The Blind Chick

Episode Summary

What does financial independence look like when you're living with vision loss? And how do you build a secure financial future when the very systems designed to support you can sometimes make saving money more difficult?

On this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses Street welcome Rachel Christian, journalist, financial writer, and founder of Unseen Wealth, a financial coaching business focused on empowering people with disabilities. Rachel shares her personal journey with cone dystrophy, her career in journalism, and the experiences that inspired her to help others take control of their financial futures.

Together, they explore the challenges of financial literacy, the differences between SSI and SSDI, and how ABLE accounts can provide opportunities to save and invest while navigating certain public benefit restrictions. Rachel also breaks down practical financial strategies, including the 50/30/20 budgeting rule, retirement investments, and the risks of cryptocurrency. Along the way, the conversation explores the changing landscape of journalism, financial misinformation, and the importance of understanding where financial advice comes from.

From overcoming the fear of losing benefits to building confidence with money, Rachel reminds us that financial independence isn't necessarily about becoming wealthy overnight. It's about education, making informed decisions, and recognizing that small steps can lead to meaningful change.

Show Credits

Podcast: The Blind Chick

Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street

Guest: Rachel Christian, Founder of Unseen Wealth

Producer: Jonathan Price

Production: Aftersight

Contact Information

Rachel Christian | Unseen Wealth

Website: https://uwcoaching.com

Financial coaching, education, and information about Rachel's services are available through her website.

Aftersight

Website: https://aftersight.org

General Inquiries: [email protected]

Guest Suggestions and Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary

What happens when getting older reminds us that disability can become part of anyone's story? And what happens when a dream to help people regain their independence finally reaches beyond state lines?

Penn and Moses Street are back with stories from their latest Colorado hot springs adventure and Moses's 60th high school reunion. Between questionable jokes about aging, memories of old classmates, and a few unexpected reflections on mortality, the conversation takes a meaningful turn toward disability, independence, and the importance of supporting one another.

Then comes some exciting news! Aftersight's White Cane Project is expanding nationwide. Thanks to an incredible partnership with Awarewolf Gear and the generosity of anonymous donors, people who are blind or have low vision outside Colorado will soon have access to high-quality white canes completely free of charge, including shipping.

Penn and Moses also discuss upcoming White Cane Safety Day celebrations, Colorado Gives Day, the Blind Travel Summit in Chicago, and why learning to use a white cane represents far more than mobility. It represents courage, confidence, and freedom.

And because this is The Blind Chick, there's plenty of laughter along the way, including broken canes, questionable marriage advice, and Moses's inability to stop looking at Penn.

A white cane isn't a symbol of what someone has lost. It's a tool that helps them reclaim their independence.

Credits

Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street Producer: Jonathan Price Production: Aftersight Podcast: The Blind Chick

Contact & Resources

• Aftersight: https://aftersight.org
• Questions and Feedback: [email protected]
• Awarewolf Gear: White Cane Project manufacturing partner
• Colorado Gives Day: https://www.coloradogives.org
• White Cane Safety Day: October 15
• White Cane Celebration in Loveland: October 17, 2026, 10 AM–2 PM, The Foundry
• Blind Travel Summit: April 29–30, 2027, Chicago

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back to The Blind Chick

01:15 Hot Springs, Fall Colors, and a Little Healing

04:10 Moses's 60th High School Reunion

08:20 Getting Older and Confronting Disability

13:00 Why Supporting Disability Organizations Matters

15:00 Colorado Gives Day and Aftersight's Matching Gift

17:30 The White Cane Project Is Going Nationwide!

20:15 Awarewolf Gear and the Donors Making It Possible

24:00 Why Quality White Canes Matter

27:30 White Cane Safety Day and Community Celebrations

31:00 The Courage and Freedom Behind a White Cane

35:00 Challenging Misconceptions About Blindness and Employment

37:30 The Blind Travel Summit Heads to Chicago

40:00 Final Thoughts, Five Stars, and Marriage Humor

Summary

Liam Erven has been blind since birth, but growing up, his family largely expected him to experience the world the same way other kids did. He climbed things, ran into walls, got lost, learned to find his way back, and eventually discovered a Nintendo his grandparents bought him simply because other kids had one too. That gift introduced him to what he describes as a whole world inside a box, even if that world wasn’t designed for him yet.

On this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses Street talk with Liam about growing up blind, mainstream education, independence, relationships, sports, hearing loss, and the importance of being allowed to fail. Liam shares why being protected from every mistake can ultimately keep a child from developing the skills they will need later in life, and why one of his guiding philosophies has become simple: just figure it out.

