The Blind Chick

By AftersightSociety & Culture Education

The Blind Chick episodes

June 11 Seeing Differently: Monet, Marriage, and the Art of Not Giving Up
1. Episode Summary

Penn and Moses Street return with their signature humor, honesty, and warmth after a full weekend at Cherry Creek State Park for Canes, Tails, and Trails, a collaborative walk with Foresight Adventure Guides for the Blind. They reflect on the joy of gathering with the blind and low-vision community, the exhaustion that follows meaningful work, and the possibility of making the event an annual tradition.

The conversation then turns personal as Penn and Moses answer a listener question about age-gap relationships. With a 20-year age difference between them, they share what has helped their marriage endure: communication, commitment, therapy, humility, and the willingness to keep choosing each other as life changes.
Later, Penn and Moses highlight Claude Monet, exploring how vision loss shaped some of his most powerful work. They reflect on creativity, low vision, identity, and the truth that limitation does not have to end a person’s purpose. The episode closes with encouragement for listeners to pursue their dreams, reject “stinking thinking,” and remember to be kind to themselves and others.
2. Contact Info
The Blind Chick / Aftersight
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (720) 712-8856

Mentioned in This Episode
Foresight Adventure Guides for the Blind
Ruckus in the Alley
Producer Contact
Jonathan Price
Podcast Producer, Aftersight
Email: [email protected]
3. Show Credits
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Podcast: The Blind Chick
Produced by: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight
43 min
June 04 Rewriting the Narrative with Shanell Matos
1) Episode Summary
In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses Street welcome Shanell Matos for a powerful conversation about vision loss, motherhood, advocacy, and rebuilding life with courage and honesty. Shanell shares how she celebrated ten years of vision loss by completing a 44-mile tandem bike ride in New York City, reflects on losing her vision as a new mom, and talks about learning Braille, asking for help, finding resources, and stepping into advocacy through tools like RightHear and Discover Live. Her story is a reminder that success does not always start pretty, but showing up, doing the hard thing, and refusing to let fear write the story can change everything.
2) Contact Info
Guest: Shanell Matos
Featured Resources: RightHear and Discover Live
Aftersight
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (720) 712-8856
Producer Contact
Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight
[email protected]
3) Show Credits
Hosted by: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Shanell Matos
Produced by: Jonathan Price
Podcast: The Blind Chick
Presented by: Aftersight

1 hr 13 min
May 28Growing, Giving & Getting Out There
1) Episode Summary

In this solo episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses catch listeners up on life, travel, gardening, Memorial Day reflections, St. Louis adventures, and the power of learning to advocate for yourself. Moses opens with his “summer gym,” also known as the garden, before the conversation moves into honoring Memorial Day with the reverence it deserves. Penn shares highlights from the 2026 GiveCon conference in St. Louis, including a surprise live podcast appearance and visits to the zoo and Cardinals games. She also highlights Aftersight’s upcoming walk with Foresight Adventure Guides at Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora on Saturday, May 30th, 2026, inviting listeners to register, donate, and join the community for a five-mile walk, lunch, music, and connection.
The heart of the episode comes through Penn’s reflection on self-advocacy: how people often advocate fiercely for loved ones but struggle when it comes time to speak up for themselves. With humor, honesty, and their usual back-and-forth rhythm, Penn and Moses remind listeners that blindness, disability, age, or health challenges do not erase a person’s intelligence, personality, experience, or place in the world.
2) Contact Info
The Blind Chick / Aftersight
Website: Aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 720-712-8856
Mentioned in this episode:
Purpose and Profit Club podcast
Foresight Adventure Guides
Rocky Mountain Cyber Lions Club
Ruckus in the Alley
Producer:
Jonathan Price, Podcast and Program Producer at Aftersight
3) Show Credits
The Blind Chick is brought to you by Aftersight.
Hosted by Penn Street and Moses Street.
Produced by Jonathan Price.
For more information, visit Aftersight.org or reach out at [email protected].
(00:00) - — Welcome Back to The Blind Chick
(00:40) - — Moses’ Summer Gym: The Garden
(04:07) - — Memorial Day and Remembering Sacrifice
(05:47) - — Penn’s Trip to 2026 GiveCon
(07:48) - — Moses Reconnects with an Old Friend
(10:46) - — St. Louis, the Arch, and the Zoo
(14:52) - — Aftersight’s Cherry Creek Walk on May 30th
(17:26) - — Penn Is Apparently Out of Focus
(19:36) - — Learning the Skill of Self-Advocacy
(21:27) - — A Surprise Reunion with Paula
(24:25) - — Advocating for Others vs. Yourself
(27:21) - — The Space Between Action and Reaction
(31:34) - — Advocacy, Employment, and Entrepreneurship
(33:43) - — Learning to Pause Before Saying No
(35:43) - — Where Penn and Moses Want to Travel Next
(38:19) - — Famous Blind and Low-Vision Figures
(39:40) - — You Are Still You
(42:21) - — Closing: Be Kind to Yourself and Others
43 min
May 21 Elizabeth Long: Freedom Beyond the Tether
1) Episode Summary

