April 7, 2025 • 26 mins
About today's guest...Dr. Brittany McLemore is the Executive Director of the Georgia Radio Reading Service (GaRRS). Prior to this position, she worked as an Organizational Development Consultant, equipping organizations for success. She has a background in nonprofit development and working directly with individuals with various disabilities. Dr. McLemore has a Doctorate Degree in Organizational Learning and Leadership from Wilmington University, and undergraduate degrees in Human Services and Behavioral Science from both Wilmington University and the University of Hartford. Dr. McLemore is a proud Brooklyn, NY native, and currently resides in Atlanta, GA.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, My name is Norma Stanley, and welcome to Disability World. Hello,
(00:36):
and welcome to another episode of Disability World. And this
is where we discussed various issues of interest and impact
as it relates to the disability community here in Metro
Atlanta and all around the country and.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
All around the world.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
And those we talk about and talk to people who
are influencers, people who are making things happen, making difference
in our community, you know, and people who care about
this vast and vital population of over seventy million people
in the United States alone.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I'm your host, Normous Stanley, and a Disability World.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
We always look forward to speaking with individuals, community leaders, parents, advocates,
business owners, and resource providers from around the country again
and around the world. So today we are very excited
to speak with a woman, the executive director of an
(01:36):
organization called Georgia Radio Reading Service. So let's welcome miss
Brittany Maclamore. Hi, Brittany, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Norma, I am doing well. Such a pleasure to be here.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Thank you so so much for taking time out of
your busy schedule to coming to just share some information
about what you do as well as what Georgia Radio
Reading Service does and the you know, all the various
products and services that provides. So tell us a little
bit first about doctor Brittany maclamore. I know you've been
involved in development for nonprofits. Tell us a little bit
(02:19):
about your background and how you got to do what
you're doing now.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Absolutely so, I am originally from Brooklyn, New York, not
from Georgia.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I've been in Georgia for about four and a.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Half years now, but I started working in the disability
world for I want to say it maybe the last
twelve years. And so I worked with individuals with intellectual
developmental disabilities and I did not think that I was
(02:54):
going to continue or end up, you know, in this field.
And I started doing so and work for nonprofits, you know,
helping them to develop from start to you know, launch.
And it it seems like this feels seems.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
To follow me everywhere I go, you know, I couldn't
get away from it.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
But it's really because it's been such a passion of mine,
you know, giving a voice to individuals who have a
voice and you know, allowing them to share openly, you know,
their experiences and what they need from individuals who can
do what they are limited in doing. And so that's
(03:38):
how I got, you know, into this. I heard about
the Jorge Radio Reading Service, and you know what the
organization has been doing for the last almost forty five years,
and I just had to be a part of that mission. Well,
I am just really learning about your organization and I
am fascinated about the kind of work that you guys, Dobody.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Who's now a senior citizen. I love to read. I
love books.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I love to you know, that has always been a
part of my whole life, but it's a little bit
harder for me these days because the prints are so
small in many books, and I've come to love audiobooks.
So are you guys something like an audiobook company that
provides that kind of service.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
How does it work?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Joined?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Essentially, essentially, we are so we are twenty four to
seven live broadcast station. So we provide audio broadcasts to
printing material that includes books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters and other
publications as well. And we provide the difference I would
(04:47):
say between us in audible.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
We provide, you know, a human interface to this.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
It's like your neighbor, your mom, you know, your your
child reading to you at your bedside, you know, as
opposed to maybe AI robotic voice really.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
That you might get.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So we have over two hundred and fifty active volunteers
throughout the state of Georgia that either come into studio
or they record from home. These books, newspapers, magazines and
the like, and so essentially, like as I mentioned, we're
twenty four to seven, but we do have on demand
access as well, so you can access us on our
(05:29):
website and just choose. Let's just say, hey, I don't
care about you know, listening to the news. Let me
go ahead and just listen to books. You can go
in and choose the type of book based on a genre,
the author, or the reader.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So you don't necessarily just focus on your audiences. Not
just people who may be site and paired or printing paired.
