Reflections
Episodes
ATS Innovation Hub: Building a Space for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
04 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's rare as a wheelchair user in Toronto that Vanessa Leu gets to be in a space where accessibility is truly put at the forefront. The Access to Succ...
The Waiting Game: Why We Can't Stand Waiting Around
03 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a handle on how to wait for things without getting irritated? Nisreen Abdel-Majid spun her vent sessions on "hate having to wait" into an ...
Safe on the Water: Exploring Inclusive, Accessible Water Activities
02 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A significant portion of water safety messaging focuses on motorized boats, but how about the swimmers, paddlers, and beachgoers? As we kick off the s...
Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Change-makers at Work
28 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's never been more critical to integrate accessible design into our apps and websites. Join us as we examine the hopes and challenges of an AI-fuele...
Untangling the Weave: Why Sewing Has Made a Remarkable Comeback
27 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When Joeita Gupta found out that Reflections Producer Grace Scoffield inherited a sewing machine and was taking up the hobby, she started to wonder if...
Fireworks: Interpreting the Visuals
26 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Collin van Uchelen, a Community Psychologist, Conceptual Artist, and Pyro Technician, speaks to Kelly MacDonald about his love for fireworks and his e...
The Rosetta Stone of Accessibility: Featuring the GovAI Grand Challenge
21 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There are so many creative uses for AI that go far beyond chatbots. The Government of Canada's G7 GovAI Grand Challenge invited students and professio...
Disability Representation in Children’s Literature: An Exploration
20 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After Joeita Gupta’s nephew was born, she started to think about what kinds of books to add to his first personal library. She's interested in books...
AI Up Close and Personal: At Home
14 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are our fears around AI justified? Kelly MacDonald continues to figure out the answers to this question with a focus on AI's place in our personal liv...
Being a Good Mom: On Disability and Motherhood
12 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When we think about Mother’s Day, we may be thinking about flowers, brunch, and mimosas. Or maybe we’re missing our mom, or contemplating being a ...
Stand-Up Comedy: Bringing Us Together Through Laughter
07 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy digs into the art of stand-up comedy! He's joined by comics Megan Milton, Ryan Lachance, and Darwin Barcellano as they take us on a jour...
AI Up Close and Personal: At Work
06 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are the fears with AI being integrated into our jobs justified? Kelly MacDonald finds out. Registered Psychologist Dr. Christine Korol explains how we...
Making Old New Again: On Vinyl’s Remarkable Comeback
05 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When Joeita Gupta received a record player from her mother-in-law as an anniversary present, she had no idea that it would blossom into a lifelong hob...
What Are We Really Eating: Unpacking Ultra-Processed Foods
30 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores the thoughts and intentions behind the everyday food choices we make, and the consequences behind those choices. She unpa...
Vibe-Coding: How the Blind Community is Making Video Games Accessible
29 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jacob Shymanski loves to play video games, and when he lost his sight, he felt that one of his favourite hobbies had been taken away from him. Native ...
Where Did the Village Go?
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Parenting, whether solo or with a partner, can become a very isolating experience for a multitude of reasons. Beth Deer found herself reminiscing on a...
Veterans and Everyday Heroes: How Service Dogs Help Uniformed Heroes Reclaim Their Lives
23 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do service animals support people with invisible disabilities? Kelly MacDonald follows the work of non-profit organization Veterans and Everyday H...
Exploring Accessible Education: The Case of the Province of Ontario - Part 2
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Students are being forgotten about in classrooms, schools are sending kids with disabilities home, and school board Trustees are being removed and rep...
Accessible Language Learning: Languages at Work
21 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy continues his multilingual journey with a look at languages on the job. Youssef Mohammad returns to discuss his career as a Medical Interp...
Exploring Accessible Education: The Case of the Province of Ontario - Part 1
16 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Students are being forgotten about in classrooms, schools are sending kids with disabilities home, and school board Trustees are being removed and rep...
Where Did the Circus Go: Describing the Changing Spectacle
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do you feel about the circus? Is it a magical, nostalgic memory where the audience cheers and the children jump with excitement? Or is it somethin...
The Tipping Point: Why We Feel Pressured to Tip Everywhere
14 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tipping, it’s something many of us do without thinking. But what’s really behind this cultural norm? Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores the psychologica...
The Strength of the Ballot: Why Accessible Voting Matters
09 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Is inaccessible voting a direct violation of people’s rights? Is accessible voting the key to ensuring more citizens are engaged in their municipal,...
Accessible Language Learning: From Grammar to Culture
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re a student, professional, or you just love languages, come along on this multilingual journey. Grant Hardy hears from hobbyists and pr...
Connecting Communities: The Broadening of Connect4Life
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There are many ways to find your community. Sometimes, you find community through shared interest or proximity, like school or your neighbourhood...
