KPFA - Pushing Limits: Recent Episodes
Pushing Limits
You may be fortunate enough to live somewhere where strong advocacy by tenant groups has taken away a landlord’s ability to throw you out of your home for any reason whatsoever. It’s called “Just Cause Protection.” Sonoma County and Antioch recently adopted Just Cause ordinances and Alameda County has had Just Cause protection for many years.
But, even with this protection, evictions still happen. Someday you may be the person who wakes up to a three-day eviction notice tacked to your door.
If that happens, we want you to be prepared. That’s why, today, we’re covering the procedure known as an Unlawful Detainer. That’s another piece of paper that may land on your door. This one offers you a day in court after you get a 3-day eviction notice.
Our guest, Erin Neff, is an expert in these court hearings. They have defended families at risk of eviction from some of the worst landlords in New York City. They are an experienced attorney in housing law in support of the disability community, and they work for the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, known as DREDF.
Erin Neff will explain what it means for a person with a disability to have their day in court. And, we’ll also spend some time exploring the legal situation for someone with a Section 8 voucher.
This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte.
More about Erin Nguyen Neff:
As a Senior Staff Attorney at DREDF, Erin Nguyen Neff primarily focuses on civil rights cases, impact litigation, and policy advocacy for people with disabilities. They began their career as a tenant lawyer for the Legal Aid Society in Brooklyn. Erin has also worked at California Rural Legal Assistance and the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, where she was the Lead Policy Attorney for their Housing Program. With housing rights and policy as a predominant focus throughout Erin’s career, they believe housing is a human right – and the decommodification of housing is necessary to uphold that right.
They completed their undergraduate degree in psychology at George Mason University and their law degree at the American University, Washington College of Law, where they were an editor for the Journal of Gender, Social Policy, and the Law. Erin is licensed to practice law in both the state of New York and California.
The post Eviction: Your Day in Court – Pushing Limits – November 15, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
When you think of professional athletes, some of the names that come to mind may include the likes of LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tom Brady. However, athletes living with disabilities can be just as impressive as their able-bodied counterparts, yet they don’t seem to get the same level of attention. So in an effort to change this, on today’s program we are talking with a national power soccer champion.
Ulices Arreola is a twenty-year-old who starts at wing for the LA Galaxy Power Soccer Club. Last year, he was invited to join the national team in Indiana, where him and his team went on to win the tournament. Accordingly, this program explores the state of the sport of power soccer, what it’s like to go to nationals, as well as address the stigma that differentiates adaptive sports from more typical sports. GOOOOOOOOAL!
This program was produced and hosted by Dominick Trevethan.
Relevant Resources
If you’d like to learn more about power soccer or even find a team near you, you can do so here
And be sure to follow LA Galaxy P.S.C. on Instagram
The post Power Soccer Programming – Pushing Limits – November 8, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
The rise of right-wing power in the U.S. is the culmination of a 50 year plan to seize the reins of government power in the U.S. It has succeeded in the Supreme Court and, who knows, could take the Presidency and both House and Senate at Tuesday’s election. As the plan becomes actualized, the Heritage Foundation has gifted us with the next step – a plan for a radical restructuring of our legal and regulatory bodies written in a document called Project 2025.
Unless you are inclined to policy wonky-ness, it’s hard to tell how the Project 2025 changes could affect people with disabilities. Fortunately for us, our guest for this program has the knowledge and experience to translate these bureaucratic maneuvers into the devilish details that are set to make our lives much more difficult.
Claudia Center is the Legal Director of Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF). She litigates cases that increase civil rights and civil liberties for persons with disabilities, and represents the disability community in legislative, policy, amicus, and appellate work.
Project 2025 lays out drastic cuts to Medi-Caid (MediCal), the end of equity in K-12 schooling for disabled kids, less eligible injuries for Veteran services, and so much more.
Halloween will be over by the time this program airs but it’s not too late to be very scared.
Want to know more? Our community members are working to make it easy for you:
- Claudia Center’s analysis with page numbers in the Project 2025 document.so you can read what it says yourself.
- Instragram post by DREDF.
- Lainey Feingold’s great hub with all the Project 2025 content from a disability perspective.
Produced and hosted by Adrienne Lauby. Audio Editing by Adrienne Lauby and Denny Daughters. Production assistance by Tina Pinedo.