Anyone could access your service who really just wants to
be read to. So we like to provide this service,
you know, first and foremost for those individuals who are
(06:06):
print impaired, and that doesn't necessarily have to mean that
you are blind or have low vision. These are people
who may have suffered traumatic brain injury or you know,
they suffer a stroke and they can no longer hold
their you know, hold the newspaper or hold the book. Dyslexia,
you know, you know, we don't necessarily jump to those
things when we think about print impairment, but it covers
(06:29):
a broad spectrum, excuse me, of individuals who can no
longer read for themselves. So we like to provide this
service for those individuals first and foremost, so that they
can have equitable and equal access, you know, just the
same as someone who is cited or who is not
printing pair can go and just grab a book off
the shelf and read for themselves. That's awesome. And you
(06:52):
said you've been around forty five years.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, so this October we make forty five years.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
That's pretty incredible. Said, I had no idea. So I'm
so glad to know that you guys exist. So what
are some of the volunteers? Do they have to have
special types of voices? I mean, how do you identify volunteers?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Do they just you know, do they know? They mean
generally when you're being.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Read to or you're listening to a book or something,
really nice voices?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
How does that work?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, well, I'll say this, I cannot stand here in
my voice back, so I shout out anyone who is
you know, they're so happy and elated to provide this service,
you know, to our listeners. But essentially we have an
audition process, so anyone who wants to you know, be
able to read. You obviously have individuals who have experience
(07:42):
or their voices are you know, just amazing angelic, you know,
and they bring a certain light or life to what
they're reading. However, we have an audition process where we
have our volunteers come in. You know, obviously they have
to have, you know, a certain vocabulary, so we do
vocabulary audition process. You know, you just have to know
(08:03):
how to pronounce certain words. But obviously you can look
that up. There are several words I do not know
how to pronounce. And then we have a process where
they record and then they have to do a little
soft editing so to speak, because we do have producers
in house that does the editing for our volunteers before it.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Was on the air.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
But our volunteers need to have some level of editing skills.
Now this is something that we offer to teach to train.
So to answer your question, you don't have to have
special you know, top secret skills in recording or production.
We provide that to you, but you definitely have to
(08:46):
have that desire and you know, passion to do this work.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Is there an age group or because I mean, do
you find younger people love doing this with older people?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Are you seeing anything like that happening. We have a
lot of retirees.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I will say that, you know, individuals to give back.
You know, they're hey. I'll say, there's a lot of
our volunteers. You know, they stop working and immediately reach out,
you know, to us because it's like, you know, hey,
I've been working for the last forty years, fifty years,
I have to do something else. But we do have
(09:23):
those college students, you know, younger population who's been getting
into volunteering as well, just giving back to the community.
We partner with other organizations and their employees or their
volunteers come in and offer their services to us as well.
So it is diverse. Our volunteer basis diverse. But we
do have a lot of retirees that love to do
(09:45):
this work.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I would think that'd be a nice way to spend
some time if you're a retiree.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
How long a process does it?
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I mean, are people asking to get a whole newspaper
read or you know, I mean a whole book you
can see, but they do you is that how it works?
Do they read a whole newspaper that section by section.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Or to call that?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Yeah, So we have guidelines, you know, just to you know,
obviously you're not sitting there for you know, six hours
reading an entire newspaper because right, it can be a
long time. We do have some guidelines, you know, reading
the top stories. You know, we do have comics sections
as well that we read.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
We we like to get feedback from our listeners, so
would you want to hear but we want to make
sure that the news that everything that's happening in your
local area on a national level, that that information is
getting out. When it comes to books, we record in
sections or chapters rather and you know, we have it out.
(10:47):
So if you want to listen to it, let's just
say you'll listen to the first half this week, and
then you'll listen to the next half the.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Problem a week.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
So we have we have options, but if you want
to wait, and that's just the live So if you
want to listen on them, man after it's been you know,
on the site.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
You can just go ahead and listen to it at
your own taste.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Okay, I noticed this new thing. I don't know what
the name of it is. It's not necessarily an audio book.
It's almost like you are listening to a soap opera
or something. Is that so, I don't know what there's like,
it's popping up all over the place. They have different
names for it. But is that something you guys do,
because it sounds like you have to know how to
act a little bit, because in terms of some of
(11:27):
the scenes that I mean, because I've actually listened to
one or two and I said, this is interesting, but
but there's acting involved. I mean, yeah, you hear stuff
in the background and almost like you know, you could
like you're any but they're just reading and saying whatever
they're saying.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You can't see them.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
But it's almost like they're they're acting out scenes from
a you know, a movie or a film or book
or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And it's interesting, it is, and we are.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
We do have some volunteers, as I mentioned, that have
a background in production and you know, they've done voiceovers
for the last twenty or thirty years.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
So they give that you know, part of it.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Outside of that with special effects and sound effects and
things like that. You know, we have our producers who
like to go ahead and get creative and add in
the bird turfing and the wind blowing and things like that,
just so you can feel, you know, immersed and what
it is you're reading.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
So the disability community that you do service, how many
do you know? How many people in the disability community.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
That access your services? Do you have any idea what
that might be?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
So roughly around on an active basis, a little over
twelve thousand right now, and that's through our website. We
also offer listening through the Amazon Alexa dot, So there's
a skill on the dot that allows you to say
Alexa play Guards or Alexa play the Georgia Radio Reading
Service and it'll play you know, the broadcast stream. We
(13:02):
are also available on tune in and zero as well,
so we have you know, the different options for reading.
