Blind since birth. IRS career. Trained by ATI. He never stopped teaching.

In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Paul Hunt, a graduate of the Access Technology Institute (ATI), former member of the Rehabilitation Council of Texas, and a professional who spent years training IRS employees and federal agency staff on accessibility and assistive technology. Paul shares his personal journey with vision loss, how ATI changed the trajectory of his life, and what he learned working inside large federal systems — including what still needs to change.

Cover Art Description

The cover art shows Paul Hunt in profile, smiling with his eyes gently closed, seated indoors against a warm tan wall with wood trim. He wears a white pinstriped dress shirt and black suspenders. Across the bottom third of the image, bold black text on a bright teal background reads: Trained by the Best. He Trained the IRS. The eleVIVO logo appears in a white circle with a teal border in the bottom right corner.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin each episode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listeners can fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, you will learn:

● How vision loss shaped Paul's path and what it felt like to discover real support

● What the Access Technology Institute does and who it is designed to serve

● How assistive technology prepared Paul for professional success

● What it was like to train IRS employees and federal agency staff on accessibility

● What the Rehabilitation Council of Texas does and where systems still fall short

● What Paul would change about accessibility in government if he could

● What makes Paul's heart sing — and what he wants people navigating vision loss to know

What part of Paul's story resonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.

If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected].

Support and Resources

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.

https://elevivo.com

More from Paul Hunt and ATI

Access Technology Institute (ATI):

https://www.blind.training/

Rehabilitation Council of Texas:

https://gov.texas.gov/organization/health-human-services/rehabilitation-council-of-texas

Accessibility Note

Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Music Credit and Thank You

Ending music: "Circles" by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

What does accessible travel really look like when sight isn’t part of the plan?

In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Linsay Lusyne, an accessible travel guide and advocate for independent travel experiences for blind and low-vision individuals. Linsay shares how she began guiding blind and low-vision travelers and what she’s learned about fear, confidence, and independence along the way. She talks honestly about common worries people have before traveling, how training and preparation help ease those concerns, and why meaningful travel is about far more than what you see. Through real stories and practical insight, Linsay shows what’s possible when access and adventure go hand in hand.

Cover Art Description: The cover art shows a group of seven travelers posing together outside a shop with a red-and-black striped awning, a black-canopied rickshaw visible behind them. Two of the travelers hold white mobility canes, one with a blue tip. Several people have a fist raised in celebration, and two people in the back are flexing their arms and smiling. The group wears casual travel clothing, including yellow shirts, an orange shirt, and a maroon “Anishinaabe” t-shirt, and one woman wears bright green rain boots. Bold white text across the top of the image reads: Travel without sight. The eleVIVO logo appears in a white circle with a teal border in the bottom right corner.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin each episode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listeners can fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How Linsay began guiding blind and low-vision travelers

• Common misconceptions about blind and low-vision people traveling

• The most frequent worries people have before a trip — and how to address them

• What makes travel meaningful when sight isn’t the focus

• What independent travel really looks like in practice

• Group sizes, expectations, and preparation for accessible trips

• Encouragement for anyone who wants to travel but feels unsure or stuck

What part of Linsay’s story resonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.

If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected].

Support and Resources

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.

https://elevivo.com

More from Linsay Lusyne

Facebook Group — Vision Loss Travel:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/visionlosstravel

Instagram — @visionloss.travel:

https://www.instagram.com/visionloss.travel

Website & Group Trips:

https://app.tern.travel/trips/aCUwlNI8y_duPaD6rrXkhQ/landing_page

Accessibility Note

Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Music Credit and Thank You

Ending music: “Circles” by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

What happens when frustrationwith an everyday mobility challenge turns into an invention that changes howyou move through the world?

In this episode of Thrivingwith Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Stephen Poirier, founder of SidewaysInnovations, whose own experience with low vision led him to invent the LightSword — a mobility tool designed to help people navigate their environmentswith greater awareness and confidence. Stephen shares how frustration,creativity, and lived experience shaped his approach to accessibility, from thestory behind the invention to the unexpected nickname “Blind Yoda” — and whypractical innovation so often grows directly from the blindness communityitself.

