In this episode, Diana Pastora Carson guides listeners through reflection of their perceptions of disability, and the results of having a negative outlook on disability vs. having a positive, respectful outlook on disability. She encourages educators to self-reflect, even when it feels uncomfortable, because in the end, we will be better for it, and our students with and without disabilities will reap long-term benefits from our mindset. This is an episode you'll want to listen to whenever you'r...
Jul 08, 2022•16 min
Keith Jones Bio In this episode, Keith Jones takes us on a journey through past and present experiences of ableism in education, as well as the intersection of being Black as well as disabled. Keith simultaneously honors educators while also speaking frankly with us and challenging us. What do we want to be? A brick wall? Or a launching pad? Finally, in this episode, you'll hear a clip from Krip Hop Nation's Emmy Award-Winning song, Rising Phoenix. Note: Adult language. Links and People Mentione...
Jun 17, 2022•44 min
Darlene Hanson's Bio Kindred Communication In this episode, Darlene takes us deep into the idea of the right to communication and what that means in terms of controversial AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) methods. She directs listeners to the understanding of communication as a right, and that prohibiting these strategies is, in effect, denying people their right to communication, which is an ADA violation. Darlene distinguishes between the more commonly known strategies of facil...
Jun 03, 2022•47 min
Jillian Parramore has a B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences Liberal Studies, emphasizing Elementary Education and Bachelor's in Child Development with a credential. Jillian has taught early childhood, elementary, middle school, and university level for the past ten years. For the past six years, Jillian has been training special education departments on inclusive education in school districts throughout Southern California. She also provides health education for her community through People First ...
May 20, 2022•33 min
Link to Dr. Sara Acevedo's Bio Dr. Acevedo's Email Address: acevedsm@miamioh.edu In this episode, Dr. Sara Acevedo gives us insight into the person-first and identity-first language debate, and explains how language perspectives are connected to historical context of perceptions of disability. She also dives into the difference between disability rights and disability justice. Finally, Dr. Acevedo leaves us with many resources, names of books, and individuals, disability activists, speaking and ...
Apr 29, 2022•38 min
Clare Killy (she/her) is the Vice President of Digital Experiences at Aspire , a Chicagoland nonprofit focused on disability inclusion. She leads Aspire's DEI Consultation and Virtual Life Coaching teams and also hosts Aspire's Amplify Inclusion podcast. Clare is a licensed educator and child development specialist with experience as a teacher, advocate, inclusion consultant and program director. In addition to her work at Aspire, Clare is Co-Chair of the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortiu...
Apr 15, 2022•25 min
Norman Kunc & Emma Van der Klift Bio In this episode, Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift tell their stories as disabled people, and share the lessons they've learned about what it means to be disabled, and how by shifting paradigms of disability from a physiological understanding to a sociological understanding, their lives have been empowered. They offer gems of support to educators and parents alike as they unveil their transformative mindset. Links Mentioned Broadreach Training Being Real...
Mar 04, 2022•25 min
Andy Imparato's Bio In this episode, Diana chats with Andy Imparato, Executive Director of Disability Rights California, about educational equity and civil rights. During this robust conversation, Andy reflects the lesson he's learned that civil rights laws do not enforce themselves, and that parents and guardians are put in the position to be "private attorney generals" when educated about their children's rights. He advocates for teacher training for equitable, modern classrooms. He also asks ...
Feb 11, 2022•31 min
Leroy F. Moore, Jr. Bio ABILITY Magazine Interview with Leroy Moore In this episode, Diana chats with Leroy Moore about his personal journey that led to his passionate activism, and art, and his current role as a PhD student at UCLA, advocating and paving the way for Black Disability Studies. He shares the importance of Black disabled representation in all arenas, including education. Note: Many educators and parents have been schooled in "person-first" language. This episode will include refere...
