Shows
Described Toronto PodcastDescription Rich Story Story Hour - Part FiveWho makes a city, and How? We all do. Each of us who live work and interact, each of us who dream, scheme and create. The Description Rich Story Hour project is, at its core, about this. As a Collective, we dream and create a city that showcases, honors, and gives voice to more people. Our podcast series has included the stories of folk who leveraged their skills to make a park where art could happen, who made art that reflects the sounds of that space, who danced there, sang there, improvised with instruments there, and who told stories...
2025-10-2119 min
Described Toronto PodcastDescription Rich Story Hour - Part FourThe stage is set, the performers are ready, the amphitheatre has an audience sprinkled on benches and lawn chairs, the sun is shining, the air is soft, Lee Lifeson Art Park is full of the sounds of an Autumn weekend in an urban park, and it’s time for the Description Rich Story Hour. In this episode it’s all about the stories! Tellers Katherine Sanders, Shak Gobert, Rbecca Singh, olivia shortt, and Christine Malec take the limelight, on the appropriately named Limelight Stage, and tell tales of the park, past, present and future. These stories will take you plac...
2025-10-061h 04
Described Toronto PodcastDescription Rich Story Hour - Part ThreeAs a Blind person Christine is always attentive to the sounds around her; they offer essential information, and it's how she navigates the world. For Sound Artist Anna Friz sound is also an anchor, but in a different way. In this episode, you'll hear a conversation Christine had with Anna about her sound art installation 120 Mirrors in Lee Lifeson Art Park. Christine had been to the park to experience the work before they spoke, but the conversation empowered her to do what she really wanted to do, which was make lots of playful noise in a public space, so...
2025-09-2233 min
Described Toronto PodcastDescription Rich Story Hour - Part TwoNot every park is an art park, and not every art park is Lee Lifeson Art Park. In this episode, we hear from former City Councillor John Filion about how the Park achieved its current iteration, and there’s more wheeling and dealing involved than you might think. And we focus, rather appropriately, on the Amphitheatre and the stage. What does it look like? What does it sound like? Who performs there? We hear from Dancer and Choreographer David Norsworthy about the Common Ground Dance Festival that will celebrate its fifth year on that stage the weekend of September 18-20...
2025-09-1749 min
Described Toronto PodcastDescription Rich Story Hour - Part OneWhere do stories come from? On September 27, 2025, in Lee Lifeson Art Park, 5 tellers will take the stage. Inspired by a prompt, and by the land they’ll be speaking from, each teller will share a unique tale. In this episode, we meet each of the tellers, and hear from them about where their creativity comes from, what stimulates their imagination, and what elements of the land currently occupied by Lee Lifeson Art Park gave birth to the stories they’ll share.Follow our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/describedtorontoThe Description Rich Story Hour and...
2025-08-2543 min
Described Toronto PodcastIntroducing the Description Rich Story HourIn this introductory episode, the Described Toronto Collective, Rebecca, Katie and Christine introduce themselves, revealing themselves as a multi-talented, multi-disciplinary gleaming constellation of artists! They discuss what listeners can expect from the podcast series, and describe the upcoming Description-Rich Story Hour at Lee Lifeson Art Park on September 27, 2025.Follow our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/describedtorontoThe Description Rich Story Hour and The Hopewell Garden Audio Story are created by Christine Malec, Rebecca Singh and Katherine Sanders. They are a trio of artists who came together for the purpose of creating audio experiences of...
2025-08-1302 min
Talk Description to MeEpisode 129 - The Book of WinterAs you probably know, your friends here at Talk Description to Me love a good story. We like reading them, writing them, and sharing them! This year, to celebrate the holidays, we'd like to offer you a story written and read by our very own Christine Malec (with a bit of help from JJ).Thank you for continuing to travel with us on our description-rich journey. May the season treat you and yours with warmth and kindness. Catch you in 2025!Send us a quick note!Support the show
2024-12-2341 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 128 - The Taylor Swift ExperienceWhat does it look and feel like to be in a sea of 50,000 gleeful, sequinned, Taylor Swift fans? That's what our own budding Swiftie Christine wanted to know! In this episode, Christine and JJ take their surround sound mic to the SkyDome and describe the atmosphere, the friendship bracelets, and the fans heading into one of Taylor Swift's six sold out Toronto shows. Send us a quick note!Support the show
2024-11-3032 min
Described Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part FiveIn this final episode of the Hopewell Garden Audio Story, Katie, Rebecca and Christine talk together about climate action, hope, the value in all of us working communally, and how much we loved working on this project together. If you’re new to the project, this short listen is a fantastic summary of what we’ve done, and an invitation to listen backwards. Follow our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/describedtorontoThe Description Rich Story Hour and The Hopewell Garden Audio Story are created by Christine Malec, Rebecca Singh and Katherine Sanders. They...