The post Project 2025 & Disabled People – Pushing Limits – November 1, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
When we think of disability, we often associate it with stereotypical signifiers such as wheelchairs, handicap placards, and walking canes. We see these things when we are in public and they communicate to us that the person these things belong to lives with a disability. But, what happens when we don’t see these signifiersThat is exactly what we’re going to get into on this week’s program. Our guest this week is Theresa Rodgers and she lives with three invisible disabilities. They include Epstein-Barr Virus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and a MTHFR Gene mutation. She will explain how each of these disabilities impact her in ways that nobody sees, including her work as a writer. Theresa also touches on how society treats those with invisible disabilities as though they are able bodied.This program was produced and hosted by Jacob Stanton with editing assistance from Denny Daughters and Dominick Trevethan.Relevant Resources:* Epstein-Barr virus * Chronic Fatigue Syndrome * MTHFR Gene mutation The post Invisible Disabilities – Pushing Limits – October 25, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
This Saturday, the longest running disability film festival in the world begins. Whether online or in person, you’re sure to see diverse, unabashed and engaging cinema.
In the two decades of Pushing Limits, we’ve watched the ethos of disability organizing from the 1970s be embraced by a new generation of disabled cultural workers and organizations. Superfest’s parent, the Longmore Institute at S.F. State, with its new disability cultural center is one keeper of these flames.
Our guest this week, Dr. Emily Beitiks, interim director for the Longmore Institute, has seen these happy developments close and personal. Eddie Ytuarte hosts.
SUPERFEST
Superfest Disability Film Festival is coming October 17-20, and whether you are joining in person in the Bay Area or online anywhere in the world, you need to be a part of it! Superfest is the longest running disability film festival in the world. Since 1970, it has celebrated cinema that portrays disability through a diverse, unabashed and engaging lens, and we can’t wait to come together as a community to take in this much-loved disability cultural event for its 38th festival, hybrid for the second year, with new levels of access.
EMILY BEITIKS:
Emily Beitiks received a Ph.D. in American Studies with a focus in Disability Studies at the University of Minnesota. She has served as adjunct faculty at five universities, centering disability studies in her curriculum.
From 2012 to the present, she has worked at the Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University, serving as Interim Director for three years. While there, she developed her praxis as a scholar-activist of disability to promote creative forms of access for the arts and generate spaces that promote disability culture, serving as project director for a touring exhibition “Patient No More,” and serving as co-director of Superfest Disability Film Festival.
She exists in this world because her mother’s sudden disability diagnosis prompted her to have a child, and her first-hand experiences of disability have grown throughout her 20 years of experience working in the disability community.
The post Superfest & The Longmore Institute – Pushing Limits – October 18, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Project 2025 calls for massive changes in our government, and as usual, massive change would bring massive problems for people with disabilities. We talk about the hidden, and not so hidden, effect of this plan on our community.
Project 2025, created by the Heritage Foundation has been called the blueprint for the next Trump administration. Within the document’s 900+ pages are calls for banning abortion, dismantling Medicare, taking down the Department of Education and giving the president the power to fire government employees who aren’t loyal to him.
Today we will hear perspectives on Project 2025 from four people with disabilities. Gianna Lacofano and Amanda Harrinauth will discuss the plan’s possible impact on people with autism, such as themselves. Donna Regal and Judy Jackon will also discuss the document from the perspective of an older adult with chronic health conditions. Additionally, Pushing Limits collective members will discuss what Project 2025 says about people with disabilities.
This program was produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, edited by Denny Daughters, and hosted by Talia Thompson-Mariano.
Links to information featured on today’s program:
California Alliance for Retired Americans: CARA
Copy of Project 2025
Register to vote in California
Ca easy voter guide
Website of Amanda Harrinauth
The post Project 2025 – Disability Issues, Pushing Limits – October 11, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
How would you live your life if you knew you were going to die by the time you were 30? Would that affect the choices you make, the relationships you have, the way you look at every day?
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a degenerative neuromuscular condition that is the number one genetic killer of babies. It is extremely rare and the probability of being born with it is about 0.0001. On today’s program, we’re going to learn all about this disease that until recently was not even being tested for.
Joining us is a 25-year-old entrepreneur and social media influencer, Victor Guerra. Victor lives with type two SMA and has made it his life’s mission to be a successful entrepreneur and SMA advocate. We will be talking with him about what it’s like to live knowing you won’t live a “normal life” and that you probably will not live past 30 years old.
Want to learn more about SMA? You can do so here
This program is hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan with editing assistance from Denny Daughters.
