The Blind Chick

Born months too soon, Jose's parents were told he only had 12 hours to live. But, Jose was a fighter. That fighting spirit has helped him persevere in spite of blindness (blindness of prematurity) and cerebral palsy. He is a recent graduate of Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, and has dreams of becoming a DJ. Jose also hosts his own podcast: It is my job. Blind students interview blind adults who discuss how they use adaptive technology and thrive. Search for it on Facebook (https://pages.facebook.com/AskItsMyJob/)

Bill is a working psychotherapist and an honest, engaging, and entertaining human… who also happens to be blind. Bill has Usher Syndrome, Type 2, a rare genetic disease that causes hearing issues and vision loss due to Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). On Aftersight Bill talks about “coming out” as someone with a disability - specifically vision loss. Because of his experience, he talks not just about the clinical phases that accompany vision loss, but his journey. He talks about denying his reality all while tripping over fire hydrants, and he talks about the nauseating eye tests he experienced while hungover that led to his diagnosis. Through friends, he learned to accept help and be who he is. Join Bill and Penn on Aftersight, this week!

Beth Gustin is a therapist with a specialty in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Beth, who is visually impaired, talks about her work and her and explains this method of therapy which can help people coping with past trauma - even individuals who are blind. On this episode of Aftersight, Beth talks us through EMDR and therapy techniques that can help us as we work through trauma and anxiety. The human body and mind are fascinating, and they need to work in concert. Learn about Beth and what that repair looks like. Transitioning Through Change, PLLC beth@transitioningthroughchange.com www.transitioningthroughchange.com 303-335-9059

Lorna is a retired teacher. She taught special ed, on reservations, and helped create the structure of Colorado's preschool system. Lorna also taught at Front Range Community College the next generation of Special Education teachers. She enjoys retirement with her dog, Frodo.

It’s almost Colorado Gives day! This year, we're celebrating our 30th anniversary of our first news broadcast in 1991. On this episode of Aftersight, Alice George walks us through AINC’s history - through various changes to programming and technology. She also talks about her vision loss and loss of hearing - but none of that has stopped her from having a powerful impact on the world. https://aincolorado.org/30years/ https://www.coloradogives.org/AINColorado/overview?step=step1

Gail doesn’t believe in letting barriers stand in the way of life. Born ten weeks early, the treatment that helped her survive also caused retrolental fibroplasia - or complete blindness. Today on Aftersight, we explore her life, from how she struggled with depression and even contemplated suicide to her adventures singing opera, climbing the 75-story Story bridge, and her work as a writer on Soaring into Greatness: A Blind Woman's Vision to Live her Dreams and Fly. Gail believes that the struggles you have faced can be weights or that they can give you wings. She chooses wings. www.soringintogreatness.com and her email is gail@soaringintogreatness.com

Ethan’s story is as staggering as it is heartwarming. Born in Ethiopia, he was taken and blinded at a young age - then forced to beg for those who injured him. Believed dead by his mother, Ethan was adopted in 1997 and relocated to Missouri where he lived with 20 other adopted siblings. Today, Ethan is a father, an employee of the federal government, a founder of a nonprofit, and an unbelievably resilient soul. Join Penn and Ethan on Aftersight as they hear about their friendship, his passion for life, his reunion with his mother.

Bonnie Barlow is a professional audio describer. That is, Bonnie narrates what is going on during movies, plays, ballets, television shows, and even rodeos for people who can’t see the action. Bonnie talks about how she started her journey as a professional audio describer almost 30 years ago and what makes for a vibrant audio description. Audio description is a fascinating topic that is extremely relevant in 2021. So many of us spend our day with a virtual “companion” in the room in the form of a podcast or youtube, and audio-described content can play much the same role. There are also varieties of audio description for people on the Autism Spectrum to help with comprehension. Join Penn and Bonnie as they dive into the world of audio description! Contact Bonnie: bonniejbarlow@gmail.com DCPA: https://www.denvercenter.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility/

The week on Aftersight, Penn talks with Dale Hill, who talks us through his life and his experience with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, an inherited disease causing progressive loss of night and peripheral vision from retinitis pigmentosa. BBS can also cause a number of other symptoms and problems including: obesity, extra fingers and toes, kidney disease, and developmental disabilities. Dale is lively, and he talks us through his start in Washington State, his move to Colorado, his education, his slow loss of vision, his struggles with finding employment, and his eventually becoming Vice President at the Colorado Council for the Visually Impaired and Blind (CCBIB). Join Penn and Dale Hill on Aftersight!

In Community Conversations #2, Penn talks with Robert Weinberg - a passionate and talented photographer who was struck with central vision loss when he was about 50 years old. Robert, now 74, talks us through his journey and career in photography and talks candidly about the finality of his diagnosis and the depression that followed. He shares the path he walked toward renewed independence and the second career he worked for 17 years. Now retired, Robert is reengaging with photography and full of encouragement for anyone who finds themself in a similar situation. Join Penn and Robert Weinberg on Aftersight!