December 13, 2024 • 34 mins
Paralympic swimmer Anastasia Pagonis joins Sarah to discuss how she prepared for blindness, how her guide dog Radar gives her much-needed confidence, and what it’s like to work with brands to change how people see visually impaired folks. Plus, a What The Fact about moms who coach and Angel City's newest investment in the community.
-
The full NCAA volleyball tournament schedule is here
-
This weekend’s NCAA basketball games can be found here
-
Check out the ESSENCE cover story about Sha’Carri Richardson here
-
And keep sending us your holiday traditions!! Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at goodgame@wondermedianetwork.com
-
Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323
-
Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist
-
Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're taking
a page from birthday Girl Taylor Swift's book and embracing
the final Friday, the thirteenth of the year. No periscovide
could triophobia for us. That's right, It's Friday, December thirteenth,
and on today's show, I talked to two time Paralympic swimmer, speaker,
beauty junkie and activist for the visually impaired, Honest Decia
(00:23):
taz Pagonis. We discuss how she learned, how she would
lose her sight and tried to prepare for blindness, how
her guide dog gives her much needed confidence, meddling at
the Paralympics and creating videos and working with brands to
change how people see visually impaired folks. Plus what the
fact about moms who coach? And Angel City's newest investment
in the community.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
It's all coming up right after this.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Welcome Back Slices, Happy Friday, Miche has your need to
know today, Take it away.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Mesh, Thank you, Sarah. In College Vibes News, the NCAA
Sweet sixteen continues today. There are four matchups on ESPN
two starting at one pm. Eastern with two seed Creighton
versus three seed Texas. That's followed by one seed Penn
State versus five seed Marquette at three thirty, then two
(01:19):
seed Wisconsin versus six seeded Texas A and M at seven,
and finally one seed Nebraska faces five seed Dayton to
round things out at nine thirty. We'll link to the
tournament bracket in our show notes. In college hoops, there
are a couple Top twenty five clashes happening this weekend,
all on Sunday. First, the undefeated number seventeen Michigan State
Spartans hosts number twenty one Iowa at noon on Big
(01:41):
ten Network. Iowa's fresh off of victory over in state
rival Iowa State on Wednesday night and looking to keep
the winds rolling in. Then it's undefeated number twenty five
Georgia Tech on the road against number fourteen North Carolina
at two pm Eastern on ACC Network. Texts one of
the ten undefeated teams left across the country, and the
tarho are going to try and ruin their party. I'm
(02:02):
also going to be locked in for the battle between
number twenty two NC State and unranked Louisville at one pm.
On ABC. The Cardinals dropped out of the ap Top
twenty five this week and could end up right back
in it with a win over the Wolfpack. We'll link
to the full schedule of games this weekend in our
show notes. Lastly, I just want to give a shout
out to tam USA sprinter and Olympic gold medalist Shakerrie Richardson,
(02:24):
who's the January February cover star of Essence magazine. I
was scrolling the TL and I saw those pictures and man,
that's good work. Must see if you haven't already. Plus,
the cover story written by Scheren Nicole is excellent too.
We'll link to the cover and story in our show notes.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Thanks me, We got to take a quick break when
we come back. Taz Pagonis wants folks to see her
differently stick around.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Joining US now.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
She's a two time pairlel Olympic swimmer and two time
Paralympic medalist who represented the US at the twenty twenty
and twenty twenty four Games and is the world record
holder in the women's four hundred meter freestyle S eleven class.
She wants to change the way folks see the visually
impaired and her guide dog, Radar has a better skincare
and beauty regime than I do. It's Anastasia, but really
(03:19):
honest a Sea pagonas, what's up, Anastasia?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Hi? How are you guys? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I'm sticking with the American pronunciation. I don't trust myself
on the Greek the entirety.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Honestly, that's totally fair. You can call me toss too
if you want. That's what like, my friends and family
call me.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
So honest to seea is so pretty though, So it
sucks for you that Americans are like, we're gonna go
with Anastasia.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Also pretty, also pretty bad?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Yea. I feel like it's like a different type of pretty.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
But honestly, when I hear honest to see you, I
feel like one of my parents or grandparents is like
yelling at me.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
You know what I mean? Like when you when you
hear the name, you're a little scared. Yeah, very true.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
I want to start with Radar because I'm obsessed with dogs.
I have three of my own, and you have so
many amazing social media videos of him. Every dog has
their quirks, so I need to know Radar's biggest quirk
or the thing that makes him unique.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Radar is an angel in every way, but his toxic
trait is definitely being stubborn. He is so ridiculously stubborn
it's crazy, but I love that for him. So, and
his bedtime is seven thirty. If you ask him to
do anything after.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Seven thirty, he's like, screw you, You're on your own.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Girl, Like, no way. Not if there was an emergency,
right though, he would spring into action.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Yes, if I like really needed him, he would like
totally be there. But if it's like eight o'clock and
I'm like, Radar want to go outside and like go
to the bathroom, He's like, girl, are you crazy?
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Not today.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
We love a lazy dog.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
We love a lazy dog because when we're lazy, we
need them to be lazy too, exactly. So, I want
to get back to Radar in a minute and how
he really helped you adjust. But let's go back to
when you started losing your vision at the age of twelve.
It was genetic retina disease and autoimmune retinopathy. Can you
take us back to those early days, Like when you
started to have issues with your vision, what did you
(05:12):
think was going on?
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Yeah, so when I first was going through kind of
vision loss. I didn't even know it was vision loss.
Neither did my family. They just thought that I was
like super clumsy and just that mess of a child,
which I still am honored to be, but they honestly
just thought that I was just super clumsy and that's
why I was walking into things. And we ended up
(05:34):
going to my doctor and my mom noticed that, like, no,
this is definitely much more severe than just a clumsy,
crazy girl. When I was reading things, I would literally
have to like put my nose to it to be
able to see it, and they were like.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
That's problematic.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
So we get to the doctor and I was misdiagnosed,
and we go to a retina specialist and he looks
in my eyes and all of a sudden, they're like
pulling in a bunch of doctors, a bunch of nurses,
a bunch of gene therapists. They're like, we need her
to go to the phlebotomist asap. She needs to get
blood work done and all this stuff, And obviously I
was super young and very confused. My mom called my
(06:13):
dad and was like, Peter, you need to get here
right now, Like I don't know what's going on. But
we knew it wasn't good if they were pulling in
all these doctors and needed to do like immediate blood testing.
So it was super scary in the moment.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And I've had like.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
A lot of doctors that just have god awful, honestly
non existent bedside manners, which is so brutal to deal with.
But now I travel to U penn in Philly and
they're amazing. They work on like rats and gorillas all
day and then like sometimes they see patients, which I
love that for me, and they're just great to deal with,
(06:48):
and they were the ones who diagnosed me. I have
an autoimmune disease, so basically I like to explain it
as alopecia because a lot of people know what that is.
Your immune system attacks your hair hair follicle and kills it.
But it's kind of the same thing that's going on
with my retinas. And then I also have a genetic
disease where my body is also basically clotting retina, like
(07:12):
clotting vitamin A in my retina, if that makes sense.
I'm very blessed in the eye department.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah, yeah, all all in the same spot. My gosh,
so you finally you get that diagnosis, what's your immediate reaction?
