The Heumann Perspective (Judy Heumann )

This week on The Heumann Perspective, Judy is chatting with Shane and Hannah Burcaw of the popular YouTube Channel, Squirmy and Grubs where they share their relationship as Shane has a disability and Hannah does not. Judy, Shane and Hannah discuss their experiences growing up disabled, intimacy and disability, personal care attendants, and the horrors of traveling while using a wheelchair. Subscribe to their YouTube channel! Be sure to check out Shane's latest book, "Strangers Assume My Girlfriend is My Nurse" Transcript for this episode: Google Drive PDF

Judy is joined by Julia Bascom, the Executive Director of The Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Julia Bascom not only loves all things dinosaurs, Julia is exceptional leader within the disability community and has driven ASAN to be vitally influential in several major national policies. She truly drives home the motto "Nothing About Us Without Us" as she ensures that autistic self-advocates are always at the table.  Follow Julia on Twitter @JustStimming Follow ASAN on Twitter @autselfadvocacy ASAN's Website: https://autisticadvocacy.org/ Transcript for this episode: Google Doc

Judy is joined by Chella Man. Chella is a transmasculine, Jewish, Asian, genderqueer artist, model, filmmaker and now author!  Judy and Chella break down Chella's journey through life so far as a Deaf, Genderqueer Trans person from a small town in Pennsylvania and the importance of finding your community and passions. Follow Chella on Instagram @chellaman For more of Chella's work: chellaman.com Transcript for this episode: Google Drive PDF

Judy is joined by Lachi and Rebecca Howell. Lachi is a bold, beautiful, blind EDM musician who has Coloboma and Keratoconus. Rebecca is the Producer and Editor of The Heumann Perspective and also has Keratoconus. Judy, Lachi and Rebecca talk about the importance of disclosure and having agency over your own story.  Lachi is featured as the theme music for The Heumann Perspective! More music by Lachi: https://www.lachimusic.com/index.html  Follow Lachi's journey through vision loss on her YouTube Channel Follow Lachi on Instagram @lachimusic  Transcript for this episode: Google Drive PDF

Judy is joined by the producers of the Netflix documentary "Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution," Jim LeBrecht, Sara Bolder and Nicole Newnham. After learning that Crip Camp was nominated for an Oscar, they talk about how Judy and Jim reunited after camp, how Crip Camp came to be, and the Crip Camp Virtual Experience! Follow Nicole Newnham on Twitter: @NicoleNewnham

Judy joined by Denise Jacobson, Lionel Je Woodyard and Ann Cupolo Freeman who were all featured in the Oscar nominated documentary Crip Camp. Denise and Ann were campers and Lionel was a counselor at Camp Jened. Denise was also the fabulous story consultant for Crip Camp! They all chat about how Camp Jened impacted their lives and some of the shenanigans that went on at Camp! Watch Crip Camp on Netflix! Buy Denise's Book Question of David : A Disabled Mothers Journey Through Adoption, Family, and Life" here: https://www.amazon.com/Question-David-Disabled-Mothers-Adoption/dp/1460999282

Join Judy as she chats with three disabled parents- Jessica Slice, Sachin Pavithran, and Judith Rogers about their experiences with everything from changing messy diapers, playing at the park and addressing other people's preconceived notions about them as a parent. Judy also discusses the joys of being a parent-figure and mentor to many young people in her life!

Bonus Episode of The Heumann Perspective: A Post Oscars Chat with Andraéa LaVant! We talk about all things fashion, celebrities and what you might not expect to be the highlight of Andraéa's week in LA!   Andraéa LaVant is a Disability Justice leader, Impact Producer for Crip Camp, President of LaVant Consulting, and dedicated dog mom to Goji- the first service dog to grace the red carpet at the Oscars. Be sure to follow Andraéa on twitter and Instagram @andraealavant and LaVant Consulting on Instagram @lavantconsulting

  Judy is joined by Nina G., a stuttering comedian and dyslexic author! Nina is the author of the children's book, Once Upon an Accommodation: A Book About Learning Disabilities and her book Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen. Judy and Nina talk about Nina's journey to earning her doctorate, becoming a comedian and dealing with ableist comedians!    Follow Nina G. @ninagcomedian on Twitter and go to her website to keep up with upcoming performances: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/ 

Judy is chatting with Wendy Lu and Cara Reedy about disability inclusion and ableism in journalism. Wendy Lu is the staff news editor and national reporter at HuffPost, covering the intersection of disability, politics and culture.  Cara Reedy is the Program Manager for DREDF's Disability Media Alliance Project (DMAP). DMAP is changing the way disability is represented in all forms of media from television, film and journalism.  Transcript: About Cara Reedy

Annie Segarra Annie Segarra, also known as Annie Elainey, is a queer, Latinx and disabled American YouTuber, artist, and activist for LGBTQ+ and disability rights. Through the art of storytelling, Annie has cultivated an authentic online community where they share moments of heartache and moments of them dancing on a stool to showtunes. Content Note:  There is discussion about eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and intrusive thoughts in this episode Follow Annie on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @annieelainey Transcript: PDF

In this episode, Judy is chatting with Lydia X.Z. Brown along with Anna Landre who will co-moderate this episode. Anna Landre was a student in Lydia's Disability Studies class at Georgetown University. This is a jam-packed episode as Lydia, Judy and Anna talk about the necessary evolution and growth of the disability movement towards a Disability Justice framework as we celebrate Disability Pride month. Transcript: PDF

