The Blind Chick

In this episode of The Blind Chick, hosts Penn and Moses Street welcome special guest David Redmond from Vision Ireland. David shares his personal story growing up with congenital glaucoma and other vision conditions in Cork, Ireland, and how his journey led him into the world of accessible technology and media. He opens up about the challenges of vision loss, the role of assistive technology like...

In this third and final part of Shawn Cheshire’s powerful conversation, she takes us deeper into her story of resilience, adventure, and relentless courage. From navigating hostile ignorance at a hotel to recounting her harrowing cross-country bike ride along the Continental Divide, Shawn shares how she transforms personal grief into legacy-building triumphs. She speaks candidly about shattering m...

In part two of this powerful conversation, Penn and Moses continue their interview with Shawn Cheshire. Shawn opens up about the devastating year that changed her life: a traumatic brain injury, sudden vision loss, and the painful custody battle that separated her from her child. She shares how therapy became a lifeline, the moment of brutal honesty she had with herself in a shower, and the resili...

In Part 1 of our bold and moving conversation with Shawn Cheshire, Penn and Moses explore her remarkable journey from a difficult childhood in South Texas to breaking barriers as one of the first women in her Army specialty, and later serving as an EMT and paramedic. Shawn shares with raw honesty about growing up without love or nurture, surviving abuse, and how the voice of her grandmother’s enco...

Penn and Moses sit down with Spirit Club founder Jared Ciner to unpack a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to fitness for the blind and low-vision community. Jared shares Michael’s step-by-step journey from “not for me” to thriving in group classes—proof that small wins compound. They discuss functional movement you can do anywhere (no fancy gear required), how partnerships with agencies l...

In this lively and heartfelt episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses recap their recent blindfolded cornhole tournament, sharing laughs, insights, and the importance of focus in blind navigation. Their conversation segues beautifully into the main interview with Jared Ciner, founder of Spirit Club, a fitness organization on a mission to make physical health accessible and inclusive for all peop...

🔍 Episode Summary & Show Notes: In this empowering follow-up conversation, The Blind Chick welcomes back Neva Fairchild for Part 2 of her inspiring story. Neva, an advocate, educator, entrepreneur, and unapologetic braille and cane enthusiast, shares practical tools and wisdom for navigating life with vision loss. From mastering WayAround tags for labeling appliances and tracking repair histo...

In this powerful episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses sit down with Neva Fairchild—a fierce advocate, rehabilitation counselor, and accessibility expert. Neva shares her extraordinary journey from a childhood of partial sight, misdiagnosis, and bullying to embracing blindness at 30 and diving into advocacy and innovation. The trio explores Neva's late introduction to the white cane and Brail...

In this thought-provoking and unexpectedly fun continuation, The Blind Chick welcomes back author, tech blogger, and blind speedcubing pioneer Paul Martz for Part 2 of a conversation that bends the mind as much as the Rubik’s Cube does. Paul, Penn, and Moses unpack how blind speedcubing works, why accessibility gaps in tech still exist (and what we can learn from curb cuts), and how Paul’s book So...

🎙️ Episode Summary In this lively episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses welcome Colorado’s own Paul Martz — a retired software engineer, Rubik’s Cube speed-solver, sci-fi writer, and relentless advocate for accessible tech. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at age 13, Paul shares candidly how losing vision shaped his life: from the family role models who taught him blindness doesn’t me...

In this powerful episode of The Blind Chick, John Romano from Disaster Central joins Penn and Moses to explore emergency preparedness through a lens of accessibility, technology, and community resilience. John shares the heart behind the Be Ready app and how it helps people with disabilities plan ahead for disasters — not only with gear and gadgets but with mindset and connection. The episode feat...

In this eye-opening episode of The Blind Chick, hosts Penn and Moses Street sit down with John Romano—nonprofit leader, former relief worker, and founder of Disaster Central. John shares how his experience as a pilot, motorcyclist, and Hurricane Sandy relief worker shaped his approach to risk mitigation and inspired the creation of the Be Ready app. The conversation explores how the Be Ready app s...