You not on Google Hub and Google We're trending that way.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
I have to Google help, Okay.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
I love I love the idea of what you guys
are doing, and I can see how it could impact
and really help, you know, people who are challenged visual,
you know, with their vision or with print and not
being able to themselves. I can see how they can
really be a big, big help. So what are your
plans for this year twenty twenty five and as an organization,
(13:42):
what are you hoping to be able to do in terms.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Of growing and reaching more people. Yeah, I'm glad you asked.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I will say this, and this has been something that
I have thought in the past. I think there's a
stigma around blinde slow vision and being print and paired
where you feel like anyone who's dealing with that, they
must be seventy five and older.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Right, you know, that's the whole disability community. That's right,
just that you know that people don't have any lives,
But we do.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Exactly and I think you know, to some extent, you know,
us and you know, other organizations that serve the same
population have fallen into that where you know, we sort
of have we stuck to that certain demographic or population
because it's heavier, you know, in what we thought. So
(14:41):
to answer your question, a lot of what we're doing
now is reaching a broader population and.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
That includes children.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
So we are navigating the space of social media now.
We are partnering with other organizations who share in the
same and so that we can not only shed a
light on what it is that we do and what
the other organizations are doing, but that stigma that we
want to break, those barriers that we want to break,
(15:10):
because as long as we continue to think those ways
and push that narrative, it limits our audience, right and
it limits the disability community because we're sort of spreading
that and so in that we are going in through
social media you know, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, where again our
(15:32):
listeners reside.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
You know, it's not just simply you know, audio.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
They are on social media as well and planning community events,
you know, doing things for our volunteers as well, and
just recruitment. We are because we're celebrating our forty fifth anniversary,
we're just you know, taking that time to look at
you know, where we've been and where we're going, and
(16:00):
you know, just rebranding right now. We are in a
rebranding process and I'm really excited about that, you know,
new everything and just developing a good cohort, a great team,
just community involvement just so that we can better serve
(16:20):
our population.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
So I'm really excited about what's to come.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
We've also developed podcasts and one that we are about
to launch. It's called Eyes and Lows, and it's shedding
light on mental health and just experiences that are not
talked about much in the disability community, not just the
blind a low vision.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
But you know, you you lose that sense of trust
in the world.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
You know, you lose camaraderie a lot of times when
you are first diagnosed. So we have guests coming on
and just kind of speaking about their experience and also
where they are now, providing that, you know, inspiration.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
And and that's so so important because which is one
of the reasons why I, you know, I do this show.
I I uh, I'm the parent of an adult daughter
with both intellectual and physical disabilities, and I don't like
for her to miss out on anything.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
And because of the kind of work.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
That I do, you know, she's always with me, participating
in various events and community things that you know, sometimes
you don't really see too many people with disabilities because
they stay home.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
For whatever reasons.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And like you say, you know, the stigma that nobody
really likes to be stared at.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
And you know, if there's any kind of.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
A little bit of what some people consider noise if
your child gets a little loud or so I say
that a little bit. It's a little bit uncomfortable for
some folks and they don't want to deal with it.
So and and you know, and it's a really it's reality.
But the point is that, you know, the disability population
is is a huge, huge population. Twenty six percent of
(18:03):
the community. It's someone with a disability out of four.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
They are human. It's just the same anybody. And quite honestly,
we all have a level of disability. Absolutely, we all
have limitations. I mean at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
And if we you know, just treat people regardless of
ability all the same, you know, things would be a
whole lot better, resources would be, you know, greater in access,
and you know, we wouldn't have all of those internal
biases that we unfortunately have. You know, when looking like
you said, seeing just face value for what it is.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
You know, it's touch with the heart.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
And that's the challenge that we're facing in these times
that we're in today. Too many people don't have heart,
they don't have basic compassion for other people, and and
that's a that's a very unfortunate and I'm hoping you know,
it's not become pervasive where you're seeing such selfishness and
(19:04):
such disregard for other people and their feelings and their
you know, how they live. And you know, as long
as I got mine, that's all I care about. That
that attitude is just not going to fly in the
in the long run. And so I'm really, you know,
staying in prayer about where we are as a society,
(19:29):
particularly you know, for people with disabilities, my daughter and
and people like her, because you know, of course I'm
going to do everything in my power while I'm still
here to protect her from whatever is out there. But
there's a lot of, unfortunately, people who would rather this
community disappear.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yeah, and that's unfortunate, but it's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Yeah, even realizing that people who you know serve you
day to day have a disability. You know, the people
that may make sure you have what you need to
make sure the building that you're in, you know, is
up and running, have a level of disability. But again
it's it's if you don't have that heart or unless
it happens to you, right, because.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's whole point.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
It's the one community that anybody can join at any
time and will join, and you live long enough right
exactly exactly, So it's it's just amazing to me. But
you know, I'm believing that what we're seeing today as
a society is not something that's going to be pervasive.