What do you are you at that point told essentially
like you will continue to lose eyesight until you're blind.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
No, I was actually told that I was only going
to lose my central vision. And I think that's why
when I did lose more than my central vision, why
it was so hard for me, Because I had this
expectation of, oh, like, if you get told you're winning
a million dollars and they half ask you and give
you five hundred K, you're gonna be like.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, you're like that would have been nice. But now
I was expecting a million.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Yeah you're like excuse me? What?
Speaker 5 (07:59):
So, So I had that expectation and that false hope
that okay, like this is kind of what my life
is going to be like. When I had no central vision,
I was able to get around and do things. I
would trip often and I couldn't really read, but I
had most of my independence. And then I started losing
more of my vision. I vividly remember it happening. I
(08:20):
was at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and
I was like, huh, this is weird. I was like
I fell down the stairs. I couldn't see the steps
at all. Everything was kind of getting like gray and blurry,
and I was like really scared. And the next two
months after that, I was progressively losing more vision and
(08:40):
I went into, as someone would, a very dark, deep depression,
and it was really hard for me. My family was
so helpful through it all though. I mean, I genuinely
don't think I would be able to get through that
without my support system and my outpatient therapy. I think
it really saved me. But one thing about like depression, suicide,
(09:02):
things like that is it has to come from you.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
You have to be the person that wants to get
out of it.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
No matter what anyone does for you, it really has
to come from you. And that's something that I learned,
not shortly but a few months.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
I have a friend with Usher syndrome, and so she's
gradually losing her sight. And she's a photographer, so she's
been traveling the world taking pictures of all the places
and trying to see as many places as she can,
knowing that eventually she'll really be limited. But she's also
trying to plan ahead. So how much did you start
planning ahead recognizing in those moments that it was going
(09:37):
and going faster and more than you had been told
to start preparing for life without your vision.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
I think that there's no way of preparing to be
in It's kind of like being in someone else's shoes,
Like there's no way for me to prepare myself to
live your life, right, So there was no real preparation
that I could do to prepare for losing literally your
main sense. When I was first diagnosed, my family asked
(10:07):
me where I wanted to go to like kind of
see for the last time. And I went to Hawaii
and like a beautiful vacation with my family, which was amazing,
and I got to do all of the things that
I thought I would never be able to do again.
But now I'm here and I'm doing ten times more
than that, and I'm like, oh, so, like I didn't
even need that. And I think that's something really special
(10:28):
about disabilities is people truly believe that you can't do
certain things and that you're so limited. But I genuinely
can do everything that an able bodied person can do.
I just can't go straight over the mountain. I have
to find my way around, and like that's totally okay
and so cool.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, you talk about sort of the depression that you
felt around this big life change, but then Radar arrives
and gives you back confidence. So tell me about just
that moment and creating this like bond with him to
help you through life.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Yeah, as a being a teenage girl in itself is
just brutal, but imagine doing that and going through like
a vision loss.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
It was just it was brutal.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
It's really hard trying to have your independence and wanting
to go to the mall or go to Starbucks and
having to hold your mommy's hand while you're doing it.
It was something that was really really hard for me.
And the Paralympic Games in Tokyo got postponed because of COVID,
so I feel like this is like the one good
thing that came out of COVID. And the Guide Dog
Foundation reached out to me and they were like, hey,
(11:33):
since this was postponed, like maybe now's your time to
get a guide dog, and I was so excited about it.
You go through so much training with your guide dog
because they want to find the perfect match for you,
like someone who basically a dog who will be able
to live the same lifestyle as you. And that's when
(11:54):
I was matched with Radar, and it was literally a
perfect match the first time I used him. We like
walk the same we walk the same pace, we have
like similar lifestyles. He's actually the first Islanders dogs, so
the New York Islanders sponsor up.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
No way, I've seen that.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Yeah, yeah, so he was the first one.
Speaker 5 (12:13):
So he's used to like the super loud environments and
stuff like.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
That, which is great.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
He's athlete, he's Yeah, he went from the ice to
the water and I love that.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Oh my gosh, perfect.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
Yeah, but I got all of my independence back when
I started. When I started working with him, it was
something that was so special. I can go Starbucks on myself,
I can go to the mall by myself, and yeah,
I have all of my independence back, and it's so
it's just really amazing. The things that a guide dog
can do is crazy. He's literally smarter than a human.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I know.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
I think about that all the time because I think
about just the average, my lazy ass dogs and how
like what a miracle they are in my life. And
then I think about the smartest trained guide dogs and yeah, really, just.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
We don't deserve them. And we should treat them a
lot better all the time.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
I one hundred percent agree.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
You mentioned the Paralympics. Were you an athlete before or
did you find swimming and find your passion for sport
after the diagnosis.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
I was always super athletic.
Speaker 5 (13:11):
I was playing soccer before I was diagnosed, and soccer
balls no vision, it doesn't work well. So my doctor
recommended I tried a less contact sport and that's how
I got involved in swimming.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
There was a big explosion in popularity for the Paralympics
this year, which was so awesome to watch, more coverage,
more enthusiasm for all the athletes. After going through that,
what do you think can still improve for the Paralympics.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
I think that there's so much to still improve on.
I am so thrilled about just the progress in the Paralympics.
I mean at the Paralympic Games, we had one hundred
percent sold out arenas, like that is insane. Track and
field had over seventy thousand people in the stands, that
is crazy. Swimming had a little over fifteen k. That
is like insane and such a special moment for the
(13:59):
Paralympic movement. I think our coverage still has a lot
of work to be done. We should be able to
flip on the TV and the Paralympics beyond just the
same way that the Olympics are or you know, football
things like that. And something that I am very vocal
about is equal pay. I think that we are equal
(14:22):
and we are professional athletes the same way that an
Olympian is, and we deserve to be paid equally from
our sponsors because of that. And I think that a
lot of companies believe that we are less than and
they think that they can pay us not even half,
not even a quarter, but a small percentage of the
money that they're paying their Olympians. And it's pretty gross
(14:42):
because we do the same things and we have disabilities,
so we're just like overcoming so much.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I think one of the things
that really helped the Paralympics take a big step this
year was the embrace of the just humanity and similarity,
like how similar you are to the Olympians, including some
like really funny videos that were informative at the same time,
letting people have fun with their disability while also promoting
(15:08):
their sport instead of always making it about being inspirational
or super.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Serious, and you do a great job of that.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
You want to change people's perspective on blindness, including things
like you have done videos where you make a list
of the top things people say to you when they
find out you're blind. Can you give us a few
of those, because some of those were pretty like funny
but like shocking and annoying, which I'm sure you're annoyed
with them, but by now you kind of spun them
into something funny.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
I mean, I think that there's such a stigma on
disabilities and people that meet someone that's disabled, they believe
that they have to like walk on eggshells around them,
and that's something that I'm trying to break down, Like no,
like I am actually still a human being, Like.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
You don't have to be like that, right.