In this episode, Judy is chatting with Judith Snedeger, a disabled woman from Kentucky who was put under guardianship and stripped of her rights once she turned 18. With the support from a whole team of people including from one of our other guests, Laura Butler from My Choice Kentucky, Judith successfully fought to terminate her guardianship. Along with Laura and Judith, Judy is joined by Elysia Macini Duerr who is a Staff Attorney at Disability Rights Pennsylvania and Morgan Whitlach who is the Legal Director of Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities. She also serves as the Lead Project Director of the National Resource Center for Supported Decision-Making Fourth National Guardianship Summit: Maximizing Autonomy and Ensuring Accountability Recommendations: http://law.syr.edu/uploads/docs/academics/Fourth_National_Guardianship_Summit_-_Adopted_Recommendations_%28May_2021%29.pdf   Judith and another woman hand-in-hand as they walk into a fountain following the termination of Judith's guardianship

In this episode, Judy is chatting with Elijah Armstrong and Anna Landre about the ableism they experienced in education that motivated them to be activists. Be sure to follow Elijah on Twitter @elijahsaprophet and follow Anna @annalandre. Elijah Armstrong is an activist from Jacksonville, Florida, who received his Bachelor of Science in Education and Public Policy from Penn State in 2019, and his Master of Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2020. With the funds from the 2021 Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award, Elijah is going to start the Heumann-Armstrong Award for Education Activism. This will give monetary awards to students who have experienced ableism in education, while also driving a conversation around ableism in education that is centered around the experience of students with disabilities. Elijah is an epileptic who was denied accommodations in high school, and was thus motivated to prevent the same thing from happening to other students. He founded Equal Opportunities for Students in 2015 and published pieces in Education Post and Faces of Education. He can be heard telling his story through his Ted Talk or his interviews with NPR. Elijah was an AAPD intern in 2018 in the office of Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). He served on the DREAM (Disability Rights, Education Activism, and Mentoring) National Student Advisory board for three years, and also branched out into other forms of activism while at Penn State, helping to plan a multi-day program around sexual assault prevention and cofounding No Hate Penn State with three other students. In his time at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Elijah was president of the Black Student Union.   Anna Landre is a disability justice advocate whose work focuses on the social and legal barriers faced by disabled people around the world. Anna currently serves the Washington, DC city government as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. This past summer, she has been doing a Fellowship with us at The Heumann Perspective. She is a Truman and Marshall Scholar, and is about to move to London to study International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies at the London School of Economics. Her advocacy efforts have been featured in outlets including the Washington Post, Forbes, Vogue and others.

Judy is chatting with Emily and Ellen Ladau, who are a mother-daughter duo that have the same physical disability. Emily and Ellen talk to Judy about their evolving relationship, working on Emily's upcoming book and their journey into activism. Transcript: PDF About Emily Ladau Emily is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when I appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. I'm the Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog, co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

Kathy Martinez Kathy Martinez is an internationally recognized and Disability Rights leader and offers a compelling perspective on many disability issues as someone who was born blind. She joined Disability Rights Advocates as President/CEO in March 2021 after having spent six years as SVP, Head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy for Wells Fargo. Previously, she served as Assistant Secretary of The Office of Disability Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor.  Judy and Kathy talk about Kathy's adventure filled childhood, her introduction to disability activism in the 70s, her career in activism that stemmed from that and the importance of weaving accessibility into everything you do instead of it being an afterthought. Follow Disability Rights Advocates @dralegal on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!  

In this episode, Judy chats with two bad-ass disabled, Asian American researchers and long-time friends, Teresa Nyugen and Sandy Ho Register for the 2021 Disability Intersectionality Summit by going to their Twitter page! Follow the Disability Intersectionality Summit on Twitter @DISummit_org Follow Teresa on Instagram @teresa.grams Follow Sandy on Twitter @NotYourAvgHo101 Teresa is a curriculum developer/trainer at Colorado Employment First where she specializes in transitioning youth, families, and healthcare. Previously, she was a program officer at the US Department of Health and Human Services and served as a subject matter expert for disability and health care system initiatives. Teresa is an avid traveler and loves being in nature with her dog Mylo, cooking and reading. Sandy Ho is a research project manager at the Community Living Policy Center, as well as a community organizer in the Boston area focused on disability justice and intersectionality. Her areas of interest include civic engagement of people with disabilities, access to Medicaid HCBS for people of color with disabilities, and building research capacity among disability advocates. She is a Master of Public Policy student at the Heller School and the founder of the Disability & Intersectionality Summit. Sandy identifies as a queer disabled Asian-American woman.

