Anu Vision

Navratri!!! My favourite festival of the year!
The traditional clothing…the jewellery… the colours… AND now available for purchase

Celebrating Disability Pride Month!!!

Let’s come together and make a conscious effort to uplift the voices of those who are often shut down and/or not fully accepted for who they are.

Let’s come together and make a conscious effort to learn about people’s true experiences rather than making assumptions.

Let’s come together and invite people to participate in the conversations that matter to help create social change.

What will you do this month to honour and celebrate Disability Pride Month?

👩🏽‍💻🎧 The enhancement of assistive technology and mobile applications has transformed the way I live, work and play. Assistive technology, smart devices and mobile devices have made it simpler, less time consuming, and even a little fun to carry out tasks.

Here are some of the ways I use these tools:

🖥️ Navigate tasks on my laptop with JAWS.

🥙 Use my smart air fryer with Google Home Nest.

🗓️ Manage my tasks, meetings and appointments on my iPhone with Google Calendar.

👁️ Identify images, text, and other surroundings using Be My AI.

🖊️ Identify certain products with the Penfriend.

🎤 Record and edit audio files with Goldwave.
And the list goes on…

Thanks to the advancement of digital accessibility, people like me can live independently, have a successful and dignified career, and contribute to community.

A little down time in between meetings over delicious food and good company. 🎙️🔥🍷

Enjoyed afternoon tea with and the founders of Vasanti Cosmetics, . Talking all things beauty and accessibility. Thank you for hosting us and keep shining your light!

A day of reflection on opportunities and responsibility:

Today, on July 1st, as I contemplate the countless opportunities Canada has provided me, I am reminded of the power to shape society and forge our own paths. Yet, in the midst of progress, we must acknowledge how much further we still have to go as a country where everyone, despite their colour, ethnic background or ability feels respected and included. It’s up to each of us to pursue truth and to advocate against the injustices endured by Indigenous peoples on these stolen ancestral lands. The responsibility lies within each of us.

In this episode I'm in talks with the Thrive Program (BC Centre For Ability) team, Emma Gauvin, Mike Taculad, and Tracy Hallam, and we're unpacking the topic of adaptability. We share our personal experiences of adapting to new circumstances, the importance of being adaptable during your job search, and how adaptability is an essential quality for employers.

LISTEN NOW: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vFbx8MPo7jq4anNYzPpjY


BC Centre for Ability

My latest podcast episode is out where I speak with Vasanti Cosmetics founders, Monal Patel and Pinki Gosal.

We talk about their friendship, business journey, and their experience as two women entrepreneurs creating products for all skin tones and promoting inclusivity in the beauty industry.

LISTEN NOW! https://www.anuvision.ca/podcast-1/episode/777a4d1d/in-talks-with-vasanti-cosmetics-founders-monal-patel-and-pinki-gosal

Congratulations to TELUS STORYHIVE for uplifting our communities by promoting local creators over the past 10-years! Through these meaningful stories, local underrepresented groups have been given the support and platform to share their work.

It is an honour to participate on the TELUS Local Content Advisory Board and be among the creative community!

This story inspired me this morning, so had to share! Neil Squire Society

As a user of assistive technology, I, like Deepi, have experienced how assistive technology can open the door to possibilities and transform someone's life.

Deepi Masters Voice Control on Her Laptop With Digital Jumpstart - Neil Squire Society Deepi is a self-advocate and budding broadcaster from Richmond. She has been a long-time volunteer and staff member at CiTR, UBC’s campus radio station, where she produces shows bringing awareness to disability-related issues and accessibility. Her goal is to one day work for the CBC.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/anupala_accessibility-gaad-inclusion-activity-7065053240706400257-ZAzE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Anu Pala on LinkedIn: #accessibility #gaad #inclusion #jaws #technology #visionloss #computer Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day! HELLO! I’m JAWS! I am a screen reader that helps people with vision loss navigate a computer through keyboard and…

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/anupala_accessibility-accessiblepackaging-packagingdesign-activity-7065039473784328192-9zDm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Anu Pala on LinkedIn: #accessibility #accessiblepackaging #packagingdesign #makeup… Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a self proclaimed skincare j***y and make-up lover! In this month’s Philanthropy Advocacy segment, I unpack the…

I am honoured to have been selected to receive the Project Funding Award through the TEAL Foundation. With these funds, I will be developing a toolkit in the form of a podcast for EAL educators to support students with partial and complete vision loss in the physical and virtual classroom.

BC TEAL Association

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS!

Congratulations to Blind Beginnings for 15 years of changing what it means to be blind for children, youth and their families! Had a great time at this year’s annual gala at the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel in downtown Vancouver!

In the latest episode of the THRIVE Podcast, I speak with former paralympian and founder of Blind Beginnings, Shawn Marsolais, about her journey and passion for changing the perceptions of what it means to be blind.

LISTEN NOW! https://open.spotify.com/episode/3byy6fZRG7ASdWkk13JEsL?si=-o2HKpmPTlCYHbEXBqLBjQ

Blind Beginnings’ founder and Director of Programs and Community Engagement, Shawn Marsolais, has had less than 2% of her vision since she was 18, yet she lives a very full life. A former Paralympian, and multiple Canadian record holder in swimming, Shawn went on to obtain her Masters Degree, and in 2014 she became a parent.