Speaker 5 (15:51):
But then there's the other spectrum where people are just
so blunt, and I'll have people that come up to
me and they're like, so, what happened to you? And
I'm like, oh, thanks for asking me that, stranger, Like,
let's go back to the darkest moment in my entire
life and let me just tell you about that.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Also, while we're here, what happened to you in order
to be someone that would ask me that question.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Let's go back to your trauma. Are you okay? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Do you need to talk? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
But it's you can tell when someone's asking because they
want to inform themselves and when someone's asking because they're
a nosy Karen. And it's just like you gotta you
gotta decipher the difference when someone's trying to like inform
themselves and learn about vision loss, or maybe they have
someone with vision loss in their family. It's totally different.
And I love when people ask me things, but maybe
(16:42):
not some.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Like stupid ones a little more why yeah?
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Or like getting yelled at by like random people because
I I like, I park in a handicap spot, like
my I'm like, you literally flat out stole your grandma's
handicap sticker, Like why are you yelling at me?
Speaker 1 (17:02):
One of the ones you said, which just is like
so nonsensical.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
It's kind of like when people talk.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Louder to someone who's blind, which makes no sense because
it's not affecting your weird but also that people say
stuff to you like oh, but you're so pretty, like
I know, and you are you're super into beauty. You're
super your makeup always looks flawless, like And that's why
I love this ELF partnership because it kind of fits
in perfectly with people saying that to you. What does
(17:27):
it mean to be able to have this like partnership
with a company like Elf and have them support you.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
Oh my gosh, it is genuinely a dream come true.
I mean, starting this years ago with my mom and
me being the girliers girl out there and just wanting
to do my makeup enjoy the same things that I
used to enjoy when I had my vision, and it
being a struggle for me and my mom making these
QR codes and trying to make things successible for me,
and that being my normal that like, okay, wait, I
(17:55):
actually have to make things adaptable for me. Why can't
I just go into a store and use makeup like
anyone else could?
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Like?
Speaker 5 (18:02):
What makes me so different and so not human at
that point that I can't do the same thing that
someone else could do. And it's so special that ELF
is trying to make the world a more accessible place
because the world doesn't set up for people with disabilities
and it sucks and it's super sad, but it's amazing
that a huge company is genuinely trying to solve that
(18:24):
and fix this. Basically, it's a crisis because I genuinely
believe that I deserve to be able to use makeup
like you do, and ELF is making that possible. And
I'm just so grateful for our partnership. They are one
of the few companies that actually walks the walk instead
of talking the talk and checking off a box. They
really want to make a change, which is so special.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
What do you mean by QR coats? What does your
mom do to help you?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Yeah, so here's a quick little overview.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Basically, if you picked up a bottle, you would be
able to read it and know what it is. I
pick up something and I would have no idea what
it is. And if you picked up two bottles of foundation,
you would know which shades are what I would have
no idea. So my mom made a barcode that you
Basically she put a sticker, she printed it out and
(19:17):
stickered it onto my specific makeups that I just have
like a hard time finding the difference with like two
different foundations. That's one's a summer shade and one is
a winter shade. And she'll say this one is your
summer shade, and this is the Halo glow. And this
is your winter shade, and this is the Halo glow.
And it says it out loud what it is.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
OK.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It is when you stand the QR code, it talks
to you.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
Yeah, when it talks to you, and it tells you
exactly what the product is, which is so cool. And
same thing with like mascara's, which one's waterproof, which one's not,
what colors lipsticks are, and things like that. Because I
deserve to have my independence, and that is just a
small thing that really helps me.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
I saw a video of you showing your boyfriend helping
with your makeup and your eyebrows in particular. Is that
a real thing or is that just for fun?
Speaker 4 (20:05):
No, he actually does that.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I would not trust my husband for a second.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
Trust me. I'm like screaming at him. I'm like that
feels too close. You're making them too thin.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
And I'm like screaming at him. He's no, he's like
a professional at it now. So he's always fixing, like
my eyebrows and he's like, girl, the mustache is coming in.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
I'm like, right for you, but help me.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Think, yes, me about the chin hair. I need to know, Yeah,
I need to know.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I need to know.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
And we carry a beauty blender in his car because
I love to just go out in public and he's like,
you're like, your contour is just it's a little un
it's a little aggressive, Like we need to think that,
and he helps me.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
He's the best.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
So, having worked with ELF and probably a handful of
other brands surrounding your Paralympics and and your life, what
is your ask to companies in relation to inclusive.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
I think inclusivity, diversity and inclusion is something that is
so easy, can be so affordable that people are just
not doing and maybe they say they're doing it and
they're just checking off that box, but you have to
walk the walk and it's something that can be so easy.
And hiring disabled people to help you figure out what
(21:22):
is the right way to do this, what is the
right and the wrong way to do this, and how
can we make this good for everyone that has a
disability because there's so many disabilities out there, and there's
so many varies and things like that. Even for like
my parents who need to wear glasses to like see anything,
that must their souls. They would find use out of
(21:43):
like a barcode that they can scan and it tells
them what it is, instead of my dad having to
search for his glasses for like twenty minutes. So it's
not taking away from anyone. You making your company accessible
is making a positive impact on everyone, not.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Just people with disabilities.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
It might just be your grandma that lives next door.
And I think it's something that's so important and so easy,
and the disabled community is here to help you, and
just think about if you were in their shoes.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Yeah, what's you're ask to people in general?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Because you know, able bodied folks sometimes don't know when
to ask questions and when not to When does suggest
that they might be able to help, and when it feels,
you know, like they're stepping on toes. So how do
you suggest people best interact with people with various disabilities
and make sure that they're being as inclusive as they
can be without overstepping.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
Yeah, I think there's a very fine line of overstepping
and of just asking for help and being a good human.
In my opinion, I can only speak for myself, so
I don't really know about other disabled people or even
other people who are visually impaired. But for me, if
I'm in a store and someone asks me if I
need help with something, like, I genuinely do appreciate that,
(22:56):
and I don't feel belittled personally. But there are some
disabled people that feel like able bodied people don't think
they're capable and that's why they're asking them.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
But for me personally.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
I'm like, yes, please, I've been like waiting for someone
to come help me with this thanklessness.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
It probably on.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Your mood too, the same way as everybody else, Like
sometimes I don't want some dude walking up and asking
if I need help with something heavy and something I
sure do because you know what, I'm fucking tired and
it would be great if you would pick that up
instead of me having to do it exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
And you're like, you know what, can you actually just
shop for me? Thanks? But there's also a fine line.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I've had people that I ask for help in a
store and they'll fully like grab me, and it's like.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
No, no, you don't have to touch me. I am capable,
like my dog can.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
Follow you, or like I can grab your arm, but
there's no reason for you to just come and grab
me because.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
We'll get an elbow to the face.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Ye, so I think there's a super fine line, but
I personally appreciate the help.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Yeah, you know, you found such beautiful ways to spin
your disability into something educational and funny and inspirational. But
I'm sure you still struggle with limitations at times. Is
there a specific like daily activity or responsibility that most
gets you frustrated? Like the one thing that you're like,
this thing is the one that I can't spin into
a positive for me.
Speaker 5 (24:18):
There is so many things that are my normal that
are not easy to do.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Does that make sense for sure?