This week, Judy is joined by Susan Reinhard. They chat about how vital it is to include disability in the conversation around aging and including aging in the conversation around disability as disability is a natural part of life and that people's disabilities evolve and change as they age and so will their needs Susan is a senior vice president at AARP, directing its Public Policy Institute (PPI) which is the focal point for public policy research an analysis at the state, federal, and international level. She leads PPI's Family Caregiving Initiatives and also serves as the chief strategist for the Center to Champion Nursing in America, a national resource center created to ensure that America has the highly skilled nurses it needs to provide care in the future. Susan is a nationally recognized expert in health and long-term care policy. She has extensive experience in conducting, directing, and translating research into action to promote policy change. Additional Resources: AARP Prepare to Care: A Caregiving Planning Guide for Families AARP Long-Term Services and Supports State Scorecard Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Judy chats with Diego Mariscal and Hannah Frankl about their work supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities. Learn more about 2Gether-International at 2gether-international.org. Learn more about Google for Startups and find resources at startup.google.com. Diego Mariscal is the founder and CEO of 2Gether-International. He is disabled and proud! He is also very passionate and strategic about the relationship between disability advocacy, entrepreneurship, and sustainable impact. At the age of 18, Diego started Limitless Prepa Tec, a disability education program for students in Monterrey, Mexico. In 4 years, the program expanded to 7 high schools across the country, reaching more than 3,000 students nationwide. To this day, Limitless continues to be one of the largest youth-led programs working to educate students about disabilities in Monterrey, Mexico. Diego has been internationally recognized for his work, most notably by the Waldzell Institute in Vienna as an Architect of the Future and by the British Council as a Global Changemaker. In 2016, Diego was invited to the first United Nations World Humanitarian Summit held in Istanbul. In 2017, Diego became the first entrepreneur with a disability, from the US delegation, to participate in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in Hyderabad, India. Hannah is a Global PMM on the Google for Startups team, dedicated to leveling the playing field for startup founders and communities to succeed by connecting them with the right people, products and best practices to help them grow. Since joining Google in 2017, Hannah has also led various disability-inclusion initiatives. Hannah's experience prior to Google ranges from strategy consulting for nonprofits to product management and venture capital at Microsoft Ventures (now called M12). She also previously was on the board of the SF Jewish Federation finance committee as a Fed Fellow, and held a leadership role on the Impact Team of Minds Matter San Francisco, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting low-income high school students. Outside of work, Hannah sits on the Next Gen board of Lime Connect, a nonprofit supporting people with disabilities, as well as on the board of Birthright Excel, a Jewish business organization. Additional Resources: 2GI Tech Cohort: The accelerator cohort at 2Gether-International with support from Google for Startups . All-in.withgoogle.com: Google's publicly available resource for inclusive marketing best practices, featuring the disability-inclusion portion that Hannah contributed to. "When it comes to inclusion, we must stop overlooking accessibility": A Think with Google article written by Hannah. "How Hannah Frankl advocates for startups and inclusivity": Hannah's #MyPathToGoogle article on Google's Blog. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

Judy converses with Andrea Dalzell, also known as The Seated Nurse. She is a Registered Nurse committed to ensuring that healthcare is informed by disability. She advocates for the inclusion of disabled healthcare providers, as well as better care for disabled patients. Not to mention, she is so much more than a nurse! Andrea is an activist, social media influencer, educator, nonprofit founder, athlete, and more. Follow Andrea on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @theseatednurse. Andrea is a Registered Nurse, Healthcare Advocate, Disability Rights Influencer, and most importantly, Survivor! She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of 5, she was diagnosed with transverse myelitis which is an inflammation of the spinal cord that causes pain, muscle weakness, and paralysis. She was using a wheelchair full-time by the age of 12. Although this diagnosis was very critical, Andrea let absolutely nothing get in the way of being all that she could be. Andrea received her degree from the City University of New York, College of Staten Island. However, life after graduation for Andrea was the beginning of a long disappointing journey of trying to convince employers that she could handle the job duties of being a nurse in a wheelchair. While diligently trying to secure a position in a hospital, Andrea worked as a health director, case manager, and school nurse to make ends meet.  After 76 interviews, she was finally given the opportunity to prove herself when she was hired as the first Registered Nurse in a wheelchair in New York state. Andrea Dalzell on Good Morning America  Craig H. Neilsen Visionary Prize  Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel. Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

This episode, Judy is joined by Kathi Wolfe. Kathi is a writer who works in both journalism and poetry. She often writes about topics involving the LGBTQ+ and disability communities. Judy and Kathi discuss her journey to poetry, characters she's created, what inspires her, and so much more. She also reads two of her poems, "Tasting Braille" and "Dancing with Martha Graham." Follow Kathi on Twitter @UppityBlindGirl. Photo taken by Alexander Vasiljev. Kathi Wolfe is a writer and poet. She writes frequently on disability and LGBTQ+ issues. Wolfe is a contributor with the Washington Blade, the LGBTQ+ paper. Wolfe was a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists, Washington, D.C. chapter Dateline award-for her Blade feature "Blind and Queer and Finding Community." She was a 1998-1999 Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellow. Her commentary has appeared in the "Washington Post," www.pbs.org and other publications. Wolfe wrote regularly for the disability press publications The Ragged Edge, Mainstream Magazineand Independence Today. Wolfe's poetry has appeared in The New York Times, Poetry Magazine and other publications. Last month, her poem "Tasting Braille" was the Poetry Foundation Poem of the Day. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and awarded Writers Grants by Vermont Studio Center.  Wolfe's most recent poetry collection is "Love and Kumquats." Wolfe was a contributor to the groundbreaking anthologies "Beauty Is a Verb: the New Poetry of Disability" and "QDA: A Queer Disability Anthology." She was a 2008 Lambda Literary Foundation Emerging Writer Fellow. "Love and Kumquats" Book of Poetry on Amazon and Barnes and Noble "Tasting Braille" on Poetry Foundation's Poem of the Day "The Sun is Warm: Nagasaki, 1948" and "Dancing with Martha Graham" poems on PBS "Helen Keller and Me" article for PBS PBS Documentary Becoming Helen Keller Panel Discussion featuring Kathi Kathi's contributions for The Washington Blade Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy chats with the co-founders of Inevitable Foundation, Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska. The Inevitable Foundation is a new non-profit organization dedicated to funding and mentoring professional disabled screenwriters. Their ultimate goal is to create a world where people with disabilities are valued both on and off screen. Richie is the co-founder and President of Inevitable Foundation, charged with leading the Foundation's overall strategy and day-to-day operations. He is a filmmaker and entrepreneur by trade who, before founding Inevitable, spent seven years running a consulting and research firm in the consumer goods industry called Loose Threads. Under Richie's leadership, Loose Threads became a leading strategic partner to the C-Suite of many brands, private equity firms, media companies and real estate investment firms. He was a founding board member at the podcasting startup Simplecast, which was sold to SiriusXM in 2020. He supports a number of causes including racial justice, transcendental meditation, criminal justice reform, disabled artist education and voter registration, among others. Richie has a younger sister who has epilepsy and other developmental disabilities who was one of the inspirations for starting Inevitable Foundation, since he would never see people like his sister in film and TV growing up. Marisa is a co-founder of Inevitable Foundation, tasked with leading the Fellowship experience as well as talent outreach. She is a screenwriter by trade who studied at USC's School of Cinematic Arts and was the recipient of the Jay Roach Endowed Scholarship and Sloan Screenwriting Award. Before Inevitable Foundation and USC, Marisa worked for seven years at  a summer camp for teens and adults with developmental disabilities. Her time at summer camp was a transformative experience for her-the first time she was in a majority disabled space-and led her to choose a career in screenwriting, given the total absence of disabled characters she would see on-screen growing up. Marisa also lives with invisible physical disabilities, which have informed the ways she views accessibility in the traditionally inaccessible entertainment industry and drives her passion for systematic change.