Cover Art Description

The cover art shows white textin the upper left reading Stephen Poirier, and white text in the upper rightreading Blind Yoda. The eleVIVO logo appears in the lower left corner. StephenPoirier, a man with curly gray hair, wears a brown flat cap and a black T-shirtwith a yellow Star Wars-style design reading “May the Lord Be With You.” Hesmiles at the camera while holding his illuminated Light Sword cane in bothhands, its shaft glowing blue-white with light streaming down toward the floor,against a solid black background.

Thriving with Vision Loss is aneleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom frompeople building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin eachepisode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listenerscan fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and familiesnavigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agenciesand nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, youwill learn:

●       Stephen’s personal journey with low vision

●       How the Light Sword was invented and what problem itsolves

●       The story behind the nickname “Blind Yoda”

●       How adaptive technology can grow from lived experience

●       Tools and technology Stephen relies on daily

●       Innovation, creativity, and accessibility design

●       Advice for people newly experiencing vision loss

What part of Stephen’s storyresonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.

If this conversation inspiresyou and you would like to share your story, email [email protected].

Support and Resources

If you or someone you careabout is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.

https://elevivo.com

More from StephenPoirier & Sideways Innovations

Official Website: https://www.sidewaysinnovations.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideways_innovations/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewaysInnovations

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sideways_innovations

Accessibility Note

Special thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTubeChannel: https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Music Credit and ThankYou

Ending music: “Circles” byClassless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends inClassless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving withVision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heartof this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your wayto happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (sharedwith permission):

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflectspersonal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

What happens when an artist begins to lose her sight, but not her creativity?

In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Lena Regina Smith, a multidisciplinary artist based in Northwest Arkansas whose work gained national recognition after she transitioned from photography to tactile, multi-sensory painting following vision loss from Granular Corneal Dystrophy (GCD). Lena shares her journey of artistic reinvention, her experience winning the 2024 National Rare Artist Award, and why accessibility, texture, and community have become central to her practice.

Cover Art Description: The cover art shows Lena Regina Smith smiling outdoors, holding two paintbrushes crossed in front of her, one a wide house-style brush and the other a long fine-tipped artist's brush. She wears a colorful paint-splattered top in blue, red, and yellow. Text on the cover reads: Lost her sight. Not her art. With Lena Regina Smith. The eleVIVO logo appears in the lower left corner.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. We begin each episode with a brief audio description to ensure blind and low-vision listeners can fully share the experience. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, you will learn:

● How Granular Corneal Dystrophy affected Lena's vision and identity as an artist

● What it took to reimagine her creative practice after vision loss

● How tactile and multi-sensory art became her medium, not a workaround

● What accessible art means for both artists and audiences

● What galleries, museums, and arts organizations could do better

● How winning the 2024 National Rare Artist Award changed how she sees herself

● What she wants newly vision-impaired artists to know

What part of Lena's story resonated with you? Share your thoughts with us.

If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected].

Support and Resources

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.

https://elevivo.com

More from Lena Regina Smith

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lenareginaartist/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lenareginaartist/

Portfolio:

https://www.cohart.com/lenaregina/profile

Email: [email protected]

Accessibility Note

Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Music Credit and Thank You

Ending music: "Circles" by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

Support and ResourcesMore from Lena Regina SmithAccessibility NoteMusic Credit and Thank You

Thumbnail Description: A woman in a bright yellow hi-vis jacket and black riding helmet stands on a quiet country road holding a lead rope. A large dark brown and white horse leans its head toward her face. White bold text on the right side reads: "Rides Blind. Won't Stop."

In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Nikki Watson, founder and administrator of the Blind Riders Network, a global Facebook community connecting blind and low-vision equestrians around the world. Nikki lives in Great Britain and has been riding her whole life. Vision loss did not change that. It just changed how she does it.