In this raw and inspiring continuation of Zach Tidwell’s story, The Blind Chick dives deeper into Zach’s journey of survival, addiction, recovery, and resilience. After surviving a self-inflicted gunshot wound and waking up totally blind, Zach faced cognitive dissonance, identity loss, and multiple layers of trauma—but he also found something unexpected: purpose. Zach walks us through the blurry,...

In this powerful and emotional episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses welcome Zach Tidwell, a blind Marine Corps veteran, suicide survivor, and resilience advocate whose story will leave you speechless—and ultimately inspired. Zach opens up about his time in the military, the deep emotional wounds following betrayal and traumatic brain injury, and the dark spiral into alcoholism and isolation...

In this powerful conclusion to our three-part series with Dr. Charles Powell, we dive into his inspiring story of perseverance, professionalism, and pride. Charles shares a transformative moment in his career—an interview that turned into a life-changing opportunity with one of the largest oil and gas companies in the country. With authenticity and passion, he breaks down the stereotypes placed on...

In this inspiring second part of our conversation with Dr. Charles Powell, we dive deeper into his story of perseverance, grit, and triumph over systemic barriers. From taking the ADA bus to business college to washing dishes at Chick-fil-A while earning his third master’s degree, Dr. Powell shows us what it really means to defy expectations. When the world wouldn't hire him, he founded Divine Vis...

In this raw and riveting episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses welcome the unforgettable Dr. Charles Powell—a blind legal consultant, business owner, and fierce advocate for accessibility and policy reform. Dr. Powell shares his powerful journey from sudden vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa to battling alcoholism, identity loss, and depression—and ultimately rising with the help of his...

In this exciting follow-up to Part 1, The Blind Chick brings together the voices behind Aftersight’s most beloved shows: Kim Wardlow (Navigating Life with Vision Loss), Bill Lundgren (Blindsight), Evan Starnes (Blind Level Tech), and Marty Sobo (Code Orange), hosted by Penn and Moses Street. This roundtable-style episode dives deep into the heart of each show, exploring their missions, major topic...

In this special crossover edition of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses bring together the entire AfterSight podcast family for the very first time. This lively, heartfelt roundtable introduces each host—Kim Wardlow (Navigating Life with Vision Loss), Evan Starnes (Blind Level Tech), Bill Lundgren (Blindsight), and Marty Sobo (Code Orange)—as they share how their shows began, what fuels their passion...

In this episode of The Blind Chick, hosts Penn and Moses sit down with therapist and avid hunter Darren Zenger for a powerful, raw, and deeply insightful conversation. Darren shares his journey of vision and hearing loss, recovery through the 12-step program, and how he rediscovered his love for the outdoors and hunting using adaptive tech and strong community support. The conversation dives into...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of The Blind Chick, hosts Penn and Moses Street sit down with Darran Zenger, a licensed clinical social worker at Cirque Lodge in Utah. Darran shares his personal journey with Usher Syndrome, his experience with cochlear implants, and how his own life challenges led him to become a trauma-informed addiction counselor. He introduces us to brainspotting, a grou...

In Part Two of this powerful and heartfelt interview, The Blind Chick welcomes back Canadian disability advocate and podcaster Steven Vine, host of Disability Diaries. This episode dives deeper into Steven’s journey navigating life with blindness, a prosthetic leg, chronic pain, and a passion for podcasting. Steven shares how self-teaching and mentorship helped him master his smartphone, the criti...

In this powerful episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses sit down with Canadian podcaster Stephen Vine, host of Disability Diaries. Known for his sharp wit and musical heart, Stephen shares the intimate, harrowing story of how ignoring warning signs, overworking, and a high-stress lifestyle led to a catastrophic health crisis that changed his life forever. After surviving a near-fatal abdominal...

This heartwarming and visually vibrant episode of The Blind Chick opens with a special birthday celebration for co-host Penn Street. Listeners from around the world, including touching messages from Oksana in Russia and friends from GFI Grand Junction, share their love and gratitude for Penn’s impact. The episode then transitions into an unforgettable conversation with world-renowned blind painter...

In this episode, The Blind Chick welcomes world-renowned blind artist John Bramblitt. Penn and Moses dive into John's inspiring journey from losing his sight to becoming an internationally celebrated artist. They discuss the impact of blindness on identity, the challenges of transitioning from sighted to blind, and how John found new ways to express himself through art. John shares how painting be...