Links to Victor’s work:
SMA Victor – Youtube Channel
Victor’s Instagram account
Victor’s website
Victor Guerra
The post SMA: A Deep Dive – Pushing Limits – October 4, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Please donate online at kpfa.org or by calling 1800-439-5732
The post Special Fund Drive Programming – September 27, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Today’s episode of Pushing Limits is preempted by fall 2024 special fund drive programming.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.
Today’s episode of Pushing Limits is preempted by a 2024 fall fund drive special.
The post Special Fall Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.
“Hola, mi nombre es Nohemy y hoy seré su intérprete”, or “Hello, my name is Nohemy and I’ll be your interpreter today”. That’s what Nohemy says to her clients as an interpreter for her local court system.
On this week’s program, she will be sharing with us how she found this career path despite living with a rare neuromuscular condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. We will also be discussing how it has affected her ability to work over her lengthy and diverse career given the fact that SMA is a degenerative disease, which until recently, had no treatment.
If you’d like to learn more about SMA, you can do so here.
This program was produced and hosted by Dominick Trevethan with editing assistance by Denny Daughters.
The post Interpreting Life With SMA – Pushing Limits – September 6, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Sometimes, the best way to get ready is to stay ready. Those of us in the disability community know especially well how life can throw us curveballs, and we’ve got to be ready for anything.
On that note, join us this Friday, August 30th, as we talk about emergency preparedness. Denny Daughters will interview Sheela Gunn who is an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at The Center For Independent Living here in Berkely. They talk about the differences between an emergency and a disaster. If it seems overwhelming to you, it doesn’t need to be. There are little things you can do to prepare for an emergency. They’ll discuss what to bring with you to an emergency shelter and share how to build a 72-hour emergency preparedness kit. Additionally, the lists that Denny uses can be found here.
More ResourcesTo get in touch with The Center For Independent Living, their website is www.thecil.org
Their main phone number is (510) 841-4776
Sheela Gunn’s work number is (510) 422-5068
To email the emergency preparedness team: disasterhelp@thecil.org
This show was hosted, edited and produced by Denny Daughters.
The post Emergency Preparedness – Pushing Limits – August 30, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Spoiler alert: the world is inaccessible. Often, those in the disability community and with access needs struggle to go where they want to when they want to. We often have our entire days planned out around our needs. Additionally, it’s difficult to decide to go somewhere if you don’t know how accessible it is. Our guest today is making an effort to fix this problem by using technology.
Elysia Everett is a technologist and founder of the free to use app and website, Friendly Like Me. Her app is review-based; it is similar to yelp, but specifically designed for people with access needs to use to rate and review businesses based on their accessibility. With a career in technology and law in her back pocket, she feels she is uniquely qualified to tackle this issue with the disability community.
Listen in as she describes her inspiration for starting Friendly Like Me, as well as the conversations that she has one on one with business owners. As she says, the biggest issue that she comes across is a lack of understanding, whether it be on an airline or within the walls of a brick-and-mortar building.
Additionally, if you would like to hear the full conversation after this program, feel free to listen to it on the podcast, The Disability Myth.
This program is hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan.
The post Friendly Like Me – Pushing Limits – August 23, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Well, it’s time to dust off the old philosophy of ethics textbook. This week’s program takes a look at the Eugenics movement in the United States with Michael Rembis, Director of the Center for Disabilities at the University at Buffalo.
According to his profile on the University at Buffalo’s website, “Rembis’ research interests include the history of institutionalization, mad people’s history, and the history of eugenics. He has also studied and written about contemporary issues concerning mental health and mental illness and mass incarceration.”
Eugenicists frequently posed people with disabilities and non-white people as inferior, with devastating consequences including incarceration in institutions, and forced sterilization. Even ‘Progressive’ individuals backed various forms of the Eugenics movement. The Nazi regime under Hitler was influenced by American Eugenicists. Additionally, although Eugenics still has continuing effects, this week’s program will explore how the disability community has mobilized in combating this destructive movement.
This program is hosted by Edward Ytuarte.
The post Disability & Eugenics – Pushing Limits – August 16, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Becoming a lawyer is probably one of the most difficult professions one could choose to pursue. For example, one must overcome a character and fitness exam as well as the notorious BAR exam. Now, imagine dedicating countless hours to studying law, fueled by a passion for justice and a dream of becoming an attorney, all while knowing that an unseen barrier could shatter that dream. This Friday, join us for a compelling and eye-opening program featuring Val U Baul French, a law student from Kansas who identifies as neurodivergent.