This is also a conversation between two people who share a deep love of horses. Before her work with eleVIVO, Michelle spent more than thirty years as a horseback riding instructor. This episode goes places most interviews about blindness never do, into the feel of a horse beneath you, the trust required to hack out without sight, the grief of stepping away, and the joy of coming back.

If you are navigating vision loss and wondering whether the things you love are still available to you, this conversation is your answer. If you work in the blindness field, Nikki's story is a reminder of what is possible when people are given access, community, and the freedom to keep going.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, you will learn:

How Nikki has ridden throughout her life with progressive vision loss

What it feels like to ride without sight

How a guide dog changed her independence

Why she stepped away from riding for a time, and what brought her back

How the Blind Riders Network started

What she wants anyone with vision loss to know about what they fear losing

What part of Nikki's story resonated with you? If this conversation inspires you to share your story, email [email protected]

Support and Resources

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers individual subscription options, with pricing details on our website.

https://elevivo.com

More from Nikki Watson

Blind Riders Network (Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/354939781898398/

Additional Facebook communities mentioned in this episode:

Blind Riders UK (Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/737244519723254/

Visually Impaired Equestrians - Guiding Change (Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/AssociationVisuallyImpairedEquestrians

Accessibility Note

Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Music Credit and Thank You

Ending music: "Circles" by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series, choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

An engineer losing his sight.

Frustrated by the tools that were supposed to help.

So he built something new.

UPDATE! Lumin is now live on Apple's App Store!

Gmail users can download it here:

https://trylumin.ai/r/elevivo

Using an Android phone or Outlook for email?

Sign up for the Lumin waitlist here:

https://trylumin.ai/r/elevivo

In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Sriram Ganesh, a lifelong builder and founder of Lumin. In his early 30s, Sriram was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, an incurable condition causing progressive central vision loss. As he adjusted to his new reality, he found accessibility tech lagging far behind innovation and existing tools, including screen readers, too hard to learn. So he built Lumin, a voice-first AI assistant for the blind and low vision community, on the belief that designing for accessibility creates the best products for all of us. Today Lumin lets you manage your email just by talking to it, with more on the way.

Together, they explore what it takes to build technology for a community existing products have too often overlooked, and what Sriram's own vision loss taught him about designing something people could trust from the first try. If you are navigating vision loss and looking for tools that work with you, this conversation will give you a lot to think about. If you work inside an agency, nonprofit, or organization serving this community, this episode shows you what people are asking for right now.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original podcast and YouTube series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, you will hear:

• What Lumin is and how it lets you manage your email just by talking, and where it is headed next

• Sriram's own experience with vision loss and his diagnosis of cone-rod dystrophy

• Why existing accessibility tools were not built for how he needed to work

• Why he set the bar at people learning Lumin in five minutes, and what that took to build

• What organizations serving the blind and low vision community should understand about tools like this

If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected]

Support and Resources

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers individual subscription options, with pricing details on our website. You will find the link below.

https://elevivo.com

Learn more about eleVIVO's story:

https://elevivo.com/#/our-story

Follow Lumin

Lumin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talktolumin/

Lumin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talktolumin

Lumin X: https://x.com/TalkToLumin

Lumin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talktolumin

Connect with Sriram

Sriram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsriramg/

Sriram TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsriramg

Sriram X: https://x.com/sriramganesh

Sriram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sriramganesh/

Accessibility Note

Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Music Credit and Thank You

Ending music: “Circles” by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of the series."Find your way to happiness."

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

Blind or low-vision and not sure what help is available?

State rehabilitation services exist to support independence, employment, and a path forward - and most people don't know how to access them.

