Episode Summary

Jennifer and Michael open this episode of Colorado Views with a very Colorado conversation about weather, humidity, air quality, allergies, thunderstorms, and how changing conditions can affect everyday life. From there, the conversation turns toward Aftersight’s September 12 Audio Trekkers hike and several upcoming community events.

They highlight emergency-preparedness opportunities with the Center for People with Disabilities, Ensight Skills Center’s 25th anniversary celebration, and the ongoing need for Aftersight volunteers. Jennifer explains how seemingly simple volunteer work, such as reading weekly grocery ads, gives people who are blind or have low vision access to information many sighted people take for granted.

The conversation ultimately becomes a broader discussion about advocacy and accessibility. Jennifer and Michael talk about sudden vision loss, caregivers trying to navigate unfamiliar resources, accessibility barriers in public spaces, and the danger of assuming that disability means helplessness. They also discuss Blind Pilots and efforts in Guatemala to help people who are blind or have low vision experience greater independence, mobility, community, and opportunity.

Credits

Show: Colorado Views
Hosts: Jennifer Neptune and Michael Sisneros
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Contact Info

Aftersight: aftersight.org
Audio Trekkers Hike: September 12, 2026 — Winter Park, Colorado
Ensight Skills Center: ensightskills.org
Ensight Anniversary RSVP: Eventbrite
Ensight contact referenced in episode: ria@ensightskills.org
Aftersight programs: Low Vision Support Group, Book Club, Tech Talk, volunteer opportunities, and white cane resources.

Chapter Markers

00:05 — Colorado Weather, Air Quality, and Getting Older
08:25 — The September 12 Audio Trekkers Hike
11:35 — Emergency Preparedness and CPWD
14:08 — Celebrating 25 Years of Ensight Skills Center
16:09 — Volunteer Match and Connecting With the Community
19:10 — Why Aftersight Needs Volunteers
22:16 — Advocacy and How Quickly Life Can Change
26:51 — Finding Resources After Vision Loss
27:55 — Blind Pilots, Guatemala, and Independence
32:19 — Recognizing Accessibility Barriers
35:04 — Designing Communication for Accessibility
38:11 — Taking Off the Blinders
38:36 — The Impact of Blind Pilots
42:20 — Aftersight Support Groups and Resources
42:49 — Questions, Comments, and Closing

Summary

Michael and Jennifer let this episode of Colorado Views wander in the best possible way, beginning with a recommendation for the casual and funny Four Bad Eyes podcast before heading into stories about falling down, harmless pranks, haunted places, horror movies, Alcatraz, and Michael’s remarkably detailed plans for surviving a zombie apocalypse.

The conversation then turns toward events and accessibility in Colorado. Jennifer shares information about Stop Kiss by Diana Son, an upcoming theater production for which she will provide audio description, and Michael and Jennifer preview Aftersight’s annual September hike in Winter Park in partnership with No Barriers and Adventure Guides.

From there, they explore how technology is changing accessibility for people who are Blind and Low-vision. Smart speakers can provide greater independence and easier access to information, while artificial intelligence raises more complicated questions. Can AI be useful without replacing human connection? When is AI advice helpful, and when should people question what it tells them? And why does Aftersight continue using real human readers rather than replacing them with synthetic voices?

The episode closes with a broader look at accessibility in everyday life, including self-checkout stations, hotels, public transportation, bus terminals, curb cuts, audio information, and the small design decisions that can either create independence or unnecessary barriers.

Through all the tangents, laughs, zombies, AI experiments, and serious questions, Michael and Jennifer return to one central idea: accessibility is not simply something for the Blind and Low-vision community to think about. Building a more accessible world requires awareness, advocacy, compassion, and people willing to notice what others may be experiencing.

Credits

Show: Colorado Views
Hosts: Michael Sisneros and Jennifer Neptune
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Contact Info

Aftersight: aftersight.org
Michael Sisneros: michael@aftersight.org
Jennifer Neptune: jennifer@aftersight.org

Episode Description

What does it take to make Colorado more accessible? It begins with listening to the people who rely on public transportation, accessible services, and community support every day.

Jennifer and Michael open the episode with a conversation about Colorado’s unusually hot and humid weather, Jennifer’s abandoned attempt to attend a five-dollar horseback ride, and the challenges of navigating summer without dependable air conditioning.

Michael shares highlights from an ophthalmology summit in Snowmass and discusses Aftersight’s weekly low-vision support group. The virtual group gives people from across the country a place to share challenges, celebrate victories, exchange practical information, and find encouragement from others who understand their experiences.

The conversation then turns to accessible transportation. Jennifer describes what she has learned through Atlantis Community’s Transit Academy and from RTD ADA Manager Gabe Christie. Jennifer and Michael examine the real costs of paratransit, proposed fare increases, unreliable transportation schedules, inaccessible bus stops, and the barriers blind and low-vision riders may encounter while using buses and trains.

A central message emerges: change requires participation. Public agencies need to hear directly from the people affected by their decisions, but community members must also attend meetings, join committees, share their experiences, and make their needs known.

Jennifer and Michael also discuss Aftersight’s upcoming community hike and Jennifer’s work providing audio description at the Arvada Center. Upcoming accessible productions include Misery, Barefoot in the Park, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Doubt, and Dear Evan Hansen.

The episode concludes with a humorous but sincere discussion about slowing down for animals on Colorado roads, including birds, geese, marmots, prairie dogs, and the migrating tarantulas of southern Colorado.

In This Episode

• Colorado’s unusual heat and humidity
• Aftersight’s weekly low-vision support group
• Transportation barriers facing blind and low-vision riders
• RTD, paratransit, Access-a-Ride, and fare concerns
• Why accessible planning must include people with disabilities
• The importance of attending public meetings and joining committees
• Audio-described theater at the Arvada Center
• Aftersight’s upcoming community hike
• Colorado wildlife and the responsibility to drive carefully

YouTube Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Weather Talk
09:46 Transportation Challenges and Advocacy
25:44 Community Engagement and Events
40:07 Conclusion and Call to Action
41:13 Aftersight Outro

Call to Action

Have an event, community story, accessibility concern, or Colorado topic that Jennifer and Michael should discuss? Colorado Views is also looking for future guests who can help inform, encourage, and connect communities throughout the state.

Contact

General feedback: feedback@aftersight.org
Jennifer: jennifer@aftersight.org
Michael: michael@aftersight.org
Website: aftersight.org

Credits

Hosts: Jennifer and Michael
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight