Who defines us—society, or ourselves?"

In our very first episode of More Than Blindness, hosts Misty and Ed kick off the podcast with a look into the Montana Association for the Blind (MAB)—sharing its history, structure, and a brief rundown of local chapters supporting members across the Treasure State.

From there, Misty and Ed dive into an open conversation on vision loss, identity, and breaking past assumptions. They

outline goals for the show, discuss upcoming segment concepts, and reflect on how they navigate daily life with blindness. From societal expectations to personal perceptions, Misty and Ed give you an authentic look at who they are, how MAB connects the community, and where this podcast is headed.

• (00:00:29) - Welcome and Podcast Introduction
• (00:00:51) - History of the Montana Association for the Blind
• (00:02:30) - MAB Chapters and Organizational Structure
• (00:05:16) - Why This Podcast Matters: Stories and Labels
• (00:06:33) - Describing Personal Vision Experiences
• (00:09:46) - How Vision Loss Happened for Each Host
• (00:11:43) - Labels from Society: Blindness, Gender, Race
• (00:14:01) - Labels Within the Blind Community Itself
• (00:15:56) - Internal vs External Identity Shifts
• (00:18:33) - Ed's Reputation as the Tech Guru
• (00:21:47) - Pressure of Always Having the Answer
• (00:26:26) - Societal Pressure to Never Make Mistakes
• (00:28:00) - Misty's Role and Expectation of Positivity
• (00:31:28) - Defining Yourself Beyond Blindness
• (00:34:14) - Misty's Self-Definition: Mother, Cook, Scientist
• (00:37:40) - Ed's Self-Definition: Music, Art, and Tech
• (00:43:38) - Becky, Marriage, and Being a Difficult Board Member
• (00:45:17) - Tenacity, Stigma, and the Culture of Blindness
• (00:51:02) - The Danger of Pretending to See
• (00:55:32) - Confidence as Behavior, Not Just Feeling
• (00:59:28) - Vulnerability and Using Mobility Tools
• (01:03:30) - Being the Center of Attention and Owning Mistakes
• (01:06:51) - Blind Etiquette Segment: Unwanted Help Crossing Streets
• (01:10:52) - Being the Only Blind Person Someone Has Met
• (01:14:37) - Closing Thoughts and Call for Listener Input