2024-10-3021 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 127 - The Rocky Horror Description ShowIt's no secret that Christine and JJ love their work, and when they get a fun and interesting gig they want to share it with everyone!This Halloween, JJ had the pleasure of describing the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Christine was in the audience to hear it. The production was staged by good friends at The Disability Collective, and featured audience participation, and an amazing all-Deaf shadow cast. In this mini bonus episode, JJ and Christine talk about their experiences on both sides of the AD headset, and announce the sharing of the show's pre-show notes.
2024-10-2804 min
Described Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part FourSeptember is a poignant time in any garden. The season is changing, it's the harvest, and everything is gradually slowing down. In this time of natural transition, Rebecca Singh led a guided, described walk for members of Toronto's Blind and Visually Impaired community. And, Christine returned to once again talk with the gardeners about what they're up to, and to hear about life in the garden. From the look and feel of a New England Aster to parties in and out of the garden, this episode has a little bit of everything!Voices you'll hear in this...
2024-10-1649 min
Described Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part ThreeWhy is the pollinator part of the Hopewell Community Garden so important for the folk who garden there? In this episode, we speak with renowned pollinator specialist Lorraine Johnson about pollinators, pollinator species, and how they can be incorporated into the life of a thriving urban environment. When pressed to describe what unifies her work, Ms. Johnson has settled on the term "cultivation activist". The author of numerous books on growing native plants, gardening for pollinators, restoring habitat, and producing food in cities, Lorraine’s work focuses on people and communities growing plants, ecological health, and connection to nature, an...
2024-10-021h 00
Described Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part TwoWarning, this episode may lead to healthy snacking. In this part of the Hopewell Community Garden story, we'll get a guided tour through the lush veggie garden in high summer. Even more nourishingly, we'll get to know some of the people who garden there. As they talk through the why and how of their experience in this space, they map out a practical, emotional and thoughtful landscape of what a garden is and what it can do. They're warm, thoughtful, smart and caring, and in their words, we find answers to what we can do in the face of...
2024-09-0448 min
Described Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part TwoWarning, this episode may lead to healthy snacking. In this part of the Hopewell Community Garden story, we'll get a guided tour through the lush veggie garden in high summer. Even more nourishingly, we'll get to know some of the people who garden there. As they talk through the why and how of their experience in this space, they map out a practical, emotional and thoughtful landscape of what a garden is and what it can do. They're warm, thoughtful, smart and caring, and in their words, we find answers to what we can do in the face of...
2024-09-0448 minDescribed Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part TwoWarning, this episode may lead to healthy snacking. In this part of the Hopewell Community Garden story, we'll get a guided tour through the lush veggie garden in high summer. Even more nourishingly, we'll get to know some of the people who garden there. As they talk through the why and how of their experience in this space, they map out a practical, emotional and thoughtful landscape of what a garden is and what it can do. They're warm, thoughtful, smart and caring, and in their words, we find answers to what we can do in the face of...
2024-09-0448 min
Described Toronto PodcastHopewell Garden Audio Story - Part OneThis is an immersive and joyful introduction to the Hopewell Community Garden in Walter Saunders Memorial Park. We’ll hear the serene voices of some of the gardeners talking about why they garden there. Audio Describer Rebecca Singh gives us some vivid description highlights of the park, infrastructure, flora, fauna, and a little bit of people watching, fun for blind and sighted listeners alike. We’ll learn some of the history of the garden and the land it occupies, then get some empirical research results showing just how successful the pollinator garden has been at attracting pollinators. Peace, community, huma...
2024-08-2136 min
Described Toronto PodcastIntroducing the Hopewell Garden Audio StoryThis episode introduces the limited series The Hopewell Garden Audio Story. Listen to hear about what this exciting new series has in store.Follow our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/describedtorontoThe Description Rich Story Hour and The Hopewell Garden Audio Story are created by Christine Malec, Rebecca Singh and Katherine Sanders. They are a trio of artists who came together for the purpose of creating audio experiences of the natural world from a Blind-led perspective.These stories are made possible thanks to the generous support of the Toronto Arts Council and...
