Blind on the Runway

The Pulse

Synopsis
On this episode of the Pulse, Joeita and her guest Angela Harris, discuss the intersection of disability and fashion. Joeita shares her personal experience of how fashion has allowed her to take control of the narrative surrounding her blindness. Angela Harris, the founder of the IMperfeKtly Made Foundation, discusses her motivation for starting the organization and her upcoming fashion show celebrating disability pride. She talks about the challenges and considerations involved in organizing the fashion show, such as finding a venue, selecting designers, and making modifications to the clothing for comfort and ease of use. Angela also mentions the importance of sponsorship and the business side of organizing such an event. They also discuss Angela's upcoming book, "Life As I See It," which chronicles her journey from meeting her husband to losing her vision.

Link to Angela Harris: https://www.imperfektlymade.com

Episode Highlights:

How the IMperfeKtly Made Foundation Started (2:05)

Reactions to the Disability Pride Fashion Show (7:59)

Why Were Models Nervous to be in this Fashion Show? (8:24)

Accommodating Blind and Low Vision Models in the Fashion Show (10:10)

Modifying Clothes for People who are Blind or Low Vision (15:36)

Advice for Young Blind and Low Vision Women Wanting to Establish their Fashion Sense (23:06)

Angela’s Upcoming Book “Life As I See It” (23:53)

About Angela Harris:
In 2019, just five months after getting married, Angela started experiencing severe headaches and blurred vision. Alarmed by these symptoms, she went to the doctor, where she underwent a series of tests. The results were devastating. Angela had a tumor in her brain that needed immediate surgical intervention. The surgery was risky, but they remained hopeful and trusted the skilled medical team. Finally, the day of the operation arrived. Angela bid a tearful farewell to her husband, not knowing if she would ever see his face again. The surgery was a success, and the tumor was partially removed. However, the cost was incredibly high. Angela awoke from the procedure to find she had completely lost her vision. The world she had once known was now a dark, unfamiliar place. She felt a mix of emotions—fear, anger, and sadness engulfed her. But Angela was not one to be trounced. She had always been a fighter, and losing her sight only ignited a new flame within her. As she adjusted to her new reality, she discovered a newfound empathy for those who had been visually impaired all their lives. She yearned to support and give them hope and resources to navigate the challenges she now faces.

Her journey inspired Angela to create a non-profit organization supporting the visually impaired; she is finalizing her mini-memoir sharing her journey and has a patent pending on an invention that will assist visually impaired individuals when identifying apparel and accessories.

Reference: https://www.imperfektlymade.com/about

About The Pulse

On The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.

Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.

Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta

The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.

For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/

About AMI

AMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal.

Learn more at AMI.ca

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