In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses Street welcome Elizabeth Long, an outdoor adventurer from Ridgway, Colorado, whose story moves through hearing loss, vision loss, spinal injury, adaptive sports, and the long process of learning how to stop hiding and start living fully.

Elizabeth shares how growing up around unspoken family attitudes toward disability shaped her early silence around hearing loss, and how learning ASL later became a doorway into community, confidence, and identity. She talks about moving from Michigan to southwest Colorado, falling in love with the mountains, rock climbing, ice climbing, skiing, and eventually discovering adaptive sports.

The conversation becomes especially powerful as Elizabeth describes how adaptive skiing, including mono-skiing, helped her rediscover freedom without pretending her body had no limits. Penn connects deeply with Elizabeth’s story, especially around the grief of possibly giving up skiing and the possibility of finding a new way forward.

At its heart, this episode is about not closing the door on your life when disability changes the rules. Elizabeth’s message is clear: you may have to do things differently, but differently does not mean lesser.
2) Contact Info
Guest: Elizabeth Long
Instagram: @sanjuanmtnchick
Spelled: S-A-N-J-U-A-N-M-T-N-C-H-I-C-K

Aftersight
Website: Aftersight.org
Phone: (720) 712-8856
Email: [email protected]
Producer: Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight
3) Show Credits
Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Elizabeth Long
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight
1 hr 4 min
May 14Living Above the Noise
1) Episode Summary

In this warm, funny, and reflective episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses open with Mother’s Day reflections, their first Sprinter van camping trip of the season, and a very important audience assignment: help name the van. Their trip to Saratoga, Wyoming includes hot springs, a late-night knock from the police, a Google Maps prairie adventure, and the discovery that they had unknowingly parked just steps from the lake.
Penn then shares a moving story about meeting Diane, a woman adjusting to vision loss, and helping her find tools, encouragement, and a new cane. The conversation turns toward the deep value of connecting with others who understand blindness and low vision from the inside.
Moses shares his current family photo project, scanning thousands of old photographs and negatives, some unseen for nearly 80 years. The episode then centers on a listener question about how Penn and Moses “live above the noise.” Their answer blends humor and wisdom as they discuss choosing peace, protecting their marriage, avoiding emotional drama, and refusing to let outside negativity poison their relationship.
The episode closes with a historical spotlight on Harriet Tubman, including Penn’s reflections on Tubman’s low vision, courage, and almost unimaginable resilience. Penn and Moses also share listener feedback, invite people to connect on YouTube, and promote the May 30 Aftersight walk at Cherry Creek Reservoir.
2) Contact Info
The Blind Chick / Aftersight
Website: Aftersight.org
Feedback Email: [email protected]
YouTube: Search Aftersight on YouTube
Event Mentioned
Aftersight walk at Cherry Creek Reservoir
Date: May 30
Location: Cherry Creek Reservoir, Aurora, Colorado
Details available at Aftersight.org
Producer Credit
Produced by Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight
3) Show Credits
Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Produced by: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight
Closing Reminder: Be kind to yourself this week and find a way to be kind to somebody else. It’s good for your soul.
(00:05) - — Welcome Back to The Blind Chick
(00:28) - — Mother’s Day Reflections
(01:59) - — Help Penn and Moses Name the Sprinter Van
(03:23) - — Camping in Saratoga, Wyoming
(04:04) - — Van Repairs, Oil Lights, and Travel Stress
(05:06) - — A Late-Night Knock at the Van Door
(06:02) - — Google Maps Takes Them Through the Prairie
(06:54) - — Waking Up Right Beside the Lake
(07:22) - — Penn Meets Diane at Aftersight
(08:20) - — The Exhaustion of New Vision Loss
(09:18) - — Tools, Canes, Hiking Poles, and Encouragement
(10:14) - — The Importance of Shared Blindness Experience
(11:38) - — Moses Begins His Family Photo Project
(12:37) - — Scanning Negatives Nearly 80 Years Old
(14:57) - — Listener Question: Living Above the Noise
(16:44) - — Choosing Peace Instead of Reacting
(19:16) - — Making End-of-Life Planning Surprisingly Funny
(21:23) - — Calling Out Drama and Protecting the Relationship
(23:33) - — Don’t Let Others Tear Down Your Spouse
(25:16) - — Recognizing Work Stress Without Taking It Personally
(27:00) - — Blind History Spotlight: Harriet Tubman
(28:24) - — Low Vision, Courage, and the Underground Railroad
(31:31) - — Listener Note from Dr. Jim Valenzuela
(32:15) - — Moses’ Red Face on YouTube
(33:47) - — Reminder to Listen to Jean Parker’s Episode
(34:41) - — Aftersight Walk on May 30
(35:24) - — Closing: Be Kind to Yourself and Others
36 min
May 07When Courage Has No Backup Plan
1) Episode Summary