Access in Families: When Accessibility Becomes About Belonging
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about accessibility in public spaces, but some of the hardest conversations don’t happen there. They happen in private, with family an...
Reclaiming Adventure: Lynn Jensen's Travel Story
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nisreen Abdel-Majid dives into Lynn Jensen’s journey of losing her sight and finding her way back to the world through travel. After sudden vision l...
From Three Voices: Why Disabled Black History Matters
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How does our history of segregation and discrimination towards minority communities impact the way social justice movements and disability rights orga...
Beyond Pictures: Describing Videos with AI
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How does AI continue to help blind people interpret the visual world? Grant Hardy learns about a new accessibility tool called ViddyScribe. He talks t...
Fencing for All: Sparring at Tim's Fencing Academy
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly MacDonald highlights Tim's Fencing Academy in Toronto, a space and program that started building safety, recreation, and community since the mom...
White Lies: Pulling Apart the Social Glue of our Little Deceits
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From sparing someone’s feelings to smoothing over awkward social moments, most of us tell white lies more often than we confess to. Are these little...
Reflecting on the Death of People with Disabilities: Disability Day of Mourning Around the World
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Every year on March 1st, we observe Disability Day of Mourning to memorialize and honour victims of filicide around the world. Zoe Gross began Disab...
Welcoming Everybody: How to Make Indoor Spaces Work Better for Customers with Disabilities
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why don't indoor spaces always work as well as they should, and what can be done to make them work better? Grant Hardy consults with a group of expert...
The Story of Public Broadcasting in the United States: Brought to you by Maine Public, With a Disclaimer
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the United States, public broadcasting is anchored by NPR, PBS and other household names, which are currently fighting significant battles to stay ...
Learning New Kitchen Skills: Tips for the Blind Home Cook
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For some, cooking is about survival and nourishment. For others, it’s an adventure, challenge, hobby, and a source of joy. Either way, getting start...
When Fear Crosses the Border: Deportation Protests and the Illusion of Safety in Canada
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nisreen Abdel-Majid understands that fear doesn’t stop at a border, it travels through headlines, protests, and deeply personal moments. It did for ...
Visual Eating: When This Food Looks Like [Expletive Deleted]
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can blind and low vision people be visual eaters too? Kelly MacDonald explores how our senses come into play in building our appetites. Food enthusias...
Finding a New Voice
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when the life you built around your talent suddenly falls apart in front of thousands of people? In this AMI-original, writer and perform...
The Road to Independence: My Guide Dog Journey
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We know technology wins a lot of the time, but no tech can connect to humans the way our four-legged working friends do, as they steadily lead us alon...
A Hot Concern: Lithium ion battery fires
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Since I was a child, I’ve had a fear of fires that has fostered a healthy respect for fire safety. Lithium-ion batteries have created a dose of awar...
A Reality Check: trying to get by on disability assistance
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy helps us take a closer look at the reality of life on disability assistance, following a recent report in the mainstream media about turmo...
What's Love Got to Do With It: Exploring Inter-abled Relationships
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What is an inter-abled relationship? Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Feature Reporter Joeita Gupta wanted to learn more about inter-abled relationships, t...
Are Malls Dying: Re-imagining the Town Square
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are people still hanging out at malls? We shop online and socialize differently, so how are malls being affected? Nisreen Abdel-Majid finds out if mal...
Savings Made Accessible: Learning How to Stretch your dollar
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us are shopping on a budget, so let's learn how to shop even smarter. From coupon clipping to unexpected discount discoveries and dumpster div...
Digging Out: How Toronto Managed a Historic Snowfall
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On January 25th, 2026 the Greater Toronto Area received almost 60 centimetres of snow in a storm that many people have dubbed historic. While most of ...
Untapped Talent Summit: Breaking down barriers to make employment more inclusive
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The CCRW’s second annual Untapped Talent Summit takes place online February 10, 2026. It provides resources for job seekers and employers on inclusi...
Digging Out: How Toronto Managed a Historic Snowfall
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On January 25th, 2026 the Greater Toronto Area received almost 60 centimetres of snow in a storm that many people have dubbed historic. While most of ...
Overdue or Overreach: Regulating Social Media in Canada
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Countries are racing to regulate big tech and keep kids safe from the harms of social media, but the fight isn’t over. Grant Hardy examines how far ...
When Rest Feels Like Failure: Slowing Down Without Shame
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We know we’re tired. We talk about burnout constantly. And yet, when we finally slow down, rest can feel uncomfortable. Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores...
Food and Wellbeing: Redefining Our Relationship with the Kitchen
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Joeita Gupta finds some helpful tips to navigate a complicated relationship with food from culinary expert Mary Mammoliti, Master Chef winner and rest...
