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 realities of becoming a kid influencer. When you’re not yet legally an adult, being a star can bring danger. The Ivey Business School at Western University conducted a study on “kidfluencing,” and we learn what they discovered with Lead Research Professor Daniel Clark, covering rights, consent, exploitation, and the gray areas and pitfalls of parenting kid influencers. Gabby Mendonca shares how freedom of expression can be compromised, drawing on her own experiences as a social media influencer and a person living with disability. John Melville, Vice President of Content Development and Operations at AMI, helps us tie together the pieces of online influencing—from making content to making money off content.

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 banquet hall or trying to squeeze a few more chairs around their own dinner table, they’re creating an accessible space for everybody? From washrooms to festive attire, holiday lights to food allergies, join Joeita Gupta to find out how you or your organization can host an accessible gathering at any time in the year. Rosemarie Rosetti provides accessibility consultations through her business Rosetti Enterprises LLC. and has tips for making your home physically accessible ahead of your holiday party. For the corporate holiday gathering, Trish Kelly from Untapped Accessibility explains what organizers can do to create a party with tailored spaces and activities for their attendees. Plus, Rosemarie and Trish will weigh in on how to move things along socially to take some pressure off guests at your event. How about the home cook? How can they make their holiday party preparations a little less stressful, and safe for everyone? Renee Rentmeester, Executive Producer of the Cooking Without Looking TV Show and podcast, will share how she prepares cookies, candy, and allergy-safe environments for her friends and family. Plus, Joeita wants to know what do you do if you burn your dessert? We hope you have a safe, accessible, and festive holiday season, whatever way you celebrate! Happy Holidays from AMI-audio!

Grant Hardy explores how artists are going beyond the visual, reimagining how we experience art in diverse and multisensory forms. Violinist Leslie Ting's show, What Brings You In, in partnership with Theatre Passe-Muraille, is centred around the nonvisual experience for the audience, inviting people to participate in unique, auditory ways. Nonvisual, social practice artist Carmen Papalia shares details on his multisensory art projects, such as the Weather Warlock, which transforms the weather into soothing soundscapes; and describes his accessible navigation experience using a marching band. We also hear from Gagan Saran, a blind Indo-Canadian emerging artist and Writer, about how her work is challenging assumptions surrounding art and accessibility.

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 can re-train their brains to lessen the impact of pain on their lives. Kara Stanley and Simon Paradis, authors of the book The Pain Project, are back to recount the tactics they’ve used to distract Simon’s brain in real-time when he's experiencing pain flare ups. Dr. Andrea Furlan returns to highlight some of the techniques she is using with her patients who live with chronic pain. She also shares some success stories of people whose lives have completely turned around after treatment. Dr. Furlan is a Physician at Toronto Rehab Hospital, a Scientist at KITE Research Institute – University Health Network Hospital, and Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto. Her YouTube channel provides awareness and education about chronic pain management.

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 with Disabilities. On December 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it releases a list of award solutions toward its goal: a world with zero barriers. The full list is at zeroproject.org AMI-audio Manager Andy Frank spotlights three of these award recipients on this episode. Kevin Kelly, tells us about the Wayfinding Centre in Dublin, which empowers people and possibility through experience, mobility & transportation. David Betts was recently diagnosed with ALS and set to work on creating Talk To Me, Goose. We learn about this text-to-speech and AI-assisted communication approach. Becca Hume, Founder of TapSOS, shares how this app is making emergency outreach accessible for the Deaf and hard of hearing community, and much more.

At Vision Health Canada (VHC), their work is unified under the guiding theme: One Voice. Clear Focus. Collective Action. They aim to collaborate with government, industry, clinicians, researchers, and community partners to establish a unified national approach to vision health. In this roundtable discussion, Kelly MacDonald introduces us to Jim Sanders, Director at VHC; Ian White, Chair of the VHC Board; and Michael Baillargeon, CEO and President of VHC

Grant Hardy hears from individuals living with chronic pain about their experiences, struggles, and how they are working to move forward. Couple Kara Stanley and Simon Paradis published their book, “The Pain Project,” that documents their journey of Simon’s chronic pain after a traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Simon’s band is called “Them Ordinary Things”. We speak about “The Pain Project” as well as the hopes and struggles of this couple’s journey and how Simon uses music to get through his pain. Ardra Shephard is a long-time friend of AMI and host of the “Tripping On Air” podcast. She joins us to discuss her journey with multiple sclerosis, as well as her thoughts on how couples can navigate a diagnosis like MS together. Dr. Andrea Furlan is a Physician at Toronto Rehab Hospital, a Scientist at KITE Research Institute – University Health Network Hospital, and Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto. Her YouTube channel provides awareness and education about chronic pain management. She joins us to provide her medical perspective on chronic pain. Join us for the first of a two-part series on navigating the hopes, struggles, and important conversations surrounding chronic pain.