2024-07-1803 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 125 - Radio LumiFor several years Christine and JJ have been working with Toronto's Luminato Festival, presenting live art, theatre, and dance performances to Blind and Low Vision audiences through the online radio program Radio Lumi. This year, Radio Lumi is expanding its arts and accessibility coverage and shifting its focus to podcasting, which has everyone very excited. On this bonus episode of Talk Description to Me, Christine and JJ introduce you to their Radio Lumi friends, and play description-rich excerpts from episodes you don't want to miss!For more info about the Luminato Festival, visit the access hub at L...
2024-05-1640 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 124 - AI Description Part 2Part 2 of 2. Love them or hate them, AI writing tools like Chat GPT have the potential to change the way we write, communicate, and learn. One group looking to harness the technology with, and for, the Blind community is Be My Eyes, an outfit which connects Blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers through live video calls. Now, Be My Eyes has partnered with OpenAI to create Be My AI, a free app-based service that provides AI-generated descriptions of user photos. The tech is currently being tested and played with by a large group of users, Christine amo...
2023-10-1037 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 123 - AI Description Part 1Love them or hate them, AI writing tools like ChatGPT have the potential to change the way we write, communicate, and learn. One group looking to harness the technology with, and for, the Blind community is Be My Eyes, an outfit which connects Blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers through live video calls. Now, Be My Eyes has partnered with OpenAI to create Be My AI, a free app-based service that provides AI-generated descriptions of user photos. The tech is currently being tested and played with by a large group of users, Christine among them. This week, Christine sh...
2023-10-0737 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 121 - Backyard Trek TalkThe Star Trek universe is alive, well, and moving at warp speed. To celebrate Star Trek Day JJ joins Christine in her backyard for a casual conversation about the visuals of two Trek shows, the animated series Lower Decks, and the live action prequel Strange New Worlds. Fast-paced animation, and the complexities of prequel aesthetics, are too much for traditional inline description, so with the sound of passing shuttlecraft and starships overhead (ok, maybe they're just planes headed to the airport!) Christine and JJ indulge in a geeky, chit-chatty, description deep dive. Send us a quick note!...
2023-09-0851 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 120 - The Grinch!Christmas is a wonderful time to get in touch with old friends, to catch up over a warm mug of hot chocolate, to say "How have you been? I've really missed you!" Well, we've really missed you! This year, to celebrate the season, we'd like to make this small Christmas offering: a reading of How The Grinch Stole Christmas by the one-and-only Dr. Seuss. But Christine is Christine, JJ is JJ, and this is Talk Description to Me, so in our reading of the classic Christmas tale, a few descriptions of the picture book illustrations have been...
2022-12-1711 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 118 - River SystemsFuelled once again by Christine's insatiable curiosity, today Talk Description to Me explores the visuals of river systems. How do rivers form? Are the headwaters obvious? Are stream networks visible in satellite images? Does a river in the Amazon look the same as a river in Egypt? With the help of diagrams, descriptions of maps, and tactile primers on continental geography, JJ and Christine dive headfirst into the cool, rushing waters of the world's great rivers.Send us a quick note!Support the show
2022-08-2031 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 107 - Star Wars Part 2: Obi Wan KenobiChristine and JJ just couldn't fit all of their Star Wars talk into a single episode, so today they circle back in their X-Wing to describe ships in the Star Wars universe. Then, having started the new Obi Wan Kenobi series, Christine and JJ go deep on the visual details that inline description doesn't quite have time for: visual parallels, hidden clues, and quickie cameos. Spoiler warning! And nerd alert, too!Send us a quick note!Support the show
2022-06-0442 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 97 - Christine in VancouverOn a recent trip to Vancouver, Christine met up with some of the great folks at VocalEye, a not-for-profit organization that does amazing and innovative work in the Description world. After a full day of exploring, Christine got a ride home with longtime Describer, and all-around lovely Vancouverite, Ingrid Turk. Full of questions about Vancouver's much-hyped landscape, and not willing to pass up a golden opportunity, Christine switched on her mic and recorded this impromptu episode. Special thanks to Ingrid, Steph Kirkland, Eileen Barrett, and Amy Amantea, who we'll be hearing in future episodes!...
