The Heumann Perspective

In honor of the one year anniversary of Judy's passing, this bonus episode of The Heumann Perspective features unpublished, behind-the-scenes moments. You'll hear Judy interacting with guests before and after interviews, as well as the occasional voices of her podcast producers. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. Interviews featured in this episode: Ryan Haddad (January 2023) Ann Cupolo Freeman, Denise Jacobson, and Lionel Je'Woodyard (April 2021) Lolo Spencer (March 2022) Emily and Ellen Ladau (August 2021) Lachi (March 2021) Gloria Steinem (February 2023) Andrea Dalzell (October 2021) Chelsie Hill (August 2022) Diego Mariscal and Hannah Frankl (October 2021) Amy Kenny, Mona Minkara, and Rabbi Lauren Tuchman (February 2023) Dennis Billups and Emily Smith Beitiks (April 2022) Julia Bascom (March 2021) Keith Jones and Leroy Moore (February 2022) Kathi Wolfe (November 2021) Nyle DiMarco (April 2022) Nina G. (May 2021) Alberto Vasquez (November 2022) Spencer West (June 2022) Kathy Martinez (September 2021) Jillian Mercado (January 2022) This episode was produced by Kylie Miller with the assistance of Rebecca Katz through the Goucher College Micro-Internship Program. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

CONTENT WARNING: Brief mention of sexual violence. The conversation featured in this episode was recorded a few weeks before Judy Heumann passed away on March 4th, 2023. This is last of 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective. All episodes of The Heumann Perspective will remain available indefinitely at judithheumann.com. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode is also available in video format on YouTube. Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, political activist, and feminist organizer. She travels in this and other countries as an organizer and lecturer and is a frequent media spokeswoman on issues of equality. She is particularly interested in the shared origins of sex and race caste systems, gender roles and child abuse as roots of violence, non-violent conflict resolution, the cultures of indigenous peoples, and organizing across boundaries for peace and justice. She lives in New York City, and is the author of the travelogue My Life on the Road. Photo by Katie Lyman. Related Links: Gloria's Website My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of sexual and gender based violence. The conversation featured in this episode was recorded a few weeks before Judy Heumann passed away on March 4th, 2023. This is the fourth of 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective that will be published over the next few weeks. All episodes of The Heumann Perspective will remain available indefinitely at judithheumann.com. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode is also available in video format on YouTube. Abia Akram has been engaged in the Disability Movement since 1997. She is known as one of most active women with disabilities leader globally. In the struggle of giving voice to women with disabilities, she has been lobbying with parliamentarians, UN high level representatives focusing on developing advocacy strategies to raise awareness, network, and build capacity and at the UN level in relation to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Inclusive Development. She also coordinates efforts of including persons with disabilities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals. In particular, she established National Forum of Women with Disabilities, Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP), Aging and Disability Task Force (ADTF), and has been recently assigned the responsibility as Chair, Asia Paific Women with Disabilities Network. She is the Co-Coordinator, Asia Pacific Women with Disabilities United and Coordinator, South Asia Disability and Development Initiative (SADDI) Project, Executive Board Member, Commonwealth Disability Forum. Abia is also a Trustee for the Sightsavers UK and a Board Member of Asia Pacific Women, Law & Development (APWLD). Zahida Hameed Qureshi lives in Multan, Pakistan. When she was just 6-months-old, she got polio and as a result, both of her legs were paralyzed. She began using a wheelchair and found independence doing her daily chores without depending on her family. Zahida went to school, college, and university just like any other independent student. She completed her Masters in Economics from Bahauddin Zakriya University. After completing her education, Zahida was rejected from jobs in her field because of her disability. She finally landed a position at an organization called SPO where people with disabilities are encouraged to work. Working with SPO enabled Zahida to pursue her passion to work for people with disabilities, especially women with disabilities. This passion became an institution in 2007 when Zahida setup a DPO called Society for Special Persons. It works on the concept that "Disabled people are their best advocates" and provides them a platform to express their problems openly and fight for their rights. Zahida strongly believes that people with disabilities should not be view as a burden on society of their families. They must try their best to create opportunities for themselves in order to help improve the country. Related Links: Article about Zahida and Society for Special Persons Society for Special Persons Website National Forum of Women with Disabilities Website UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Sightsavers Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law & Development Stay tuned for the final episode of The Heumann Perspective dropping next Wednesday. