Boldly Challenging Ableism
Boldly Challenging Ableism exposes ableism and dismantles myths that marginalize people with disabilities. Host Katrina Simons uses her life-long disability and her experiences in advocacy at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration to boldly, irreverently go where everyone has gone before — to issues like employment, housing, justice, education and culture — but she brings along enough humor and an approachable style that you’ll be thinking anew about what community inclusion really means.
Episodes
In the second part of this two-part series, Katrina Simon sits down with Linda Wolford from the Minnesota Council on Disability to dig into the real story behind “enhanced rate” for personal care assistants in Minnesota. Linda clarifies how this policy actually came to be through the hard work of disability activists rather than the…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E8: A Decades Long Legacy of Advocacy wi...
It’s a special homecoming of sorts as host Katrina Simons catches up with Linda Wolford, the Government Relations Director for the Minnesota Council on Disability and a longtime mentor in the disability community. Linda reflects on her forty-year journey in the Twin Cities, from being carried up the stairs of her inaccessible high school to…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E7: A Decades Long Legacy of Advocacy with L...
Katrina Simons welcomes back Nick Wilkie from the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living in this concluding part of their deep dive into accessible living. They discuss the financial and logistical hurdles of home modifications before shifting gears to Nick’s passion for three-wheeled motorcycles and his love for building Legos to maintain a positive mindset. It’s…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E6: The Red Tape...
Katrina Simons welcomes Nick Wilkie to the podcast to bond over their shared experiences with disability and life in St. Paul. They explore Nick’s role at the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living and the importance of helping others remove barriers to independence. This conversation kicks off a two-part series highlighting Nick’s journey from an employment…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E5: The Red Tape of Ac...
Katrina Simon sits down with Adam Ruff from Advocating Change Together to talk about his journey and work in the disability community. They dive into the personal side of being neurodivergent and the unique hurdles of living with a non-apparent disability. It is an insightful look at how self-advocacy and community leadership are making a…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E4: Navigating Neurodiversity and Self Advocac...
Katrina is joined by disability advocate Joe Carr. Joe gets real about the often-overlooked connection between mental health and disability. He opens up about his personal journey, from the challenges of feeling misunderstood to finding deep support in his faith and the people who truly see him. It’s a powerful conversation about the importance of…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E3: Faith, Mental Health, and Finding...
This week we feature Rob Wudlick, an industrial engineer and dedicated advocate for spinal cord injury research. Rob joins Katrina Simon to share the frustrating reality of air travel for wheelchair users, from the nightmare of having a custom chair mangled by an airline to the constant battle for better accessibility standards. It’s a candid…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E2: Fighting for Better Air Travel Standar...
Starting off season two, Katrina chats with her friend Haley Brunelle about her journey as a “medical mom” to her incredible eight-year-old son, Felix. They dive into the world of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), the daily hurdles of navigating healthcare systems, and why Haley is so passionate about giving Felix the best shot at…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S2 E1: Raising Team Felix wit...
Michael Sack talks to us about his work with the city of Minneapolis in getting and keeping the community accessible. Then a conversation with disability advocate Ed Bartz.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E18: Michael Sack on Keeping the Twin Cities Accessible and Disability Advocate Ed Bartz first appeared on AM 950.
On this episode of Boldly Challenging Ableism, host Katrina Simons speaks with artist and self-advocate Thomas Robinson. Thomas shares his journey as a leader in disability advocacy and how art plays a role in amplifying his voice. Their conversation highlights the power of self-advocacy and the importance of challenging ableism in everyday life.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E17: Artist and Self-Advocate Thomas Robinson...
Renata Ticha is a research associate at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. Renata talks with Katrina about her research work around transitioning to adult services from the pediatric space.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E16: Renata Ticha, Research Associate, ICI at the U of MN first appeared on AM 950.
Episode Description: BJ Stasio, Advocate for the New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. Activist BJ talks to us about his life of advocacy work- and about being a rebel.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E15: Rebelling Against Ableism w/ BJ Stasio first appeared on AM 950.
Amy Hewitt joins us to discuss the direct support care crisis and why it’s an “everyone” problem.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E14: Amy Hewitt, Director, Institute on Community Integration first appeared on AM 950.
This episode originally aired June 15, 2025: Host Katrina Simons is joined by Brian Begin for a conversation about Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act—a provision that allows employers to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities under specific federal certification. Brian breaks down how this law impacts workers today and shares insight…
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E13 (Encore): Brian Begin on ...
Katrina is joined by Jen Sommerness, a research associate at the TIES Center at the Institute on Community Integration. She discusses ableism in schools and making education meaningful for every student.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E12: Jen Sommerness on Ableism in Education first appeared on AM 950.
Katherine McLaughlin joins us to talk about sex and disability. She also shares why involving people living with disabilities in Sex Education is important.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E11: Katherine McLaughlin, Founder and CEO, Elevatus Training first appeared on AM 950.
Jake Hamilton joins Katrina to talk about his family, growing up, what he does for work and what he does in his leisure time.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E10: Jake Hamilton first appeared on AM 950.
Nikki Villavicencio, Disability Culture and Leadership Specialist, Advocating Change Together. Activist and City Council member Nikki talks about what it’s like living with a disability as a parent and how she’s raising her child. Nick Wilke from MCIL joins us as guest co-host.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E9: Parenting and Confronting Ableism w/ Nikki Villavicencio first appeared on AM 950.
Katrina is joined by Chris Farrell, Senior Economics Contributor for MPR News and Marketplace. Chris talks with Katrina about limitations around disability and money. We also talk a little bit about working when you live with a disability.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E8: Chris Farrell on Disability, Employment and Money first appeared on AM 950.
Kathy joins us to continue our discussion on Ableism in systems meant to help and protect people living with disabilities.
The post Boldly Challenging Ableism – S1 E7: Part 2 of Kathy Ware on How Systems and Disabilities Interact first appeared on AM 950.
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