Reflections

Accessible Media Inc.

Listen in on how we make sense of the world, through conversation and the lens of lived experience, weaving our questions with your stories.

  1. 1d ago

    ATS Innovation Hub: Building a Space for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

    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 Success (ATS) Innovation Hub in Downtown Toronto is designed for people with disabilities to find community and thrive in a welcoming, inclusive workspace. Vanessa and her guests take us through the project. Varun Chandak is the Founder of the Access to Success Initiative and the ATS Innovation Hub. He shares his hopes and dreams for the space, its potential for the disability community, and guides us on a tour of the hub. Juan Olarte, a member of the ATS Innovation Hub and a Canadian entrepreneur, tells us how a space like this could serve the community in incredibly productive ways, and highlights how this space directly helps him with his work. Frances Edmonds, Head of Sustainable Impact for HP Canada, highlights the valuable partnership that's been established between HP and the ATS Innovation Hub, regarding equipment sponsorship and much more. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    29 min
  2. 2d ago

    The Waiting Game: Why We Can't Stand Waiting Around

    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 episode unravelling the psychology behind anticipation. Dillon Lewchuk, Founder of Honouring Home: Clinical Counselling, unpacks what goes on in our brains when we wait, and suggests coping strategies for the anxieties, impatience, and potentially negative narrative-building that come along with the in-between times. From sitting through TV commercials to waiting in line for the washroom, Reflections team members Kelly MacDonald, Beth Deer, and Grace Scoffield give us food for thought on the seemingly minor waiting scenarios that manage to make major impacts on us. And we hear about Nisreen's lifetime realities of chronically waiting for specialist appointments to be scheduled, waiting for hours in waiting rooms, endless delays on public transit, and other waiting situations exacerbated faced by people living with disabilities. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    25 min
  3. 3d ago

    Safe on the Water: Exploring Inclusive, Accessible Water Activities

    A significant portion of water safety messaging focuses on motorized boats, but how about the swimmers, paddlers, and beachgoers? As we kick off the summer fun, Kelly MacDonald and his guests remind us how to stay safe in and around the water. Toronto Search and Rescue-Marine Deputy Unit Leader Ryan Lippert answers all our safety questions, from how to choose Personal Floatation Devices to how to test the waters around us before jumping in. Abilities In Motion is an adaptive paddling organization that hosts programs at the Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, Ontario. Kayak Instructor Ian McIntyre shares how the program adapts water activities for people with disabilities. David Brown, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Blind Sailing Association of Canada, shares the group's involvement with recreational and competitive sailing. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    25 min
  4. May 28

    Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Change-makers at Work

    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-fueled digital landscape. With the proliferation of AI into everything from website design to coding, Grant Hardy evaluates the state of digital accessibility in 2026 and beyond. Joe Devon, Co-Founder of GAAD and the GAAD Foundation, and Jennison Asuncion, Co-Founder of GAAD and Chair of the GAAD Foundation, discuss how their GAAD Foundation promotes accessibility and inclusion, on Global Accessibility Awareness Day and all year round. They also discuss the pros and cons of AI vibe coding, allowing anyone to create apps and websites of varying quality. Steven Scott, Host of Double Tap on AMI-audio, shares the positive aspects of vibe coding, including his successes and hopes for the future of the technology. Accessibility Engineer and Software Developer Taylor Arndt takes us through her perspectives, opinions, and realities of working with changing technology day in and day out. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    28 min
  5. May 27

    Untangling the Weave: Why Sewing Has Made a Remarkable Comeback

    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 sewing was a lost art, or a growing hobby among people of all ages.  With the growth of fast fashion over consumption and trendy looks, it seemed as though sewing was losing popularity. So, what’s driving this comeback?  Leila Kelleher is an Assistant Professor of Fashion Design at Toronto Metropolitan University and explains how sewing can provide inclusive clothes for people with disabilities or people who are plus-sized, something that mainstream fashion designers don’t always provide. Kristine Fraling, Founder of the New York Sewing Centre, shares how she can get aspiring sewists making their own clothes in as little as 8 hours; her students are looking at sewing as a means of survival and sustainability.  Linda Dineen, Ontario-based fiber artist, lends her perspective on how upcycling materials into art has become popular because of growing sustainability movements. Reflections Producer Grace Scoffield shares how inheriting a 50-year-old sewing machine from her great grandmother completed her craft room and handed her an opportunity to learn a brand-new skill. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    28 min
  6. May 21

    The Rosetta Stone of Accessibility: Featuring the GovAI Grand Challenge

    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 professionals across G7 countries and the EU to develop practical AI solutions for public service challenges. Grant Hardy spoke with two winning teams for a sneak peek at their cutting-edge AI technologies. Innervation AI’s “Debiaser” tool scans AI-generated content for ableist language, suggesting safer alternatives before it’s published. Innervation AI Co-founder Jameson Jones-Doyle and Head of Sales Max Brault share how they hope their new tool will make language more inclusive across critical public services. Akemi Izuko, Steven Tang, and Oliver Chen are three Computer Science students at the University of Alberta. They introduce us to ReadyFormAI, their winning entry in the G7 GovAI Grand Challenge. It transforms secure government PDFs into interactive voice conversations, allowing you to fill out and review the form without having to visually navigate the documents. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    26 min
  7. May 20

    Disability Representation in Children’s Literature: An Exploration

    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 that show disability in a positive light and express disability as part of the full human experience. Joeita speaks to Dorothy Ellen Palmer about her book called The Scooter Twins, and they get into a discussion around disability representation in children’s literature. Joeita’s also joined by Kelly Fritsch and Anne McGuire, who speak about their disability representation research and their book We Move Together. And to round out the conversation, Karen Li shares how Groundwood Books aims to publish children’s stories that accurately represent peoples lived experience with disabilities. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    28 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Listen in on how we make sense of the world, through conversation and the lens of lived experience, weaving our questions with your stories.

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