Disability Deep Dive

Welcome back to You First, where we’re taking a small break from producing new episodes and instead are sharing some older episodes you might have missed. There’s a good chance you missed this episode, our last of four encore episodes, as it didn’t perform as well as most of our other ones. But we think the content is compelling and the guests are engaging, so we're putting it back out there. This episode is called "By and For Peop...

Welcome to another encore episode of You First. We’re taking a little break from making new episodes and are re-sharing some past episodes that we feel are worth another listen. This is the third of four encore episodes, initially released in July of 2023, and it’s called "Paving a Way Disabled in STEM." We interviewed Dr. Anita Marshall to learn more about her work to make STEM education more accessible for students with disabilit...

Today we have another encore episode of You First. This is the second of four encore episodes as we’re taking a bit of a break from producing new episodes. Now this episode, "The Intersection of Disability and Reproductive Justice," is by far our most popular episode – and by a significant margin! But in case you missed it back in August of 2022, count your lucky stars because here it is again.

Roe v Wade was overturned not long be...

We’re taking a break from producing new episodes of You First for a bit, so we’ll be re-releasing four older episodes that we feel are worth another listen. We’re starting things off with an episode that is from February 2021 called "Disability Media Representation." We spoke with Beth Haller and Jeff Preston, both of whom are university professors, authors, and experts on disability in the media. We had a great discussion about wh...

In this episode of You First, hosts Maddie and Keith dive into disability voting rights and the upcoming 2024 election with experts Michelle Bishop, Monica Wiley, and Jack Rosen from the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). The discussion explores voting accessibility, challenges faced by disabled voters, and new support resources in Florida. Emphasis is placed on the importance of local elections, the power of the disability...

In this episode of You First, hosts Keith and Maddie interview Matthew Cortland, a Senior Resident Fellow at Data for Progress. Matthew shares insights about their work in public opinion research and advocacy focused on disability issues and social policies. They discuss their personal journey, including challenges with the healthcare system, and explain how data is used to influence policy decisions. The conversation covers topics...

In this episode of the You First Podcast, hosts Maddie and Keith talk with disabled activist and attorney Marissa Ditkowsky about the challenges and inequities faced by disabled women in healthcare, employment, and financial freedom. Marissa discusses her role as Disability Economic Justice Council at the National Partnership for Women and Families and shares insights on systemic oppression, the impact of disability on financial st...

In this episode of the You First Podcast, hosts Keith and Maddie interview Cara Reedy, founder and director of the Disabled Journalists Association. Cara shares her journey from political science and theater to journalism, spending ten years at CNN. She discusses the challenges of being disabled in the newsroom, toxic productivity, and the systemic ableism in the journalism industry. Cara then explains how her organization supports...

Content warning: mentions of suicide, assisted suicide, and medical violence against people with disabilities.

In this compelling episode of the You First podcast, hosts Maddie and Keith continue their in-depth interview with Anita Cameron, a prominent activist in the disability rights movement. They explore Anita's role at Not Dead Yet, focusing on their work against assisted suicide and their perspectives on medical discriminatio...

On this episode of You First, we talk with the fantastic disability rights activist Anita Cameron. Anita was, and still is, a core reason why we have disability rights today. They were an early adopter of disability rights and justice advocacy and heavily involved and a leader of the organization ADAPT (known throughout the years as American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit or American Disabled for Attendant Programs), the At...

In this unique episode of You First, hosts Maddie and Keith share a personal and insightful discussion about Long Covid and its effects on everyday life. Initially delayed due to Maddie's Long Covid flare-up, this episode takes a candid and casual approach to a serious topic, highlighting symptoms, the politicization of masking, and the ongoing pandemic. The conversation takes an unexpected yet comforting turn into the world of gri...

Today's episode features disability and artificial intelligence (AI) experts Larry Weru, Ariana Aboulafia, and Jennifer Gray. AI has been around for years, but things changed when OpenAI released ChatGPT. Since then, the news around AI has increased a lot. AI is more than just a chatbot responder; it can be used in many different ways. We talk with the guests about how AI impacts people with disabilities in their healthcare, educat...

This podcast episode features Andrew Pulrang and Gregg Beratan, prominent figures in disability advocacy and social change. Their pioneering initiative, #CripTheVote, created alongside Alice Wong, has been important in raising awareness about the political power of disabled citizens and sparking meaningful conversations about disability, politics, and activism. Through their efforts, Pulrang and Beratan have used social media to fo...

In this episode of You First, co-hosts Keith and Maddie speak with Indigenous activist and disability rights leader Vesper Moore about the Mad Movement, psychiatric survivorship, and envisioning a future of collective care. Vesper, deeply involved in mental health and disability rights activism, discusses their work in altering perceptions and legislation surrounding mental health both nationally and with international bodies. The ...

In today's episode, we are joined by two international disability advocates, Rosangela Berman Bieler and Patricia Almeida. During our conversation, we discuss the importance and impact of global disability policy and rights work, including their work with the UN and UNICEF. They also discuss how other countries compare to the US regarding disability progress and inclusion, global accessibility initiatives, and the need for continue...

In this week's episode, co-hosts Keith and Maddie talk with The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies' Co-Directors Shaylin Sluzalis & Germán Parodi. The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (The Partnership) is the only U.S. disability-led, 501(c)(3) organization that prioritizes equity, access, disability rights, disability justice, and full inclusion of people with disabilities, older adults, and people with acc...

In this episode of You First, we talk with Jen White-Johnson (she/they), a renowned artist, educator, and disability activist who uses the arts as a medium to champion the life, joy, and experiences of the disabled and neurodivergent community. Jen discusses their journey as someone diagnosed with ADHD later in life, the barriers for disabled Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to getting a diagnosis, and the impact of t...

Two Disability Rights Florida education advocates, April Katine and Daysi Ortiz, join Keith in education planning for students with disabilities. The three discuss the importance of individual education plans (IEPs) and transition planning and offer tips on how parents can more effectively find success throughout the process. Tune in to learn about the various services available under IEP, how to prepare for IEP meetings, the signi...