Vision Towards Success

S2E3 - Accessibility Evangelism With Brett Lewis

In this episode, we feature the story of Brett Lewis, a digital accessibility leader and Paralympic athlete.  Today, Brett works for Freedom Scientific as a software engineer and product owner. He has also worked for Twitter, making sure the website was accessible for the disability community.  Brett lost his vision at age six and left his local elementary school to attend a resource school. That summer, his mother attended classes for teaching blind students, enabling  him to return to his local school and be mainstreamed. Reflecting on this part of his educational journey, Brett shared "I think having to go to my local school in many ways kept me from being too isolated. Maybe, as I said, helped shape a lot of my expectations for what I needed to do as I grew up." In the 1980s, Brett attended Stanford University, earning a bachelor's degree in math and computational science and a master's degree in engineering economic systems. This opened the door to software development, leading Brett to work for NADO,  Freedom Scientific and Twitter.  In addition to his work in the accessibility field, Brett is also a professional judo competitor, competing internationally at the Paralympics and World Championships. He has taken his love for judo to a new level as a  sensei, teaching judo to others.  Join us to hear about what it is like to work for Freedom Scientific, stories of judo matches, and tips about blindness along the way.  You can contact Brett using the following social links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-lewis-judo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-lewis-judo/] Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brettlewisjudo.bsky.social Twitter: https://x.com/BrettLewisJudo [https://x.com/BrettLewisJudo] This podcast is powered by Pinecast [https://pinecast.com].

S2E2 - Blindness Education With Eileen Curran

ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORK OF A TEACHER OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED (TVI), THE HISTORY OF BLINDNESS EDUCATION, OR HOW TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS LEARNING FOR BLIND STUDENTS? IF SO, THIS EPISODE OF VISION TOWARDS SUCCESS IS FOR YOU. Eileen Curran is a seasoned TVI with decades of experience in the field. “I was born with cataracts,” she explains. "I am one of six kids. Three of us were born with cataracts. Way back when I was born, they didn't have a good, solid procedure for dealing with congenital cataracts. So, due to the surgeries that I had and everything, I was left legally blind, where I have vision in one eye and nothing in the other. And in the one eye that I do see out of, it's about 20/200. So it's good usable vision that has been very stable throughout the years.”  Eileen earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from Boston College and went on to become a certified TVI. She spent 24 years at National Braille Press, where she held a variety of roles and authored several books, including Just Enough to Know Better and two Braille puzzle books. Her career has also included time at the Carroll Center for the Blind and as a TVI with Boston Public Schools. In this episode, we explore Eileen’s journey growing up with blind siblings, attending public school, and eventually finding her path as an educator. We’ll also dive into her work as an assistive technology instructor and her experiences as a published author. Along the way, we’ll discover what makes Eileen a successful teacher. Interviewer: Steven Smith Produced and edited by: Cullen Gallagher This podcast is powered by Pinecast [https://pinecast.com].

S2E1 - The Art of Voiceover with Satauna Howery

Satauna Howery Podcast Show Notes Airport announcements, audio description, e-learning—these are just a few of the places where you might hear today’s guest as we explore the power of the human voice. Our guest is Satauna Howery, a blind voiceover artist with over a decade of experience transforming the written word into sound. Satauna introduced herself by saying, “I grew up in Southern California, and I was born blind. I don’t have any sight at all—no light perception, no shadows, no color, no anything.” Despite this, she pursued her passions from an early age. As a child, Satauna discovered her love of music. She learned to play the piano, performed at charity events, and later expanded her musical repertoire with a drum machine and synthesizer. Her journey took a pivotal turn as a teenager when she gained access to the equipment she needed to learn and record her own content. In this episode, you’ll learn all about the voiceover field from someone who has navigated it with talent and determination. Satauna shares how she got her start in voice and music recording, offers insights on networking and self-promotion, and discusses how she overcomes accessibility challenges like accessing scripts. You’ll also pick up valuable tips along the way, including this essential piece of advice for any blind professional: “Know your screen reader!” Links: Satauna’s Website [https://satauna.com/] Interviewer: Cameron Scott Edited by Cullen Gallagher. This podcast is powered by Pinecast [https://pinecast.com].

S1E6 - Sara Minkara

Welcome to this edition of Vision Towards Success! On today’s program, we’re joined by Sara Minkara, a passionate advocate and entrepreneur. She is a first-generation Muslim, Lebanese American who attributes much of her work to identifying with these communities At the Age of 7, Sara’s vision began to deteriorate. Her sister had recently experienced vision loss the very same way. Sara’s parents guided them to realize that they have as much to contribute to society than Sara notes that she had excellent support system when she was young and was inspired to help people in all communities and spaces to be more inclusive. This award-winning work proves that every individual has skills and talents to contribute to those around them, Her programs and speaking events foster and strengthen, allowing them to explore their true selves. Sara founded Empowerment Through Integration, a non-profit that allows participants to explore their true selves and become connected to their skills and strengths. The organization works with youth with disabilities, providing critical life skills. She served as its CEO for over ten years, and is still involved with their work as a board member for the organization. Sara is internationally recognized champion for disability inclusion, individual empowerment and social enterprise and the founder and CEO of Sara Minkara LLC. (SMLLC). Sara and her team promote authentic leadership to drive strategic solutions through value-based inclusion. She has lead workshops across five continents, speaking to different communities, from small and intimate groups, to larger venues for hundreds of people. Sara’s work has been recognized throughout the world, and she has received several awards for her life-changing mission. Join us as we learn more about Sara, her journey and accomplishments, and her philosophies. To find out more, please visit https://saraminkara.com [https://saraminkara.com] This podcast is powered by Pinecast [https://pinecast.com].

S1E5 - Jay Blake

Welcome to this episode of Vision Towards Success. On today’s podcast, we will hear from Jay Blake, and entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and auto mechanic. Join us as we learn more about Jay, his work with Follow A Dream, and how his philosophy on the power of positive thinking, a skill that can benefit people from all backgrounds and walks of life. At the age of 31, Jay was faced with transitioning to living with vision loss. While working as the head mechanic of a transportation company in May of 1997, he worked as a crew chief. Due to an industrial tire explosion accident that caused him to lose complete vision, smell, and taste. While learning daily living skills. Despite this change, Jay did not lose his positive attitude on life nor his desire to pursue his dreams. He attended participated in rehabilitation training to learn how to make the most of daily life. He soon learned that even without sight, he was still able to do what he loved most-work on racing engines. Through years of determination and perseverance, he was able to realize his dream and founded Follow A Dream Racing. Turning his dream into a reality, Jay combined his participation in drag racing with his desire to spread his true-life success by inspiring others to accomplish their goals through the Power of Positive Thinking, Self-Determination, and Teamwork. Jay also tours the country giving his “5 Tools for Life Success” motivational presentations at schools, corporate events, military bases, as well as promotional and charitable events. Join us as we learn more about Jay’s journey, Follow A Dream, and his renewed sense of determination Find out more about Jay at: https://followadream.org [https://followadream.org] This podcast is powered by Pinecast [https://pinecast.com].