Sustainable Living: Take Our Time and Do It Right
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It takes a bit of thought and a bit of change, but not as much effort as we believe, to create and maintain a sustainable lifestyle. Kelly MacDonald b...
Is this seat taken? Navigating Priority Seating on Public Transit
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Generally speaking, there's an honour system when it comes to using public transit, but when it comes to priority seating on buses, trains, and planes...
Return to Work: Discussing Office Mandates and Accommodations
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Returning to the office due to new mandates? The adjustment isn’t being taken well by all, and there are some serious accessibility issues to addres...
Canada's First UNESCO City of Music: Celebrating the Arts of London, Ontario
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
London, Ontario was designated as Canada's first UNESCO City of Music in 2021, recognizing its vibrant music scene and commitment to cultural developm...
Conquering Kilimanjaro: Eleven Blind Hikers Take On Africa’s Highest Mountain
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last fall, a group of eleven blind hikers traveled to Tanzania to tackle Mount Kilimanjaro. Grant Hardy speaks with climbers Peter Quaiattini, David B...
My First Accessible Breakthrough: Embracing the Small Moments
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the first moment when life after vision loss starts to feel possible again?Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores the small, powerful breakthroughs tha...
The Disability Memoir: Stories That Make a Difference
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The memoir genre is booming, disability memoirs specifically. But what makes these books so entertaining, informative, powerful, or groundbreaking? Is...
Is There a Blind Culture? Exploring the Tensions of Community, Blind Pride, and Identity
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What are some of the common touchstones in the blind community? Do they create a shared sense of culture? Joeita Gupta was curious and decided to in...
The Smart Home: Benefit or Barrier?
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy is joined by tech experts Shaun Preece, Andy Baryer, and John Biehler to compare and contrast the benefits of the smart home with the peri...
Are Older Workers More Costly: Let's Dispell the Myths
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are older employees in the workforce wrongfully keeping work away from young people who are fresh out of school? Is AI taking over older workers' jobs...
BO and Beyond: The Shared Responsibilities of Personal Hygiene
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From crowded buses and train stations to classrooms, gyms, and healthcare settings, we’re constantly negotiating hygiene in shared spaces. Nisreen A...
Is There a Blind Culture? Exploring the Tensions of Community, Blind Pride, and Identity
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What are some of the common touchstones in the blind community? Do they create a shared sense of culture? Joeita Gupta was curious and decided to in...
Unwrapping Christmas: The Gift That Stayed With You
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To put a bow on 2025, Kelly MacDonald gathered stories about the unwrapped gifts that have stayed with us, in memory and impact. ESPN and Sportsnet's ...
The Amplify Course: Voice Work Made Accessible for Neurodivergent Youth
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy introduces us to the Mayday Club’s Amplify: Sound, Voice, and Radio course that took place this fall, in partnership with Disability All...
Already an Artist: Embracing the Spotlight
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For many artists, legitimacy is imagined as a single moment, when someone finally says, “you’re in.” This episode follows emerging indie pop art...
Is Free Postage for the Blind in Jeopardy: Explaining the Proposed Amendments Within Bill C-15
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This past week proposed amendments to the Canada Post Corporation Act surfaced, and free postage for literature for the blind could be removed. Joeita...
Kidfluencing: Creators Beware
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can become a celebrity overnight and make money online, at a price, of course. And what’s that price when you’re a minor? Let’s find out the...
Making Spirits Bright: How to Host an Accessible Holiday Party
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Holidays are the perfect time to gather with friends, family, coworkers, and your community. But how do hosts ensure that whether they’re in a grand...
Multi-Sensory Art: Reimagining What's Possible
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy explores how artists are going beyond the visual, reimagining how we experience art in diverse and multisensory forms.Violinist Leslie Tin...
Fighting and Focus: The Martial Arts Mindset
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can martial arts traditions help people with disabilities take on the world more confidently? Let's continue to explore this question, while we learn ...
Chronic Pain: How can we support people who live with it? - Part 2
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of this series, Grant Hardy digs a bit deeper into what is being done to treat chronic pain, and asks how people living with chronic pain ca...
Towards a World With Zero Barriers: Recognizing 2026 Zero Project Awardees
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Zero Project works alongside the UN community to spotlight and scale innovations that advance the goals of the Convention on the Rights of Persons...
The Launch of Vision Health Canada: A new venture to keep our eyes on
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At Vision Health Canada (VHC), their work is unified under the guiding theme: One Voice. Clear Focus. Collective Action. They aim to collaborate with ...
Chronic Pain: How can we support people who live with it? - Part 1
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy hears from individuals living with chronic pain about their experiences, struggles, and how they are working to move forward.Couple Kara S...
Fighting and Focus: Self-Defence in the Real World
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We know the fears and anxieties that come with navigating the streets on our own, being out late in unfamiliar areas, or moving through public transit...