This episode, Judy chats with Pauline Castres about the relationship between environmental justice and disability. Pauline defines eco-ableism, describes how disabled people are disproportionately impacted by climate change, shares takeaways from COP26, explains why disability activists should also be environmental activists, and much more. Pauline is a climate change, disability rights, and global health policy and advocacy professional with ten years of experience working with local and national governments, EU institutions, and UN agencies. This year, she's been named one of the thirty most influential disabled activists in the world, and one of the 100 most powerful disability advocates in the UK by the Shaw Trust's Disability Power 100. Pauline has led high-profile advocacy projects - for UN agencies, the British Medical Journal, The Lancet, and several health charities - including a project that won the EU NGO Health Award in 2016. She previously worked on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in developing countries, with a focus on the intersectionality between disability and gender in education settings. Pauline is currently setting up her own consultancy platform where she will train climate activists on disability issues, as well as disability activists about climate issues. Additional Resources: Humanity & Inclusion Climate Change and Disability Statistics UN Human Rights Climate Change and Disability Statistics Eco-Ableism Straw Example Benilda Caixeta Obituary CNN Article on Benilda Caixeta and FEMA Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Disability News Service Article featuring Pauline Air Quality News Article featuring Pauline "Climate anxiety plagues millions in Britain as COP26 faces criticism for missing mark on disability" Article featuring Pauline Friends of the Earth Article featuring Pauline and Judy Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

We're kicking off 2022 with a special edition episode! Kylie Miller, the producer of The Heumann Perspective, steps in to interview Judy and her co-author, Kristen Joiner. Together, they wrote "Being Heumann: An unrepentant memoir of a disability rights activist" and the YA version, Rolling Warrior. Being Heumann formats and vendors: Find a hardcover copy at a local bookstore Find a paperback copy at a local bookstore Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle eBook on Amazon Paperback, Hardcover, and Nook eBook on Barnes & Noble Large Print Edition Audiobook on Audible Audiobook on Apple Books Rolling Warrior formats and vendors: Find a paperback copy at a local bookstore Paperback and Kindle eBook on Amazon Paperback and NOOK eBook on Barnes & Noble Large Print Edition on Amazon Large Print Edition on Barnes & Noble Audiobook on Audible Audiobook on Apple Books Kristen Joiner is a writer and activist who tries to tell stories that change how people see the world. Her writing on exclusion, inequality, and social change has been published in Ms. Magazine, Stanford Social Innovation Review, The Spin-Off, Stuff and other outlets. She lives in New Zealand with her husband and three children. Connect with her on Twitter @kristenjoiner. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy interviews Jillian Mercado. Jillian is a model, actress and activist. Judy and Jillian chat about her life and career, as well as her experience of being the representation she always yearned to see growing up. At the end of this episode is a brand new segment called Ask Judy! Find this episode's transcript here. Follow Jillian on Twitter @jilly_peppa and on Instagram @jillianmercado. Jillian Mercado is an actress, model, and activist who was born and raised in New York City and is of Dominican descent. Diagnosed with spastic muscular dystrophy as a child, Jillian has become a prominent figure in the fashion world, challenging beauty ideals, and re-defining traditional norms in the fashion industry. To date, Jillian has starred in campaigns for Olay, Bumble 100, Calvin Klein fragrance, Nordstrom, Target and Tommy Hilfiger. In September 2018, she was featured on Teen Vogue's first digital cover. In addition, editorial features include CR Fashion Book, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Glassbook, Jejune, and Herring & Herring magazine. As an actress, Jillian's most notable role is playing 'Maribel' on the L Word Generation. Jillian has spent her off camera career actively fighting to advocate for more representation of people with disabilities and eradicate the enduring stigma they face in the fashion industry. Related links: Jillian's CAA Profile Jillian's Portfolio The L-Word: Generation Q on Showtime Disabled Black Creatives If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/   