(20:36):
I'm hoping that, you know, the God in all of
us will show up and keep us in a place
where we would, like you said, you know, love doing
the others that you would have been doing to you.
So I'm believing that that, you know, even though it
looks differently right now, it's not going to stay that
way forever. We just have to, you know, bolster up
(20:58):
and get get get used to be ready and stay careful.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
But you know, I love what you're doing. You know.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Please tell the listening and watching audience where people can
find Georgia Radio Reading Service and how they can reach
you if they need to talk to you and find
out how they can be a volunteer.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Absolutely, and I would be so glad to answer any questions.
Our website is gars dot org that is g A
r r.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
S dot O r G.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
You can find information on how to be a listener
or a volunteer on the site and keep up to
date about what's going on and what we're doing in
the community as far as advocacy and community events, so
stay tuned there. If you'd like to listen on the
Amazon Alexa dot if you already have one, just you
can say Amazon, or you can say Alexa excuse me,
(21:52):
play GARS or play the Georgia Radio Reading Service and
you can find us on Instagram at at GARS that's
g A r r S, Underscore O r G, Facebook,
the Georgia Radio Reading Service and linked in the Georgia
Radio Reading Service. You can contact us if you want
to be a volunteer, send an email to volunteers at
(22:16):
GARS dot org. That's the O l U n T
E E r S dot org O r G. And
if you would like to learn more and you want
to give me a call, you can give me a
call at for four zero four six eight five two
eight two three and I'll be happy to take the
call and just listen to what you have to say.
(22:40):
So thank you, well, thank you so much for being
a part of disability world today. I know that we
you know I've spoken to a couple of your associates Miracles.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
She's a very enthusiastic young lady.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Because we look forward to talking with her, you know,
in the future and possibly doing some things with you guys.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
You know, so we were decited to know you.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Show Ability is the organization that i'm I'm the board
chair and you know, so we had the event that's
happening actually tomorrow, Disabled Artists performing Artists, the Talent Show.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
And so but we have things that I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Sure guards will be able to assist us with and
we can do some things together. So I'm looking forward to,
you know, being of assistance to Miracle as she does
her outreach and and to.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
The organization, you know, the you know, show Ability.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
As a board chair and Marna Clayton, who is the founder,
you know, I think would love to learn more and
and do what we can to assist you and what
you're doing. And so we look forward to, you know,
continuing those conversations. But just want to let you know
I went to school in Brooklyn, so I went to
l u.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Okay, I've been in Georgia forty years, but I grew
up in New York City, So I know, Okay, you
missed the foods. Oh, yes, absolutely absolutely. Whenever I go back,
I head straight to juniors.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Got to get this, Yes, exactly, twenty fifth Street.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
You know, I mean, I grew up in the Spanish Harlem,
so I'm well versed in New York and I can't
wait to go back.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
It's been a few years. I used to go every year, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
But I haven't been since my in laws past, both
my in law's past, and I don't get to go
as often because I would take my daughter they're going
and she would visit for periods of time for.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Since she was born.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
And so now that they're no longer here, you know,
I don't get as off get to go as often.
But I love New York and has an energy that
no other place has. I can't say I want to
live there anymore, but I visiting.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
That.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I can't go back to live there, but I need
to go back just for the food.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I can see my family, and then I gotta go
the shot that. Yeah, those kind of things. Broadway.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
There's nothing like Broadway. So yeah, you know, New York
definitely has its charm. But I love Atlanta. I have
been here all this time and it's a great place.
So but anyway, thank you again for being a part
of our show. I'm sure we're going to be talking again.
Zoom when you get some of those new podcasts up
and things like that, so you know, I'll be glad
to have you back to.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Talk about some of the new things that you have
coming up later in the year.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
And we appreciate you taking the time out, doctor Brittany
with Climore and much success to guards and what you're
doing moving forward. Thank you, Thank you so much for
having me, and I definitely want to say just thank
you for the work that you're doing and just spreading
awareness and shutting the light on disability and the disability community.
(25:51):
You are doing great work and I'm just I'm amazed
at what you've done already and just ask that you
continue to do that and please reach out if I
can do anything.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
We will definitely be talking, I'm sure. So thank you again.
We appreciate you, and we'll be in touch, all right,
Thank you, Thank you. Well.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
We just had a wonderful conversation with doctor Brittany Mecklamore
of the Georgia Radio Reading Service and I learned so much.
