The Blind Chick

Aftersight
Aftersight
  • 5.0 (19)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

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 dives into the lives of blind and low-vision people, exploring resilience, identity, and the messy, beautiful realities of living without sight. With heart, humor, and honesty, The Blind Chick breaks stereotypes, challenges stigma, and reminds us all that blindness is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a new one.

  1. 1d ago

    Meet My Menu: AI, Independence, and the Freedom to Choose

    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

  2. Aug 20

    Spooky Spaces and Running Bases

    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: feedback@aftersight.org 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

  3. Aug 13

    The Fourth T: Why Your Story Is Worth Telling

    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 LammEmail: roblam13@gmail.comLinkedIn: Search for Robert Lamm; his profile features Robert with FletcherFacebook: Robert is also active on Facebook AftersightWebsite: aftersight.org Credits Show: The Blind ChickHosts: Penn Street and Moses StreetGuest: Robert LammProducer: Jonathan PriceOperational Company: Aftersight

  4. Aug 6

    The King of the Dark: Chris Felder’s Unstoppable Purpose

    Episode Summary Chris Felder was 21 years old, working toward a future as an EMT and raising his young son when he was shot twice in the head and once in the shoulder during an attempted robbery. He survived, but the shooting took his sight and sent him into an eight-year struggle with depression, isolation, anger, and the loss of the independent life he once knew. Chris joins Penn and Moses for an honest, funny, and unfiltered conversation about the long road from fighting blindness to building an identity around it. He explains how podcasting helped him finally accept who he was, reclaim the word “blind,” and become The Official Blind Steppa—a motivational speaker, mental-health advocate, entrepreneur, and source of encouragement for people around the world. The conversation explores the stereotypes Chris faced as a young Black man and later as a blind Black man, the family and humor that helped him heal, and the difference between merely surviving trauma and learning how to live with purpose. Chris also discusses employment discrimination, the need for honest mental-health support for people who are newly blind, the importance of blind representation, and why more people with disabilities are creating their own businesses and platforms. Through laughter, difficult truths, and unmistakable confidence, Chris offers a message for anyone walking through a dark season: do not stop in the middle of hell. Keep walking. Your moment is coming. Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of gun violence, depression, suicidal thoughts, trauma, and recovery. Contact Information Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder Website: Official Blind SteppaInstagram: @official_blindsteppaPodcast: Blind But Now I SeeBooking email: fobcnotenyc@gmail.comBooking phone: 347-653-0076Aftersight Website: aftersight.orgEmail: contact@aftersight.orgMain office: 303-786-7777Listener feedback: feedback@aftersight.orgFeedback line: 720-712-8856Producer Jonathan PriceEmail: jonathan@aftersight.orgOffice: 303-786-7777, extension 4110Cell: 720-370-9302Show Credits Show: The Blind ChickHosts: Penn Street and Moses StreetGuest: Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” FelderProducer: Jonathan PricePresented by: Aftersight (00:10) - — Welcome and the Upcoming Aftersight Hike (02:38) - — Meet Chris Felder, The Official Blind Steppa (05:50) - — The Night That Changed Chris’s Life (09:50) - — Confronting Stereotypes Without Trying to Prove Himself (13:14) - — Eight Years of Fighting Blindness (14:28) - — The Birth of The Official Blind Steppa (17:42) - — Depression, Suicide, and the Years Chris Needed to Heal (18:52) - — Family, Tough Love, and Finding His Humor Again (22:13) - — Discovering Vision Beyond Physical Sight (28:13) - — Hotel Bottles, Missing Doors, and an Electric-Bike Experiment (30:06) - — Trading Car Keys for a White Cane (32:41) - — Reclaiming Independence and Walking in Purpose (35:34) - — Building the Blind But Now I See Podcast (38:34) - — Telling the Full Truth and Becoming a Motivational Voice (40:49) - — Books, Film, Media, and Blind Representation (43:16) - — Reaching Young People Without Sugarcoating Reality (45:17) - — Why Newly Blind Youth Need Mental-Health Support First (47:21) - — Employment Discrimination and Blind Entrepreneurship (53:55) - — Dance in the Rain and Keep Walking (56:14) - — Where to Follow Chris and Closing Thoughts

  5. Jul 23

    The Blind Chick: Life Doesn’t End - The Blind Outdoorsman

    Episode Summary Jeff Skoglund, better known online as The Blind Outdoorsman, joins Penn and Moses for an honest conversation about vision loss, resilience, relationships, recovery, and the importance of continuing to live fully. Jeff shares how retinitis pigmentosa gradually changed his vision, why he made the difficult decision to stop driving, and how posting ordinary moments from his life became an unexpected source of purpose. Whether he is hiking, gardening, cooking, traveling, working on a project, or spending time with his guide dog, Natty, Jeff shows that Blind and Low-vision people are not performing magic. They are simply living their lives and finding different ways to do what matters. The conversation also explores grief, alcohol misuse, divorce, returning to school, finding love again, and rebuilding after seasons when Jeff felt he had lost his direction. He also recounts the recent heart attack he initially mistook for heartburn and explains why he hesitated to call 911. Jeff is now using his platform to build community and encourage Blind and Low-vision people to spend more time outdoors. His message is not that everyone must move at the same pace or accomplish the same things. It is that life does not end when vision changes. We keep learning, adapting, and figuring it out together. As Jeff puts it, there is always more room around the campfire. Contact Information Website:BlindOutdoorsman.com Social media:Search Blind Outdoorsman on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Email:jeff@blindoutdoorsman.com Outdoor community email:campfire@blindoutdoorsman.com Community group:Blind and Low Vision Outdoors Minnesota Show Credits Show: The Blind ChickHosts: Penn Street and Moses StreetGuest: Jeff SkoglundProducer: Jonathan PriceOrganization: Aftersight