CONTENT WARNING: Please be advised that this episode includes conversations involving suicide, bullying, anti-semitism, and PTSD. This episode, Judy interviews Brandon Farbstein. They discuss their many shared experiences of public speaking, Judaism, theatre, writing, and more. Brandon also shares the personal stories that led him to where he is today, and why his work centers around elevating empathy. Find this episode's transcript here. Brandon Farbstein is a 22-year-old is a speaker, activist, and author. He was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism at the age of 2. After a severe battle with cyberbullying in high school, he decided to share his story - to both offer hope and to enact change. Brandon was the driving force behind two new pieces of legislation that were signed into law in Virginia, one on bullying prevention and the other requiring empathy and emotional intelligence to be taught in all K-12 classrooms across the state. He has written two books, Ten Feet Tall and A Kids Book About Self-Love. He frequently advises foundations, boards, and large scale organizations on their DEI efforts, especially towards the disability community. He was named in Instagram's #19under19 as one of the 19 most influential teenagers in the world with his mission to Elevate Empathy®. In 2020, Brandon made his runway debut at NY Fashion Week wearing Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive. Brandon's website A Kids Book About Self-Love Ten Feet Fall: Step Into Your Truth and Change Your Freaking World Brandon's TEDxRVA Talk If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy chats with Leroy Moore and Keith Jones, the co-founders of Krip Hop Nation. Enjoy their discussion with Judy about the work they're doing, together and individually, as artists and activists. The transcript for this episode is available here. 2021 Emmy award winning Leroy F. Moore Jr. is the founder of Krip Hop Nation. Since the 1990s, Moore has been a key member of Poor Magazine, starting with the column "Illin-N-Chillin" and then as a founding member of the magazine's school, the Homefulness and Decolonize Academy. Moore is one of the founding members of National Black Disability Coalition and an activist around police brutality against people with disabilities. Leroy has started and helped start organizations including Disability Advocates of Minorities Organization, Sins Invalid, and Krip-Hop Nation. His cultural work includes the film documentary Where Is Hope, Police Brutality Against People with Disabilities, spoken-word CDs, poetry books and the children's book Black Disabled Art History 101 published by Xochitl Justice Press. His graphic novel Krip-Hop Graphic Novel Issue 1: Brown Disabled Young Woman Superhero Brings Disability Justice to Hip- Hop was published in 2019 and 2020 under Poor Press. Moore has traveled internationally networking with other disabled activists and artists. In fall of 2021, Leroy started his Ph.D. in Anthropology at UCLA. Moore has written, sang and collaborated to do music videos on Black disabled men. In July 2019 Leroy Moore under Krip-Hop Nation organized African Disabled Musicians San Francisco Bay Area Tour with disabled musicians from Uganda, Tanzania and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2021 Leroy Moore published a book about Black disabled young men under SoulfulMediaWorks. Leroy has won many awards for his advocacy from the San Francisco Mayor's Disability Council under Willie L. Brown to the Local Hero Award in 2002 from Public Television Station, KQED in San Francisco and in 2014, San Francisco Bayview Newspaper named Leroy, Champion of Disabled People in the Media on Black Media Appreciation Night. Keith Jones is the President and CEO of SoulTouchin' Experiences. An organization aimed at bringing a perspective to the issues of access inclusion and empowerment, which affect him as well as others who are persons with a disability. Along with Mr. Leroy Moore the two men co-founded Krip Hop Nation an international collective of artist with disabilities. The tag line of Krip Hop Nation is, "Its more than music..." Mr. Jones is also extremely active in multi-cultural, cross-disability education and outreach efforts. Mr. Jones works to not only educate the disability community about enhanced community living, but also the community at large. Mr. Jones holds a strong desire to get the disability community more involved in the issues that concern their own lives and provides outreach support in relationship to the arts and independent living skills. Mr. Jones has been recognized for his emerging leadership by the state of Massachusetts and President's Commission for Employment for People with Disabilities. Over his years as and advocate Mr. Jones has been awarded New Leadership Development Award From The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The Commonwealth Coalition's Progressive Leadership Award the 2006 Moro Fleming Consumer Involvement Award from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, with as well as, a recent graduate of the inaugural class of Initiative for Diversity in Civic Leadership. Also, in 2008 long shot 2008 U S Senatorial bid based on "Fulfilling America's Promise". Also, Mr. Jones was the Disability Law Center's 2011 Individual Leadership Award. While at the same time Mr. Jones continued his artistic endeavors. Krip Hop Nation Soul Touchin' Experiences LLC "Honoring" poem-song by Leroy Moore and Gabriel Wilson for Black History Month

