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 what’s been done both right and wrong with the portrayal of people with disabilities in both film and TV and the impact of streaming platforms on the movement. We kicked things off with an interesting discussion about what a disaster a movie called Music was that has been released not long before we recorded the episode.

Referenced in the episode:

• Routledge Companion to Disability and Media
• Representing Disability in an Ableist World: Essays on Mass Media
• The Fantasy of Disability: Images of Loss in Popular Culture
• Disability and Social Media: Global Perspectives
• Salon: Sia's directorial debut "Music" is a baffling and patronizing cringefest of ableist minstrelsy
• LISTEN: Film by CommunicationFIRST
• NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity

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 vote, and the critical need for inclusivity and accessibility from the start. The conversation also highlights the politicization of disability in elections and the necessity of advocacy and allyship for voting rights. The episode concludes with an insight into an upcoming documentary on these vital issues.

Relevant Links

• Voting Rights Hotline: Call 877-352-7337 if you have an issue with voting or registering to vote due to a disability.
• Election Protection Hotline
  • English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
  • Spanish/English 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
  • Asian Languages/English 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
  • Arabic/English 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
  • Website: https://866ourvote.org
• National Association of the Deaf’s ASL Voter Assistance Hotline
  • 301-818-VOTE (301-818-8683)
  • Website: https://www.nad.org/2018/09/28/asl-voter-assistance-hotline-available
• Disability Rights Florida’s voting resources
  • Main website: https://DisabilityRightsFlorida.org/voting
  • Know Your Rights Fact Sheet: Making a Voting Access Complaint: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/publications/publication_info/HAVA_complaint
  • Know Your Rights Fact Sheet: Supervised Facility Voting: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/publications/publication_info/fact_sheet_supervised_facility_voting
  • Your Disability Voting Rights Brochure: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/publications/publication_info/voting_brochure
  • Voting Machine Explainer Videos: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/disability-topics/disability_topic_info/voting_explainer_videos
• Know what’s on your ballot: https://www.vote411.org/ballot
• Florida’s Rev Up chapter ‘Access the Vote Florida’: https://www.accessthevote.org
• Find your P&A: https://www.ndrn.org/about/ndrn-member-agencies
• Rutger’s Disability Vote Research: https://smlr.rutgers.edu/faculty-research-engagement/program-disability-research/voter-turnout-and-voting-accessibility
• Accessing Democracy Documentary Virtual Premier: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuc-ugqzksGNBHggVvDOiyio-S29EWgca5#/registration
• Accessing Democracy Trailer: https://youtu.be/j74zs8N8OLs
• #CripTheVote and Voting Advocacy - with Andrew Pulrang and Gregg Beratan: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast/story/episode_66  

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 like the importance of accurate demographic data, the role of public opinion in advocacy, and effective messaging strategies for long-term care support and COVID-19. Matthew emphasizes the need for systemic interventions and supportive legislative efforts to better address the needs of disabled people.

Relevant Links

• Follow Matthew on social media: https://linktr.ee/matthewcortland
• Data for Progress: https://www.dataforprogress.org
• Disability Rights program at the Ford Foundation: https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/challenging-inequality/disability-rights
• Disability Scoop article "Census Rethinking How To Count Disability Population”:  https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2024/08/15/census-rethinking-how-to-count-disability-population/31009
• Data for Progress Message Testing on Home and Community-Based Services Coverage: https://www.dataforprogress.org/datasets/message-testing-on-home-and-community-based-services-coverage
• Long COVID Research Moonshot Act of 2024: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/in-the-news/sanders-proposes-moonshot-bill-to-combat-long-covid-crisis

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 stability, and the importance of intersectional advocacy. The episode also addresses issues like reproductive rights, bodily autonomy, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Relevant links: 