Gaming became one of the places where Liam did exactly that. After becoming good enough at Mortal Kombat that neighborhood kids stopped wanting to play against him, he eventually turned a childhood idea into Super Liam, which he describes as the first side-scrolling audio game for blind players. Today, he continues working with accessible technology, developing games, and exploring ways technology can make entertainment more inclusive.

The conversation also gets personal as Liam discusses his marriage to Alyssa, their podcast 404 Sight Not Found, the fear that comes with losing hearing he has depended on his entire life, and his desire to leave the world better than he found it. His closing reminder is simple: some days are bad days. Sometimes the best thing you can do is get through today, let it go, and try again tomorrow.

Credits

Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Liam Erven
Producer: Jonathan Price
Production: Aftersight

Contact Information

Liam Erven / L-Works
l-works.net

Podcast: 404 Sight Not Found

Aftersight
aftersight.org

Chapters

00:00 Summer plans and an unexpected Pagosa Springs story
03:49 Meet Liam Erven
05:21 Blindness, hearing loss, and three and a half senses
08:16 Understanding the world without a visual reference
10:18 Growing up without being treated differently
14:15 Nintendo, childhood, and realizing he was different
15:53 Mainstream education and choosing his own path
21:40 Hockey, baseball, and making sports more accessible
28:15 From Chicago to Oklahoma and a career in accessibility
30:25 How Liam met Alyssa and their unexpected love story
38:29 Facing hearing loss and preparing for change
45:01 Disability, independence, and adapting to what changes
49:42 Why gaming can bring people together
51:22 Creating Super Liam from a childhood dream
56:08 Why failure matters for children and adults
01:00:54 404 Sight Not Found and life with Alyssa
01:04:28 Brainstation, new games, and what comes next
01:11:41 Bad days, tomorrow, and learning to reset

Episode Summary
 

Penn and Moses sit down with licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Brittany Adams Yee for a candid conversation about mental health, disability, trauma, and adapting when life changes in ways you never expected.
 

Dr. Adams Yee shares her own experience with vision loss, the barriers she encountered while becoming a psychologist, and why those experiences shaped her work with people living with disabilities. The conversation explores grief and identity after vision loss, accessible approaches to EMDR, virtual therapy, aging, major life transitions, and the importance of understanding people as individuals who are suffering rather than simply reducing them to a diagnosis.
 

Dr. Adams Yee also explains how bilateral stimulation used in EMDR can be adapted beyond eye movement, including tactile and auditory approaches that can make the treatment accessible for people who are blind or low vision. 

Through plenty of laughter and some deeply personal moments, the episode comes back to a simple idea: there may not be one correct way to navigate life. As Brittany puts it, each person has to discover what living well looks like for them, knowing that answer can change over time. 

Credits 

Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Dr. Brittany Adams
Producer: Jonathan Price
Produced by: Aftersight 

Connect with Dr. Brittany Adams Yee

Dr. Adams Yee is the founder of Unconscious Connections Therapy Services and provides virtual therapy services. She is licensed in Colorado and Illinois and discusses additional telehealth availability through PSYPACT during the episode.  

Website: ucts-psych.com
 
She can also be found through Psychology Today and LinkedIn. 

Connect with The Blind Chick 

Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode? Reach out to Aftersight and connect with The Blind Chick wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Please subscribe, share the show, and leave a five-star rating if you enjoy the podcast.

Episode Summary

Penn and Moses are back together in the Aftersight studio, recovering from an incredible weekend at the annual hike with No Barriers USA. More than 40 people joined the event, bringing together friends from across the blind and low-vision community, including climbers, artists, advocates, families, and longtime supporters. Penn and Moses reflect on the people who made the weekend memorable, from familiar friends to new connections, and share the story of Jim Valenzuela getting the opportunity to try adaptive cycling equipment that could potentially put him back on the road.

Then the conversation turns toward Moses’ upcoming 60th high school reunion in Rochester, Indiana. What begins as a trip down memory lane becomes a hilarious look at how class reunions change over the decades: from trying to impress everyone at the 10-year reunion, to discovering forgotten high-school crushes, comparing gray hair and medications, and wondering whether spouses should even be invited.

Along the way, Penn and Moses talk about how much people really change over a lifetime, the strange persistence of old personalities, family photographs, lost friends, and one of Moses’ classmates who became known as the “hanging judge” because of his unwavering commitment to applying the law consistently.

They close by looking ahead to fall adventures, hot springs, sports, Thanksgiving, and more opportunities to get out of the house and participate in life. Penn offers her familiar challenge to the blind and low-vision community: grab the white cane, get outside, and be part of the world around you.