Michelle sits down with three leaders from the AlabamaDepartment of Rehabilitation Services: Dana Barber, State Coordinator for Blind Services; Matthew Haynes, who leads the OASIS program for older adults navigating vision loss; and Bedarius Bell, Director of Special Programs who inaddition to serving people who are deafblind or living with dual sensory loss, directs quality control, policy, contracts and outreach for ADRS.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original seriessharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) isthe lead state agency serving Alabamians with disabilities at any age and stage of life. Blind and Low-Vision Services are provided through the Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VRS), one of the four main ADRS divisions. The others are Alabama's Early Intervention System, Children's Rehabilitation Service, and the State of Alabama Independent Living-Homebound Program. For more information, visit rehab.alabama.gov, send us a message, or call 800-441-7607.(TTY users dial 711 or visit alabamarelay.com for more information. American Sign Language interpreters and language translators are available. ADRS doesnot endorse or sponsor any commercial product, service, or activity. ADRS's participation in this program does not constitute endorsement by ADRS.) Theseprograms exist in every state - ask your state's rehabilitation agency what's available near you.

What state rehabilitation services do and who is eligible

How Vocational Rehabilitation supports employment for blindand low-vision people

What the OASIS program offers older adults navigating visionloss

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,learn more about eleVIVO at the link below.

 https://elevivo.com

 Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS):

https://www.rehab.alabama.gov

 ADRS Blind and Low-Vision Services:

https://www.rehab.alabama.gov/services/vr-bd/vr-bd

Special thanks to Scott Joffre (The Blind Striker) foraccessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

 The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

 Ending music: "Circles" by Classless Act, usedwith permission. Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindnesscommunity. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

 Learn more about Classless Act:

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

 Live fan performances (shared with permission):

 YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

 This conversation reflects personal and professionalexperience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

IN THIS EPISODESUPPORT AND RESOURCESMORE FROM OUR GUESTSACCESSIBILITY NOTEMUSIC CREDIT AND THANK YOU

Blind. Raising an autistic son alone. Building a business from nothing.

Thumbnail Description: This thumbnail is a two-panel image. On the left, a solid cyan panel displays bold black text reading "Blind." "Single Father." "Business Owner."stacked on three lines. On the right, Reynold Chen, an Asian man with short dark hair, is photographed indoors against a white wall, wearing a gray collared shirt and appearing to speak. A black-and-white framed photo hangs on the wall behind him.

In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle sits down with Reynold Chen, a Blind Enterprise Program entrepreneur who operates vending services in government buildings andco-hosts the Angry Asian Uncles YouTube channel and podcast with Victor Lee.

Reynold shares his lived experience navigating vision loss while rebuilding his life after diagnosis. He reflects on mental health challenges, the role of culture and environment, andhow time spent in Taiwan - with greater access to transportation and mobility - helped him regain confidence and direction. He also talks about returning to the U.S., finding work, and raising his autistic son as a single parent.

This is a real, grounded conversation - sometimes heavy, sometimes hopeful - about rebuilding identity, independence, and purpose after vision loss.

In this episode, you will learn:

•     How Reynold navigated mental health challenges after vision loss

•     Why access to transportation and mobility matters more than most people realize

•     How culture shaped his experience - both positively and painfully

•     What the Blind Enterprise Program offers and how it supports independence

•     What it means to rebuild work, identity, and familylife after vision loss

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom frompeople building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers individual subscription options, with pricing details on our website. You will find the link below.

https://elevivo.com

Angry Asian Uncles YouTubeChannel:

https://www.youtube.com/@angryasianUncles

Angry Asian Uncles Podcast(available on major podcast platforms)

If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected]

Special thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTubeChannel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Ending music:"Circles" by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

THUMBNAIL DESCRIPTION: Black and white photo of Chef Riq, a Black man with a shaved head and dark glasses, wearing a black chef coat, looking down as he works in a kitchen. A solid cyan bar across the bottom of the image displays the words: Blind. Hospitalized. Still Cooking.

In this episode of Thriving withVision Loss, Michelle sits down with Chef Riq, a blind chef and creator of Unseen Cuisine - an audio-first cooking channel teaching every recipe through sound, timing, and texture. No sight required.

Riq spent nearly 30 years in fine-dining kitchens. He was four months from completing a nursing degree when a chemical accident took his vision. Placed in a nursing home with few options, his documented dairy allergy was repeatedly ignored - leading to hospitalizations. That experience redefined his mission.