In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses welcome back Jean Parker for a deeper and more powerful conversation about journalism, blindness, courage, emergency preparedness, and the kind of storytelling that does not come from a press release—it comes from walking into complicated places and refusing to look away.
Jean shares stories from her career as a blind female journalist working in South Asia, including a tense but transformative assignment in Libya where she unexpectedly had to cover an international conference alone. She talks about navigating risk, cultural barriers, government minders, technical challenges, and the constant need to hold firmly to both adaptive skills and adaptive philosophy.
The conversation then moves into Jean’s doctoral work, which focused on emergency preparedness education through community radio in North Indian villages. She explains how her field research was shaped by her journalism background, her observations after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and her desire to understand how trusted local radio could help communities receive life-saving information before and during disasters.

Jean also reflects on the importance of trust, local storytelling, community voices, and staying rooted in values—especially in a media landscape where original reporting and local journalism are becoming harder to find. The episode closes with warmth, humor, and a reminder that courage often shows up when the plane is already moving and there is no graceful way to back out.

2) Contact Info

Guest:
Jean Parker
LinkedIn: Add verified link before publishing

Aftersight:
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]

Producer Contact:
Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight
[email protected]
(720) 712-8856

3) Show Credits
Podcast: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Jean Parker
Producer: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight
(00:00) - — Welcome Back to The Blind Chick
(00:21) - — What’s Bringing Joy This Week
(02:11) - — Jean Parker Returns
(04:27) - — Why This Conversation Matters
(06:14) - — Jean’s Journalism Career in South Asia
(08:35) - — The Libya Assignment That Changed Everything
(12:38) - — Covering the Conference Alone
(14:50) - — Challenge, Risk, and Victory
(16:55) - — Early Audio Description in the Field
(19:29) - — Navigating Dangerous and Complicated Places
(21:20) - — Reporting from Sri Lanka
(23:04) - — What Is a Government Minder?
(26:10) - — The Minder Who Became a Friend
(28:19) - — Adaptive Skills and Adaptive Philosophy
(30:13) - — Jean’s Dissertation and Emergency Preparedness
(32:07) - — The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
(34:08) - — Community Radio and Disaster Education
(36:28) - — Field Research in North India
(39:50) - — Inequality in Disaster Information
(40:58) - — Why the Messenger Matters
(43:27) - — Building Trust Through Community Radio
(45:51) - — Working with a Research Assistant
(48:56) - — Finding the Right Partner for the Field
(53:46) - — Testing Trust and Access Before the Work Began
(55:23) - — Documenting the Research Through Audio and Photos
(57:45) - — Managing Tension in the Field
(01:00:24) - — What’s Next for Dr. Jean Parker
(01:03:06) - — Advice for the Next Generation of Journalists
(01:04:36) - — Closing Reflections and Listener Contact
1 hr 8 min
April 30Legally Blind, Historically Iconic, and Somehow Still Better at Photos Than Us
1) Episode Summary