Credits

Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Producer: Jonathan Price
Podcast: The Blind Chick
Production: Aftersight

Contact

Aftersight / The Blind Chick: [email protected]

YouTube: Search for Aftersight or The Blind Chick on YouTube.

Episode Summary
 

Country singer-songwriter Sarah Hardwig joins Penn Street and Moses Street for a wide-ranging conversation about music, blindness, ambition, creativity, and what success actually means.
 

Sarah shares how growing up blind with Leber congenital amaurosis never stopped her from developing an early love for country music. From singing Carrie Underwood in the car as a child to recording homemade CDs, performing national anthems, attending CMA Fest, and eventually studying songwriting and music business at Belmont University, Sarah describes a career built through persistence, relationships, and a willingness to keep showing up.
 

She also reflects on her experience auditioning for America’s Got Talent, where she received four yeses but did not advance to the live shows. Sarah explains why the exposure became valuable in its own right and why she ultimately sees not advancing further as something that may have protected her artistic independence.
 

The conversation goes deeper into performance anxiety, songwriting, learning guitar by feel and ear, her complicated relationship with Braille music, and her belief that blindness should never force an artist into a particular creative lane. Sarah explains that her songs are not about portraying a character. The strength, vulnerability, humor, fear, and determination in them are all different parts of herself.
  

Sarah also discusses her single “Breaking Away,” which grew from her own struggle with uncertainty and self-doubt as she approached high-school graduation. For Sarah, breaking away means refusing to allow fear and doubt to dictate what happens next. 

Through conversations about manifestation, fame, Nashville, artistic community, and the uncertainty of a creative career, Sarah keeps returning to one idea: connection matters more than accolades or numbers. Success is not simply being famous. It is finding people who believe in what you do and continuing to pursue something meaningful even when the outcome cannot be controlled. 
 

Credits 

Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Sarah Hardwig
Producer: Jonathan Price
Podcast: The Blind Chick
Produced by: Aftersight 

Contact & Follow 

Sarah Hardwig 

•  Website: sarahardwig.com
•  Facebook, Instagram & TikTok: @sarahhardwigofficial
•  Music: Apple Music, Spotify, and other major streaming platforms 

The Blind Chick / Aftersight
 

•  Website: aftersight.org
•  More podcasts, programming, resources, and services for people who are blind or low vision are available through Aftersight. 

1. Episode Summary

Penn and Moses catch up on a full stretch of life: Penn’s inclusion in Jennifer Chassman Brown’s upcoming book See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability, a restorative Buena Vista getaway, Charlotte Hot Springs, a nostalgic drive-in movie night, and Aftersight’s upcoming No Barriers hike.

The conversation then turns sharply toward independence and advocacy. Penn shares how Model Mugging self-defense training changed the way she carries herself, including a real-life moment when she protected her young daughter from two much larger men.

They close with a practical conversation about medical self-advocacy: bringing another person to appointments when possible, taking notes, asking questions, and making sure concerns are actually heard.

It’s a wide-ranging episode about enjoying life, trusting your instincts, using your voice, and refusing to surrender your agency.

2. Contact Info

Listener feedback / guest ideas: [email protected]
Aftersight: aftersight.org

Book mentioned: See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability — Jennifer Chassman Brown

Self-defense program mentioned: Model Mugging

Travel resource mentioned: Blind Pilots — founded by Scott Garrison

3. Show Credits

Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Producer / Editor: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

4. Chapter Markers

00:05 — Welcome and Penn’s big news
01:03 — See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability
04:08 — Portraits, recognition, and being seen
06:58 — A Buena Vista glamping getaway
08:26 — Charlotte Hot Springs and actually slowing down
10:22 — Coyote vs. Acme and drive-in nostalgia
17:39 — Reflections on the Grand Canyon flash flood
19:45 — The upcoming No Barriers hike and community support
23:13 — Model Mugging and why self-defense changes more than fighting
26:24 — Penn’s real-world self-defense story: protecting Tate
31:59 — Why bringing someone to a medical appointment can matter
34:53 — Listener feedback, support, and closing thoughts

1. Episode Summary
 

At 17, Avital “Avi” Drel heard a deceptively simple story: a blind diner could not independently find out what was on a restaurant menu. Instead of treating that as a minor inconvenience, Avi spent hours interviewing blind and low-vision people across the country. Again and again, he heard the same word: independence.
 

In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses talk with Avi about Meet My Menu, an AI-powered tool that can locate or scan a restaurant menu, organize it for screen readers, and let a diner explore dishes through a conversational voice agent.
 

They discuss why reading a menu is really about choice, how accessible design often benefits far more people than its original audience, and where the same idea could go next, including conferences, theater programs, and other information that is still too often inaccessible.
 