This episode, Judy chats with her long-time friend, Colleen Starkloff. Colleen has expertise in many areas that are working towards fully integrating disabled people into society and enabling them to live independent, meaningful lives. The transcript for this episode is available here. Learn more about Colleen and the Starkloff Disability Institute here. Colleen Kelly Starkloff is co-founder, with her husband Max, of the Starkloff Disability Institute. During the 1970's, they founded Paraquad, Inc. in St. Louis. Ms. Starkloff has worked in the field of disability rights since 1973. She has extensive experience educating and training the disabled and non-disabled communities on issues related to employment of people with disabilities, independent living; developing new program initiatives; and coordinating activities that promoted the successful implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She served two terms as the United States Organizer of the Japan/USA Conference of Persons with Disabilities. In 1999, she joined a citizens' advocacy group responsible for the establishment of the Affordable Housing Commission in the City of St. Louis, which oversees a $5M Affordable Housing Trust Fund. She ensured that housing created by the Trust Fund must include Universal Design features. She served as Founding Chair of the Commission. She is the creator and Organizer of 6 national Universal Design Summits which train architects, designers and builders on uses and benefits of Universal Design in home and community design. In 2016 she began a new venture, "Colleen Starkloff Talks Disability", as a public speaker on disability issues. Starkloff Disability Institute Paraquad Inc. Colleen's full biography Max Starkloff and the Fight for Disability Rights book at the Missouri History Museum and Amazon.com This episode's Ask Judy question came from @jenkeeton 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. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy interviews James Ian, and Zack and Zarek Elizondo. The three worked together with many others to create the song and music video SPACES, which was sponsered by Genentech as a part of the SMA My Way program, which was built to support and raise awareness for the Spinal Muscular Atrophy community. The transcript for this episode is available here. James Ian is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor and writer. He is a passionate advocate for authentic representation of disabled actors in TV, film and other media. His filmography includes several movies and commercials, TV series and documentaries, including The Allnighter, Pugsley, Kimboo and Inner Warrior. He also serves on the board of DisArt. Zarek DeMarco and Zachary Markel (together known as the Elizondo brothers), have dedicated themselves to completing Zarek's life-goal list, while also educating others about SMA. Zack is a musician for a regional rock group called ...And The Hero Prevails. Sharing his experiences of opening for many bands like The Offespring, Puddle of Mudd, and Saliva have been some of the greatest moments they've shared as brothers and content for their vlog Sweet Life of Zack and Zarek. Related Links: 'SPACES" Music Video The Making of SPACES: A First-of-its-Kind Musical Collaboration for Disability Visibility Shane and Hannah Burcaw 'SPACES' YouTube Video James Ian on iHeart Radio Sweet Life of Zack and Zarek Website ...And The Hero Prevails on Spotify Big King Zilla on Spotify DisArt RAMPD This episode's Ask Judy question came from @gabriellamaya 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. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy interviews actress, model, and social media content creator, Lauren 'Lolo' Spencer. Lolo and Judy chat about Lolo's impressive career path and aspirations, as well as her experience acquiring a disability as a teenager. Follow Lolo Spencer on Twitter and Instagram @itslololove Lolo Spencer is a Film Independent Spirit Award nominated actress, model, public speaker, and social media content creator. She currently stars as Jocelyn in HBO Max's Sex Lives of College Girls executive-produced by Mindy Kaling, has a YouTube channel titled Sitting Pretty, and hosts an Instagram TV talk show titled The New Narrative where she interviews guests with varying disabilities who are creating a new narrative for the disability community through their work and how they show up in society. She stars as Tracy Holmes in the John Cassavetes Award Winning film Give Me Liberty. The film premiered both at Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. Her performance was listed as one of the top performances of Sundance Film Festival 2019 by RogerEbert.com. She has been featured in popular media outlets like CNN, The New Yorker, AOL, HuffPost, Buzzfeed and more. She's modeled in campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive and Zappos Adaptive. She's been a panelist at the YouTube Accessibility Summit, Los Angeles Abilities Expo, VidCon, and Cannes Lions, the world's largest advertising conference and awards. Her ultimate goal is to give an honest perspective of life as a disabled person dispelling myths and stereotypes of how disability lifestyle is perceived and experienced by creating content and pushing for inclusion and representation in the entertainment and beauty industries. Related Links: Lolo's YouTube Channel  Sitting Pretty Productions Give Me Liberty Film Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max This episode's Ask Judy question came from @kat.hardin 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. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