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The conversation featured in this episode was recorded a few weeks before Judy Heumann passed away on March 4th, 2023. This is the third of 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective that will be published over the next few weeks. All episodes of The Heumann Perspective will remain available indefinitely at judithheumann.com. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode is also available in video format on YouTube. Amy Kenny is a disabled scholar whose writing on disability has been featured in Teen Vogue, Sojourners, Shondaland, Reader's Digest, and Huff Post. Her award-winning book, My Body Is Not A Prayer Request mixes humor, personal narrative, and theology to invite faith communities to rethink their unintentional ableism and learn from the embodied wisdom of disabled people. She serves as a facilitator for Freedom Road Institute for Leadership and Justice, coordinates support for people experiencing homelessness in her neighborhood, and is a co-founder of Jubilee Homes OC, a permanent supportive housing initiative in her local community. Currently, she is launching the Disability Cultural Initiative at Georgetown University, a role that seeks to celebrate the diverse disability community and cultivate a culture of access intimacy across campus. Mona Samer Minkara is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Northeastern University, where she uses computer simulations to obtain a better understanding of the chemical interactions that occur at the air-water interface inside the lungs. Her goal is to use this research to engineer better treatments and methods of drug delivery. Mona was born to devoted Lebanese immigrant parents and raised with two younger siblings in the Boston area. When Mona was 7, she was diagnosed with macular degeneration and cone-rod dystrophy. One specialist told her mother that it was not worth it to spend a penny on her education. In defiance, Mona's parents supported her through the Massachusetts public school system. Upon graduating high school, Mona was accepted to Wellesley College with scholarships. After graduating from Wellesley, Mona continued doing research for a year, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, before being awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship. Mona later attended the University of Florida for her Ph.D. Rabbi Lauren Tuchman is a sought after speaker, spiritual leader and educator. Ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary in 2018, she is, as far as she is aware, the first blind woman in the world to enter the rabbinate. She provides consulting to individuals and organizations across the Jewish community on a variety of matters pertinent to disability access and inclusion. She has taught in numerous synagogues and other organizations across North America. She was named to the Jewish Week's 36 under 36 for her innovative leadership concerning inclusion of Jews with disabilities in all aspects of Jewish life. In 2017, she delivered an ELI Talk entitled We All Were At Sinai: The Transformative Power of Inclusive Torah. In addition to her work in the disability inclusion space, Rabbi Tuchman passionately believes in the power of spiritual and contemplative practice as a path of transformational personal and collective change for the Jewish world and beyond. She has trained and continues to teach Mussar with Rabbi David Jaffe and the Inside Out Wisdom and Action Project. Related Links: My Body is Not a Prayer Request by Amy Kenny Amy Kenny's Website Rabbi Lauren Tuchman's Website Mona Minkara's Website Mona's Planes, Trains, and Canes Series Website Mona's Planes, Trains, and Canes Series on YouTube Collaborative on Faith & Disabilities Summer Institute on Theology and Disability Stay tuned for the next of the 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective dropping next Wednesday. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

CONTENT WARNING: Brief mention of suicidal ideation and suicide. The conversation featured in this episode was recorded a few weeks before Judy Heumann passed away on March 4th, 2023. This is the second of 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective that will be published over the next few weeks. All episodes of The Heumann Perspective will remain available indefinitely at judithheumann.com. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode is also available in video format on YouTube. Chimére L. Smith is an author, speaker, panelist, and thought leader who unapologetically shares her unique Long COVID journey including balancing the effects of the destabilizing condition on her emotionally, physically, and financially as a Black woman and patient. She has been featured on many media platforms including CNN, MSNBC, and in The New York Times. She has also written for Huffington Post, Medium, and She Knows. She is currently on a virtual book tour, celebrating the release of Fiona Löwenstein's The Long Covid Survival Guide of which she is a contributing author and can be found at chimereladawn.com. And she also works with #MEAction to encourage diversity in volunteerism. Terri Wilder is a writer, activist, and