Val will share their journey through the demanding world of law school, shedding light on the unique challenges and instances of aversive ableism they face as a student with a disability. Tune in as Val discusses the very real possibility that, despite their hard work and dedication, their path to becoming a lawyer could be blocked if the bar association questions their mental competence. Don’t miss this important conversation about resilience, advocacy, and the fight for inclusivity in the legal profession.
This program is hosted by Talia Thompson-Mariano, produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, and edited by Dominick Trevethan and Denny Daughters.
The post Val VS The Bar – Pushing Limits – August 9, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Well, let me tell you something, brothers and sisters! This Friday at 2:30, talk about disability and wrestling will be running wild on Pushing Limits!
Many might not associate pro wrestling with disability, but our guests, Daniel Broz and Alexander Sing, will shed light on how disability has been portrayed in pro wrestling over the years. From matches involving little people and wrestlers discussing their mental health to partnerships with the Special Olympics, wrestling is one of the few forms of popular entertainment where disability is prominently featured. Join us as we dive into these stories and explore the intersection of wrestling and disability.
Whether you’re a die-hard wrestling fan or new to the ring, this episode promises to be a knockout! So, grab your popcorn and drinks because we are ready to rumble!
This program is hosted by Jacob Stanton, produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, and edited by Denny Daughters.
The post Disability Smackdown – Pushing Limits – August 2, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Are you ready to dive into some of the most crucial legal battles impacting the disability community today? On this week’s program we welcome back Michelle Uzeta, a staff attorney from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, to break down landmark cases that could reshape the landscape of disability rights in America.
In Grants Pass, the United States Supreme Court ruled that fining and jailing people experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go is not unconstitutional. Accordingly, she will be updating us on Guthrey v. Alta California Regional Center, a ruling that will decide whether regional centers and their vendors are subject to the anti-discrimination provisions of the ADA.
This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte.
The post Disability & Law – Pushing Limits – July 26, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Our expert, Connie Arnold has worked to improve In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for over 35 years and she uses IHSS attendants for her own independence. She’s agreed to come answer your questions about this ubiquitous state program – the one many of us depend upon, appreciate, and want to dropkick to hell.
Send your questions before the show, or call us when we’re on the air at 510-848-4425 or 800-958-9008…
- If you struggle to get your social worker to provide the hours that you need to stay independent
- if you need nurses to do home medical care
- If your care comes from family members
- If you hire your attendants from Craig’s List
- If you have a Home and Community Based Alternative Waiver
- If you’re brand new to the program
In short, if you have any questions about any part of this $24 billion dollar a year social service, this radio program is for you.
Connie Arnold graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare and from Sonoma State University with a Master’s degree in Health Services & Public Administration Policy. She routinely, some say obsessively, attends state meetings, reads legal and policy documents, and tells the unvarnished truth.
Adrienne Lauby produced this program. She and Shelley Berman will host.
The post In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Call In – Pushing Limits – July 19, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
What comes to mind when you think of mental health? Therapy? Trauma? Disability? If you happen to think of all three than this program is for you.
According to the CDC, “Adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost 5 times as often as adults without disabilities”. Who better suited to help disabled individuals navigate those unique challenges than those who also share them?
On this episode of Pushing Limits, we will be talking to two mental health professionals who have disabilities. Kit Mcmillion is a peer support specialist who uses her lived experiences with mental health challenges to assist others. We will also talk to Jennifer Lincoln, a trauma therapist with cerebral palsy and spinal stenosis. Additionally, Pushing Limits collective member Shelley Berman will provide a commentary on mental illness related to her family.
This episode is hosted by Bonnie Elliot and produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton with editing from Denny Daughters.
The post Social Workers With Disabilities – Pushing Limits – July 12, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
For a disabled person who needs a ride, paratransit sounds great. You call them up, someone comes in a wheelchair accessible van and away you go!
But, the reality is not that simple!
Despite the fact that more vehicles are used for paratransit than any other type of public transportation, a plethora of issues plague paratransit services. What happens when your paratransit pickup is late and you’re late for the meeting? What happens if your driver drastically exceeds the speed limit? And, why are so many of the vans so poorly maintained?
According to a bus service in Rochester N.Y., “paratransit is a shared ride public service intended to serve as a safety net.” It’s for “individuals who, because of their disabilities, are unable to ride the ADA compliant RTS {Regional Transit Services] fixed-route bus for some or all their travel”. But, is the safety net really that safe?
Nearly 70 thousand vehicles were available for typical peak paratransit services in the U.S. in 2013 – more than all the buses and trains combined. So, why isn’t paratransit a shining star in the lives of people with disabilities?
