Heard & Empowered

About Heard & Empowered

The Heard & Empowered podcast is where people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired find job inspiration, career opportunities, and a path to success. National Industries for the Blind knows that blindness is not a barrier to employment and career success. Listen now and unlock a world of opportunities with a podcast specifically tailored for people who are blind. Discover the untold stories, limitless career paths, and soul-stirring journeys of people across the United States who have charted their own career paths. Learn more at HeardAndEmpowered.org.

Publisher

National Industries for the Blind

Category

education · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Nov 2023

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 66 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Thriving With Rare Disease and Flair With Cassandra Mendez and Casey Greer

   Cassandra Mendez is a Senior Accessibility Specialist at JPMorgan Chase, where she works to create accessible digital experiences for customers with disabilities. She is the Co-host of the Rare with Flair podcast, where she and Casey Greer discuss disability, accessibility, and life with rare disease. As someone with low vision and Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome, Cassandra brings her lived experience and accessibility background to her work and advocacy. Casey Greer is the Virtual Program Coordinator for the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH) and does social media marketing for the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network. She is the Co-host of the Rare with Flair podcast, where she shares stories and conversations about disability, rare disease, and visual impairment. As someone with low vision and Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome, Casey draws on her experiences to normalize disability and support others in the community. In this episode… Living with a rare disease means discovering new ways to tackle everyday challenges, advocating for yourself, and finding what helps you thrive. Along the way, these experiences can bring new perspectives, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of self-acceptance. How can people turn those challenges into opportunities for growth? Cassandra Mendez and Casey Greer believe that thriving with a disability comes from finding the right tools, building independence, and building a strong support system. As disability advocates and accessibility professionals, they share how adaptability, self-advocacy, and community have helped them navigate life with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome and low vision. Cassandra highlights the importance of being flexible and resourceful, while Casey emphasizes embracing accessibility tools and stepping outside your comfort zone. Together, they show how lived experience can become a powerful source of strength, connection, and hope. In this episode of Heard & Empowered, Dean Thompson chats with Cassandra Mendez and Casey Greer, Co-hosts of the Rare with Flair podcast, about thriving with rare disease, disability, and vision loss. Cassandra and Casey talk about adapting to challenges, building resilience, and creating community through shared experiences. They also share advice on self-advocacy, game-changing accessibility tools, and embracing independence.

2. 

   24 Sept 2026

   Creating Art Beyond Sight: Adapting to Vision Loss With Paul Castle

   Paul Castle is the Owner of Paul Castle Studio, where he creates whimsical artwork and children's books shaped by his perspective as a blind artist. An author, illustrator, content creator, and disability advocate, he uses adaptive tools to keep creating after losing more than 90% of his vision to retinitis pigmentosa. Paul also co-creates the Matthew and Paul YouTube channel, which has grown to more than 1.5 million subscribers and 1.2 billion views, expanding his storytelling and advocacy to a global audience. In this episode… Creativity often changes when life does. For artists experiencing vision loss, that can mean finding new ways to work, express ideas, and stay connected to what matters. What does it take to keep creating as vision changes? For blind artist and children's book author Paul Castle, the answer is adaptation, curiosity, and a willingness to keep experimenting. As his vision declined from retinitis pigmentosa, he adjusted his painting process, embraced digital illustration tools that offered brightness and zoom, and learned that accessibility can expand rather than limit creative possibilities. Paul also stresses the importance of community, mobility training, and reaching out to organizations that support people with vision loss, showing that independence often grows from using the resources already available. His experience offers a practical reminder that creativity is less about a specific method and more about finding a process that continues to work for you. In this episode of Heard & Empowered, Dean Thompson talks with Paul Castle, Owner of Paul Castle Studio, about creating art while adapting to progressive vision loss. Paul shares how he reshaped his creative process, used technology to stay independent, and built a career around art and storytelling. He also discusses community, accessible resources, and the value of continuing to create at any level of vision.

3. 

   10 Sept 2026

   Assistive Tech Breakthroughs for the Blind With Sam Seavey

   Sam Seavey is the Creator and Host of The Blind Life, a YouTube channel helping people with blindness and low vision live more independently through technology. With more than 85,000 subscribers and 1,000 videos, he shares assistive technology reviews, tutorials, and accessibility tips. Sam also serves as the Assistive Technology Program Manager at the Bluegrass Council of the Blind, providing training and support while drawing on more than 30 years of lived and professional experience with vision loss and adaptive technology. In this episode… Assistive technology is making everyday tasks more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. As new tools make it easier to read, navigate, and access visual information, which innovations are making the biggest difference? Assistive technology expert Sam Seavey says the answer starts with the task, not the diagnosis, because different challenges require different tools. AI-powered smart glasses are especially promising, offering real-time help with reading menus, identifying signs, navigating airports, and interpreting visual information. Sam also points to robotics and smarter mobility tools as the next wave of innovation, while stressing the importance of realistic expectations and choosing technology that fits an individual's needs. Ultimately, the best assistive technology is the kind that solves a practical problem and helps someone move through daily life with more confidence and independence. In this episode of Heard & Empowered, Dean Thompson talks with Sam Seavey, Creator and Host of The Blind Life, about breakthroughs in assistive technology for people who are blind or have low vision. Sam explores AI smart glasses, task-based tech choices, and emerging robotics. He also shares how adaptability, continuous learning, and embracing vision loss can create new opportunities.

Inside a recent episode

Ep #40: New York’s Approach to Employing People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision with NYSPSP’s Chris Burke

Published 18 Sept 2024 · Transcript excerpt

[…] What is the program? It is the New York State preferred source law. Okay. Which states that are... Our governing statute says if anybody at a state agency, a city agency, or any other level of government is going to procure a particular item or a particular service and one of our agencies are able to provide that product or that service within 15 % of the market price for that commodity or service, that entity is supposed to come to us first. And they're coming to us first before they go to procurement because we're trying to deal with a high unemployment rate for individuals who are blind. So trying to get on that chronically high unemployment, we actually come before regular procurement. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

85

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

Contact Heard & Empowered

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Heard & Empowered