DoubleVision Podcast (by DoubleVision Blog)

In honor of Disability Pride Month, Joy and Jenelle welcome Lachi, 2024 USA Today Woman of the Year, award-winning recording artist, Recording Academy National Trustee, CEO of RAMPD, and author of I Identify as Blind . This is a conversation that challenged the way Joy and Jenelle think about disability. Days after recording, they were still processing Lachi’s invitation to consider disability joy...

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Krishna Washburn, founder and artistic director of Dark Room Ballet. What begins as a conversation about dance becomes a much deeper exploration of memory, identity, belonging, and what it means to be fully seen. Joy and Jenelle talk with Krishna about the importance of trusting our own experiences and perceptions, especially when they don’t fit other people...

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation recorded in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Joy and Jenelle sit down with Krishna Washburn, founder and artistic director of Dark Room Ballet, for a fascinating deep dive into the world of audio description, blind-led arts, and what true accessibility in the performing arts really looks like. What You’ll Hear in This Episode • What audio descriptio...

Expanding on a conversation Joy and Jenelle began in an earlier episode, “How to Handle Over-Helpers”, they are joined by one of their favorite authors, Rebekah Taussig, for her first appearance on the podcast. Together, they dig into surprisingly similar stories, from growing up with internalized shame around disability to the awkwardness of being prayed for in public to delicately navigating wel...

Join us as Dr. Kierstyn Napier-Dovorany, an optometrist specializing in low vision rehabilitation, shares her journey into eye care, her work supporting individuals with vision impairment, and her insights into emerging treatments and clinical trials. With over 20 years of experience, Kierstyn brings a unique perspective as both a practitioner and a clinical researcher. She helps us explore the in...

What would you do if someone offered you a cure tomorrow? For Joy and Jenelle, that question is anything but simple. In this episode, they explore the deeply personal tension between accepting who you are and wanting something more, unpacking cure culture, disability identity, and the vulnerability that comes with allowing yourself to hope. Plus, a sneak peek at their upcoming conversation with Dr...

We've all been there — someone swoops in to help before you've even asked, grabs something out of your hands, or insists on doing something  for  you when you were handling it just fine. It's well-meaning. It can also be exhausting. In this episode, Jenelle and Joy get into the messy, nuanced world of helping — when it's welcome, when it crosses a line, and how to handle it when it does. Drawing f...

Blind and unemployed is still the statistical norm in America. So what actually changes that? In this episode, we talk about the advocacy skills most blind and low-vision people are never formally taught, and why storytelling often moves policy faster than data ever could. We unpack the persistent employment gap, the power of learning how to speak your lived experience in professional spaces, and...

Joy revisits a painful middle-school memory and reframes it decades later, while Jenelle explains how trauma lives not just in our minds, but in our bodies - shaping the stories we use to make sense of our lives. This conversation explores meaning-making, shame, resilience, anxiety, and the power of trusted support as we learn how to notice, question, and begin rewriting the stories that no longer...

In the third and final installment of the  DoubleVision  identity series, hosts Joy and Jenelle sit down with Sylvia Stinson Perez, a leader and advocate in the blindness field, for a conversation about identity, leadership, and navigating professional spaces as a blind woman. Together, they explore resilience, self-advocacy, burnout, and imposter syndrome, and they dig into the complicated role o...

At the start of a new year, many of us find ourselves asking questions that feel both simple and unsettling: Who am I now? What still holds when parts of life change? This episode of the DoubleVison Podcast is Part 2 in a 3-part series exploring identity. If Part 1 focused on how and why we learn to protect parts of ourselves in order to belong and survive, this conversation turns toward what it c...

In this episode, Jenelle and Joy begin a two-part conversation on identity, grounded in their lived experiences of vision loss. Through stories from their childhood, they explore how early reactions from others taught them to protect certain parts of who they are. Those moments shaped instincts around when to explain, when to downplay, and when to keep parts of their identity private in order to f...

As the holidays approach, the kitchen can become a place of belonging uncertainty for people with vision loss, especially when traditions and expectations meet accessibility challenges. In this special Thanksgiving episode, Joy and Jenelle are joined by Chef Debra from The Blind Kitchen. They discuss the importance of creating inclusive kitchen spaces, and the value of universal culinary tools. Ch...

In this episode, Jenelle and Joy discuss their experiences growing up with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition. They explore the concept of 'belonging uncertainty' and how it affects individuals, especially those with vision loss. The twin sisters share personal stories and insights on creating inclusive environments and the importance of universal design in social gatherings. They...

In this episode of DoubleVision Podcast, hosts Jenelle and Joy explore the complex topic of grief, particularly in the context of progressive vision loss. They discuss the emotional journey of dealing with a degenerative eye condition, sharing personal stories and insights from their blog. The conversation delves into the stages of grief, common misconceptions, and the importance of acknowledging...

What does it mean to move forward with courage while still honoring where you are? This episode explores the balance between bravery and self-compassion as we step into greater visibility. Episode Description In this episode, Joy and Jenelle explore the complex emotions that come with vision loss and the layered process of learning to use mobility tools like the white cane. Joined by mental health...

In this episode, Joy and Jenelle invite their husbands, Benjamin and Torrey, to join them in an insightful conversation about access intimacy... a term coined by disability justice advocate Mia Mingus. Together, they explore what it means to give and receive help in ways that honor autonomy, trust, and interdependence. The foursome reflects on how overhelping can stem from fear or anxiety, and how...

In the debut episode of the DoubleVision Podcast, hosts Jenelle and Joy introduce their new platform, transitioning from their blog to a podcast format. They discuss their experiences with vision loss, the use of Meta glasses, and the Be My Eyes app, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of navigating the world with these tools. The episode emphasizes the importance of interdependence and the u...

Identical twin sisters and the authors of DoubleVision Blog, Jenelle and Joy, grew up with Retinitis Pigmentosa, yet they’ve often seen blindness - and life - through different lenses. Jenelle brings her therapist’s heart for healing and resilience, while Joy adds an educator’s creative voice for making sense of life. Together they explore the social and emotional side of vision loss... the parts...