Speaker 5 (24:26):
So there's so many things that like, oh, like when
I wake up in the morning, this is kind of
how I have to do things versus how an able
bodied person would do something Like this morning, I went
to the gym and I could not figure out how
to like turn on the treadmill because it's like a
fully touch screen one and I'm like having a stroke
over there, and I have to, like face face, I
(24:47):
have to FaceTime my mom to like kind of help
me figure it out. And what happens when she doesn't
pick up right? And what happens? Am I just going
to sit there until she calls me back and like
small things that actually make a difference and make my
life more difficult.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
I moved out.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
I don't live with my parents anymore, so I have
to be a lot more independent, and I see that
they're will not see, but I experience things that I'm like, oh, wow,
people like are rude and like they don't care about
people with disabilities, and like they really will try to
take advantage of you, and it's really sad.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
But I'm noticing it a lot now that I.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
Don't like live with multiple sided people that can help me.
So it's definitely different seeing how people will just take
advantage and you're like, wow, you're a bad person.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Yeah, that's incredibly frustrating.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
One thing, I started listening to this podcast, and there
was the occasional episode that I thought, oh, I might
skip this one, and then I would listen anyway, and
by the end I would think how much I learned
from understanding someone with a completely different like life perspective
or struggles or pathologies that I didn't understand and now
I bet understand. And one of the biggest things I
learned from that was how often people who do or
(26:05):
experience things differently, end up discovering new ways of looking
at things, new ways of doing things, expanding, you know,
the way that we see the world and the way
that we interact with it. And I wonder how whether
it's patience, because now you have to have so much
patience to do things that we take for granted that
might take longer or be more difficult for you, or
whether it's the change in your other senses. Is there
(26:28):
anything in particular that you really notice that in the
years since you've lost your sight, you feel like you
experience the world really differently than most people because of.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
I feel like I definitely don't take things for granted anymore.
I think a lot of people take for granted being
able to just get in their car and go and
do whatever they need to do. Like yesterday, shout out
to Amazon, I want to refund.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
I ordered my food.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
I ordered like Whole Foods delivered, and they said my
order would be here by four o'clock.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
It's four point thirty. I call them. They're like, oh,
it's gonna be here by eight o'clock.
Speaker 5 (27:07):
So I'm like, okay, I have to order dinner now.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
Like that suck.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Now, now I have to order dinner that's going to
be more expensive, and then they cancel my order, so
I'm like, oh great, And so I go through that
whole process again today and my food's not coming again
until eight pm.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
And I'm like, oh, now I have to order food again.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
And just like small things, And I think, like sympathy
is something that it's gotten better and worse.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Does that make any sense?
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Like people that are complaining about stupid stuff, I'm like.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Yeah, are you kidding me?
Speaker 5 (27:39):
But then I have more sympathy for people who are
like really struggling and going through things because I know
how it feels. So I feel like it's impacted me
in multiple different ways. But my disability has opened a
lot of doors that I didn't think it would open,
and I'm hoping that I can help someone else out
there and make the world a little more accessible for them.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Yeah, it sounds like it certainly affected your perspective. And actually,
I have so many friends and particularly athletes in the
Paralympic world who have said that they've accomplished way more
than they ever would have imagined that they might had
it not been for their accident or their disability. So
before I let you go, I have to ask, what's
next for you? What are you working on, what are
you training for, what are you excited about?
Speaker 5 (28:20):
Yeah, so right now I'm really working on like the
accessibility movement and making things just more inclusive. Right now,
I'm obviously fully dove into the makeup world and like
truly trying to find different things that will make my
life in other people's lives easier, and just accessibility in
general in the world because we deserve that. Right now,
(28:43):
I'm taking a little break from swimming, which is really nice,
just kind of focusing on me, and I'm currently training
for a triathlon next year.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Which cool.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
I have to ask, did you do your makeup today
or was the boyfriend helping?
Speaker 4 (28:56):
I did my makeup today?
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Actually, okay, well looks a million times better than mine.
So congrats to you.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
I'm else and everything else. Thank you so much. I
really appreciate you coming on. It was great to talk to.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
Thank you you too. Bye. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Thanks again to Task for joining us. We have to
take another break when we come back. What the fact
about moms who coach and a chance to join me
and make it an impact? Welcome back, slices, It's time
(29:38):
for another What the Fact. So, according to data from
the Alex Morgan Foundations Coaching Moms Initiative, it's in partnership
with we coach. Over seventy percent of female coaches report
lack of access to affordable childcare affects their ability to
continue coaching. Without the resources and support that they need
(29:59):
to prioritize the health the well being of their children
and families, these super talented and experienced female coaches take
on less responsibility, stop pursuing bigger, high profile coaching jobs,
or just drop out of the coaching ranks entirely. An
inability to balance motherhood and coaching is one reason why
the twenty twenty two to twenty three NCAA database revealed
that only four out of ten NCAA women's teams are
(30:21):
coached by women, and according to Aspen Institute research, only
twenty six percent of youth sports head coaches were women.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
In twenty twenty two.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Not cool.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
This what the Fact was brought to by elf Beauty.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
And here's another fact.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Elfeudie's recent report shows that gender diverse boards lead to
positive business results. S and P five hundred companies with
above average gender diversity on their boards saw a fifteen
percent boost in return on equity and a fifty percent
drop in earning's risk over a year. You can read
the full report at Elfbeauty dot com slash not So
White Paper. We love that you're listening, but we want
(30:57):
you to get in the game every day too, So
here's our good gameplay of the day.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
It's real easy.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
I'll just follow TOAs honest Asia underscore K underscore P
on Instagram and honest Asia is spelled just like Anastasia
if that makes it easier Anastesia underscore K underscore P.
