Why is learning braille as an adult still so hard, and why does a braille display cost more than a laptop? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dig into braille access and pricing. Then they meet Cazerny Bussey, the musician and founder of Even Though I'm Blind.
John in London wrote in about trying to learn braille as an adult. He found a box of course books he never opened, and braille displays he couldn't afford. Steven argues that mass adoption and patient learning have to go together. He points to Hadley, the Braillists and the Perkins Braille Bloom as signs of progress, and suggests a low-cost braille display built as a teaching device.
The talk then turns to pricing. Steven recalls Amos Miller of Glidance being told to charge several times more because governments would pay. He asks why there's still no real consumer price for blind people who are out of work or study.
Cazerny Bussey lost his sight at 15 and went on to graduate from the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. His father was in Stetsasonic. His song Even Though I'm Blind grew into a nonprofit with a podcast, a 24/7 radio station playing around 45 blind artists, a yearly showcase and a directory of blind-led businesses.
Cazerny also talks about recording in Logic on the Mac, being open about using AI in music, a moment with Busta Rhymes, and plans for a documentary and charting records with BMG.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome and human-made music
2:06 – Inbox: learning braille as an adult
10:29 – Why braille and assistive tech cost so much
18:15 – Meet Cazerny Bussey
23:34 – Music roots and finding the blind community
29:44 – The Even Though I'm Blind foundation and radio station
35:29 – Making music on a Mac with Logic
43:31 – AI-generated music and being open about it
48:31 – The directory, a documentary and big plans
53:49 – Wrap-up and weekend plans
Relevant Links
Even Though I'm Blind: https://eventhoughimblind.com/
The Braillists Foundation: https://www.braillists.org/
Hadley: https://hadleyhelps.org/
Glidance: https://glidance.io/
AMI-audio: https://www.ami.ca/ami-audio
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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
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