To honor the 45th anniversary of the 504 Sit-In that took place in 1977, Judy chats about the importance of teaching and learning about the history of the 504 Sit-In. The transcript for this episode is available on Google Docs. Dennis Billups is a blind disability rights and gentrification activist. He was Chief Morale Officer in the 504 disability rights sit-in of 1977 and contributed to the Netflix documentary, Crip Camp. Emily Beitiks is Associate Director at the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University. With a PhD focused on disability studies, Beitiks is an expert on access, assistive technology devices for the disabled, and disability in popular culture. Related Links: Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability Patient No More Virtual Exhibit Patient No More Traveling Exhibit 504 Curriculum Guide Crip Camp Documentary on Youtube This episode's Ask Judy question came from @proulx_rich on Twitter. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy interviews model, actor, producer, and advocate, Nyle DiMarco. Judy and Nyle chat about his journey from studying to become a math teacher, to winning America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars, to creating his own production company. They also discuss his recently released memoir, Deaf Utopia. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This interview is also available in video format with ASL interpretation on YouTube here. Follow Nyle DiMarco on Instagram and Twitter @nyledimarco Purchase Deaf Utopia here. About Nyle DiMarco Advocate, producer, actor, and model Nyle DiMarco has been breaking down barriers and winning over audiences since 2014, when he was a fan favorite on cycle 22 of America's Next Top Model and became the second male winner and first Deaf contestant on the series. The following year, partnered with Peta Murgatroyd, he took home the coveted mirror ball trophy on season 22 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Nyle's acting credits include roles on Difficult People, Switched at Birth, This Close, and Station 19. He founded The Nyle DiMarco Foundation, which focuses on bilingual education and aims to improve access to accurate information about early language acquisition. He is the executive producer of the Netflix reality show, Deaf U, and the Oscar-nominated short documentary, Audible. He recently released his memoir, "Deaf Utopia: A Memoir and a Love Letter to a Way of Life." Related Links: Deaf Utopia: A Memoir and a Love Letter to a Way of Life The Nyle DiMarco Foundation Deaf U on Netflix Audible on Netflix This episode's Ask Judy question came from Dakota Rose. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy chats with Ann Cody and Cheri Blauwet. Ann and Cheri are both retired Paralympic athletes who have filled many different roles as leaders in the area of sports and disability. Judy, Ann and Cheri discuss the importance of including disabled people in sports, the evolution of the Paralympic movement, and more. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. Ann Cody oversees the International Disability Rights portfolio at the U.S. Department of State.  She is responsible for the Department's engagement to combat discrimination and abuse against persons with disabilities globally and to promote the rights, respect, and full inclusion of all persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. Prior to joining the State Department, Ann oversaw the Washington, D.C. office of BlazeSports America where she shaped the organization's policy efforts and helped lead its international initiatives.  Also a Paralympic gold medalist, Ann held leadership positions at the highest levels of the Paralympic movement with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, and International Olympic Committee. She is a recipient of the Paralympic Order - the highest honor bestowed by the International Paralympic Committee. Cheri is a mother, physician, Gold medal-winning Paralympic athlete and leader in the Olympic and Paralympic movement driven to promote inclusion in the sports and fitness sector and beyond while empowering others to reimagine their full potential. She is an Associate Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and an attending physician at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Cheri is also a retired Paralympic athlete in the sport of wheelchair racing, competing for the United States Team in three Paralympic Games (Sydney '00, Athens '04, Beijing '08) and bringing home a total of seven Paralympic medals. She is also a two-time winner of both the Boston and New York City Marathons. Translating her background as an athlete to the clinic setting, Dr. Blauwet now serves in numerous leadership roles throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Movement. Related Links: Cheri Blauwet's Website International Paralympic Committee Tatyana McFadden Case Deaflympics Special Olympics This episode's Ask Judy question came from John Beach. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy interviews Joshua Basile. They discusses Josh's experience acquiring a disability and his journey to becoming an advocate in many areas. He shares his goals for disabled people to thrive, not just survive by creating community, improving Medicaid programs, increasing employment opportunities, and so much more. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. About Joshua Basile Joshua Basile is a 36-year-old power wheelchair user, C4-5 quadriplegic, trial attorney, disability rights advocate, community leader, consultant, public speaker, inventor, and philanthropist. In 2004, Mr. Basile's life was flipped upside down while on a family vacation in Delaware when a wave slammed him headfirst into the ocean floor rendering him paralyzed below the shoulders. He woke up 14 days later at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland with a ventilator in his neck which was keeping in him alive and helping him to breathe. Mr. Basile did not let his paralysis stop him from finding his voice and wheeling after his goals. Shortly after his injury, he formed the 501(c)3 nonprofit Determined2Heal Foundation, Inc. which empowers and educates those impacted by spinal cord injury on how to live active healthy lifestyles. He founded SPINALpedia.com the world's largest video mentoring network for the paralysis community with over 22,000 videos. He has personally mentored over 1500 families impacted by spinal cord injury. He is a board member of the United Spinal Association, the acting Secretary, and sits on the Strategic Planning Committee. In 2013, Mr. Basile graduated magna cum laude from law school and is a trial attorney with Jack H Olender & Associates. He is a seasoned disability rights advocate and has successfully put forward numerous initiatives and policies at the State and Federal level to break down barriers for people with disabilities. He is passionate about changing existing narratives for people with disabilities as it pertains to independent living, transportation, employment, and web accessibility. Related Links: Washington Post Article "A Spirit the Waves Couldn't Break" Fuel Service App Determined2Heal Foundation Inc. SPINALpedia Accessibility.com Interview This episode's Ask Judy question came from John Beach. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/ 

This episode, Judy chats with Spencer West about his role in improving representation, the intersections of being gay and disabled, as well as the access differences he has discovered going from growing up in the U.S. to now living in Canada. The transcript for this podcast episode is available here. This episode is sponsored by Fable Pathways. Follow Spencer on TikTok and Instagram @spencer2thewest After losing both legs from the pelvis down at the age of five due to a genetic disease, Spencer West tackled challenge after challenge, learning to navigate a world set against those with disabilities. Spencer is a successful global keynote speaker, content creator, and activist. He is known for summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, opening for Demi Lovato's 2014 World Tour, starring in the documentary Redefine Possible: The Story of Spencer West, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, and author of the best selling book Standing Tall: My Journey. He has over 3-million Tik Tok followers and has appeared countless times in the media including, ABC News, Buzz Feed, 60 Minutes, CTV, BBC News, TMZ, CNN, Forbes, and The Globe & Mail, CBS This Morning, Bloomberg, and was a featured guest on Season 2 of Karamo The Podcast, hosted by Karamo Brown. Related Links: Spencer's Website Every Body Curious Spencer x Crest Pride Campaign Spencer's Memoir This episode's Ask Judy question came from Keira Thompson. Check out her book, Mila and the Too Hard Hoop. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