2022-03-2625 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 93 - COVID Graphs, and Police Clash with Protestors in the "Freedom Convoy"Charts and graphs can be useful for recognizing patterns and comparing data sets. Today, Christine and JJ explore visualizations of case numbers, deaths, and vaccinations from the COVID era. Then, the pair checks in on the Ottawa "Freedom Convoy". When police moved in to shut down the occupation, cell phone cameras were rolling! What they captured were disturbing and contentious images of children on the front lines, and mounted officers clashing with protestors. Christine and JJ try to sort through the visuals in this important follow-up episode. Send us a quick note!Support the show
2022-02-2635 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 90 - The View From Here, There, and EverywhereAs we all know, Christine is a woman with many questions! What's the appeal of a dramatic view? Do clouds look the same from above and below? What does lightning look like from an airplane? Can you tell if you're being watched by an animal? Or through a camera? This week, Christine lets loose with her best view-related queries. But the question remains: Can JJ keep up?!Send us a quick note!Support the show
2022-02-1235 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 86 - NASA's James Webb Space TelescopeIt's been an exciting couple of weeks for space geeks like Christine. On Christmas Day, with help from the European Space Agency, NASA launched the James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to Hubble. Since then, the telescope has been busy unfolding, preparing itself for a million-mile mission and a lifetime of capturing infrared images of the oldest and most distant objects in our universe. JJ and Christine will have to wait a while before those images are available to describe, but that's ok because there's a more pressing practical question to deal with first: what the heck does an u...
2022-01-1530 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 85 - It's Hockey Night Tonight!"Hello out there! We're on the air! It's hockey night tonight!" - Stompin' Tom Connors.For some, winter means bundling up, locking the door, and hiding under weighted blankets 'til Spring. For others it means lacing up skates, taping up an old stick, and heading to the nearest patch of ice for a bit of shinny! This week, in a valiant, oh-so-Canadian effort to fight off the post-holiday blahs, Christine and JJ indulge in some nostalgic, description-rich chirping about the best game we can name - the good ol' hockey game!To hear a live...
2022-01-0844 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 81 - Maps and Tracking SystemsEver wondered how the surface of a round planet translates into a flat map? Christine has! This week, JJ answers questions about the visuals of maps, and how those visuals line up with reality. Then, with maps on the mind, JJ and Christine discuss the look of online tracking and navigation, from deliveries to Uber rides, container ships to Santa's Christmas Eve run!Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-12-1130 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 75 - The Rocky Horror Picture Show!There's never a bad time to don fishnet stockings and dance the Time Warp, but if you're looking for an excuse, Halloween is it! This week, Christine and JJ breakdown the visuals of the greatest cult movie of all time: the Rocky Horror Picture Show! Sequinned heels, outrageous makeup, hunky musclemen, and more corsets than you can shake a feather boa at; the Rocky Horror Picture Show implores us to give ourselves over to absolute pleasure. With a strong penchant for campy, raunchy fun, Talk Description to Me happily indulges! This episode was inspired by a wonderful v...
2021-10-3030 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 74 - Viral Video ContraptionsSeveral internet videos featuring strange contraptions and creations have popped up in Christine's social media feed over the last few months, but we haven't managed to slip them into an episode. Then last week, a painting by the mysterious street artist Banksy sold at auction for $25 million. The crazy story of its creation features an epic prank, a hidden contraption, and a viral video, giving us the perfect excuse to pull all these wild inventions into one goofy episode. The original videos discussed in this episode can all be found on YouTube. For Bansky's video about the p...
2021-10-2329 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 73 - The Look of EnergyEnergy infrastructure might not be sexy, but it's vital to our current way of life. These systems bring electricity to your home and transport oil and gas across continents, but what they actually look like remains a mystery to many people. This week, Christine asks about pipelines, rooftop solar systems, and commercial wind farms, and JJ describes the network of wires that lead from power plants, into your city, down your street, right to your home. This episode was inspired by images from world-renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky, and his work with Toronto's Luminato Festival, which Christine and J...