Unseen Cuisine teaches blind and disabled people to cook with confidence through instruction that centers whatyou hear, feel, and taste. Since this conversation was recorded, Riq has released Cook With Your Senses and the Culinary Cockpit eBook - together forming the Unseen Cuisine Method, a system for teaching cooking through sound, aroma, and touch that builds confidence and control in the kitchen without relying on sight.

Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

In this episode, you will learn:

- How a chemical accident ended a 30-year culinary career

- What a nursing home placement revealed about institutional gaps and safety

- How repeated medical harm from an ignored food allergyreshaped his mission

- What audio-first, sensory-based cooking actually soundsand feels like

- Why allergy-aware instruction is a matter of safety,not preference

- What independence in the kitchen means for someonenavigating vision loss

What part of Chef Riq's story resonated with you? Share yourthoughts wherever you listen to podcasts.

If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email [email protected]

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial.You will find the link below.

https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial

Learn more about eleVIVO:

https://elevivo.com

More from Chef Riq and Unseen CuisineOfficial Website:

https://www.unseencuisine.com

YouTube (audio-first cooking):

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpgEAGOowjX7ORIS7OiToJw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/unseen_cuisine

Facebook: Chef Riq UnseenCuisine

The Unseen Cuisine Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Audible.

Interested in sharing your story or collaborating?

Email: [email protected]

Special thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMVgNxzK-zbyBhHtC3uAM8g

Ending music:"Circles" by Classless Act

Used with permission.

Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

Live fan performances (shared with permission):

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0t2bhMk4U9ILm3SlJdNWgg

This conversation reflectspersonal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

Comedian. Former blindness counselor. Both eyes removed.Still the funniest person in the room.

 Sam Atwood has lived with low vision his entire life, workedas a Blind and Low Vision Services Counselor, survived multiple eye surgeries, and ultimately made the decision to have both eyes removed. He also happens tobe genuinely funny about all of it.

 In this episode of Thriving with Vision Loss, Michelle andSam talk about what humor does for survival, what it was like to support others through vision loss while navigating his own, and what he wants anyone facing a new diagnosis to hear.

 In this episode, you will learn:

-       How Sam's personal journey with low vision shaped his work as a counselor

-       Why humor became one of his most powerful tools for resilience

-       What it felt like to lose more vision after working to restore it

-       The decision to have both eyes removed and what came after

-       Practical advice Sam gave his clients that he also lived himself

-       What he wants anyone newly diagnosed to know

 Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original seriessharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.

The thumbnail has a bold, high-contrast design with a bright turquoise background framing the image and text.

At the center is a photo of a man standing on a stage doing stand-up comedy. He is holding a microphone and smiling while speaking to an audience. He has a beard, short hair, and is wearing red-tinted glasses, a dark fitted T-shirt, gray pants, and black shoes. Behind him are dark stage curtains lit by warm stage lighting.

Near his feet on the right side is a guide dog lying calmly on the stage floor, wearing a harness. The microphone cable hangs down from the microphone to the floor, emphasizing the live performance setting.

At the bottom of the thumbnail, in large bold black text, are the words:

“Blind. Funny. Still Here”

The overall tone feels confident, humorous, and resilient, suggesting the podcast episode focuses on comedy,

blindness, personal experience, and perseverance.

If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss,eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial. You will find the link below.

https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial

Learn more about eleVIVO:

https://elevivo.com

If this conversation inspires you and you would like toshare your story, email [email protected]

Special thanks to Vann Millhouse and Scott Joffre (The BlindStriker) for technical advice and accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.

The Blind Striker YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@theblindstriker

Ending music: "Circles" by Classless Act

Used with permission.

 Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generouslysharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.

Learn more about Classless Act:

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact

 Live fan performances (shared with permission):

https://www.youtube.com/@classlessactarmy

This conversation reflects personal experience and is notintended as medical or legal advice.

Thumbnail Description:SUPPORT, RESOURCES, AND FREE TRIALACCESSIBILITY NOTEMUSIC CREDIT AND THANK YOU