And also, don't forget to send us your holiday traditions
next week. We want to share some of the best
ones that we get because I'm looking to steal y'all,
so send me those traditions at Spain two three two
(31:22):
three on Instagram, at Sarah Spain on Twitter, slash x
at Sarah Spain dot com, on Blue Sky, and you
can always sit us up on email good game at
wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail eight seven
two two o four fifty seventy. Finally, you know what
I'm gonna say, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review
It's super easy watch, joining one half of broad City
(31:45):
to help kiddo's access sport and play, rating five out
of five angel Wings review.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
So get this, y'all. NWSL team.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Angel City has officially launched its community funded and community
led nonprofit called Angel City Impact, and I'm part of
the founding collective alongside people like half of Broad City,
Abby Jacobson, other celebs like America Ferrero and Uzzo A Duba,
former pro players like Shanade Fairley and Stuart Holden, and
philanthropists and business leaders. Now, Angel City Impact is a
(32:15):
nonprofit that's aim is to combat the pay to play
issue that faces Los Angeles youth. So in the first
two years, the goal is to quote launch expanded no
cost soccer programming for fourteen thousand girls and gender expansive
youth annually ages five to seventeen, across more than one
hundred Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Park sites, including
seasonal programs, camps, and clinics, and quote to expand the
(32:38):
ACFC coach network to recruit, train, and hire a minimum
of one hundred and fifty coaches who are representative of
the communities in which they're working.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
I'm super proud, super excited to join the team and
get to work, and we want a democratize community investment
while also providing young people access to sport and creating
this whole community of Angelino's and just angel City supporters
around the world who want to be part of something
that's bigger than just a soccer team.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
So join us. You can get some more info.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
You can consider donating at Angelcityimpact dot org. Plus you
can get access to exclusive merch if you're one of
the original donors, so we.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
All love merch. Now it's your turn rate and review.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
Thanks for listening, slics, have a fantastic weekend. Good Game Toss,
Good Game, Angel City Impact you, lack of affordable childcare
for coaches. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iheartwomen's
sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,
(33:40):
our producers are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive
producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and
Lindsay Cradowell. Production assistant from Lucy Jones and I'm Your
Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're taking
a page from birthday Girl Taylor Swift's book and embracing
the final Friday, the thirteenth of the year. No periscovide
could triophobia for us. That's right, It's Friday, December thirteenth,
and on today's show, I talked to two time Paralympic swimmer, speaker,
beauty junkie and activist for the visually impaired, Honest Decia
(00:23):
taz Pagonis. We discuss how she learned, how she would
lose her sight and tried to prepare for blindness, how
her guide dog gives her much needed confidence, meddling at
the Paralympics and creating videos and working with brands to
change how people see visually impaired folks. Plus what the
fact about moms who coach? And Angel City's newest investment
in the community.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
It's all coming up right after this.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Welcome Back Slices, Happy Friday, Miche has your need to
know today, Take it away.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Mesh, Thank you, Sarah. In College Vibes News, the NCAA
Sweet sixteen continues today. There are four matchups on ESPN
two starting at one pm. Eastern with two seed Creighton
versus three seed Texas. That's followed by one seed Penn
State versus five seed Marquette at three thirty, then two
(01:19):
seed Wisconsin versus six seeded Texas A and M at seven,
and finally one seed Nebraska faces five seed Dayton to
round things out at nine thirty. We'll link to the
tournament bracket in our show notes. In college hoops, there
are a couple Top twenty five clashes happening this weekend,
all on Sunday. First, the undefeated number seventeen Michigan State
Spartans hosts number twenty one Iowa at noon on Big
(01:41):
ten Network. Iowa's fresh off of victory over in state
rival Iowa State on Wednesday night and looking to keep
the winds rolling in. Then it's undefeated number twenty five
Georgia Tech on the road against number fourteen North Carolina
at two pm Eastern on ACC Network. Texts one of
the ten undefeated teams left across the country, and the
tarho are going to try and ruin their party. I'm
(02:02):
also going to be locked in for the battle between
number twenty two NC State and unranked Louisville at one pm.
On ABC. The Cardinals dropped out of the ap Top
twenty five this week and could end up right back
in it with a win over the Wolfpack. We'll link
to the full schedule of games this weekend in our
show notes. Lastly, I just want to give a shout
out to tam USA sprinter and Olympic gold medalist Shakerrie Richardson,
(02:24):
who's the January February cover star of Essence magazine. I
was scrolling the TL and I saw those pictures and man,
that's good work. Must see if you haven't already. Plus,
the cover story written by Scheren Nicole is excellent too.
We'll link to the cover and story in our show notes.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Thanks me, We got to take a quick break when
we come back. Taz Pagonis wants folks to see her
differently stick around.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Joining US now.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
She's a two time pairlel Olympic swimmer and two time
Paralympic medalist who represented the US at the twenty twenty
and twenty twenty four Games and is the world record
holder in the women's four hundred meter freestyle S eleven class.
She wants to change the way folks see the visually
impaired and her guide dog, Radar has a better skincare
and beauty regime than I do. It's Anastasia, but really
(03:19):
honest a Sea pagonas, what's up, Anastasia?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Hi? How are you guys? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I'm sticking with the American pronunciation. I don't trust myself
on the Greek the entirety.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Honestly, that's totally fair. You can call me toss too
if you want. That's what like, my friends and family
call me.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
So honest to seea is so pretty though, So it
sucks for you that Americans are like, we're gonna go
with Anastasia.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Also pretty, also pretty bad?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Yea. I feel like it's like a different type of pretty.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
But honestly, when I hear honest to see you, I
feel like one of my parents or grandparents is like
yelling at me.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
You know what I mean? Like when you when you
hear the name, you're a little scared. Yeah, very true.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
I want to start with Radar because I'm obsessed with dogs.
I have three of my own, and you have so
many amazing social media videos of him. Every dog has
their quirks, so I need to know Radar's biggest quirk
or the thing that makes him unique.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Radar is an angel in every way, but his toxic
trait is definitely being stubborn. He is so ridiculously stubborn
it's crazy, but I love that for him. So, and
his bedtime is seven thirty. If you ask him to
do anything after.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Seven thirty, he's like, screw you, You're on your own.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Girl, Like, no way. Not if there was an emergency,
right though, he would spring into action.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Yes, if I like really needed him, he would like
totally be there. But if it's like eight o'clock and
I'm like, Radar want to go outside and like go
to the bathroom, He's like, girl, are you crazy?
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Not today.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
We love a lazy dog.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
We love a lazy dog because when we're lazy, we
need them to be lazy too, exactly. So, I want
to get back to Radar in a minute and how
he really helped you adjust. But let's go back to
when you started losing your vision at the age of twelve.
It was genetic retina disease and autoimmune retinopathy. Can you
take us back to those early days, Like when you
started to have issues with your vision, what did you
(05:12):
think was going on?
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Yeah, so when I first was going through kind of
vision loss. I didn't even know it was vision loss.
Neither did my family. They just thought that I was
like super clumsy and just that mess of a child,
which I still am honored to be, but they honestly
just thought that I was just super clumsy and that's
why I was walking into things. And we ended up
(05:34):
going to my doctor and my mom noticed that, like, no,
this is definitely much more severe than just a clumsy,
crazy girl. When I was reading things, I would literally
have to like put my nose to it to be
able to see it, and they were like.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
That's problematic.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
So we get to the doctor and I was misdiagnosed,
and we go to a retina specialist and he looks
in my eyes and all of a sudden, they're like
pulling in a bunch of doctors, a bunch of nurses,
a bunch of gene therapists. They're like, we need her
to go to the phlebotomist asap. She needs to get
blood work done and all this stuff, And obviously I
was super young and very confused. My mom called my
(06:13):
dad and was like, Peter, you need to get here
right now, Like I don't know what's going on. But
we knew it wasn't good if they were pulling in
all these doctors and needed to do like immediate blood testing.
So it was super scary in the moment.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And I've had like.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
A lot of doctors that just have god awful, honestly
non existent bedside manners, which is so brutal to deal with.
But now I travel to U penn in Philly and
they're amazing. They work on like rats and gorillas all
day and then like sometimes they see patients, which I
love that for me, and they're just great to deal with,
(06:48):
and they were the ones who diagnosed me. I have
an autoimmune disease, so basically I like to explain it
as alopecia because a lot of people know what that is.
Your immune system attacks your hair hair follicle and kills it.
But it's kind of the same thing that's going on
with my retinas. And then I also have a genetic
disease where my body is also basically clotting retina, like
(07:12):
clotting vitamin A in my retina, if that makes sense.
I'm very blessed in the eye department.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah, yeah, all all in the same spot. My gosh,
so you finally you get that diagnosis, what's your immediate reaction?
What do you are you at that point told essentially
like you will continue to lose eyesight until you're blind.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
No, I was actually told that I was only going
to lose my central vision. And I think that's why
when I did lose more than my central vision, why
it was so hard for me, Because I had this
expectation of, oh, like, if you get told you're winning
a million dollars and they half ask you and give
you five hundred K, you're gonna be like.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, you're like that would have been nice. But now
I was expecting a million.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Yeah you're like excuse me? What?
