Blindness forced some real changes in my life, but it also sparked the opportunity for me to rekindle my interest in audio production. Pairing my interest in audio with advocacy eventually led me to launch my podcast, Reid My Mind Radio.
~Thomas Reid
Introduction
Thomas Reid, of Reid My Mind Radio, is one of the coolest guys I know. I met Tom years ago at an annual conference of The Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. If memory serves, he was the chairman of the program committee for the organization and I was fascinated by his energy and sparkling personality. A naturally gifted speaker and emcee at the conference, whenever Tom had the mike, he had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. So it wasn’t surprising to me that his talent for speaking would easily transfer to podcasting.
Since starting Bold Blind Beauty I’ve been on Tom’s podcast three times. While I was nervous during each interview Tom put me at ease and the end result was always phenomenal. What’s interesting to me is seeing how far Tom has come from his early podcasting days. His interviews are not only informative but are also very entertaining with the special effects he adds throughout each session.
When you have a moment I highly recommend adding Reid My Mind Radio your podcast playlist, you won’t regret it.
March Man In Motion Thomas Reid
Video Transcript
Music plays in the background.
Reid: So I’m Thomas Reid, producer and host of Reid My Mind Radio. It’s a podcast featuring stories of compelling people impacted by all degrees of vision loss and disability.
Simon: I am —- Simon from Uganda.
Woman: I was born in Mexico. Me and my brother are both legally blind.
Man: I am originally from Turkey. I have been in the US for about eleven years now.
Reid: Reid My Mind Radio is specifically made for anyone adjusting to severe vision loss. That’s those experiencing low vision to total blindness. Reid My Mind Radio —- this audience specifically, meaning no matter what the episodes, guests or topic, the questions I ask, the lessons and strategies that I highlight are always intended for those newly adjusting to becoming blind.
Reid: Let me anticipate a question that someone would have when they hear that, someone new adjusting to blindness.
Reid: Of course, every person’s journey is different. But there’s a lot of shared experiences around blindness and disability in general.
Woman: We exist, and we’re fully human beings, and we deserve to be heard and seen as full, unique, genuine, authentic human beings.
Reid: The truth is, the stories are actually interesting and informative for anyone adapting to any significant sort of life change. Despite what society often says, there’s no shame in blindness. Disability is a part of the human experience.
Reid: Not everyone considers fifteen years of celebrating being blind.
Woman: If I had to be honest, it’s not how I looked at it. Although I tell you, I remember the prayer I had. I don’t care what happens. Just don’t take him from me.
Reid: I guess I’m the right person to produce this podcast because I’ve walked the path, and I still think I’m walking the path. My own journey convinced me that the all too common belief that my blindness is something that should limit me is wrong. Reid My Mind Radio brings you these profiles and stories with a bit of sound design and audio elements and music all mixed together in a way that, I’m telling you, when you listen, you’re going to be like, dang, they just made blindness sound fun. (Laughs,) I’m serious. While I’m presenting different people impacted by blindness, it’s all done through my personal lens. Metaphorically, of course, right? Most of my life, I was sighted. But yet, my vision loss actually began as in infant in the form of childhood cancer known as bilateral retinal blastoma. My left eye had to be removed as an infant. The journey continued when, thirty-five years later, following a second experience with cancer, it required the removal of my right eye. Blindness forced some real changes in my life, but it also sparked the opportunity for me to rekindle my interest in audio production. Pairing my interest in audio with advocacy eventually led me to launch my podcast, Reid My Mind Radio. I’d encourage anyone interested in starting their own podcast, especially young people with disabilities, to use their voices and share their stories, and expand their creativity at the same time. I feel like today’s kids who are blind are all over their technology that’s available to them today. Too many people in the mainstream media have no clue as to what talent they’re actually passing over; the ingenuity, the capabilities… I like to see these kids express themselves on their own terms, similar to like their independent music run. But then I like to see them get that money too.
Reid: Big shout out to Steph McCoy and Bold Blind Beauty. I’m honored to be included as a Man in Motion. I appreciate the opportunity to tell you a bit about me and the podcast, and I’d love for you to check out Reid My Mind Radio wherever you get podcasts. You can even slide on over to Reid My Mind Radio or follow me on Twitter, @TSReid. So there’s no confusion, that’s R to the EID. That’s my last name.
Image Description:
The B3 Magazine cover has a gray/white marbled background. The date & edition number are in the upper right corner in black ink. Tom’s photo is aligned on the right margin with the background appearing on the top, bottom and left margin. Thomas Reid an African American man with a clean shaven head and goatee in shades smiles at the camera while seated at a desk. The desk holds a laptop and other equipment including an audio mixer and microphone. A framed picture of the original World trade Center hangs on the wall above a black Fender electric guitar. “B3” is in large teal text and a teal-colored circle with Tom’s name and title are in white text. There is 3-line of white text on the image that reads “Reid My Mind Radio | Making Blindness Sound Fun.”
