Believe and Build: President Riccobono’s Message to Pennsylvania
White Canes Connect
White Canes Connect episode 147 features a powerful address from National Federation of the Blind President Mark Riccobono, delivered to the NFB of Pennsylvania State Convention in Harrisburg. Reflecting on the eve of the organization’s 85th anniversary, President Riccobono shares his personal journey of discovering the Federation in 1996 and how the community transformed his understanding of blindness, leadership, and collective action. He highlights landmark achievements driven by blind-led advocacy—from advancing Braille literacy and accessible technology to expanding opportunity...
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Anil Lewis Keynote Address at PA State Convention
White Canes Connect
In this episode of White Canes Connect, we share the 2025 NFB of Pennsylvania State Convention banquet keynote delivered by National Federation of the Blind Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives, Anil Lewis. With humor, honesty, and warmth, Anil traces his journey from sudden blindness and early misconceptions about rehabilitation to discovering the Federation’s philosophy of high expectations, love, and accountability. He reflects on Dr. Marc Maurer’s mentorship, his leadership in Georgia, work on accessible voting and ending subminimum wages under Section 14(c), and the...
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InnoSearch.ai: Redefining Accessible Online Shopping
White Canes Connect
In Episode 145 of White Canes Connect, Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Patrick Long and Bryan Vuong, co-founders of InnoSearch.ai, a groundbreaking platform making online shopping accessible for blind and low-vision users. They built InnoSearch to serve as an accessibility layer—streamlined, screen-reader friendly, and simple to use. Beyond shopping, InnoSearch now offers flight booking and is expanding into food and grocery delivery. Users can shop online or by calling 1-855-746-7478 (1-855-SHOP-GPT), making the service accessible even without internet. The founders also...
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A Statewide Beacon: How LAMP Levels the Playing Field
White Canes Connect
In episode 144 of White Canes Connect, Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome an incredible team from the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) in Pittsburgh. Joining us are Mark Lee, Library Administrator; Mary Beth Parks, Patron Services Manager; Laura Hughes, Youth Services Librarian; and Jeff Wright, Manager of Technology and Materials Fulfillment. The LAMP team shares how their mission to make reading and media accessible has grown stronger, culminating in their recognition as the Library of Congress Network Library of the Year—an honor they’ve now received three...
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Envision Ally Solos Smartglasses Unveiled
White Canes Connect
In episode 143 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome back Karthik Kannan, co-founder and CTO of Envision, for an exciting update on accessible technology. Karthik last joined the podcast four years ago to discuss Envision Glasses, then partnered with Google. Today, he returns to introduce the brand-new Ally Solos, a next-generation wearable that pushes accessibility to new heights. Karthik explains how Ally Solos builds upon the original concept of AI-powered glasses by combining sleek design, advanced performance, and affordability. Unlike many mainstream...
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Reflections from the NFB National Convention in New Orleans
White Canes Connect
In episode 142 of White Canes Connect, Lisa Bryant takes the lead to interview co-host David Goldstein and NFB of PA President Lynn Heitz about our experiences at the 2025 NFB National Convention in New Orleans. We share highlights from Pennsylvania’s strong showing — 56 attendees, 10 first-timers, four national scholarship finalists, and a Jernigan Leadership graduate. Lynn and David reflect on the energy of the general sessions, memorable speeches, and some lively debates during resolutions. We also talk about the bustling — and slightly oddly laid-out — exhibit hall, where...
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Giving Life His Best Shot: JP Williams on Coaching, Creativity, and Reinvention
White Canes Connect
In episode 141 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein speak with JP Williams, a blind mental health and life coach based in Nashville. Originally a successful country songwriter—co-writing the hit “Best Shot” by Jimmie Allen—JP shares how he transitioned from the music industry into coaching. After decades in music, a career pivot during the pandemic led him to become certified through the International Coach Federation and begin work with Lyra Health, coaching employees from Fortune 500 companies on issues ranging from career transitions and relationships to...