Speaker 5 (07:59):
So, So I had that expectation and that false hope
that okay, like this is kind of what my life
is going to be like. When I had no central vision,
I was able to get around and do things. I
would trip often and I couldn't really read, but I
had most of my independence. And then I started losing
more of my vision. I vividly remember it happening. I
(08:20):
was at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and
I was like, huh, this is weird. I was like
I fell down the stairs. I couldn't see the steps
at all. Everything was kind of getting like gray and blurry,
and I was like really scared. And the next two
months after that, I was progressively losing more vision and
(08:40):
I went into, as someone would, a very dark, deep depression,
and it was really hard for me. My family was
so helpful through it all though. I mean, I genuinely
don't think I would be able to get through that
without my support system and my outpatient therapy. I think
it really saved me. But one thing about like depression, suicide,
(09:02):
things like that is it has to come from you.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
You have to be the person that wants to get
out of it.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
No matter what anyone does for you, it really has
to come from you. And that's something that I learned,
not shortly but a few months.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
I have a friend with Usher syndrome, and so she's
gradually losing her sight. And she's a photographer, so she's
been traveling the world taking pictures of all the places
and trying to see as many places as she can,
knowing that eventually she'll really be limited. But she's also
trying to plan ahead. So how much did you start
planning ahead recognizing in those moments that it was going
(09:37):
and going faster and more than you had been told
to start preparing for life without your vision.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
I think that there's no way of preparing to be
in It's kind of like being in someone else's shoes,
Like there's no way for me to prepare myself to
live your life, right, So there was no real preparation
that I could do to prepare for losing literally your
main sense. When I was first diagnosed, my family asked
(10:07):
me where I wanted to go to like kind of
see for the last time. And I went to Hawaii
and like a beautiful vacation with my family, which was amazing,
and I got to do all of the things that
I thought I would never be able to do again.
But now I'm here and I'm doing ten times more
than that, and I'm like, oh, so, like I didn't
even need that. And I think that's something really special
(10:28):
about disabilities is people truly believe that you can't do
certain things and that you're so limited. But I genuinely
can do everything that an able bodied person can do.
I just can't go straight over the mountain. I have
to find my way around, and like that's totally okay
and so cool.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, you talk about sort of the depression that you
felt around this big life change, but then Radar arrives
and gives you back confidence. So tell me about just
that moment and creating this like bond with him to
help you through life.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Yeah, as a being a teenage girl in itself is
just brutal, but imagine doing that and going through like
a vision loss.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
It was just it was brutal.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
It's really hard trying to have your independence and wanting
to go to the mall or go to Starbucks and
having to hold your mommy's hand while you're doing it.
It was something that was really really hard for me.
And the Paralympic Games in Tokyo got postponed because of COVID,
so I feel like this is like the one good
thing that came out of COVID. And the Guide Dog
Foundation reached out to me and they were like, hey,
(11:33):
since this was postponed, like maybe now's your time to
get a guide dog, and I was so excited about it.
You go through so much training with your guide dog
because they want to find the perfect match for you,
like someone who basically a dog who will be able
to live the same lifestyle as you. And that's when
(11:54):
I was matched with Radar, and it was literally a
perfect match the first time I used him. We like
walk the same we walk the same pace, we have
like similar lifestyles. He's actually the first Islanders dogs, so
the New York Islanders sponsor up.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
No way, I've seen that.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Yeah, yeah, so he was the first one.
Speaker 5 (12:13):
So he's used to like the super loud environments and
stuff like.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
That, which is great.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
He's athlete, he's Yeah, he went from the ice to
the water and I love that.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Oh my gosh, perfect.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
Yeah, but I got all of my independence back when
I started. When I started working with him, it was
something that was so special. I can go Starbucks on myself,
I can go to the mall by myself, and yeah,
I have all of my independence back, and it's so
it's just really amazing. The things that a guide dog
can do is crazy. He's literally smarter than a human.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I know.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
I think about that all the time because I think
about just the average, my lazy ass dogs and how
like what a miracle they are in my life. And
then I think about the smartest trained guide dogs and yeah, really, just.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
We don't deserve them. And we should treat them a
lot better all the time.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
I one hundred percent agree.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
You mentioned the Paralympics. Were you an athlete before or
did you find swimming and find your passion for sport
after the diagnosis.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
I was always super athletic.
Speaker 5 (13:11):
I was playing soccer before I was diagnosed, and soccer
balls no vision, it doesn't work well. So my doctor
recommended I tried a less contact sport and that's how
I got involved in swimming.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
There was a big explosion in popularity for the Paralympics
this year, which was so awesome to watch, more coverage,
more enthusiasm for all the athletes. After going through that,
what do you think can still improve for the Paralympics.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
I think that there's so much to still improve on.
I am so thrilled about just the progress in the Paralympics.
I mean at the Paralympic Games, we had one hundred
percent sold out arenas, like that is insane. Track and
field had over seventy thousand people in the stands, that
is crazy. Swimming had a little over fifteen k. That
is like insane and such a special moment for the
(13:59):
Paralympic movement. I think our coverage still has a lot
of work to be done. We should be able to
flip on the TV and the Paralympics beyond just the
same way that the Olympics are or you know, football
things like that. And something that I am very vocal
about is equal pay. I think that we are equal
(14:22):
and we are professional athletes the same way that an
Olympian is, and we deserve to be paid equally from
our sponsors because of that. And I think that a
lot of companies believe that we are less than and
they think that they can pay us not even half,
not even a quarter, but a small percentage of the
money that they're paying their Olympians. And it's pretty gross
(14:42):
because we do the same things and we have disabilities,
so we're just like overcoming so much.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I think one of the things
that really helped the Paralympics take a big step this
year was the embrace of the just humanity and similarity,
like how similar you are to the Olympians, including some
like really funny videos that were informative at the same time,
letting people have fun with their disability while also promoting
(15:08):
their sport instead of always making it about being inspirational
or super.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Serious, and you do a great job of that.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
You want to change people's perspective on blindness, including things
like you have done videos where you make a list
of the top things people say to you when they
find out you're blind. Can you give us a few
of those, because some of those were pretty like funny
but like shocking and annoying, which I'm sure you're annoyed
with them, but by now you kind of spun them
into something funny.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
I mean, I think that there's such a stigma on
disabilities and people that meet someone that's disabled, they believe
that they have to like walk on eggshells around them,
and that's something that I'm trying to break down, Like no,
like I am actually still a human being, Like.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
You don't have to be like that, right.
Speaker 5 (15:51):
But then there's the other spectrum where people are just
so blunt, and I'll have people that come up to
me and they're like, so, what happened to you? And
I'm like, oh, thanks for asking me that, stranger, Like,
let's go back to the darkest moment in my entire
life and let me just tell you about that.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Also, while we're here, what happened to you in order
to be someone that would ask me that question.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Let's go back to your trauma. Are you okay? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Do you need to talk? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
But it's you can tell when someone's asking because they
want to inform themselves and when someone's asking because they're
a nosy Karen. And it's just like you gotta you
gotta decipher the difference when someone's trying to like inform
themselves and learn about vision loss, or maybe they have
someone with vision loss in their family. It's totally different.