Feb 04, 2022•29 min
Jonathan Mooney is a widely sought after speaker whose work has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, HBO, NPR, ABC News, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. See Jonathan's full bio here on his website, www.JonathanMooney.com . In this episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Jonathan Mooney speaks with Diana about our historical and current dehumanizing perceptions of people with atypical brai...
Jan 28, 2022•42 min
Suzanne Stolz, Ed.D. serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of San Diego. A former high school English teacher, administrator, and leader of disability programs, she has expertise in online instruction, curriculum design, mentoring, school culture, Universal Design for Learning, and disability studies in education. Her research, related to conceptions of disability and disability pedagogy, often includes reflection about her experience as a disabled student. She has created disabilit...
Jan 21, 2022•27 min
Jeff Moyer is a true twenty-first century renaissance man. He is an advocate for human rights, a songwriter, author, poet, playwright, television producer, documentarian, and writer of fiction, disability history, and memoirs. Moyer's music is the soundtrack for the American Disability Rights movement and his songs became the theme music for a BBC documentary on that movement. Moyer’s music and books are at work in schools and universities internationally, and he has been featured on the CBS eve...
Jan 14, 2022•27 min
Emily A. Nusbaum, Ph.D., is invested in supporting students labeled with disability and their families in accessing general education school contexts. She provides advocacy and support to families in Individual Education Plan and 504 Plan meetings, as well as other school-related contexts. She also provides consultation to create IEP and 504 Plans that reflect student capacity and that participation in general education contexts. Emily also works individually with students who have experienced e...
Jan 07, 2022•26 min
Michelle Nario-Redmond, Ph.D. Michelle Nario-Redmond is a professor of psychology and biomedical humanities, specializing in stereotyping, prejudice and disability studies. As a Ford Fellow, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a Ph.D. in social psychology. Her research focuses on access to higher education, group identification, wellness and political advocacy, and strategies for social change and antiracist practices in higher education. In 2019, she published her first book, “Able...
Dec 31, 2021•44 min
In this episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, author, speaker, and disability rights activist, Emily Ladau discusses the importance of authentic disability representation from an intersectional lens, being a lifelong learner, focusing on ableism and access, and how to avoid ableist disability awareness. Links Mentioned Emily Ladau's Website Emily Ladau's Book - Demystifying Disability: What to Say, What to Know, and How to be an Ally The Accessible Stall Podcast with Em...
Dec 17, 2021•25 min
Diana hosts a conversation with the minds behind The Nora Project, a program that works with schools to infuse disability studies and disability inclusion into school cultures. Links Mentioned in Show Lauren and Katy Bios The Nora Project Website Lauren Schrero TEDx Talk Jo Tolley Stay Connected with Diana Diana's Website Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness Diana's TEDx Talk Beyond Awareness Facebook Page Diana on Instagram Credits and Image Description Intro and outro music courtes...
Dec 10, 2021•28 min
Shannen McKinney has spent her career in the service of students, teachers, support staff and administrators. It was during her undergraduate studies when she attended a job fair and subsequently began her first position in special education working with individuals with significant behavioral needs. While working at the non-public school, she realized there was a segment of the population who had been hidden and silenced. She fell in love with her work and the students who came into her life—an...
Dec 03, 2021•26 min
Tim Villegas, B.A. Director of Communications at Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE) Tim Villegas joined MCIE’s communications team in 2020, implementing MCIE’s communications and marketing plan, and leading MCIE communications through blogs, podcasts, social media, webinars, and product development. Throughout his prior sixteen-year career as a special education teacher, Tim advocated for the inclusion of learners with significant disabilities in general education classrooms and s...
Dec 03, 2021•33 min
Is it appropriate to talk about disability? Is there a way to respectfully talk about disability? What words do I use when talking about disability? How do I teach kids about disability? Why do I feel awkward when I talk about disability? Are there any good resources out there to teach me about disability? This show will serve educators, parents, and community members who strive to learn and/or teach about disability in a research-based and respectful way, moving beyond simple awareness, and div...
Dec 03, 2021•17 min
