Change Makers celebrates Low Vision Awareness Month and Black History Month. Hear what low vision resources are available to those who are experiencing vision loss and what loved ones can do to be a source of support. Our new segment, Partners with Paul, will spotlight the Braille Trail Reader. Afterward, we will talk to former EOT, Mr. Louis Tutt, about integrating segregated schools for the blind.

Special Guests

• Dr. Emily Gorski, Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California, Berkeley, School of Optometry
• Pris Rogers, Special Advisor on Aging and Vision Loss
• Heather Spence, APH Press Director
• Mr. Louis Tutt, former EOT who has represented three different schools for the blind

Links, Email and Phone Numbers

• Win Yue-Ting Siu's book
• Buy Access Technology for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility Book
• Aging and Vision Loss: A Handbook for Families
• Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind: Personal and Professionals Perspectives on Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• ConnectCenter Information and Referral Phone Number: 1-800-232-5463
• Learn About Eye Health | National Eye Institute (nih.gov)
• Getting Started 2020: A Guide for People New to Vision Loss - VisionAware
• Roadmap to Living with Vision Loss: What Kinds of Services Will You Need to Maintain Independence? - VisionAware 
• VisionAware

The almost 200 year-old, six-dot system we know as braille, has helped those with visual impairments thrive and succeed in everyday life. However, with talking books, audiobooks and other devices that speak and listen to you, one might wonder if braille is still relevant?

Podcast Guests

• Mike Hudson, APH Museum Director
• Olaya Landa-Vialard, Ph.D., APH Director, ConnectCenter
• Sergio Oliva, EOT, M.P.A., Associate Vice President, Programs and Services , Braille Institute
• Greg Stilson, APH Director , Global Innovation and Strategy

Additional Links and Phone Numbers

• APH Museum
• Braille Challenge
• Braille Institute
• ConnectCenter
• ConnectCenter I&R Phone Number: 1-800-232-5463
• National Transition Conversation Website
• National Transition Conversation Registration Page
• National Transition Conversation Email: [email protected]

Gary Mudd, VP of Government and Community Affairs is retiring!  If you ask anyone at APH, they’ll tell you, Gary is at the heart of what we do. He has been integral to supporting everything from the APH Museum and InSights Arts Competition, to the National Prison Braille Program and NIMAC Resources Services team, but most notably, he will be remembered for his advocacy. On this episode of Change Makers, Mike Hudson, APH Museum Director, will interview Gary and find out what's next. After that, Mike will talk to Sara Brown, Public Relations Manager about his time working alongside Gary.

The holidays are here! Today on Change Makers we're discussing gift ideas, traditions and support. Hear some great gift ideas for adults and children and what you can look for when picking the perfect present. Then, learn how to modify traditions to be accessible and how you can provide support for loved ones experiencing vision loss. 

After that, we'll check in with the ConnectCenter.

• Paul Ferrara: APH Favorites
• Lisa Lloyd: Seedlings.org, Fighting Blindness, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Toy orchestra
• Melanie Peskoe: APH Gifts
• Pris Rogers: Vision Aware, Family Handbook, Making Life More Livable
• ConnectCenter: FamilyConnect.com, VisionAware, Foundation for Blind Children Seeitourway.org: Accessible Santa Letter campaign, Jingle Jam Let's Get Cooking with 12 Days of Recipe, Button Trees, Blindfold Twister, Braille Flashcards and Embossed Pictures

CVI is the most common cause of permanent visual impairment in children. After a diagnosis, parents and guardians look for answers and support. 

In today’s episode of Change Makers, we’ll talk to Leanne Grillot, National Director of Outreach Services for APH, Rachel Bennett, CVI Content and Community Manager at Perkins School for the Blind and Diane Sheline Consultant for Students with CVI. Then we will hear from the ConnectCenter.

• Rachel Bennet: CVINow, CVINow Facebook Parent Group
• Leanne Grillot: BookBuilder Replacement
• Olaya Landa-Vialard: ConnectCenter 
• Diane Sheline: StragegytoSee

COVID-19 has changed every aspect of our lives especially in the world of education. With students learning from home, parents and caregivers found themselves providing additional educational assistance and teachers found themselves working to engage with their students in a virtual world. From those needs, APH Hive, Access Academy and ExCEL Academy emerged.

In today’s episode of Change Makers we’ll talk about the many APH services that are geared for students, parents and educators. We’ll talk to Amy Campbell, Learning Management System Administrator, Leanne Grillot, National Director of Outreach Services and Robbin Clark, ECC Coordinator at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Then later, we’ll hear from the ConnectCenter.

Links:

• APH Hive
• Access Academy
• ExCEL Academy
• ConnectCenter

APH’s 152nd Annual Meeting took place early October in a virtual format, due to the current pandemic. Nearly 1,300 participants logged on to learn how to handle challenges brought on by COVID-19 to be successful in the future.

On this episode, we look back at the Annual Meeting which features: Dr. Craig Meador, APH President, State of the Company Address; the Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field induction ceremony; a keynote speech from Tyler Merren, Paralympian; and several sessions and panel discussions.

Links:

• Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field
• APH Annual Meeting Website
• AFB Helen Keller Archives

APH’s Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests is almost upon us. It takes place from October 7-9 and will be virtual.

On this episode, APH President Craig Meador and Leanne Grillot, APH’s Director of Outreach Services discuss Annual Meeting. They talk about the decision to make the meeting virtual, its theme “Better Together,” as well as several meeting highlights, including our keynote speaker, sessions and events that will take place, and a surprise ending session.

Another important part of Annual Meeting is the ceremony to induct new members into the Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field. Mike Hudson from the APH Museum tells us more about the Hall and about some of its current and its new inductees.

Guests:

• Craig Meador - President, APH
• Leanne Grillot - Director of National Outreach Services, APH
• Mike Hudson - Director of the Museum at the American Printing House for the Blind

Links:

• APH Annual Meeting 2020 registration and information
• Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field

At APH we often say "the future belongs to everyone." We mean it. We also think that part of our journey to get there has to do with changing how people see people with disabilities. In today's episode of Change Makers we talk about why representation in the media is so important. We talk with Bree Klauser who stars in Audible's new series Phreaks, and Apple TV+'s SEE. We also talk with Joe Strechay who's been a blindness consultant on shows like Netflix's Daredevil, and Apple TV +'s SEE.

GUESTS:
Bree Klauser - Actress
Joe Strechay - Producer and Blindness Consultant

LINKS:
breeklauser.com

In 2018 the Texas State Board of Education made a preliminary decision to streamline their required curriculum by cutting Helen Keller from their third-grade social studies standards. To get a reversal of that decision, Gabby Caldwell testified with her mother, Robbie, before the State Board of Education. In this episode of Change Makers you’ll hear from Gabby and Robbie about keeping Helen in the schools, from Helen Selsdon, one of the leading experts on Helen Keller, and also from Mike Hudson, the Director of the Museum at the American Printing Hose for the Blind. We take a look at why Helen matters as much today as ever before.

LINKS
Helen Keller Online Lessons: https://www.aph.org/learning-from-the-life-of-helen-keller/
Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind: sites.aph.org/museum/
Helen Keller Digital Archives: afb.org/HelenKellerArchive