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Charting Your Course, Finding Your Fit at the Mid-Atlantic Student Seminar
White Canes Connect
The National Association of Blind Students (NABS) is an active, thriving division of the National Federation of the Blind. In addition to extensive programming at National Convention, Washington Seminar, and virtual opportunities, the division hosts two student seminars each year in two areas of the country, tailoring content to a specific geographical audience. In this episode, Zachary Ledford joins Simon Bonenfant to discuss the upcoming Mid-Atlantic seminar, taking place from Friday, August 1st to Sunday, August 3rd at the Hampton Inn Center City Philadelphia. 1301 Race Street,...
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Creating Opportunity Through Accessibility with Tanner Gers
White Canes Connect
In this powerful episode of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome Tanner Gers, founder of Access Ability Officer and Paralympian, for an inspiring and insightful conversation. Tanner shares the harrowing story of how a tragic car accident in 2004 left him totally blind—and how that life-changing event became the catalyst for a purpose-driven career in accessibility, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. Tanner discusses the evolution of Access Ability Officer. This digital accessibility consultancy not only works with government and corporate clients but also trains...
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Shawn Callaway and NOBBL’s National Impact
White Canes Connect
In Episode 138 of White Canes Connect, hosts Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein welcome back Shawn Callaway, President of both the National Federation of the Blind of the District of Columbia and the National Organization of Blind Black Leaders (NOBBL). Shawn shares updates on NOBBL’s growth, programming, and plans for the upcoming National Convention in New Orleans. He reflects on the organization’s journey from its roots in the DEI Committee in 2018 to its official division status in 2022. Shawn highlights NOBBL’s active committees, including groups for Black women, men, seniors, elected...
info_outlineIn Episode 111 of White Canes Connect, co-hosts David Goldstein and Emily Gindlesperger, both Vice Presidents of the NFB of Pennsylvania, discuss the exciting details surrounding the upcoming state convention in Erie. This year marks a return to Erie after over two decades, and the event will take place at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center. The venue promises accessibility and convenience, with two hotels connected directly to the center.
Emily and David provide a rundown of the convention highlights, including a Veterans Celebration, talent show, and the highly anticipated auction and bingo night. There’s also plenty of focus on the food, from a pasta bar on Thursday to a taco and street corn bar on Friday, concluding with a banquet featuring local Lake Erie perch. Emily shares her excitement about the facility's accessibility and cleanliness, addressing last year’s venue challenges.
They also delve into exhibit hall details, tech demonstrations, and a “Teching Care of Business" session covering both business and assistive technology. The convention promises valuable networking, learning opportunities, and a fun atmosphere for all attendees. For more information and registration, visit https://www.nfbofpa.org/2024.
Show notes at https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/111
2024 NFB of PA State Convention
Registration is open for this year’s State Convention in Erie from 11/7 to 11/10. Learn more at https://www.NFBofPA.org/2024/. Links are there to register as an attendee, exhibitor, and sponsor. Other links include meal option descriptions, Senior Possibilities Fair registration, and phone numbers to make your hotel reservations.
Teching Care of Business Session
Chef Debra Erickson from The Blind Kitchen (https://www.theblindkitchen.com) will join David for a segment of the business and technology Thursday afternoon session to talk about becoming a chef, setting up her store on the web, and teaching other blind individuals how to prepare delicious meals without sight. Listen to episode 081 via direct download at https://traffic.libsyn.com/whitecanesconnect/white_canes_connect_081_post.mp3 to learn more about Debra and her business.
An Easy Way to Help the NFB of PA
Support the NFB of PA with every purchase at White Cane Coffee Company by going to https://www.whitecanecoffee.com/ref/nfbp. When you use that link to purchase from White Cane Coffee, the NFB of PA earns a 10% commission! Share the link with your family and friends! Listen to Erin and Bob Willman from White Cane Coffee on episode 072 of White Canes Connect.
Donate to the NFB of PA
If you want to donate to the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania, visit https://www.NFBofPA.org/give/.
We Want to Hear Your Story
Reach out with questions and comments, or share ideas! We want to hear from you. Call us at (267) 338-4495 or at whitecanesconnect@gmail.com.
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