Helping us navigate all these complexities and more is disability advocate Christine Fitzgerald. More specifically, she is the community advocate for Silicon Valley’s Independent Living Center. As a member serving on the Committee for Transportation and Mobility Access, she works at the local, state, and governmental levels to ensure that people with disabilities have their access and transportation needs met.
This program was hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan with editing from Denny Daughters.
Useful Links:Silicon Valley Independent Living Center
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Paratransit
What is Paratransit?
The post Paratransit Problems – Pushing Limits – July 5, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
On a progressive college or university campus, we might assume students with disabilities are well served. But, around the county, we often hear a different story. In this program we look to a disabled leader of a local center for answers: What is the role of a campus disability resource center? How can they improve their services? How dedicated are institutions of higher learning to success for a quarter of their students?
Students with disabilities in educational settings have unique and individualized needs that must be addressed to ensure their academic success. These accommodations are crucial for enabling students to thrive in their studies alongside their non-disabled peers. As courses evolve to become universally accessible to all students, the reliance on specific accommodations will diminish. Additionally, it is essential to recognize the importance of disability advocacy and awareness both within the campus community and in broader society when considering the current state of disability. So, how dedicated are institutions of higher learning to a quarter of the demographic?
Offering her insights from the institution side today is Kimberly Starke, Dean of the Disabled Resources Department at Santa Rosa Junior College. Prior to overseeing this department, Kimberly worked with students as a Speech-Language Pathologist and has over 16 years of experience working with the disability community.
This program was hosted and produced by Jacob Stanton with editing assistance from Denny Daughters.
The post Disabled Student Services – Pushing Limits – June 28, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
The war in Gaza has captured the attention of much of the world, and unfortunately, it seems there is no end in sight. The Pushing Limits gang realizes that these catastrophic events occurring most heavily impact the disability community – and worse yet, are creating new disabilities with each passing hour.
On today’s program, we invite you to join us for true, real-time stories of people with disabilities trying to survive an ongoing genocide as we host Elizabeth Johnson Sellers from the international organization, Humanity and Inclusion to discuss what is happening to the disability community in Gaza. Elizabeth holds a B.S. from Murray State University, where her studies focused on journalism and marketing.
This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte.
More about Humanity and InclusionHumanity & Inclusion and its partners in Gaza have provided aid to more than 3,500 people since October 7. They focus on people with disabilities. Their office, located in the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, was destroyed in an Israeli bombing strike on January 31. Here’s more about the destruction of their office. No warning given!
For more information on Humanity and Inclusion, check them out here.
The post Disability in Gaza – Pushing Limits – June 21, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Why should blind children learn to read braille? Given the amazing rise of audio books and audio screen readers, is braille a technology of the past?
Our guest Mike Tanner answers these questions with a resounding “No” and, in this week’s program, makes the case for braille literacy.
Most people gain literacy as children, which means parents have a strong role to play in researching their children’s needs and advocating for them with their school district.
But, braille isn’t a total solution. Mike talks about the cost of hard copy braille and explains why it is so expensive. He reminds us that one way to negotiate these problems is to use the many resources of the National Library Service For The Blind And Print Disabled.
What does the future of braille technology hold? Find out this week on Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program by and about people with disabilities.
Mike Tanner teaches visually impaired students in Southern California. He holds a BA degree in mathematics and a Masters Degree in Special Education.
This program was hosted, edited and produced by Denny Daughters.
Resources:* For more about the National Library Service For The Blind And Print Disabled, visit them at: https://www.loc.gov/nls/ * The National Library Service is underutilized. For more about it, as well as the Braille And Talking Book Library in Sacramento, go here: https://kpfa.org/episode/pushing-limits-march-15-2024/
Photo Citations:* Young person typing braille by George Williams from Flickr
* Hands reading Braille.
by Vater_fotografo from Flickr
* Creative Commons License
The post Braille Today – Pushing Limits – June 14, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
What is a disability advocate? How does advocacy look in this day and age with the role that media and smartphones play? How does someone advocate effectively while simultaneously negotiating and managing their own unique identities? On Friday’s program of Pushing Limits, we answer all these questions and more as we take a deep dive into what it means to be a disability advocate.
Joining us is Sophia Lee-Park, a disability justice advocate and accessibility educator. Sophia earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from UCSB and recently graduated from USC with a master’s degree in post secondary affairs and schooling administration. Pulling from her experiences as a person with a physical and a developmental disability, Sophia shares her thoughts on the topic of advocacy.