community organizer. She was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in March 2016. Since her diagnosis she has worked with elected officials, public health departments, health care providers, and activists to raise awareness about ME/CFS in New York, Minnesota, and across the globe. She was finishing her PhD in Sociology at Georgia State University when she became ill; however believes she has had the disease since 1996. She is currently a consultant with #MEAction, the chapter leader of #MEAction Minnesota, and represented the organization on the federal Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC). She uses the skills she learned from the AIDS movement and the LGBTQ community to fight for the ME community. Terri is a 1992 graduate of the University of Georgia (UGA) School of Social Work where she earned her Master of Social Work. She graduated from UGA with a Bachelor of Social Work in 1989. Related Links: The Long COVID Survival Guide #MEAction #MEAction's Stop. Rest. Pace. Campaign Pacing and Management Guide for ME/CFS and Long COVID Polio and Covid-19 Article Unrest Film Stay tuned for the next of the 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective dropping next Wednesday. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The conversation featured in this episode was recorded a few weeks before Judy Heumann passed away on March 4th, 2023. This is the first of 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective that will be published over the next few weeks. All episodes of The Heumann Perspective will remain available indefinitely at judithheumann.com. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode is also available in video format on YouTube. Molly Burke is a speaker, YouTuber, content creator, and disability advocate. At the age of four Molly's world changed forever when she learned that she would eventually go blind. Less than a year later she decided to empower herself by public speaking to raise awareness about blindness. Later, she not only competed for the title of Miss Teen Canada International, but won. Hungry to uplift young women worldwide, she chose to give up her crown to speak and advocate on stages around the world such as the United Nations Headquarters and Davos World Economic Forum. She's spoken about empowerment, inclusivity, and equality alongside figures like Malala, Meghan Markle, Richard Branson, Demi Lovato, Martin Luther King III, and Justin Trudeau. Molly decided to share her message in a more universal way. She thus started her YouTube channel as one of the platform's first disabled creators. Over time she amassed over two million subscribers. She then decided to expand even further, and started creating content across platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat where she has already built communities of millions more followers. Molly has appeared in commercials that have aired during the Academy Awards, The Super Bowl, and more. She has been featured in leading press such as the Today Show and People Magazine and she has been both a nominee and recipient of numerous Shorty and Streamy Awards. Molly's Links: Website YouTube TikTok Instagram Stay tuned for the next of the 5 final episodes of The Heumann Perspective dropping next Wednesday. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

This interview is also available in video format with ASL interpretation on YouTube here. The transcript for this episode is available here. This episode was created by Quinn Hodgson as a part of Goucher College's Micro-Internship Program. Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody is a Cherokee Deaf Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Disability & Psychoeducational Studies. She earned her doctoral degree in linguistic and socio-cultural anthropology at the University of Oklahoma. She has studied critically-endangered Indigenous Sign Languages in North America since 1994 and helps different tribes preserve their tribal signs. She also specialized in Indigenous Deaf studies and interpreter training incorporating Native culture, North American Indian Sign Language and ASL. She is also an educator and advocate for Indigenous interpreters and students in educational settings. Besides, North American Indian Sign Language research, she had taught ASL classes in several universities, schools and community for over 42 years. She is one of eight founders of Turtle Island Hand Talk, a new group focused on Indigenous Deaf/Hard of Hearing/DeafBlind and Hearing people. Related Links: Melanie's Doctoral Dissertation "Memory Comes Before Knowledge- North American Indigenous Deaf" Vox Video "The Hidden History of Hand Talk" Turtle Island Hand Talk Native American Code Talkers Article Do you have a question for Judy? Send a voice memo for our Ask Judy Segment to media@judithheumann.com. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode was created by Devin S. Turk as a part of Goucher College's Micro-Internship Program. Vesper Moore is an Indigenous activist, trainer, writer, and psychiatric survivor. They have been advocating as a part of the mad and disability rights movements for several years and have been the recipient of many social justice and diversity awards. Vesper has brought the perspectives of mad, labeled mentally ill, neurodivergent, disabled people, and psychiatric survivors to national and international spaces. They have experience working as a consultant for both the United States government and the United Nations in shaping strategies around trauma, intersectionality, and disability rights. They have been at the forefront of legislative reform to shift the societal paradigm around mental health. Vesper as a mad queer indigenous person has made it their life's mission to rewrite the narrative mental health-industrial complex has enforced on our society. Moore is a mad queer indigenous person of Kiskeia and Borikén Taíno descent and uses they/them pronouns. Related Links: Vesper's Website Vesper's LinkTree (Social media, resource list, etc.) GET MAD! Podcast The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law National Alliance on Mental illness (NAMI) New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services Disability Rights California Do you have a question for Judy? Send a voice memo for our Ask Judy Segment to media@judithheumann.com. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. Ryan J. Haddad is an actor, playwright, and autobiographical performer based in New York. His acclaimed solo play Hi, Are You Single? was presented in The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival and continues to tour the country. Other New York credits include My Straighties (Ars Nova/ANT Fest), Noor and Hadi Go to Hogwarts (Theater Breaking Through Barriers), and the cabaret Falling for Make Believe (Joe's Pub/Under the Radar). Regional theatre: The Maids, Lucy Thurber's Orpheus in the Berkshires (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and Hi, Are You Single? (Guthrie Theater, Cleveland Play House, Williamstown Theatre Festival). He has a recurring role on the Netflix series "The Politician." Additional television: "Bull," "Madam Secretary," and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." Haddad is a recipient of IAMA Theatre Company's Shonda Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Commission and Rising Phoenix Repertory's Cornelia Street American Playwriting Award. His work has been developed with The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Noor Theatre, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Primary Stages, and Pride Plays. His writing has been published in the New York Times, Out Magazine, and American Theatre. Ryan is an alum of The Public Theater's Emerging Writers Group and a former Queer|Art Performance and Playwriting Fellow, under the mentorship of Moe Angelos. @ryanjhaddad and ryanjhaddad.com. Related Links: Ryan's Website Dark Disabled Stories at The Public Theater Tickets and Information Hi, Are You Single? Woolly Mammoth Theatre Trailer The Politician on Netflix For 2023, we're inviting our listeners to participate in Ask Judy in a new way. We want you to send us voice memos with messages and questions for Judy that we'll feature in an episode of The Heumann Perspective. If interested, please send yours to media@judithheumann.com Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. About Elizabeth Bonker Elizabeth Bonker is the Executive Director of Communication 4 ALL, a nonprofit with the mission to gain communication for the estimated 31 million non-speakers with autism worldwide. Elizabeth learned to type on a letterboard at age six and later, on a keyboard. Soon after, she began writing poems that were published in I Am in Here. In 2022, Elizabeth wrote the lyrics for an I Am in Here album with the music by The Bleeding Hearts. Her decade of advocacy work has included a PBS feature, a TEDMED Talk at the Kennedy Center, and bipartisan support for her mission on Capitol Hill. In May 2022, Elizabeth graduated as a Valedictorian from the Honors Program at Rollins College. Her Commencement Address went viral with more than 4 billion media impressions creating visibility and momentum for her mission. Elizabeth is a member of Autism Society of America's Council of Autistic Advisors and frequently a speaker at conferences interested in neurodiversity. Related links: Communication 4 ALL Elizabeth's Rollins College 2022 Valedictorian Speech Elizabeth's Album "I Am in Here" For 2023, we're inviting our listeners to participate in Ask Judy in a new way. We want you to send us voice memos with messages and questions for Judy that we'll feature in an episode of The Heumann Perspective. If interested, please send yours to media@judithheumann.com Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. About Ady Barkan Ady Barkan is an organizer and campaigner, who Politico deemed "the most powerful activist in America." Over his career, Ady has specialized in bringing policy makers face to face with the people whose lives their decisions shape, and generating public attention and political pressure out of those confrontations. Since 2017, Ady's work has focused on health care, marshaling his own paralysis from A.L.S. to urge Americans to demand more of our government. He received his juris doctorate from Yale Law School and now lives in Santa Barbara, CA, where he works as the founder and Co-Executive Director of Be A Hero. His story is told in the documentary Not Going Quietly. About Nick Bruckman Nicholas Bruckman is the founder and CEO of People's Television, a production studio and creative agency that produces award-winning independent films as well as video storytelling for the world's leading brands. His feature documentary Not Going Quietly, executive produced by Mark and Jay Duplass, premiered at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival where it won the Audience Award and Special Jury Prize, and was nominated for Best Documentary and Best Director of the year at the IDA awards. The film was critically acclaimed and acquired for distribution by Greenwich Entertainment (theatrical), PBS POV (broadcast), Vice World News (international), and Hulu (streaming). Related Links: Not Going Quietly Website Be A Hero Fund People's Television Nicholas Bruckman's Website Watch Not Going Quietly on Hulu Ady's Book, Eyes to the Wind FWD-Doc This episode's Ask Judy question came from @carlyfahey on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. The Heumann Perspective is a finalist for a Signal Award! Vote here between now and December 22nd to help us win the Public Service & Activism Listener's Choice Award. