The Blind Side Podcast 76, New Mexico students talk with the space station, New Zealand census problems and reflections on the power of self-advocacy in the digital age
In news briefs, we hear about a beeping Easter egg hunt being organised by the Corpus Christi Police Department’s bomb squad. Nice one!
A blind woman has filed a class action lawsuit against McDonalds, alleging that their drive-throughs discriminate against blind people at times when no other option is available.
Microsoft has released yet another free blindness-related app. Soundscape for iOS is available in the US and UK App Stores.
Jonathan makes mention of the Mosen Consulting audiobook, “Imagine there’s no countries”. You can read about and purchase it here.
Our feature interview is with Mike Shinabery of the New Mexico Museum of Space History, and Jeff Killebrew of the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Recently, thanks to a partnership between these two entities, students at the school were part of a link-up with astronauts aboard the space station. Jonathan Mosen talks with Jeff and Mike about how the opportunity came about, the reaction of the students, and whether we might ever see a blind astronaut.
Jonathan then discusses his self-advocacy on the New Zealand census, and shares some of his thoughts on the wider question of modern advocacy methods. You can read his official complaint to Statistics New Zealand which summarises the issue. Sign Jonathan’s Parliamentary petition calling for a public Parliamentary inquiry into the census. Read Pam MacNeill’s concerns about the health-focused disability questions in this year’s census.
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