YouDescribe: Do I hear what you see?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 2025, video content offers vital access to information, but making videos accessible to blind and low-vision audiences is still a work in progress....
Who’s Hungry: Exploring Food Insecurity in Canada
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Food bank visits in the City of Toronto have increased by 340% since 2019, and across Canada food bank visits are rising. Why is this happening? How c...
Alzheimer's: The Tsunami to Come - The Conclusion
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features the conclusion to our special archive cut of AMI's documentary Alzheimer's: The Tsunami to Come as it originally aired in 2016. ...
Alzheimer's: The Tsunami to Come
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Few of us think of ourselves as caregivers, until the day we suddenly need to step up for a loved one. Sooner or later we will all either need a careg...
Disabilities and STEM: How Can We Make Science More Accessible? - Part 2
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy continues the exploration on how STEM learning can be made more accessible for persons with disabilities. In this episode, we highlight ho...
How Do I Leave It Behind: Understanding Legacy Giving
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Talking about death isn’t a comfortable topic, but it can be comforting to plan it out ahead of time. Hear us out. Planning ahead not only ensures ...
The Anxiety of Small Talk: Why Simple Conversations Don’t Always Feel Simple
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For some of us, chatting about the weather or weekend plans comes easily, and for others it’s a source of stress and self-doubt. Why does something ...
For the Love of Sport: Celebrating 50 Years of ASRAB
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Alberta Sports & Recreation Association for the Blind supports Albertans who are blind or visually impaired to live physically active lives and pa...
Chosen Family: How to Make and Keep Friends
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joeita Gupta was feeling lonely and embarked on a quest to find out how she can make friends and maintain these relationships at this stage of her lif...
In Flanders Fields: Honouring Remembrance Day in 2025
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Each year on November 11th, Canada marks Remembrance Day. In this episode of Reflections, join Grant Hardy to learn about why Remembrance Day continue...
Disabilities and STEM: How Can We Make Science More Accessible? - Part 1
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we create opportunities for people with disabilities in STEM? This was a question that Grant Hardy couldn’t get off his mind. So, he’s invi...
Mystery of the Missing Hat: Lost and Found in Public Transit
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever left anything on the subway? At a coffee shop? On a bus? Have you frantically retraced your steps trying to find it? Almost everyone has...
The First Sip: Rituals, Comfort, and the Coffee That Grounds Us
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nisreen Abdel-Majid takes a closer look at our collective obsession with coffee, touching on the memories, moments, and connections a simple cup of jo...
Caregivers: A very personal journey
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Caregiving is a subject that touches all of us at one time or another, but we don't often focus in on the realities of it, so let's open up a frank co...
The Pressure of High Performance: Canada's First Women's Blind Soccer Team at the 2025 Worlds
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Canada’s first National Women’s Blind Soccer Team headed to Kochi, India for the 2025 IBSA Women's Blind Football World Championships, marking a m...
Scarlette’s Palette: Rethinking Accessibility in Makeup
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Makeup is often seen as a language of self-expression but what happens when that world isn’t built for you? For World Sight Day, the Shine Foundatio...
Spook-tacular Season: Treating Accessibly this Halloween Part 2
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joeita Gupta is inviting you to join her and Producer Matt Agnew for a spook-tacular afternoon at the 2025 Toronto Treat Accessibly Halloween Village,...
Spook-tacular Season: Treating Accessibly this Halloween Part 1
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joeita Gupta is inviting you to join her and Producer Matt Agnew for a spook-tacular afternoon at the 2025 Toronto Treat Accessibly Halloween Village,...
How can we change what it means to have a facial difference?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Hardy speaks with experts and advocates in the facial difference community to answer key questions about facial differences, attitudinal barrier...
Leaving the Nest: Why is Parental Estrangement a Trending Topic?
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you noticed that there’s a surge of influencers whose audiences are primarily adult children who are estranged from their parents? Joeita Gupta...
Canada's Burning Up: The Heat Is On
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Temperatures are rising and affecting our world in horrifying ways, the only world we have at the moment. Kelly MacDonald sits down with experts to br...
Dating With a Disclaimer: Disability isn't the Deal-Breaker
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dating is quite a modern concept, and there's some tug of war on how to make it work. Things could get pretty messy when you're fighting between hones...
Accessing Hockey: Learning to Play and Watch Canada’s Game
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hockey is one of Canada’s most culturally significant sports, but you’re not alone if you're still trying to figure out how to get into the game.H...
Dribble Around Ottawa: Tour Eastern Ontario's Rich Basketball History
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Canada's Ottawa region has a rich basketball history, and we're about to learn all about it. Kelly MacDonald needed a reason to bring another dose of...
Truth and Reconciliation for All Peoples: Disability and Indigeneity - Part 2
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation takes place on September 30th, 2025.To mark this important day, Joeita Gupta created a two-part documentary ...