• National Partnership for Women & Families Website: https://nationalpartnership.org/
• National Partnership for Women & Families social media:
  • Twitter: https://x.com/npwf, or @npwf
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/npwf/, or @npwf
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalpartnership/
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@npwf?lang=en, or @npwf
  • Marissa's Twitter: @mditkowsky (https://x.com/mditkowsky)
• Systems Transformation Guides: https://nationalpartnership.org/report/disability-economic-justice-systems-transformation/
• The Intersection of Disability and Reproductive Justice - with Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, Rebecca Cokley, Keith Jones, and Heather Watkins: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast/story/episode_38
• Buck v Bell: https://disabilityjustice.org/right-to-self-determination-freedom-from-involuntary-sterilization
• #FreeBritney and Disability: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/17/freebritney-shines-light-problematic-guardianship-systems
• How State Abortion Bans Harm Disabled Women: https://nationalpartnership.org/report/state-abortion-bans-harm-disabled-women/
• What Disability Reproductive Equity Day Means to Me: https://nationalpartnership.org/what-disability-reproductive-equity-day-means-to-me/
• National Women’s Law Center’s resource about Forced Sterilization of Disabled People in the United States: https://nwlc.org/resource/forced-sterilization-of-disabled-people-in-the-united-states/
• American Progress’s article ‘Rethinking Guardianship to Protect Disabled People’s Reproductive Rights: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/rethinking-guardianship-to-protect-disabled-peoples-reproductive-rights/

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 disabled journalists by providing resources and advocating for systemic changes in newsrooms. The conversation emphasizes the importance of intersectionality and the role of personal experience in shaping compelling and unbiased stories.

Relevant Links

• Disabled Journalists Association Twitter: https://x.com/discojourno
• Disabled Journalists Association LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/disabled-journalists-association
• Disabled Journalists Association Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disabledjournalists
• Disabled Journalists Association Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555117454122
• Cara Reedy website: https://www.infamouslyshort.com
• Disabled Journalists Association website: discojourno.com
• Judy Heumann white paper at Ford on media: https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/learning/research-reports/road-map-for-inclusion-changing-the-face-of-disability-in-media
• Learn about the inter-movement work between the Black Panthers and disability community: https://samischalk.com/black-disability-politics/

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 discrimination and healthcare rationing affecting the disabled community. Anita shares personal stories, including a poignant account of their mother's struggle with assisted suicide pressures and her fight for proper healthcare. The discussion extends to the implications of assisted suicide laws in both the United States and Canada, highlighting the risks and biases involved. Anita ends by offering powerful advice for aspiring activists and emphasizes the importance of ongoing advocacy for disability rights.

Lastly, we are up for a podcast award! Please vote for 'You First: The Disability Rights Florida Podcast' under the 'Society and Culture' category on the People's Choice website.

Relevant Links

• Not Dead Yet: https://notdeadyet.org/
• Diane Coleman’s article ‘Assisted Suicide and Disability: Another Perspective’: https://dredf.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Diane-Coleman-article-on-ABA-website.pdf
• Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund’s Assisted Suicide Law Info: https://dredf.org/public-policy/assisted-suicide/
• Canada’s Medicaid Assistance in Dying (MAID): https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-services-benefits/medical-assistance-dying.html
• Patients Rights Action Fund: https://patientsrightsaction.org/
• Patient’s Rights Council: https://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/

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 Atlantis community, amongst many other pivotal leadership roles. Anita joins us today to share the history of the disability rights movement and their own stories, experiences, and wisdom as someone involved in disability activism for decades. Anita will tell us about their work in this field, different protests, and the disabled disobedience that got us the crucial laws and protections we have today. We had the pleasure of speaking with Anita for over 2 hours and decided to split this into two episodes.

Lastly, we are up for a podcast award! Please vote for 'You First: The Disability Rights Florida Podcast' under the 'Society and Culture' category on the People's Choice website.

Relevant Links

• Anita Cameron website: https://bit.ly/3WfDA0Z
• Anita Cameron’s Twitter: https://x.com/adaptanita
• Dennis Schreiber: https://bit.ly/4cSBERv
• Disabled Americans Rally for Equality (DARE): https://bit.ly/3WeYaPb
• ADAPT – American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit or American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today: https://bit.ly/3Wghrj5
• Lighthouse for the Blind: https://bit.ly/4cCycLe
• Wade Blank – founder of ADAPT: https://bit.ly/3W0DIjx
• Atlantis Community: https://bit.ly/3WhHmac and https://bit.ly/3zytwat
• When You Remember Me movie: https://bit.ly/4czY4Hs
• We will ride! – The Gang of 19: https://bit.ly/4cz9b3D
• We Were There, Too: Blacks in the Disability Movement (coming soon – for info, follow Anita’s website or social media)
• Free Our People Micassa: https://bit.ly/3VWM4ca
• Gwen Jackson – ADAPT: https://bit.ly/4cx7mUP
• ADAPT history: https://bit.ly/3WhHmqI
• Healthcare Policy and Finance and Colorado ADAPT relationship: https://bit.ly/4czFfV2
• Find your local ADAPT group: https://bit.ly/3wT7NbW

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 grilled cheese, exploring how this simple meal has served as a go-to comfort food during tough times. Tune in for both serious insights and light-hearted moments as the hosts navigate these intertwined subjects.