I had no idea and I'm so glad to know
that they exist. I definitely will be accessing them. I
do hope that my Google will be able to find
them because my daughter would love that. So anyway, thank
(26:32):
you for being a part of our segment today. We've
got some great shows coming your way over the next
few weeks, so stay tuned and until next time, you'll
be blessed and we will see you again soon
Hi, My name is Norma Stanley, and welcome to Disability World. Hello,
(00:36):
and welcome to another episode of Disability World. And this
is where we discussed various issues of interest and impact
as it relates to the disability community here in Metro
Atlanta and all around the country and.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
All around the world.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
And those we talk about and talk to people who
are influencers, people who are making things happen, making difference
in our community, you know, and people who care about
this vast and vital population of over seventy million people
in the United States alone.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I'm your host, Normous Stanley, and a Disability World.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
We always look forward to speaking with individuals, community leaders, parents, advocates,
business owners, and resource providers from around the country again
and around the world. So today we are very excited
to speak with a woman, the executive director of an
(01:36):
organization called Georgia Radio Reading Service. So let's welcome miss
Brittany Maclamore. Hi, Brittany, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Norma, I am doing well. Such a pleasure to be here.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Thank you so so much for taking time out of
your busy schedule to coming to just share some information
about what you do as well as what Georgia Radio
Reading Service does and the you know, all the various
products and services that provides. So tell us a little
bit first about doctor Brittany maclamore. I know you've been
involved in development for nonprofits. Tell us a little bit
(02:19):
about your background and how you got to do what
you're doing now.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Absolutely so, I am originally from Brooklyn, New York, not
from Georgia.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I've been in Georgia for about four and a.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Half years now, but I started working in the disability
world for I want to say it maybe the last
twelve years. And so I worked with individuals with intellectual
developmental disabilities and I did not think that I was
(02:54):
going to continue or end up, you know, in this field.
And I started doing so and work for nonprofits, you know,
helping them to develop from start to you know, launch.
And it it seems like this feels seems.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
To follow me everywhere I go, you know, I couldn't
get away from it.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
But it's really because it's been such a passion of mine,
you know, giving a voice to individuals who have a
voice and you know, allowing them to share openly, you know,
their experiences and what they need from individuals who can
do what they are limited in doing. And so that's
(03:38):
how I got, you know, into this. I heard about
the Jorge Radio Reading Service, and you know what the
organization has been doing for the last almost forty five years,
and I just had to be a part of that mission. Well,
I am just really learning about your organization and I
am fascinated about the kind of work that you guys, Dobody.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Who's now a senior citizen. I love to read. I
love books.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I love to you know, that has always been a
part of my whole life, but it's a little bit
harder for me these days because the prints are so
small in many books, and I've come to love audiobooks.
So are you guys something like an audiobook company that
provides that kind of service.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
How does it work?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Joined?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Essentially, essentially, we are so we are twenty four to
seven live broadcast station. So we provide audio broadcasts to
printing material that includes books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters and other
publications as well. And we provide the difference I would
(04:47):
say between us in audible.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
We provide, you know, a human interface to this.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
It's like your neighbor, your mom, you know, your your
child reading to you at your bedside, you know, as
opposed to maybe AI robotic voice really.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
That you might get.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So we have over two hundred and fifty active volunteers
throughout the state of Georgia that either come into studio
or they record from home. These books, newspapers, magazines and
the like, and so essentially, like as I mentioned, we're
twenty four to seven, but we do have on demand
access as well, so you can access us on our
(05:29):
website and just choose. Let's just say, hey, I don't
care about you know, listening to the news. Let me
go ahead and just listen to books. You can go
in and choose the type of book based on a genre,
the author, or the reader.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So you don't necessarily just focus on your audiences. Not
just people who may be site and paired or printing paired.