2021-10-1640 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 72 - UnderwaterHow does life look underwater? What's a jellyfish like? How about coral? Are deep sea creatures really that bizarre? This week, Christine and JJ don their virtual scuba gear (but not before describing it, of course!) to answer listener questions about the visuals of the underwater world.Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-10-0927 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 71 - Audio Description ShorthandWhen tight for time, Audio Describers often use shorthand phrases to sum up rich or complex visuals. Today, Christine and JJ expand on expressions like "futuristic" and "well-dressed" to help description users fill-in their mental pictures. Prompted by online conversations with fellow description users and creators, Christine asks how Describers handle repetitive imagery, antiquated language, B-movie continuity, and even eyebrow acting. Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-10-0233 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 70 - Star TrekTo boldly describe what no one has described before! Ok, that might be overstating it a bit, but can you blame us for being excited? We’re describing the world of Star Trek here! Inspired by the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ casting of Bruce Horak in the role of Hemmer — a blind actor playing a blind character! — Christine and JJ indulge in a descriptive conversation about the every-changing look of Star Trek. From the soft focus treatment of Kirk’s beautiful alien love interests, to the evolution of Klingon cranial ridges, and the view through Geordi LaForge’s visor, Chris...
2021-09-2540 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 69 - Album ArtSome of the most iconic pop culture images of our times come from album art. But for many Blind and Low Vision music fans, album covers are little more than cardboard sleeves to protect precious vinyl. Today, Christine and JJ describe art from Billboard’s Top 50 Album Covers of All Time, and throw in some listener requests for good measure. For Billboard’s complete list, visit: https://www.billboard.com/photos/6715351/best-album-covers-of-all-time/Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-09-1836 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 68 - The Taliban Takes AfghanistanIt's been a harrowing few months in Afghanistan with the Taliban advancing during the US military withdrawal. In mid August, the Taliban took control of Kabul and the chaos peaked. In this episode, JJ describes some key scenes from the Taliban takeover including the seizure of the Presidential Palace and the desperate evacuation at the Kabul airport. Then Christine asks about ongoing protests by the women of Afghanistan, and how US political cartoonists have responded to these troubling and complex events. Many news organizations have compiled complete timelines of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. We found this ar...
2021-09-1136 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 67 - ConstellationsConstellations are delightful and magical; a curious mix of astronomy and fantasy. They are also a cross cultural phenomenon, with groups from around the world using their own stories to construct and name connect-the-dot pictures in the night sky. This week, Christine and JJ use Astronomer and Data Visualization Designer Nadieh Bremer's innovative "Figures in the Sky" project to explore and describe the look of constellations.For more on Figures in the Sky, visit: https://figuresinthesky.visualcinnamon.com/Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-09-0424 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 66 - The ParalympicsThe Paralympics are underway, giving us a new slate of athletic heroes to cheer on. But ParaSports sports receive limited coverage between international tournaments, and that makes them a bit harder to follow. To help fill in those gaps, Christine and JJ break down the visuals of some popular Paralympic sports, including wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, running events, and goalball. They talk gear, skills, body types, and debate the merits of diving across a gymnasium floor to block bell-filled-balls with your face! Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-08-2836 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 65 - InsectsWhy are some bugs considered beautiful, and others considered creepy? What is the visual impact of a spotting a single bug versus a swarm? When you cook an insect, does it still look like a bug? Join Christine and JJ for a description-rich conversation about insects that's so vivid you'll swear they're buzzing all around!Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-08-2130 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 64 - The CottageWhen summer in the city gets unbearably hot and muggy, many of us dream of a road trip to the cottage. Having just come back from one such weekend getaway, Christine seeks to extend her swim-in-the-lake, sunbathe-on-the-dock, feel-good-buzz with descriptions of a cottage escape. And what road trip is complete without a couple of goofball kids hamming it up in the back of the car? As a special treat, JJ passes his microphone to the backseat so his describers-in-training can read the cottage country signs zipping by. Join us for an oh-so-Canadian summer getaway.Send us a...
2021-08-1434 minTalk Description to MeEpisode 63 - The OlympicsThe Olympics are in full swing, and daily audio description coverage has never been better. This week, Christine and JJ discuss the visuals that don't necessarily make it into the prime time recap, including Olympic memes, protest signs, and slow motion gymnastics. Plus, a few description-rich stories of Olympic sportsmanship. Audio Description of NBC's prime time coverage and opening and closing ceremonies is being handled by Descriptive Video Works. Check out #NBCOlympicsA11y and #NBCParalympicsA11y on social media to connect and share with others. Send us a quick note!Support the show
2021-08-0732 min