In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses Street jump into a fun, honest, slightly chaotic, and very human conversation about YouTube, listener comments, meaningful memories, photography, and the legacy of blind and low-vision creatives. After a hilarious “take two” opening, Penn and Moses celebrate the show’s move to YouTube and thank listeners for the growing engagement and heartfelt comments.
The conversation moves into a personal question about favorite photos, which leads Moses into a powerful reflection on how people often dislike photos not because of how they look, but because of how they feel when the camera captures them. Penn shares one of her favorite images Moses ever took of her at the sand dunes, describing it as a symbol of freedom and stepping into a new chapter.
From there, the episode highlights Matthew Brady, the famous Civil War photographer and portrait artist who experienced significant vision loss. Moses shares how Brady built a team of photographers, documented the Civil War, photographed major historical figures, and helped shape the way Americans visually remember that era. Penn and Moses connect Brady’s story to other low-vision photographers they have known, reminding listeners that creativity does not disappear when vision changes.
The episode closes with a strong encouragement for blind and low-vision listeners to get outside, socialize, create, move, and be part of what Moses calls a “blind renaissance.” Penn also invites Colorado listeners to join Aftersight and Foresight Adventure Guides for the Blind for a walk at Cherry Creek State Park on May 30, and both hosts encourage listeners to leave comments, send feedback, and share stories of historical figures with vision loss.
2) Contact Info
The Blind Chick / Aftersight
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]

Event Mentioned
Aftersight and Foresight Adventure Guides for the Blind walk
Date mentioned: May 30
Location mentioned: Cherry Creek State Park
Registration: aftersight.org, under the events button

Producer
Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (720) 712-8856
3) Show Credits
Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Produced by: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight
(00:00) - — Welcome Back to The Blind Chick
(02:03) - — The Show Is Now on YouTube
(03:26) - — Reading a Listener Comment
(04:00) - — Don’t Wait to Make Meaningful Memories
(05:35) - — Question of the Week: Favorite Photo
(06:06) - — Moses on Emotion and Photography
(08:33) - — Penn’s Favorite Photo and the Meaning Behind It
(10:33) - — Introducing Matthew Brady
(12:32) - — Matthew Brady’s Place in American Photography
(14:23) - — Photographing the Civil War
(15:20) - — Matthew Brady and Vision Loss
(16:32) - — Possible Causes of Brady’s Vision Loss
(17:55) - — Why So Many Photos Were Credited to Brady
(19:13) - — Brady’s Decline After the Civil War
(20:27) - — Remembering Low-Vision Photographer Lou Dakin
(22:45) - — Blind and Low-Vision Photographers Today
(23:43) - — Listener Feedback and Story Invitations
(25:25) - — The Importance of Getting Out and Socializing
(26:36) - — May 30 Cherry Creek State Park Walk
(27:44) - — Closing Thoughts and Aftersight Reminder
29 min
April 23Dancing Beyond Limits with Brandy Mimms AKA Unique The Deaf Dancer
1) Episode Summary
In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn Street and Moses Street welcome Brandy Mimms AKA: Unique The Deaf Dancer for a powerful conversation about identity, resilience, art, and refusing to let other people’s limitations define your future. Brandy shares her story of being adopted, growing up hard of hearing, losing her parents at a young age, surviving Hurricane Katrina, and eventually building a life in Arkansas rooted in dance, advocacy, and creativity.
What makes this conversation land is Brandy’s honesty. She talks about the pain of being underestimated, the long road of learning who she really was, and the discipline it took to keep moving forward when doors did not open easily. From trying out for cheerleading without formal experience, to pushing through college dance programs, to learning how to navigate performance spaces with both hearing and vision challenges, Brandy’s story is a vivid reminder that calling is often forged through adversity, not comfort.
The heart of the episode is Brandy’s message: never let the wrong “no” become the final word over your life. She encourages listeners to try, to fail, to keep learning, and to pursue what they love even when the path is unconventional. The result is an episode full of courage, humor, and deeply earned wisdom.
2) Contact Info
Guest / Organization
Brandy Unique The Deaf Dancer
Socials listed in the episode: Unique the Deaf Dancer on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Website listed in the transcript: www.brandy.com (verify before publishing, since this comes from transcription)
Brandy also invites listeners to reach out through social media for performances, presentations, speaking, and possible virtual dance classes.
Aftersight
Feedback / guest questions: [email protected]