Anyone could access your service who really just wants to
be read to. So we like to provide this service,
you know, first and foremost for those individuals who are
(06:06):
print impaired, and that doesn't necessarily have to mean that
you are blind or have low vision. These are people
who may have suffered traumatic brain injury or you know,
they suffer a stroke and they can no longer hold
their you know, hold the newspaper or hold the book. Dyslexia,
you know, you know, we don't necessarily jump to those
things when we think about print impairment, but it covers
(06:29):
a broad spectrum, excuse me, of individuals who can no
longer read for themselves. So we like to provide this
service for those individuals first and foremost, so that they
can have equitable and equal access, you know, just the
same as someone who is cited or who is not
printing pair can go and just grab a book off
the shelf and read for themselves. That's awesome. And you
(06:52):
said you've been around forty five years.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, so this October we make forty five years.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
That's pretty incredible. Said, I had no idea. So I'm
so glad to know that you guys exist. So what
are some of the volunteers? Do they have to have
special types of voices? I mean, how do you identify volunteers?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Do they just you know, do they know? They mean
generally when you're being.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Read to or you're listening to a book or something,
really nice voices?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
How does that work?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, well, I'll say this, I cannot stand here in
my voice back, so I shout out anyone who is
you know, they're so happy and elated to provide this service,
you know, to our listeners. But essentially we have an
audition process, so anyone who wants to you know, be
able to read. You obviously have individuals who have experience
(07:42):
or their voices are you know, just amazing angelic, you know,
and they bring a certain light or life to what
they're reading. However, we have an audition process where we
have our volunteers come in. You know, obviously they have
to have, you know, a certain vocabulary, so we do
vocabulary audition process. You know, you just have to know
(08:03):
how to pronounce certain words. But obviously you can look
that up. There are several words I do not know
how to pronounce. And then we have a process where
they record and then they have to do a little
soft editing so to speak, because we do have producers
in house that does the editing for our volunteers before it.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Was on the air.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
But our volunteers need to have some level of editing skills.
Now this is something that we offer to teach to train.
So to answer your question, you don't have to have
special you know, top secret skills in recording or production.
We provide that to you, but you definitely have to
(08:46):
have that desire and you know, passion to do this work.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Is there an age group or because I mean, do
you find younger people love doing this with older people?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Are you seeing anything like that happening. We have a
lot of retirees.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I will say that, you know, individuals to give back.
You know, they're hey. I'll say, there's a lot of
our volunteers. You know, they stop working and immediately reach out,
you know, to us because it's like, you know, hey,
I've been working for the last forty years, fifty years,
I have to do something else. But we do have
(09:23):
those college students, you know, younger population who's been getting
into volunteering as well, just giving back to the community.
We partner with other organizations and their employees or their
volunteers come in and offer their services to us as well.
So it is diverse. Our volunteer basis diverse. But we
do have a lot of retirees that love to do
(09:45):
this work.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I would think that'd be a nice way to spend
some time if you're a retiree.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
How long a process does it?
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I mean, are people asking to get a whole newspaper
read or you know, I mean a whole book you
can see, but they do you is that how it works?
Do they read a whole newspaper that section by section.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Or to call that?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Yeah, So we have guidelines, you know, just to you know,
obviously you're not sitting there for you know, six hours
reading an entire newspaper because right, it can be a
long time. We do have some guidelines, you know, reading
the top stories. You know, we do have comics sections
as well that we read.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
We we like to get feedback from our listeners, so
would you want to hear but we want to make
sure that the news that everything that's happening in your
local area on a national level, that that information is
getting out. When it comes to books, we record in
sections or chapters rather and you know, we have it out.
(10:47):
So if you want to listen to it, let's just
say you'll listen to the first half this week, and
then you'll listen to the next half the.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Problem a week.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
So we have we have options, but if you want
to wait, and that's just the live So if you
want to listen on them, man after it's been you know,
on the site.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
You can just go ahead and listen to it at
your own taste.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Okay, I noticed this new thing. I don't know what
the name of it is. It's not necessarily an audio book.
It's almost like you are listening to a soap opera
or something. Is that so, I don't know what there's like,
it's popping up all over the place. They have different
names for it. But is that something you guys do,
because it sounds like you have to know how to
act a little bit, because in terms of some of
(11:27):
the scenes that I mean, because I've actually listened to
one or two and I said, this is interesting, but
but there's acting involved. I mean, yeah, you hear stuff
in the background and almost like you know, you could
like you're any but they're just reading and saying whatever
they're saying.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You can't see them.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
But it's almost like they're they're acting out scenes from
a you know, a movie or a film or book
or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And it's interesting, it is, and we are.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
We do have some volunteers, as I mentioned, that have
a background in production and you know, they've done voiceovers
for the last twenty or thirty years.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
So they give that you know, part of it.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Outside of that with special effects and sound effects and
things like that. You know, we have our producers who
like to go ahead and get creative and add in
the bird turfing and the wind blowing and things like that,
just so you can feel, you know, immersed and what
it is you're reading.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
So the disability community that you do service, how many
do you know? How many people in the disability community.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
That access your services? Do you have any idea what
that might be?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
So roughly around on an active basis, a little over
twelve thousand right now, and that's through our website. We
also offer listening through the Amazon Alexa dot, So there's
a skill on the dot that allows you to say
Alexa play Guards or Alexa play the Georgia Radio Reading
Service and it'll play you know, the broadcast stream. We
(13:02):
are also available on tune in and zero as well,
so we have you know, the different options for reading.