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. Check out the YouTube video version of this episode here. This episode features (in sequential order): Lachi Joseph and Mary Heumann Bob Williams Elijah Armstrong Keely Cat-Wells Theodore Gallion Bonnie Gallion Spencer West Ann Cupolo Freeman and Sam Freeman John Beach Lolo Spencer Ben and Sharon Bryan Nic Novicki Kathi Wolfe James Ian Maria Town Brent Elder Kylie Miller and Kelila Weiner Jorge Pineda John Register If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The Heumann Perspective is a finalist for a Signal Award! Vote here between now and December 22nd to help us win the Public Service & Activism Listener's Choice Award. The transcript for this episode is available here. About Alberto Vásquez Alberto Vásquez is a human rights lawyer and disability rights advocate. He is the co-director of the Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP) and president of the Peruvian NGO Sociedad y Discapacidad - SODIS (Society and Disability). He previously served as the research coordinator for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and as a consultant for several United Nations entities, including WHO, UNICEF and the OHCHR. Alberto brings 17 years of experience in law reform, advocacy and human rights monitoring in the field of disability and mental health. In Peru, he has been actively involved in law and policy reform, including the groundbreaking reform that recognised the legal capacity of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others and abolished guardianship. He studied law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and completed his LLM in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Alberto is also a founder member of the Latin American Network of Psychosocial Diversity and an honorary fellow at the University of Essex. Related Links: Center for Inclusive Policy Sociedad y Discapacidad (Society and Disability) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities This episode's Ask Judy question came from @chrisfishabilityecology on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this episode is available here. About Molly Joyce Composer and performer Molly Joyce has been deemed one of the "most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome" by The Washington Post. Her music has additionally been described as "serene power" (New York Times), written to "superb effect" (The Wire), and "unwavering" and "enveloping" (Vulture). Her work is concerned with disability as a creative source. She has an impaired left hand from a previous car accident. The primary vehicle in her pursuit is her electric vintage toy organ, an instrument she bought on eBay that suits her body and engages her disability on a compositional and performative level. Her debut full-length album, Breaking and Entering, featuring toy organ, voice, and electronic sampling of both sources was released in June 2020 on New Amsterdam Records, and has been praised by New Sounds as "a powerful response to something (namely, physical disability of any kind) that is still too often stigmatized, but that Joyce has used as a creative prompt." Molly is a graduate of The Juilliard School (graduating with scholastic distinction), Royal Conservatory in The Hague (recipient of the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund Grant), and Yale School of Music. She holds an Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies from CUNY School of Professional Studies and is an alumnus of the National YoungArts Foundation. She has studied with Samuel Adler, Martin Bresnick, Guus Janssen, David Lang, Missy Mazzoli, Martijn Padding, Christopher Theofanidis, and has served on the composition faculty of New York University, Wagner College, and Berklee Online, teaching subjects including Disability and the Arts, Music Technology, Music Theory, and Orchestration. She is currently a Dean's Doctoral Fellow at the University of Virginia, focusing on Composition and Computer Technologies. Related Links: Molly's Website "Perspective" Album on Bandcamp Molly Joyce on Spotify Molly Joyce on Apple Music RAMPD: Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities This episode's Ask Judy question came from @otto_types on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this episode is available here. For our second episode of NDEAM, Judy interviews Kate Kalcevich and Carrie Morales. They both work for Fable, a company based in Toronto working on accessibility testing. Kate and Carrie disucss their work at Fable, their journeys to employment, and Fable's skill development program, Fable Pathways. Kate and Judy both have taught