This program was produced and edited by Dominick Trevethan with help from Denny Daughters. Additionally, this program originally aired in a longer form on the podcast, The Disability Myth.
The post Disability Advocacy: A Deep Dive – Pushing Limits – June 7, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
It is the height of California’s annual budget wrangle, and Governor Newsom is planning severe cuts to programs we depend on. These programs include In Home Supportive Services, CalFresh, nutrition support, housing & homeless assistance, and others. It’s pretty dire.
We have until June 15, just two more weeks, to let our Sacramento representatives know how we want tax payer money spent. Scroll down for something you can do TODAY.
We bring a panel of experts from San Francisco’s HomeBridge: Erin Saberi, public policy and communications consultant, Amber Harris, senior director of talent and people, and Meaghan Shanahan, senior director of programs. Home Bridge trains and provides care givers and attendants for elderly and disabled people throughout the bay area.
There is a crisis in attendant care in California. These folks know just how bad it is and how these budget discussions will either help – or make it worse.
Some context: California has had a fat purse for several years but, this year, the purse is skinny with a $27.6 billion dollar shortfall.
As usual, one thing that isn’t being cut is California’s prison system. It’s being tinkered with but it’s actually getting an overall increase!
Our community is not taking these cuts lying down. Since the draft budget came out in January, lobbyists, non-profits and many disabled people have been in Sacramento to testify at hearings and hold rallies. There’s just enough time, just enough momentum to turn the tide and save ourselves from some of the worst consequences.
One more thing: There’s an inevitable level of competition in the budget fight. It’s tricky to lobby for any particu
lar program. For instance, if you argue for expanding IHSS caregivers you might find yourself arguing against houses for homeless people. You argue for Developmental Disability increases and find yourself arguing against help for abused elders.
We salute two organizations who’ve made long term coalitions to take some sting out of the competition. The California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports has over 60
organizational members and CURB, Californians United for a Responsible Budget, brings more than 80 organizations together. They help make the best of a tough situation.
Emergency Budget Rally Governor Newson is trying to cut critical services for undocumented people, people with disabilities, and older adults. Join us to fight back!
Governor Newsom: Hands Off Our Home Care!
Thursday, June 6, 11:00 am
455 Golden Gate, San Francisco
Masks required & provided
————————————————————–
Take Action Today! Make some calls, write some emails.HERE’S WHAT TO SAY:
My name is ___________ and I am a (senior, immigrant, person with a disability). I am very concerned about the incredibly harsh cuts proposed in the Governor’s proposed May Revised Budget. The elimination of the IHSS benefit for undocumented Californians on Medi-Cal is extremely harmful, and sends a message that California is turning its back on immigrant, older adult and disabled communities – and will surely end up with more expensive institutional care.
The other cuts to food security, developmental disability, housing and homeless programs, APS, and other Older Adult Act programs will take us backwards. California enacted a Master Plan on Aging that looks to expand programs and services to address our state’s aging population. Let’s look to the rainy day fund and other sources to move us forward, and protect our most vulnerable populations. Thank you.
WHO TO CONTACT: Please call and/or email these members:
Assembly Budget Chair – Assm. Jesse Gabriel: 916-319-2046/ AsmBudget@asm.ca.gov
Assembly Speaker – Assm. Robert Rivas: 916-319-2029/ https://speaker.asmdc.org
Senate Budget Chair – Senator Scott Wiener: 916-651-4011/Severiano.Christian@sen.ca.gov
(Leg. Director) Senate Pro Tem – Senator Mike McGuire: 916-651-4002/ https://sd02.senate.ca.gove/contact
(Thanks to our friends at CARA for this information.)
This program produced by Adrienne Lauby and Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Hosted by Adrienne Lauby.
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HomeBridge
https://homebridgeca.org/
415-255-2079
info@homebridgeca.org
The post California Budget – Pushing Limits – May 31, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Today’s Pushing Limits is preempted by special spring fund drive programming.
The post Special Spring Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.
Today’s Making Contact is preempted by the final part of C.S. Soong’s interview of Nate Powell about his graphic adaptation of James W. Loewen’s book Lies My Teacher Told Me.
The post Special Spring Fund Drive Programming: Nate Powell on his adaptation of Lies My Teacher Told Me appeared first on KPFA.
Tune in to a special hour-long Pushing Limits program this Friday at 2 pm. We will be talking to Nina G, comedian and author of Stutterer Interrupted and Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History. In May 2023, her album debuted at #1 in Comedy on iTunes and Amazon. Her first video special, Nina G: Stutterer Interrupted, debuted in October 2023.