You not on Google Hub and Google We're trending that way.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
I have to Google help, Okay.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
I love I love the idea of what you guys
are doing, and I can see how it could impact
and really help, you know, people who are challenged visual,
you know, with their vision or with print and not
being able to themselves. I can see how they can
really be a big, big help. So what are your
plans for this year twenty twenty five and as an organization,
(13:42):
what are you hoping to be able to do in terms.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Of growing and reaching more people. Yeah, I'm glad you asked.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I will say this, and this has been something that
I have thought in the past. I think there's a
stigma around blinde slow vision and being print and paired
where you feel like anyone who's dealing with that, they
must be seventy five and older.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Right, you know, that's the whole disability community. That's right,
just that you know that people don't have any lives,
But we do.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Exactly and I think you know, to some extent, you know,
us and you know, other organizations that serve the same
population have fallen into that where you know, we sort
of have we stuck to that certain demographic or population
because it's heavier, you know, in what we thought. So
(14:41):
to answer your question, a lot of what we're doing
now is reaching a broader population and.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
That includes children.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
So we are navigating the space of social media now.
We are partnering with other organizations who share in the
same and so that we can not only shed a
light on what it is that we do and what
the other organizations are doing, but that stigma that we
want to break, those barriers that we want to break,
(15:10):
because as long as we continue to think those ways
and push that narrative, it limits our audience, right and
it limits the disability community because we're sort of spreading
that and so in that we are going in through
social media you know, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, where again our
(15:32):
listeners reside.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
You know, it's not just simply you know, audio.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
They are on social media as well and planning community events,
you know, doing things for our volunteers as well, and
just recruitment. We are because we're celebrating our forty fifth anniversary,
we're just you know, taking that time to look at
you know, where we've been and where we're going, and
(16:00):
you know, just rebranding right now. We are in a
rebranding process and I'm really excited about that, you know,
new everything and just developing a good cohort, a great team,
just community involvement just so that we can better serve
(16:20):
our population.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
So I'm really excited about what's to come.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
We've also developed podcasts and one that we are about
to launch. It's called Eyes and Lows, and it's shedding
light on mental health and just experiences that are not
talked about much in the disability community, not just the
blind a low vision.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
But you know, you you lose that sense of trust
in the world.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
You know, you lose camaraderie a lot of times when
you are first diagnosed. So we have guests coming on
and just kind of speaking about their experience and also
where they are now, providing that, you know, inspiration.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
And and that's so so important because which is one
of the reasons why I, you know, I do this show.
I I uh, I'm the parent of an adult daughter
with both intellectual and physical disabilities, and I don't like
for her to miss out on anything.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
And because of the kind of work.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
That I do, you know, she's always with me, participating
in various events and community things that you know, sometimes
you don't really see too many people with disabilities because
they stay home.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
For whatever reasons.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And like you say, you know, the stigma that nobody
really likes to be stared at.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
And you know, if there's any kind of.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
A little bit of what some people consider noise if
your child gets a little loud or so I say
that a little bit. It's a little bit uncomfortable for
some folks and they don't want to deal with it.
So and and you know, and it's a really it's reality.
But the point is that, you know, the disability population
is is a huge, huge population. Twenty six percent of
(18:03):
the community. It's someone with a disability out of four.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
They are human. It's just the same anybody. And quite honestly,
we all have a level of disability. Absolutely, we all
have limitations. I mean at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
And if we you know, just treat people regardless of
ability all the same, you know, things would be a
whole lot better, resources would be, you know, greater in access,
and you know, we wouldn't have all of those internal
biases that we unfortunately have. You know, when looking like
you said, seeing just face value for what it is.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
You know, it's touch with the heart.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
And that's the challenge that we're facing in these times
that we're in today. Too many people don't have heart,
they don't have basic compassion for other people, and and
that's a that's a very unfortunate and I'm hoping you know,
it's not become pervasive where you're seeing such selfishness and
(19:04):
such disregard for other people and their feelings and their
you know, how they live. And you know, as long
as I got mine, that's all I care about. That
that attitude is just not going to fly in the
in the long run. And so I'm really, you know,
staying in prayer about where we are as a society,
(19:29):
particularly you know, for people with disabilities, my daughter and
and people like her, because you know, of course I'm
going to do everything in my power while I'm still
here to protect her from whatever is out there. But
there's a lot of, unfortunately, people who would rather this
community disappear.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yeah, and that's unfortunate, but it's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Yeah, even realizing that people who you know serve you
day to day have a disability. You know, the people
that may make sure you have what you need to
make sure the building that you're in, you know, is
up and running, have a level of disability. But again
it's it's if you don't have that heart or unless
it happens to you, right, because.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's whole point.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
It's the one community that anybody can join at any
time and will join, and you live long enough right
exactly exactly, So it's it's just amazing to me. But
you know, I'm believing that what we're seeing today as
a society is not something that's going to be pervasive.