courses on Fable Pathways that you can access online, for free at fablepathways.com About Kate Kalcevich Kate is the Head of Accessibility Innovation at Fable, a leading accessibility testing platform powered by people with disabilities. Kate has championed accessibility since 2001. She is an IAAP Certified Web Accessibility Specialist and former UX designer and front-end developer. Kate herself has a hearing disability and is currently focused on delivering custom accessibility training to help teams upskill on accessibility. About Carrie Morales Carrie Morales is a legally blind accessibility tester with Fable and a freelance consultant. She was a former Low Vision Specialist, connecting patients with vision loss to aids, services, resources, and assistive technology. With her lived experiences, she created both Live Accessible and Carrie on Accessibility to spread awareness and empower others who are blind and visually impaired. Related Links: Fable Fable Pathways Online Courses Carrie Morales' Website Carrie on Accessibility YouTube Channel Live Accessible YouTube Channel This episode's Ask Judy question came from @rm.13.88 on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this episode is available here. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and our first episode of this month is with Meg O'Connell. She is the founder and CEO of Global Disability Inclusion working with companies on improving their disability inclusion efforts. About Meg O'Connell Meg is the CEO & Founder of Global Disability Inclusion; she is an internationally recognized disability employment and inclusion expert with over 25 years of experience in human capital management, talent acquisition, performance management, disability inclusion, employee engagement, marketing, and customer service programs. Meg and her team has worked with some of the world's most recognized brands and provides strategic program design, development, and implementation of disability employment and inclusion programs for Global 500 companies, US Federal Contractors, colleges and universities, non-profits, and foundations. Her work has received numerous accolades including the Society of Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) Innovative Practice Award. She has been quoted in Huffington Post, Science Magazine, Diversity Executive, DiverseAbility, and numerous trade magazines for her insights on the employment of people with disabilities. She keynotes and presents at international conferences regularly. Meg holds a certificate in ADA Mediation and she is also conversationally proficient in American Sign Language. Related Links: Global Disability Inclusion Website The State of Disability Employee Engagement Report Employing Abilities at Work Certificate with SHRM Amplify Disability Culture & Climate Survey This episode's Ask Judy question came from @kylakeenan on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

I'm sharing a special episode from another podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries. In this preview, civil rights icon Ruby Bridges shares what it was like to be the first African-American student to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana in 1960. Ruby was just six years old at the time, and it would be years before she fully appreciated her role in advancing civil rights in America. Hear the full episode, and more from A Slight Change of Plans, at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/scp5?sid=perspective.

This episode, Judy chats with journalist and podcaster, Lauren Ober. They discuss Lauren's new podcast called The Loudest Girl in the World. This is a narrative limited series podcast about Lauren's journey to discovering she is autistic at the age of 42. Enjoy this episode and please check out the description to find The Loudest Girl in the World and more podcasts with Lauren Ober. The transcript for this episode is available here. Follow Lauren on Instagram and Twitter @OberAndOut About Lauren Ober Lauren Ober, host of The Loudest Girl in the World, is a podcast host and producer, most recently of Fine Gorilla Person from Topic Studios and Audible. Before that, she hosted Spectacular Failures from APM Studios. The show was one of TIME magazine's top 10 podcasts of 2019 and has been downloaded more than 6 million times. Ober also hosted and produced NPR's The Big Listen, a nationally distributed broadcast about podcasts. In a life before hosting, Ober was an award-winning audio reporter and has been heard on shows like This American Life, 99% Invisible and Criminal, as well as all of NPR's flagship programs. She is a graduate of the Transom Story Workshop, Syracuse University and American University. A proud Pittsburgh native, Lauren currently lives in the 51st state. Related Links: Lauren Ober's Website The Loudest Girl in the World Podcast Fine Gorilla Person Podcast Spectacular Failures Podcast The Big Listen Podcast If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send an email or voice recording to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Next week, September 12th to 16th, is Disability Voting Rights Week. Learn more about it through this episode with Lilian Aluri from AAPD's REV UP Campaign, Dessa Cosma from Detroit Disability Power, and YT Bell from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. The transcript for this episode is available here. Additional Resources: REV UP Networks REV UP Disability Voting