We will also talk to comedian and professional speaker Michael Beers. For 20 years, he has been an award-winning stand-up comic, disability activist and educator.
We will also be raising money for KPFA. For 75 years the station has been a home for voices that the corporate media has tried to silence. We will be giving away copies of Nina’s book Stutterer Interrupted as a thank-you for your donation to KPFA.
This episode of Pushing Limits will be hosted by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, Adrienne Lauby, Shelley Berman, and Bonnie Elliott.
Check out our awesome guests below!Nina G’s website
Michael Beers website
The post Comics with Disabilities – Pushing Limits – May 10, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
In recent years companies, nonprofits and government agencies have invested time and money to start DEI initiatives. These DEI trainings and other activities often focus on issues of race, gender and sexual orientation, while disability goes unaddressed.
In this program, we talk with Jennifer Chassman Browne, a DEI consultant with a disability. Jennifer talks about her work with companies and schools throughout the U.S. and speculates why disability is overlooked in many DEI programs.
We will also play audio from a short video produced by the Ford Foundation that features activists talking about the interaction between the disability community and other social justice movements.
This program is produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Voiced and edited by Dominick Trevethan.
Useful LinksJennifer Chassman Browne website
Ford Foundation Video – Disability Justice & Philanthropy: A Message to Funders
The post DEI & Disability – Pushing Limits – May 3, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Join Pushing Limits as we explore the subject of harm reduction. Advocates of these practices believe that the government should provide services to assist those to do drugs in the safest way possible. These services may include needle exchange, overdose prevention sites, and the legalization of substances. These services have been shown to be effective. However, some politicians believe that people who use drugs shouldn’t have access to services like affordable housing until they stop using drugs.
Our guests include Alli Lazarus of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Shannon Knox, the Executive Director of the San Francisco Drug Users Union. They discuss the state of harm reduction in the city and beyond. Additionally, Alli who lives with a disability herself, talks about some of the challenges her clients with disabilities face, specifically whether attendants can assist people engaging in the use of drugs. Both of our guests give their takes on the issue of whether drug users should be considered disabled under the ADA as well.
This program is produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, and hosted and edited by Denny Daughters with production assistance from Jacob Stanton.
Useful Resources:* San Francisco Drug Users Union * Harm reduction-San Francisco AIDS Foundation * A study about an overdose prevention site in San Francisco * North American Syringe Exchange Network (NASEN) * National Harm Reduction Coalition
The post Harm Reduction – Pushing Limits – April 26, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Landlords still tell people with disabilities that they cannot have their service dogs or other service animals in their homes. They continue to disregard state and federal laws or — perhaps they are just plain ignorant. Michelle Uzeta joins us to talk to our resident housing expert, Eddie Ytuarte, about landlord resistance to service animals and other housing discrimination against people with disabilities.
Michelle Uzeta is the Deputy Legal Director at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF). Michelle’s practice has focused on the litigation of high impact lawsuits and representation of individuals facing discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504, Fair Housing Amendments Act and related state laws.
In addition to her role as a litigator, Michelle has lectured and written extensively on the legal rights of people with disabilities and has authored a number of amicus briefs on disability rights issues, including briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court. Michelle is a graduate of Stanford University and earned her Juris Doctorate and Certification in Public Interest Law from King Hall School of Law at the University of California, Davis.
This program produced & hosted by Eddie Ytuarte.
Check out the DREDF website for resources, to sign up for their newsletter and read about their work: https://dredf.org
Photo of service dog:
Public Use Notice of Limitations
The post Housing Discrimination with Michelle Uzeta – Pushing Limits – April 19, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
A week ago, on April 5, 61-year-old Brett Estes took his own life by moving his wheelchair in front of a BART train. He was a quadriplegic and a member of a Quad-Squad which was active in the disability movement. Despite the kind, long-term help of a man named John, Brett had recently struggled with finding enough attendants.
We don’t know all the reasons behind this tragedy but this death raises the issue of our current, very-inadequate attendant-care system. Another member of our community, Brian Larsen, also took his life a few years ago when he was unable to secure adequate attendant support. California’s IHSS, (In Home Supportive Services) system is failing severely disabled people.