And I love when people ask me things, but maybe
(16:42):
not some.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Like stupid ones a little more why yeah?
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Or like getting yelled at by like random people because
I I like, I park in a handicap spot, like
my I'm like, you literally flat out stole your grandma's
handicap sticker, Like why are you yelling at me?
Speaker 1 (17:02):
One of the ones you said, which just is like
so nonsensical.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
It's kind of like when people talk.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Louder to someone who's blind, which makes no sense because
it's not affecting your weird but also that people say
stuff to you like oh, but you're so pretty, like
I know, and you are you're super into beauty. You're
super your makeup always looks flawless, like And that's why
I love this ELF partnership because it kind of fits
in perfectly with people saying that to you. What does
(17:27):
it mean to be able to have this like partnership
with a company like Elf and have them support you.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
Oh my gosh, it is genuinely a dream come true.
I mean, starting this years ago with my mom and
me being the girliers girl out there and just wanting
to do my makeup enjoy the same things that I
used to enjoy when I had my vision, and it
being a struggle for me and my mom making these
QR codes and trying to make things successible for me,
and that being my normal that like, okay, wait, I
(17:55):
actually have to make things adaptable for me. Why can't
I just go into a store and use makeup like
anyone else could?
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Like?
Speaker 5 (18:02):
What makes me so different and so not human at
that point that I can't do the same thing that
someone else could do. And it's so special that ELF
is trying to make the world a more accessible place
because the world doesn't set up for people with disabilities
and it sucks and it's super sad, but it's amazing
that a huge company is genuinely trying to solve that
(18:24):
and fix this. Basically, it's a crisis because I genuinely
believe that I deserve to be able to use makeup
like you do, and ELF is making that possible. And
I'm just so grateful for our partnership. They are one
of the few companies that actually walks the walk instead
of talking the talk and checking off a box. They
really want to make a change, which is so special.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
What do you mean by QR coats? What does your
mom do to help you?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Yeah, so here's a quick little overview.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Basically, if you picked up a bottle, you would be
able to read it and know what it is. I
pick up something and I would have no idea what
it is. And if you picked up two bottles of foundation,
you would know which shades are what I would have
no idea. So my mom made a barcode that you
Basically she put a sticker, she printed it out and
(19:17):
stickered it onto my specific makeups that I just have
like a hard time finding the difference with like two
different foundations. That's one's a summer shade and one is
a winter shade. And she'll say this one is your
summer shade, and this is the Halo glow. And this
is your winter shade, and this is the Halo glow.
And it says it out loud what it is.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
OK.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It is when you stand the QR code, it talks
to you.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
Yeah, when it talks to you, and it tells you
exactly what the product is, which is so cool. And
same thing with like mascara's, which one's waterproof, which one's not,
what colors lipsticks are, and things like that. Because I
deserve to have my independence, and that is just a
small thing that really helps me.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
I saw a video of you showing your boyfriend helping
with your makeup and your eyebrows in particular. Is that
a real thing or is that just for fun?
Speaker 4 (20:05):
No, he actually does that.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I would not trust my husband for a second.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
Trust me. I'm like screaming at him. I'm like that
feels too close. You're making them too thin.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
And I'm like screaming at him. He's no, he's like
a professional at it now. So he's always fixing, like
my eyebrows and he's like, girl, the mustache is coming in.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
I'm like, right for you, but help me.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Think, yes, me about the chin hair. I need to know, Yeah,
I need to know.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I need to know.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
And we carry a beauty blender in his car because
I love to just go out in public and he's like,
you're like, your contour is just it's a little un
it's a little aggressive, Like we need to think that,
and he helps me.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
He's the best.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
So, having worked with ELF and probably a handful of
other brands surrounding your Paralympics and and your life, what
is your ask to companies in relation to inclusive.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
I think inclusivity, diversity and inclusion is something that is
so easy, can be so affordable that people are just
not doing and maybe they say they're doing it and
they're just checking off that box, but you have to
walk the walk and it's something that can be so easy.
And hiring disabled people to help you figure out what
(21:22):
is the right way to do this, what is the
right and the wrong way to do this, and how
can we make this good for everyone that has a
disability because there's so many disabilities out there, and there's
so many varies and things like that. Even for like
my parents who need to wear glasses to like see anything,
that must their souls. They would find use out of
(21:43):
like a barcode that they can scan and it tells
them what it is, instead of my dad having to
search for his glasses for like twenty minutes. So it's
not taking away from anyone. You making your company accessible
is making a positive impact on everyone, not.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Just people with disabilities.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
It might just be your grandma that lives next door.
And I think it's something that's so important and so easy,
and the disabled community is here to help you, and
just think about if you were in their shoes.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Yeah, what's you're ask to people in general?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Because you know, able bodied folks sometimes don't know when
to ask questions and when not to When does suggest
that they might be able to help, and when it feels,
you know, like they're stepping on toes. So how do
you suggest people best interact with people with various disabilities
and make sure that they're being as inclusive as they
can be without overstepping.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
Yeah, I think there's a very fine line of overstepping
and of just asking for help and being a good human.
In my opinion, I can only speak for myself, so
I don't really know about other disabled people or even
other people who are visually impaired. But for me, if
I'm in a store and someone asks me if I
need help with something, like, I genuinely do appreciate that,
(22:56):
and I don't feel belittled personally. But there are some
disabled people that feel like able bodied people don't think
they're capable and that's why they're asking them.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
But for me personally.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
I'm like, yes, please, I've been like waiting for someone
to come help me with this thanklessness.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
It probably on.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Your mood too, the same way as everybody else, Like
sometimes I don't want some dude walking up and asking
if I need help with something heavy and something I
sure do because you know what, I'm fucking tired and
it would be great if you would pick that up
instead of me having to do it exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
And you're like, you know what, can you actually just
shop for me? Thanks? But there's also a fine line.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I've had people that I ask for help in a
store and they'll fully like grab me, and it's like.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
No, no, you don't have to touch me. I am capable,
like my dog can.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
Follow you, or like I can grab your arm, but
there's no reason for you to just come and grab
me because.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
We'll get an elbow to the face.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Ye, so I think there's a super fine line, but
I personally appreciate the help.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Yeah, you know, you found such beautiful ways to spin
your disability into something educational and funny and inspirational. But
I'm sure you still struggle with limitations at times. Is
there a specific like daily activity or responsibility that most
gets you frustrated? Like the one thing that you're like,
this thing is the one that I can't spin into
a positive for me.
Speaker 5 (24:18):
There is so many things that are my normal that
are not easy to do.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Does that make sense for sure?
Speaker 5 (24:26):
So there's so many things that like, oh, like when
I wake up in the morning, this is kind of
how I have to do things versus how an able
bodied person would do something Like this morning, I went
to the gym and I could not figure out how
to like turn on the treadmill because it's like a
fully touch screen one and I'm like having a stroke
over there, and I have to, like face face, I
(24:47):
have to FaceTime my mom to like kind of help
me figure it out. And what happens when she doesn't
pick up right? And what happens? Am I just going
to sit there until she calls me back and like
small things that actually make a difference and make my
life more difficult.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
I moved out.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
I don't live with my parents anymore, so I have
to be a lot more independent, and I see that
they're will not see, but I experience things that I'm like, oh, wow,
people like are rude and like they don't care about
people with disabilities, and like they really will try to
take advantage of you, and it's really sad.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
But I'm noticing it a lot now that I.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
Don't like live with multiple sided people that can help me.
