disability as it has been conventionally defined—that is, as physical, unchanging, and visible.  Anastasia Todd. 2023. “Cripping Visibility: Re-presenting Disabled Girls and Girlhoods.” NEOS. 15(1).Anastasia Todd. 2023. “Affective Ablenationalisms and Interspecies Entanglements.” Disability Studies Quarterly. 42(3).About The Pulse:On The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.Find Joeita on Twitter: @JoeitaGuptaThe Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/recent_episodesLearn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca

Joeita speaks to Paralympic Cross-Country Skiier and gold medalist Natalie Wilkie. This is the third of a three part series profiling the 2023 inductees to the Canada Disability Hall of Fame.SynopsisThis episode of The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta and guest, King Clancy Award winner and Paralympic cross-country skier, Natalie Wilkie discuss parasport and determination, highlighting the achievements of Paralympic athletes. The perception of people with disabilities as objects of pity has been shattered by the competitiveness and sportsmanship displayed in Paralympic games.  Despite facing a life-altering accident, Wilkie returned to skiing just two weeks later and went on to win gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 2018 Paralympic Games. The interview explores Wilkie's journey, including her introduction to the parasport and the challenges and strategies involved in cross-country skiing. Additionally, Wilkie shares her passion for painting, photography, and training horses.  Episode Highlights:What It Means to Be The Recipient of the King Clancy Award (2:50)How Natalie Got Her Start in Cross Country Skiing (3:46)Participating in the Paralympic Games (8:39)The Differences Between Para-Cross-Country Skiing & Able-Bodied Skiing (9:40)The Draw of Competition (12:18)Achieving Positive Work-Life Balance (14:03)The Impact of Natalie's Legacy on People with Disabilities (20:17)Life Aspirations Going Forward (22:24)AboutNatalie Wilkie burst onto the international scene at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. At age 17, she was the youngest member of the Canadian team.  In South Korea, Wilkie prevailed over her more experienced rivals to take a much-celebrated gold in the women’s middle distance standing. She followed that up with bronze in the sprint and silver in the mixed relay.  As a result, she received the Canadian Paralympic Sport Award for Best Paralympic Debut by a Female Athlete.  Wilkie lost four fingers on her left hand in an accident during woodwork class at school in 2016.Team Canada Profile LinkAbout The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.Find Joeita on Twitter: @JoeitaGuptaThe Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/recent_episodesAbout AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal.Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca  About The PulseOn The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights. Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.  For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/ About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal. Learn more at AMI.caConnect on Twitter @AccessibleMediaOn Instagram @accessiblemediaincOn Facebook at @AccessibleMediaIncOn TikTok @accessiblemediaincEmail feedback@ami.ca