2. Contact Info 

Guest: Avital “Avi” Drel, founder and CEO of Meet My Menu
Meet My Menu: https://meetmymenu.com
Web app: https://app.meetmymenu.com
Avital Drel: https://avitaldrel.com
Aftersight: https://aftersight.org 

3. Show Credits 

Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Avital “Avi” Drel
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight
 

4. Chapter Markers 

00:05 — Welcome to The Blind Chick
01:18 — Aftersight’s annual Colorado hike and sponsors
05:00 — Meet 17-year-old inventor Avital “Avi” Drel
06:49 — The restaurant experience that sparked Meet My Menu
08:24 — What blind diners said they wanted most: independence
09:08 — Learning that blindness is a spectrum
13:09 — Why traditional menu access still falls short
15:12 — Building and refining the first prototypes
16:36 — Searching online or scanning a printed menu
17:56 — Structured screen-reader access and the AI waiter
21:24 — How voice-first menus can help beyond blindness
23:20 — Where to use Meet My Menu
25:50 — From idea to working product in a matter of months
27:28 — Expanding accessible information beyond restaurants
28:23 — What audio description reveals about what is missing
31:00 — Accessible theater programs and conference information
38:10 — The student team behind the project
41:28 — Business, leadership, and building with AI
45:48 — How to find Avi and Meet My Menu
49:09 — Avi’s message: there is always something you can do
54:14 — Closing thoughts 

Episode Summary
 
Penn and Moses are back for a summer catch-up filled with the kind of highs and lows that make life feel like a roller coaster. Between Penn’s health struggles, a packed schedule, concerts, baseball, family time, and plenty of classic Blind Chick humor, there has been no shortage of stories.

They share a memorable night with friends Jim and Kathy that included dinner in Denver and a Dodgers–Rockies game. The experience leads to conversations about accessibility, generosity, lifelong baseball memories, and the moments with family and friends that become bigger than the event itself.

Penn and Moses also recap dancing through the rain at Red Rocks, seeing Zach Bryan at Empower Field, spending time with their daughters and families, and looking ahead to the upcoming Aftersight hike. Along the way, Moses offers his critique of modern concerts, especially the people who apparently paid admission so they could sing every song louder than the artist.

The conversation becomes more serious as Penn talks about a difficult summer of health problems. She and Moses discuss the challenge of navigating multiple specialists who do not always communicate with each other and the exhausting process of trying to get clear answers. Penn also shares an update on her guide dog journey and one very large dream: seeing Andrea Bocelli at Red Rocks and interviewing him for The Blind Chick.

Through everything, Penn and Moses end where they often do: with gratitude, perspective, and a reminder to be kind to yourself and find a way to be kind to somebody else.

Content Note

This episode includes candid discussion of illness, medical care, and navigating the healthcare system, along with mild profanity and adult humor.

Contact Information

The Blind Chick / Aftersight
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (720) 712-8856

Listeners can also visit aftersight.org for information about the upcoming Aftersight hike, including registration, volunteering, and sponsorship opportunities.

Show Credits

Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Episode Summary

Robert Lamm returns to The Blind Chick several years after his first appearance, and this time Penn and Moses get to look at something rare: what happened after the goals, struggles, and dreams Robert talked about the first time around.

Robert has now graduated from Colorado State University, transitioned from an internship into a full-time career with Stantec, and is beginning the next chapter of his engineering career. But the conversation goes much deeper than the degree or the job. Robert talks candidly about more than seven years of sobriety, finding the right recovery community, the transportation barriers that can make community involvement much harder for someone who is blind, and learning that leadership sometimes means knowing when to say no.

And, of course, Fletcher is never far from the conversation. Robert reflects on how his guide dog helped change the direction of his life, forced him to slow down and take care of himself, and eventually became part of Robert’s own desire to give back. That has now led Robert into advocacy and public speaking with Leader Dogs for the Blind, including a new role on its alumni board.

Near the end, Robert shares an idea that has stayed with him from his time as a CSU Presidential Ambassador: philanthropy is often described through time, talent, and treasure, but there is a fourth “T” — testimony. Sometimes telling the story of what you have lived through is itself a way of giving back.

Robert’s challenge is simple: pay attention to where life is leading you, have the courage to act on the opportunities in front of you, find your purpose, and keep doing the right thing.

Contact Info

Robert Lamm
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Search for Robert Lamm; his profile features Robert with Fletcher
Facebook: Robert is also active on Facebook

Aftersight
Website: aftersight.org

Credits

Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Robert Lamm
Producer: Jonathan Price
Operational Company: Aftersight