May 07, 2026

When Courage Has No Backup Plan

1 hour 7 minutes

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

...more

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By Aftersight

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