Relevant Links

• Long COVID Basics (CDC)
• Living with Long COVID (CDC)
• Guidance on “Long COVID” as a Disability Under the ADA, Section 504, and Section 1557
• Accommodating Employees with Covid-19 or Long Covid
• Penn Medicine Launches Region’s First Post-COVID-19 Neurological Care Clinic
• Long COVID-19: Symptoms and Stories
• National Institutes of Health: Long COVID
• MaskBloc.org: Masks For All
• Florida-based Mask Bloc: SWAMP Central Florida
• Grilled Mac & Cheese Recipe
• POD Access Newsletter

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, education, and employment. The guests provide both intriguing and alarming information about the implications for people with disabilities.

Relevant Links:

• Larry Weru’s bio: https://bit.ly/3x6hCUt
• Jennifer Gray’s bio: https://bit.ly/3KvALSQ
• New Disabled South: https://bit.ly/3HzJsdg
• Ariana Aboulafia’s bio: https://bit.ly/3KBv9X7
• Center for Democracy & Technology: https://bit.ly/3RiYyJx
• New Disabled South’s Study on the Benefits and Challenges of Autonomous Workplace Technology on Disability Rights and Labor Rights: https://bit.ly/4bLRA8a
• Center for Democracy & Technology’s Project on Disability Rights in Technology Policy: https://bit.ly/458k7SV
• Automating Ableism (article): https://bit.ly/45bJXW4
• 99% of Fortune 500 companies use AI (article): https://bit.ly/4bIOFx9
• A racist soap dispenser? Critical Theory and the non-neutrality of society (article): https://bit.ly/4c1zkId

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 foster a continuous online space that acts as a living archive for disability voting and civic engagement work. Our conversation also considers and discusses concerns and hesitancy around voting, especially for people with disabilities. We discuss the different approaches and why voting can be an effective way for people with disabilities to advocate for themselves.

Relevant Links

• Follow Andrew Pulrang on Twitter: x.com/AndrewPulrang
• Follow Gregg Beratan on Twitter: x.com/GreggBeratan
• Disability Rights Florida Voting Resources: https://bit.ly/3UN9bp6
• Access the Vote Florida: www.AccessTheVote.org
• Rev Up Campaign through AAPD: www.AAPD.com/about-rev-up
• Disability Victory: DisabilityVictory.org
• Detroit Disability Power: DetroitDisabilityPower.org
• New Disabled South: NewDisabledSouth.org

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 conversation delves into the history of psychiatric survivor movements, the problematic nature of involuntary commitment, and the importance of community care over institutional care. Moore emphasizes the power of peer support and shares insights into the Kiva Centers, a peer respite group that offers an alternative to traditional psychiatric institutions. Furthermore, Vesper touches on their advocacy work against re-institutionalization and for more humane, community-focused approaches to mental health care, advocating for dialogue and solidarity within the disability rights movements. The episode concludes with a call for comprehensive community support systems and the significant role of peer-led initiatives in transforming mental health care. 

Content Warning: This conversation includes instances of ableism, saneism, racism, involuntary incarceration, and mentions violence against BIPOC, disabled people, and houseless folks. Discretion is advised.

Relevant Links: 

• Vesper Moore’s website: https://bit.ly/4aG6VpE 
• Bethlem/Bedlem Hospital: https://bit.ly/49m8Bnp 
• Lunatics' Friend Society: https://bit.ly/4aGxzPu 
• Rusk State Hospital Revolt: https://bit.ly/43IIzcQ 
• Drapetomania (YouTube video): https://bit.ly/4aFSP7P 
• Hiawatha Insane Asylum: https://bit.ly/43IIENG 
• Taíno people: https://on.natgeo.com/49mEs7h 
• Kiva Centers: https://bit.ly/49mEvQv 
• CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets): https://bit.ly/43JA1Co 
• Bandelier National Monument Kivas: https://bit.ly/43HCWf1