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 systems. Let’s talk honestly about those realities, and figure out safety, strategy, and self-defence. Samira Lavei and Lindsay McCaw run the Unbreakable Women’s Self-Defence series in Toronto; they share practical self-defence tips and emphasize the importance of coming together as a community for safety in numbers. Can martial arts traditions help people with disabilities take on the world more confidently? Johnny Tai, founder of Night Strike Self-Defence in Richmond, BC, shares how he adapts his thinking, teaching, and problem-solving to address specific vulnerabilities faced by people with disabilities.

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. Let's figure out where exactly we are in the grand scheme of things. Kelly MacDonald introduces us to Joshua Miele’s project YouDescribe, a free, crowdsourced platform that allows people to add audio description tracks to YouTube videos. We hear from the community bringing this initiative to life, including Ilmi Yoon, Teaching Professor and Director of Computing Programs at Northeastern University; Lana Do, Research Assistant; Dr. Shasta Marie Ihorn, Associate Professor of Psychology at San Francisco State University; and Tanja Milojevic, who contributes consultation on quality control and feedback for YouDescribe. We also grab insights from Christopher Patnoe, Lead for EMEA Accessibility & Disability Innovation at Google, for perspectives on the state of audio description, the role AI plays in all this, and how creative, user-centered innovations like YouDescribe support greater access for the blind and low-vision community.

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 can we help? Feature Reporter Joeita Gupta set out to find an answer for us. While it may not be as straightforward as we would like, there are still things we can do to support our fellow Canadians during a time when putting food on our tables is getting increasingly more difficult, and impossible for some. Rose Butler, Interim Vice President of Research and Advocacy at the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto shares some of the most recent statistics from the food bank and tells us how the Daily Bread Food Bank ensures its visitors receive balanced, nutritional meal support. Dr. Jessica Agnew is the Associate Director of the Global office in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. Dr. Agnew is also the Managing Editor of the Global Agricultural Productivity Support and explains how supply chains can impact food insecurity in Canada. Pauline Cripps is the Community Food Lead at the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. She has almost a decade of experience working in food banks and teaches us about what a resilient food system is. To get involved with or receive assistance from the Daily Bread Food Bank you can visit their website here: www.dailybread.ca

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.

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 caregiver or become one. Are you ready for it? When that moment comes, families carry the burden long before a healthcare system that’s already stretched thin can catch up. Following our recent "Caregivers: A Very Personal Journey" episode, this special archive cut revisits AMI-audio’s 2016 documentary Alzheimer’s: The Tsunami to Come. It reminds us that while Canada eventually adopted the national dementia strategy caregivers were calling for, the everyday realities they face still mirror the stories we heard nearly ten years back.

Grant Hardy continues the exploration on how STEM learning can be made more accessible for persons with disabilities. In this episode, we highlight how individuals with disabilities bring unique perspectives to enhance scientific work and discovery. Dr. Kyle Keane, Senior Lecturer in Assistive Technologies at the University of Bristol, uses sonification to make visual elements and scientific data accessible; we find out how. John Hutchinson, Professor of Evolutionary Biomechanics at The Royal Veterinary College, used his epilepsy diagnosis as a way to adapt his teachings and advocate for others with disabilities in STEM fields; he tells us about his collaborative approach. Dr. Nick Bond is the Outreach and Public Engagement Fellow working in the Astronomy department at The University of Portsmouth; he highlights ways that a highly visual field, like Astronomy, can be adapted for the blind and low vision community.