In 2008, she founded Blind Beginnings with the vision of helping blind or partially sighted children reach their full potential. Since then, hundreds of children and their families have been inspired by Shawn’s vision of limitless potential and have benefited from the organization’s services, support and programs.

Thank you to Shruti Dabas and all the amazing women from https://www.instagram.com/southasianbosswomen/ for inviting me to honour International Women’s Day by sharing my personal life journey. There is something extremely special and gratifying about connecting with a group of women from all backgrounds and walks of life! Let’s all become powerful “Boss Women” and be the best version of ourselves!

I am honoured to have been chosen to MC this event!

In addition to this, I will be offering a mini keynote sharing my career journey and discussing the importance of workplace inclusion from a disability lens. What an amazing way to kick off Women's Month!

Event Details:

• Date: March 2, 2023 (Thursday)

• Time: Open to the public: 12:00 pm - 03: 00 pm

• Venue: Surrey City Hall - Atrium (13450 104 Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 1V8)

Visit http://inclusive-job-fair.eventbrite.ca to register

Check out this blog post that I recently wrote for
Untaped Accessibility on optimizing the hybrid work model. I had unpacked this topic a few months back with Zafira Nanji Scott in the THRIVE Podcast.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2qLEmxUbmWGVWRJgZZN1Rr

What strategies have you implemented to make your remote workplace more accessible?

Share them in the comments below!

Untapped Accessibility on LinkedIn: The Remote and Hybrid Work Model Through an Accessibility Lens - Untapped… The remote and hybrid workplace has turned out to be a boon for accessibility. See our associate consultant, Anu Pala's post on how to optimize accessibility.…

Did you know that over 4,000 Canadians wait for an organ donation each year?

And while more than 90% of Canadians support organ donation, according to public polls, ONLY 32% are registered to become an organ donor.

Listen to the latest episode of NOW with Dave Brown on AMI at https://www.stitcher.com/show/now-with-dave-brown/episode/episode-716-hour-1-211714264 where I speak about the importance of organ donation. I'm on at the 29 minute mark.

Do you have a burning question about interacting with people living with vision loss?

Ask me in the comments and I can share more tips!

love

I am honoured to be included in the 10th anniversary edition of Careering Magazine! I have very fond memories of my time as a committee member And I am very proud of the fantastic work they continue to do.

Congratulations to the entire CERIC team!

February 1st marks National White Cane Week, a week that is dedicated to raising awareness about the different aspects of living with vision loss.

The white cane is the tool that allows people with partial and complete vision loss to navigate their environments safely and independently.

Learning how to confidently use a white cane and travel independently has been one of the biggest hurdles I have overcome after losing my vision. But I have never looked back!

What is the biggest challenge that you have had to overcome?

Most of us have experienced low points in our lives in some way or form.
Maybe it was due to losing a loved one.
Maybe it was due to loss of a job.
Maybe it was due to an injury, illness or an acquired disability.
Maybe it was due to a friend or family member who is struggling.

No matter what the reason was, it’s ok to experience the emotions.
Each one of us use different strategies or tools to deal with the emotions and return to a healthy mindset.

Here are my top three uplifting tools:

1. Reach out to a friend.
Whenever I have been sad, mad, lost, or confused, my friends have always been there to listen and help me find solutions.

2. Write my thoughts.
Writing your thoughts down without judgement, without fear, and without criticism is a powerful way to unload everything that is holding negative space in your head. I recently learned about a tool called “morning pages” through the book, “The Artists Way by Julia
Cameron.” https://www.amazon.ca/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/0143129252

3. Practice self-care
Whether it’s listening to my favourite tunes, indulging on a sweet or salty treat (depends on the day), or taking an afternoon nap, all of these strategies help me to recharge and deal with my situation.

Here’s to our wellness.

Huge congratulations to Jamie Millar-Dixon and the BC WiN Team for organizing a very meaningful and impactful event on Wednesday, January 18th at the Parq Hotel in Downtown Vancouver! It's even that much more meaningful when you can share the day with friends and colleagues who share the same vision.

"The Four Pillars of Accessibility" highlighted 4 key areas to consider when thinking about workplace accessibility.
Commitment. Readiness. Recruitment. Retention

If you haven't already, the time is now to begin developing your action plan to get ready for September 2023 when a large number of organizations will be required to have a solid accessibility plan in place according to the new BC Accessibility Act. As someone who is so immersed and invested in this work, these four pillars really resonate and will help you develop your plan.

While this task may feel overwhelming, there are many of us here to support you through this journey like https://www.instagram.com/untappedaccessibilityca, so please reach out!

On November 18, I had the pleasure of offering a mini keynote at the first BC Crown Dialogue diversity conference at the BCLC office in Vancouver! I shared my personal journey of vision loss and discussed the value of workplace inclusion.

What were some of my key takeaways?
-Step out of your comfort zone
-Be creative
-See the person first, then their disability
-Learn from subject matter experts with lived experience of disability

Listen to the latest episode of Philanthropy Advocacy on https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/now-with-dave-brown/id1235751531?i=1000586463049

Let’s all make a conscious effort to support the causes we care about!