So it's definitely different seeing how people will just take
advantage and you're like, wow, you're a bad person.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Yeah, that's incredibly frustrating.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
One thing, I started listening to this podcast, and there
was the occasional episode that I thought, oh, I might
skip this one, and then I would listen anyway, and
by the end I would think how much I learned
from understanding someone with a completely different like life perspective
or struggles or pathologies that I didn't understand and now
I bet understand. And one of the biggest things I
learned from that was how often people who do or
(26:05):
experience things differently, end up discovering new ways of looking
at things, new ways of doing things, expanding, you know,
the way that we see the world and the way
that we interact with it. And I wonder how whether
it's patience, because now you have to have so much
patience to do things that we take for granted that
might take longer or be more difficult for you, or
whether it's the change in your other senses. Is there
(26:28):
anything in particular that you really notice that in the
years since you've lost your sight, you feel like you
experience the world really differently than most people because of.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
I feel like I definitely don't take things for granted anymore.
I think a lot of people take for granted being
able to just get in their car and go and
do whatever they need to do. Like yesterday, shout out
to Amazon, I want to refund.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
I ordered my food.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
I ordered like Whole Foods delivered, and they said my
order would be here by four o'clock.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
It's four point thirty. I call them. They're like, oh,
it's gonna be here by eight o'clock.
Speaker 5 (27:07):
So I'm like, okay, I have to order dinner now.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
Like that suck.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Now, now I have to order dinner that's going to
be more expensive, and then they cancel my order, so
I'm like, oh great, And so I go through that
whole process again today and my food's not coming again
until eight pm.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
And I'm like, oh, now I have to order food again.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
And just like small things, And I think, like sympathy
is something that it's gotten better and worse.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Does that make any sense?
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Like people that are complaining about stupid stuff, I'm like.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Yeah, are you kidding me?
Speaker 5 (27:39):
But then I have more sympathy for people who are
like really struggling and going through things because I know
how it feels. So I feel like it's impacted me
in multiple different ways. But my disability has opened a
lot of doors that I didn't think it would open,
and I'm hoping that I can help someone else out
there and make the world a little more accessible for them.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Yeah, it sounds like it certainly affected your perspective. And actually,
I have so many friends and particularly athletes in the
Paralympic world who have said that they've accomplished way more
than they ever would have imagined that they might had
it not been for their accident or their disability. So
before I let you go, I have to ask, what's
next for you? What are you working on, what are
you training for, what are you excited about?
Speaker 5 (28:20):
Yeah, so right now I'm really working on like the
accessibility movement and making things just more inclusive. Right now,
I'm obviously fully dove into the makeup world and like
truly trying to find different things that will make my
life in other people's lives easier, and just accessibility in
general in the world because we deserve that. Right now,
(28:43):
I'm taking a little break from swimming, which is really nice,
just kind of focusing on me, and I'm currently training
for a triathlon next year.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Which cool.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
I have to ask, did you do your makeup today
or was the boyfriend helping?
Speaker 4 (28:56):
I did my makeup today?
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Actually, okay, well looks a million times better than mine.
So congrats to you.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
I'm else and everything else. Thank you so much. I
really appreciate you coming on. It was great to talk to.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
Thank you you too. Bye. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Thanks again to Task for joining us. We have to
take another break when we come back. What the fact
about moms who coach and a chance to join me
and make it an impact? Welcome back, slices, It's time
(29:38):
for another What the Fact. So, according to data from
the Alex Morgan Foundations Coaching Moms Initiative, it's in partnership
with we coach. Over seventy percent of female coaches report
lack of access to affordable childcare affects their ability to
continue coaching. Without the resources and support that they need
(29:59):
to prioritize the health the well being of their children
and families, these super talented and experienced female coaches take
on less responsibility, stop pursuing bigger, high profile coaching jobs,
or just drop out of the coaching ranks entirely. An
inability to balance motherhood and coaching is one reason why
the twenty twenty two to twenty three NCAA database revealed
that only four out of ten NCAA women's teams are
(30:21):
coached by women, and according to Aspen Institute research, only
twenty six percent of youth sports head coaches were women.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
In twenty twenty two.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Not cool.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
This what the Fact was brought to by elf Beauty.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
And here's another fact.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Elfeudie's recent report shows that gender diverse boards lead to
positive business results. S and P five hundred companies with
above average gender diversity on their boards saw a fifteen
percent boost in return on equity and a fifty percent
drop in earning's risk over a year. You can read
the full report at Elfbeauty dot com slash not So
White Paper. We love that you're listening, but we want
(30:57):
you to get in the game every day too, So
here's our good gameplay of the day.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
It's real easy.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
I'll just follow TOAs honest Asia underscore K underscore P
on Instagram and honest Asia is spelled just like Anastasia
if that makes it easier Anastesia underscore K underscore P.
And also, don't forget to send us your holiday traditions
next week. We want to share some of the best
ones that we get because I'm looking to steal y'all,
so send me those traditions at Spain two three two
(31:22):
three on Instagram, at Sarah Spain on Twitter, slash x
at Sarah Spain dot com, on Blue Sky, and you
can always sit us up on email good game at
wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail eight seven
two two o four fifty seventy. Finally, you know what
I'm gonna say, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review
It's super easy watch, joining one half of broad City
(31:45):
to help kiddo's access sport and play, rating five out
of five angel Wings review.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
So get this, y'all. NWSL team.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Angel City has officially launched its community funded and community
led nonprofit called Angel City Impact, and I'm part of
the founding collective alongside people like half of Broad City,
Abby Jacobson, other celebs like America Ferrero and Uzzo A Duba,
former pro players like Shanade Fairley and Stuart Holden, and
philanthropists and business leaders. Now, Angel City Impact is a
(32:15):
nonprofit that's aim is to combat the pay to play
issue that faces Los Angeles youth. So in the first
two years, the goal is to quote launch expanded no
cost soccer programming for fourteen thousand girls and gender expansive
youth annually ages five to seventeen, across more than one
hundred Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Park sites, including
seasonal programs, camps, and clinics, and quote to expand the
(32:38):
ACFC coach network to recruit, train, and hire a minimum
of one hundred and fifty coaches who are representative of
the communities in which they're working.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
I'm super proud, super excited to join the team and
get to work, and we want a democratize community investment
while also providing young people access to sport and creating
this whole community of Angelino's and just angel City supporters
around the world who want to be part of something
that's bigger than just a soccer team.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
So join us. You can get some more info.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
You can consider donating at Angelcityimpact dot org. Plus you
can get access to exclusive merch if you're one of
the original donors, so we.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
All love merch. Now it's your turn rate and review.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
Thanks for listening, slics, have a fantastic weekend. Good Game Toss,
Good Game, Angel City Impact you, lack of affordable childcare
for coaches. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iheartwomen's
sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,
(33:40):
our producers are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive
producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and
Lindsay Cradowell. Production assistant from Lucy Jones and I'm Your
Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
Popular Podcasts
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com