Rights Week REV UP Resources Detroit Disability Power Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Rutgers Research on Voter Turnout and Voting Accessibility 2017 GAO Report "Voters with Disabilities: Observations on Polling Place Accessibility" REV UP Election Accessibility Toolkit Nonprofit VOTE "Staying Nonpartisan" Resource The A-Z Effect, Inclusive Campaigns Detroit Disability Power Resources for Poll Workers About Lilian Aluri Lilian Aluri started off interning at AAPD in the summer of 2020, as a NYU VOTE 2020 Fellow, getting out the disability vote in the 2020 elections. Lilian then began a contract with AAPD and has since been working together with the REV UP team to continue to build the power of the disability vote, research voting accessibility issues, and also support AAPD's broader advocacy. In her current role as the REV UP Voting Campaign Coordinator, Lilian supports the national REV UP network, facilitating trainings and webinars, convening the advisory committee, organizing national voting initiatives and collaborating with REV UP organizers to advance the power of the disability vote. Lilian also manages AAPD's blog and a weekly email digest highlighting disability in the news. As the older sister of a young man with Down syndrome and as someone with some mental health disabilities, Lilian values her role at AAPD as a chance to help create a more inclusive and just society in which all people with disabilities can thrive. Lilian studied business administration at the University of Southern California and volunteered for a student-run youth development nonprofit which drew her to mission and community-driven work. Following college, Lilian received a Master of Public Administration at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service in order to further develop her policy and advocacy skills. About Dessa Cosma Dessa grew up in the Deep South, splitting her time between New Orleans, LA and Augusta, GA. She's been a social justice activist for as long as she can remember, starting her environmental, LGBTQ, and reproductive justice efforts in high school. She attended the University of Georgia, earning bachelor's degrees in International Affairs, Women's Studies, and Anthropology. After graduation, Dessa moved to Detroit to work as the Senior Field Organizer for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan. In 2014, Dessa graduated with a Masters in Social Justice from Marygrove College. At that time, she was the Michigan Program Director for the Center for Progressive Leadership, training hundreds of activists, candidates, and campaign managers across the state. She then became the Executive Director of the Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan, which she helped to start in collaboration with some of Detroit's most dedicated economic and racial justice champions. Since 2017, Dessa has been a facilitator with Allies for Change, which provides anti-oppression education, training, and resources for individuals and organizations committed to social change. She was a University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women+ Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist from 2017-2019 and was a founding design team member of the Transforming Power Fund. In 2018, Dessa started Detroit Disability Power to grow the organizing power of the disability community and to continue bridging the gap between the disability community and larger social justice movements. She has particular interest in disability focused political work that is grounded in anti-racism and economic justice. About Yterenickia 'YT' Bell

The transcript for this episode is available here. This episode is sponsored by Fable Pathways. Learn more here. This episode Judy interviews Chelsie Hill, the founder and CEO of Rollettes. Judy and Chelsie talk a lot about their time together at the Rollettes Experience, Chelsie's vision for the Rollettes, and her exciting new experience of becoming a mother. About Chelsie Hill Chelsie Hill is a professional dancer, community leader, content creator, and Founder/CEO of Rollettes, a Los Angeles based wheelchair dance team that's committed to education, disability representation, and female empowerment. She started dancing when she was 3-years-old. At 17 years old, she was involved in a drunk driving accident, sustaining a spinal cord injury that resulted in paralysis from the waist down. After her injury, Chelsie wanted to connect with other women in chairs and build a strong community of women who support and encourage one another. What started as 7 girls in a small dance studio in Monterey, California has turned into the world's largest network for women with disabilities, Rollettes. Chelsie was also featured on Sundance Channel's award-winning TV show Push Girls. As an entrepreneur, Chelsie created the very first women and kids empowerment event called the Rollettes Experience with seminars to empower, educate and connect the hundreds of attendees. Chelsie and the Rollettes are creating a global movement of Boundless Babes by helping them become community leaders and live independent lives - mentally, physically, and emotionally. Related Links: Chelsie's Website Chelsie's Instagram The Rollettes Dance Team Push Girls on Sundance TV The Rollettes Experience Through the Looking Glass This episode's Ask Judy question came from our intern, Zaina Fairey. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.