(20:36):
I'm hoping that, you know, the God in all of
us will show up and keep us in a place
where we would, like you said, you know, love doing
the others that you would have been doing to you.
So I'm believing that that, you know, even though it
looks differently right now, it's not going to stay that
way forever. We just have to, you know, bolster up
(20:58):
and get get get used to be ready and stay careful.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
But you know, I love what you're doing. You know.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Please tell the listening and watching audience where people can
find Georgia Radio Reading Service and how they can reach
you if they need to talk to you and find
out how they can be a volunteer.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Absolutely, and I would be so glad to answer any questions.
Our website is gars dot org that is g A
r r.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
S dot O r G.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
You can find information on how to be a listener
or a volunteer on the site and keep up to
date about what's going on and what we're doing in
the community as far as advocacy and community events, so
stay tuned there. If you'd like to listen on the
Amazon Alexa dot if you already have one, just you
can say Amazon, or you can say Alexa excuse me,
(21:52):
play GARS or play the Georgia Radio Reading Service and
you can find us on Instagram at at GARS that's
g A r r S, Underscore O r G, Facebook,
the Georgia Radio Reading Service and linked in the Georgia
Radio Reading Service. You can contact us if you want
to be a volunteer, send an email to volunteers at
(22:16):
GARS dot org. That's the O l U n T
E E r S dot org O r G. And
if you would like to learn more and you want
to give me a call, you can give me a
call at for four zero four six eight five two
eight two three and I'll be happy to take the
call and just listen to what you have to say.
(22:40):
So thank you, well, thank you so much for being
a part of disability world today. I know that we
you know I've spoken to a couple of your associates Miracles.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
She's a very enthusiastic young lady.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Because we look forward to talking with her, you know,
in the future and possibly doing some things with you guys.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
You know, so we were decited to know you.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Show Ability is the organization that i'm I'm the board
chair and you know, so we had the event that's
happening actually tomorrow, Disabled Artists performing Artists, the Talent Show.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
And so but we have things that I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Sure guards will be able to assist us with and
we can do some things together. So I'm looking forward to,
you know, being of assistance to Miracle as she does
her outreach and and to.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
The organization, you know, the you know, show Ability.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
As a board chair and Marna Clayton, who is the founder,
you know, I think would love to learn more and
and do what we can to assist you and what
you're doing. And so we look forward to, you know,
continuing those conversations. But just want to let you know
I went to school in Brooklyn, so I went to
l u.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Okay, I've been in Georgia forty years, but I grew
up in New York City, So I know, Okay, you
missed the foods. Oh, yes, absolutely absolutely. Whenever I go back,
I head straight to juniors.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Got to get this, Yes, exactly, twenty fifth Street.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
You know, I mean, I grew up in the Spanish Harlem,
so I'm well versed in New York and I can't
wait to go back.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
It's been a few years. I used to go every year, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
But I haven't been since my in laws past, both
my in law's past, and I don't get to go
as often because I would take my daughter they're going
and she would visit for periods of time for.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Since she was born.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
And so now that they're no longer here, you know,
I don't get as off get to go as often.
But I love New York and has an energy that
no other place has. I can't say I want to
live there anymore, but I visiting.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
That.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I can't go back to live there, but I need
to go back just for the food.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I can see my family, and then I gotta go
the shot that. Yeah, those kind of things. Broadway.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
There's nothing like Broadway. So yeah, you know, New York
definitely has its charm. But I love Atlanta. I have
been here all this time and it's a great place.
So but anyway, thank you again for being a part
of our show. I'm sure we're going to be talking again.
Zoom when you get some of those new podcasts up
and things like that, so you know, I'll be glad
to have you back to.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Talk about some of the new things that you have
coming up later in the year.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
And we appreciate you taking the time out, doctor Brittany
with Climore and much success to guards and what you're
doing moving forward. Thank you, Thank you so much for
having me, and I definitely want to say just thank
you for the work that you're doing and just spreading
awareness and shutting the light on disability and the disability community.
(25:51):
You are doing great work and I'm just I'm amazed
at what you've done already and just ask that you
continue to do that and please reach out if I
can do anything.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
We will definitely be talking, I'm sure. So thank you again.
We appreciate you, and we'll be in touch, all right,
Thank you, Thank you. Well.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
We just had a wonderful conversation with doctor Brittany Mecklamore
of the Georgia Radio Reading Service and I learned so much.
I had no idea and I'm so glad to know
that they exist. I definitely will be accessing them. I
do hope that my Google will be able to find
them because my daughter would love that. So anyway, thank
(26:32):
you for being a part of our segment today. We've
got some great shows coming your way over the next
few weeks, so stay tuned and until next time, you'll
be blessed and we will see you again soon
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