CONTENT WARNING: Please be advised that this episode mentions suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and psychiatric hospitalization. This episode, Judy interviews Dior Vargas. Dior is a Queer Latina Feminist Mental Health Activist. Judy and Dior discuss the importance of mental health, resources available to different communitites, and Dior's personal journey to advocacy. Follow Dior @dior_vargas on Instagram. Dior Vargas is a queer Latina feminist mental health activist. She works to deliver education and resources to all communities, with an emphasis on the QTBIPOC community. She is a native New Yorker and grew up in Spanish Harlem. Dior experienced a lot of trauma as a child. After several attempts to end her life, she was hospitalized and placed in a psychiatric ward. Dior's experience forced her to realize that she didn't want to have a passive role with her mental health nor her life in general. Dior lives with PTSD, persistent depressive disorder, and traits of borderline personality disorder. She believes that every day is an endeavor towards a better quality of life. Dior has identified as an activist since she was in high school. She has covered issues like body image, reproductive rights, and domestic violence but in 2013, she decided to focus on mental health. For the past several years, Dior has been able to connect with hundreds of people and learn about their experiences. Related Links: Dior's website The People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project The Color of My Mind: Mental Health Narratives from People of Color Book The Color of My Mind on Amazon The Color of My Mind on Barnes and Noble  Therapy for Latinx Latinx Therapy National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network The Steve Fund Resources relating to this episode's Ask Judy question about Roe v. Wade: DREDF Infographic about #DisabledAndProChoice Statement from Disability Organizations about Supreme Court decision REV UP Voting Information If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

To celebrate Disability Pride Month, this special episode elevates the voices of our listeners. We asked "What does disability pride mean to you?" and received submissions from all over the world. Enjoy hearing some of them in this podcast episode and check out the YouTube video version for more. The transcript for this episode is available here. This episode is sponsored by Fable Pathways. Thank you to all who submitted! This episode features: Laura Babiuk E. Bleu Zaina and Xander Fairey Kelley Coleman Dermot Devlin Johanne Mayer Harper McKenzie Terry Mwea  Marlene Brockington Briana Mills  Emily Grodin Sulaiman R. Khan Shai Voskoboynik Becky Mwaniki Pixie Tatum Tricarico Christie Cyktor It also includes written responses via Instagram from: @mnorman218 @thais.carrillo @fishseddynyc @shannkathleen @beccaloryhector 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 a video version with other submission on Judy's YouTube channel.  Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

This episode, Judy interviews José André, a disabled piano prodigy. Jose is a self-taught musician who has performed internationally since the age of six. Enjoy Judy and José's discussion about his deep love of music and journey thus far. Plus, you'll get to hear José play the piano twice in this episode. The transcript for this episode is available here. This episode is sponsored by The KITE Research Institute's virtual conference on national parks accessibility in Canada. Learn more and register at parksaccessibilityconference.ca. Follow José on Instagram and Facebook @joseandre.bo José André Montaño is 17-year-old self-taught musician who delights listeners across the Americas. He discovered his piano skills in a self-taught way at the age of four. Since then, he has been fascinated with music. At 6 years old, José formed and led his first Latin Jazz band. José has performed internationally with live presentations that have received standing ovations in Italy, Canada, Malaysia, Finland, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and Colombia. He also performed at the DC Jazz Festival, Mid Atlantic Jazz Festival, International Jazz Day, and other venues. He has shared stage with Marcus Miller, Jason Moran and Renee Fleming, and other renowned musicians. Each year outstanding young musicians with disabilities from around the world receive the VSA International Young Soloist Award. In 2019 José André was one of the recipients and performed at the John F. Kennedy Center as an emerging artist. During the 2nd Annual Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind "Lighting the Way" Gala; José André was presented with the Visionary Award recognizing the achievements of his talented as a person with vision loss. Related Links: José's Website The Kennedy Center's Tribute to Pope Francis Cajón Peruano Instrument Visual Description: The Cajón Peruano is a rectangular wooden box with a circle cut out in the middle of the back panel. The player sits on the top of the instrument in a straddle position. They use their hands to hit the front of the box to create drum rhythms. This episode's Ask Judy question came from @natleef on Instagram and @heatherisuppose on Twitter. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

The transcript for this episode is available here. This episode, Judy chats with the CEO of Girl Scouts Nation's Capital, Lidia Soto-Harmon. They discuss how the Girl Scouts are prioritizing inclusion and encouraging advocacy. Enjoy this trip down memory lane as Judy talks about her years as a Girl Scout, as well as Lidia and Judy reminising on working for the Clinton Administration. Lidia is the CEO of Girl Scouts Nation's Capitol. A first-generation Cuban-American, she previously worked as the Deputy Director for the President's Interagency Council on Women under Clinton. At Girl Scouts, Lidia founded the Latina leadership conference, Encuentro de Chicas Latinas. Girl Scouts Nation's Capital is the largest Girl Scout Council in the country and serves as the area's top leadership organization for girls, with 76,800 girl and adult members (girls in grades K-12). The Council covers the Greater Washington Region, including the District of Columbia and 25 counties in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Lidia is directly responsible for developing strategies that achieve the organization's vision and mission and directs a $16+ million operating budget with 112 employees in six offices, with eight beautiful Girl Scout camps, and a volunteer structure that includes over 24,000 dedicated adults. As promised, here is a photo of Judy as a young Girl Scout! Related Links: Girl Scouts Nation's Capitol Juliette Gordon Low- Founder of Girl Scouts Ways to get involved with Girl Scouts Ways to support Girl Scouts Find Girl Scout Cookies in your area "More Than Peach" Crayons created by Loudon County Girl Scout, Bellen 4th World Conference on Women in Bejing, 1995 Bejing + 5 Document  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. Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.  Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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. 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 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 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 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. 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. 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. 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.