  6. Jul 16

    When Good Intentions Become Dangerous

    Episode Summary Penn’s difficult 24 hours begins while filming a mobility video for a new guide-dog application. An inaccessible intersection, a vehicle blocking the crosswalk, and a driver trying to “help” leave her confused, shaken, and in danger. Penn explains why blind pedestrians rely on predictable traffic patterns and why drivers should follow the law instead of stopping unexpectedly, honking, waving, or yelling directions. The next morning, an Uber driver leaves Penn stranded as she tries to get to work. Penn and Moses discuss accessible transportation, guide-dog grief, pedestrian safety, universal design, and the exhaustion of repeatedly fighting for basic access. They also share updates about Aftersight’s summer social and the annual accessible hike in Winter Park on September 12. Show Credits Show: The Blind ChickHosts: Penn Street and Moses StreetProducer: Jonathan PricePresented by: Aftersight Contact Info Website: aftersight.orgEmail: feedback@aftersight.orgPhone: 720-712-8856 Learn more about the Aftersight hike and other upcoming events at aftersight.org.

  7. Jul 9

    Blindness Can Be an Adventure: Canes, Baseball, and Disability Pride

    Summary  Penn and Moses are catching listeners up on a full summer of memories, baseball, travel, disability pride, and the small choices that can make life feel bigger. Penn shares how a monocular has helped her follow baseball games more fully, while Moses takes the usual scenic route through history, Hemingway, and childhood Pirates stories.  Listener Johnny Johnson's email opens a conversation about Innervision, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and the power of connection in the Blind and Low-vision community. The conversation then turns to Blind Pilots, the upcoming Winter Park hike with No Barriers USA, and a Camp Abilities experience where the right cane—and the right story—changed how kids saw mobility.  Penn and Moses also talk about Braille, disability pride, accessible technology, and why difference should not be treated as something to hide. It is a funny, wandering, deeply human episode about choosing memories, using the tools that create freedom, and believing that blindness can still be an adventure. Hosts: Penn and Moses StreetProduced by: Jonathan Price Show: The Blind Chick Network: An Aftersight Original Podcast  Contact Info  Innervision: innervisionrecords.org | innervisionnonprofit.org Aftersight: aftersight.org Email: feedback@aftersight.org Phone: (720) 712-8856

  8. Jun 25

    Accessibility: It's not Charity. It's the law.

    Summary In this episode of The Blind Chick, Penn and Moses talk about digital accessibility, the ADA, and the recent delay of federal web accessibility deadlines. Penn shares her frustration over accessibility being treated like an optional kindness instead of a basic civil right, while Moses connects the issue to larger historical fights for equal access, voting rights, public infrastructure, technology, and independence. Together, they remind listeners that accessibility benefits everyone. Whether it’s websites, voting machines, medical forms, sidewalks, restaurants, or digital platforms, equal access is not a luxury. It is part of living with dignity, freedom, and full participation in society. Contact Info Have an accessibility story, a website that needs to be called out, or a company that deserves praise for doing it right? Email: feedback@aftersight.org Credits Hosted by Penn Street and Moses StreetProduced by Jonathan PriceAn Aftersight Podcast (00:00) - — Welcome back to The Blind Chick (00:23) - — Summer, gardening, and Colorado life (02:52) - — Penn introduces the accessibility issue (03:37) - — ADA web accessibility deadlines and government websites (04:36) - — Why accessibility helps everyone (05:25) - — DOJ/HHS deadline delays (06:30) - — What digital accessibility means in daily life (08:41) - — Voting machines and equal access (09:52) - — Penn’s soapbox: accessibility should not be an afterthought (10:35) - — Why advocacy still matters (11:00) - — Supporting accessible companies and calling out barriers (12:01) - — Moses connects accessibility to women’s voting rights (16:18) - — Digital access, employment, and independence (18:16) - — Blind people, employment, and technology (20:17) - — Ways listeners can take action (21:00) - — ADA rights and why we cannot go backward (22:19) - — Historical examples of access changing society (25:21) - — Speak out when you see injustice (26:12) - — Contacting companies about inaccessible websites (27:27) - — Accessibility is not charity (28:11) - — Real-world accessibility failures (29:10) - — Celebrating companies that do accessibility well (29:28) - — Accessibility and the freedom to leave your house (31:30) - — Closing thoughts and listener call to action

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5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

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 dives into the lives of blind and low-vision people, exploring resilience, identity, and the messy, beautiful realities of living without sight. With heart, humor, and honesty, The Blind Chick breaks stereotypes, challenges stigma, and reminds us all that blindness is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a new one.

Information

  • Channel
    Aftersight
  • Creator
    Aftersight
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    238
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2021
  • Show Website
    The Blind Chick

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