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 your wishes are respected, it also opens the door to meaningful discussions about legacy giving and the impact we want to leave behind. Kelly MacDonald spends this half-hour asking his guests to weigh in on this delicate conversation with clarity and care. We hear from Braydin Frizell, Development Manager with the Canadian Council for the Blind; Meghan Maack, Fundraising Executive at the Perley Health Foundation; David DaCamara, Financial Planner at R&D Insurance and Financial Services Ltd; and Grace Scoffield, Producer on Reflections who shares her personal experience working at her university’s call centre, asking alumni whether they’d consider including the school in their legacy giving.

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 as ordinary as small talk spark such big feelings? Nisreen Abdel-Majid gets to the bottom of small talk psychology. Arslan Abakarov is a software developer at AMI who grew up in Russia where small talk is never the norm. Elysia Yardley lets us in on her perspectives on communication and connection, as someone who works in Human Resources at AMI, along with her tips navigating chit-chat at work. Dillon Lewchuk, Clinical Counsellor, Art Therapist, and Educator helps us get to the core of small talk, by unpacking the deeper emotional layers behind everyday interactions. From cultural differences to social anxiety, let's figure out the complexities under surface conversations.

The Alberta Sports & Recreation Association for the Blind supports Albertans who are blind or visually impaired to live physically active lives and participate in competitive sports programs. From Edmonton, Jim Krysko, AMI Content Development Specialist guides us on a delightful walk down memory lane. With the help of past Presidents Laura Layton, Jim Leask, Lorna Snow, and current President Chris Abdalla, we enjoy the history, laughs, and stories of this unique organization. Let’s celebrate five decades of momentum meets commitment, that has built and fostered this incredible force of ASRAB.

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 life. To find some answers, Joeita is hosting a roundtable conversation with members of the Toronto Visionaries chapter of the Canadian Council for the Blind (CCB) and an expert in this field. Together with these voices, Joeita will discover new ways to make friends, important lessons in vulnerability, and she’ll gather some opinions on whether making friends outside of the blind and low vision community can be more challenging. Joeita is joined by Victoria Francis, Communications Coordinate for the CCB Toronto Visionaries, and Toronto Visionaries President Reg Sullivan with his wife Cathy. Joeita asks them how this chapter of the CCB addresses isolation and loneliness in the blind and low vision community. Plus, Joeita turns to an expert in Dr. Marisa G. Franco. Dr, Franco is a professor, speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and an expert in attachment styles and making friends. Learn about how valuable vulnerability is in new platonic relationships, and about different attachment styles with Joeita and Dr. Franco.

Each year on November 11th, Canada marks Remembrance Day. In this episode of Reflections, join Grant Hardy to learn about why Remembrance Day continues to be a crucial reminder to Canadians and how the next generations are continuing to teach the importance of Remembrance Day. Mike Ross reads the poem In Flanders Fields and shares how his grandfather passed the torch of Remembrance to him at a young age. Retired Master Corporal Wade Wick served two tours in Afghanistan shortly after 9/11, and he’ll tell us about how important the visual symbolism of wearing a poppy is. Plus, he shares why he wanted to serve his country. Nujma Bond is the Manager of Communications and National Spokesperson for The Royal Canadian Legion. Nujma explains how the funds raised from The Poppy Campaign support veterans. And she shares how Canadians can support and donate to the Legion’s efforts. Em Williams, Supervisor of Media Accessibility at AMI provides some audio description of The Brooding Soldier memorial in Belgium, and the Remember Flanders memorial in Ottawa. Let’s listen to these stories of sacrifice, remembrance, and honour this Remembrance Day to remind ourselves of the reason we mark this important day in Canadian history.

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 inviting you to join him in conversation with scientists and program managers to find out how people with disabilities can feel welcome in the STEM fields. Dr. Kyle Keane is a Senior Lecturer in Assistive Technologies at the University of Bristol, who is partially sighted. Dr. Keane explains why he decided to pursue STEM, some of the attitudinal and tangible barriers he faced getting in, and how he created a place for himself in the field. Professor Mona Minkara is a Bioengineering Professor at Northeastern University. We learn more about Professor Minkara’s research, her journey through STEM, and how she’s carving a path for future scientists with disabilities. The UBC Geering Up Program runs summer camps and day camps that immerse children in the world of STEM, and they make sure their programs are accessible. Kaylin McLeod, Assistant Manager of the Camps, Clubs and Events Program shares how Geering Up ensures that children with and without disabilities can experience their STEM camps, and how UBC aims to provide children the opportunity to explore the spectrum of STEM.