Producer Credits
Produced by Jonathan Price for Aftersight.
3) Show Credits
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Brandy Mimms - Unique The Deaf Dancer
Producer: Jonathan Price
Network: Aftersight
(00:00) - — Penn and Moses welcome Brandy to The Blind Chick
(01:39) - — Brandy shares her early story, adoption, and hearing loss
(08:02) - — The cheerleading tryout that changed her life
(16:26) - — Hurricane Katrina and starting over in Arkansas
(22:11) - — Going back to school and choosing dance anyway
(28:06) - — Learning more about her hearing and vision challenges
(30:04) - — How Brandy navigates stages, darkness, and performance spaces
(38:39) - — Why she created Listen With Your Eyes
(46:30) - — Her sons, music, and the freedom of improvisation
(51:51) - — Brandy’s message: try, persevere, and reject the wrong “no”
(53:52) - — Where listeners can follow and connect with Brandy
(57:33) - — Closing encouragement and Aftersight contact info
59 min
April 16 What the World Missed About Helen Keller
1) Episode Summary
Penn and Moses open with a lively recap of their recent trip to Colorado Springs for the 2026 Access and Functional Needs Annual Conference, a stop at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and Penn’s visit with her prosthetic ocular specialist. That conversation turns into a fun listener prompt about prosthetic eyes before the episode shifts into a new recurring segment: pulling listener-style questions from a deck of cards.
From there, the episode settles into a thoughtful and personal conversation about the first blind person each of them remembers meeting, old stereotypes around blind people “making brooms,” and why those assumptions still matter. Penn and Moses use that thread to move into a larger reflection on blind history, with Helen Keller as the centerpiece of the conversation. They talk about Keller’s life, advocacy, education, legacy, and their own visit to her home in Alabama, while also naming the frustration of seeing a place tied to disability history remain inaccessible in key ways.
The heart of the episode is not just biography. It is a challenge to the sympathy-based prejudice that still surrounds blindness. Penn and Moses argue that blind and low-vision people are often underestimated, overlooked, or spoken for, even though they are fully capable, deeply skilled, and often extraordinary. The episode ends with a clear invitation: listeners can send in questions, suggest historical figures to feature, or reach out if they want to be on The Blind Chick.
2) Contact Info
Guest/Topic: No guest this week — host-led conversation focused on Helen Keller, blind history, and public assumptions around blindness.
Listener Contact: [email protected]
Organization: Aftersight
Producer: Jonathan Price
3) Show Credits
Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

50 min
April 09 Who Gets to Tell the Story? with Jean Parker
Episode Summary
Jean Parker returns to The Blind Chick for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about journalism, truth, and what gets lost when stories are filtered through power, ownership, and incomplete perspectives. She shares how she entered journalism almost by accident, moving from disability-focused radio into international reporting, documentary work, and NPR coverage across South Asia, while often producing stories alone in the field.
From there, the episode turns into something deeper than a career story. Jean reflects on South Africa, human rights reporting, the limits of journalism’s power to create change, and the steady decline of trust in legacy media. Penn and Moses press into censorship, the collapse of local newsrooms, nonprofit journalism, podcast ethics, media literacy, fact-checking, and the importance of asking who gets to write the story in the first place. The result is a grounded, challenging episode about truth, responsibility, and why thoughtful journalism still matters.
Contact Info
Guest: Jean Parker — blind journalist, former international reporter, and documentary producer. A specific current organization or direct contact was not included in the pasted transcript.
Aftersight:
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (720) 712-8856
Producer Credit:
Jonathan Price — Podcast & Program Producer, Aftersight
Show Credits
Show: The Blind Chick
Hosts: Penn Street and Moses Street
Guest: Jean Parker
Producer: Jonathan Price
Network: Aftersight
59 min

About The Blind Chick

From the publisher's feed

The Blind Chick is an Aftersight Original hosted by Penn and Moses Street. It’s a raw, real, and often funny conversation space where blindness isn’t a limitation—it’s part of the story. Each episode…