Our guest, Connie Arnold sees the problems in her own life and she’s been attending state meetings, reading legal and policy regulations and generally working to improve IHSS for 35+ years. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1984 with a degree in Social Welfare, and in 2009 from Sonoma State University (SSU) with a Master’s degree in Health Services & Public Administration Policy. With her wide range of academic and professional expertise, Ms Arnold gives specific advice on how we can each play a part in saving lives and advocate for change. You can reach her by emailing: IHSS underscore advocate at yahoo.com.k
MORE DETAILS: Many people with disabilities living in the community are suffering because they cannot find competent, reliable, trustworthy, and stable non-relative IHSS care provider-attendants. Attendants who can perform paramedical services are few and far between. The State of California makes every IHSS recipient the “employer” responsible for finding their own care providers, but the recipients do not set the terms of employment for wages, health benefits, and job incentives. Currently, IHSS wages vary from county to county and is not a living wage.
Under the IHSS program alone family members care for 72.1% of people with disabilities and they are often willing to work long hours for near minimum wages. But when family and friends are ill, move away or age out, who takes their place? This situation is especially obvious in the case of developmentally disabled people who live with elderly parents, but it affects people with all kinds of severe disabilities, including dementia, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), children with severe disabilities, and many others.
If you have a severe disability you may quality for extra help through a Medi-Cal or HCBA waiver. Here’s how to apply:
- California Department of Health Care (DHCS) Medi-Cal Waivers:
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/Medi-CalWaivers.aspx - DHCS Home and Community-Based Alternative (HCBA) Waiver and scroll down to see which local agency serves your zip code:
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/ltc/Pages/Home-and-Community-Based-%28HCB%29-Alternatives-Waiver.aspx
Currently, individuals requiring multiple daily attendants are struggling to live independently in the community. People who rely primarily on non-relative providers are most at-risk of being forced into institutions. This, despite the U.S. Supreme Court Olmstead decision which gave people with disabilities the right to live in the least restricted environment with supportive services. Knowing what they know about the institutions, many severely disabled individuals consider alternative actions like suicide.
Plus: “Who’s in Charge Here?”Commentary by Shelley Berman.Produced and hosted by Shelley Berman and Adrienne Lauby.
With thanks to the Berkeley-Disabled E-group who sparked the attendant-shortage discussion. To subscribe to the Berkeley Disabled e-group, send an email to: berkeley-disabled+subscribe@googlegroups.com
——————————Want to Learn More?——————————* In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) – California State Association of Counties. This group put a ceiling on IHSS wages so that they can be no higher than $1.25 an hour greater than minimum wage.
* More details about how wages and benefits are set.
https://www.counties.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ihss_wages_and_bargaining_brief_september_2023.pdf.
* New rules related to attendant care, in the State Legislature but not passed yet: AB1672 Haney. IHSS Employer-Employee Relations Act (2023-2024)
* “1.300.000 people lived in nursing home in 2020 at the onset of the Covid pandemic. Nearly half of all nursing home residents were living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other related dementia. Related Legislation: https://mcusercontent.com/e1181a52449c57d4180be5c2d/files/485d2355-f6cb-ed96-b7c5-6b395f82a7ca/EC_Bill_April_2024.pdf
“SEC. 2. FINDINGS.1
Congress finds the following: (1) According to the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, an estimated 1,300,000 individuals resided in nursing homes in 2020 at the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic and nearly half of all nursing home residents were living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other related dementia.”———————————————————————————————————————————————————–California Department of Social ServicesIn-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) History of Major Program Changes1973*
IHSS Program
The IHSS Program was created to enable elderly, blind and disabled individuals to live independently in the community.
1978-1981
Equity Assessment Project
This was a three-year project conducted by UC Berkeley, in three counties (Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin). Historical needs assessment data was used to predict recipients’ level of need for IHSS services. The project also permitted similar awards to individuals with similar needs, thus promoting equity (beginning of IHSS Assessment Uniformity).
1981
Domestic Services Standard – W&IC section 12310
The first state time-per-task standard, known as the Domestic Services Standard, was introduced.
1992
Non-Profit Consortiums and Public Authority – W&IC section 12301.6
Statute was added to allow a County Board of Supervisors to contract with a non-profit consortium, or to establish by ordinance, a public authority for the delivery of IHSS.
Federal Funding Approved for the IHSS PCSP
On November 2, 1992, a State Plan Ammendment was approved by the CMS allowing most IHSS services to be considered a Medi-Cal benefit under the new IHSS PCSP.
1993 PCSP
The PCSP was implemented April 1, 1993.
1998
Expansion of PCSP Eligibility – W&IC section 18937
Statute was amended, expanding PCSP eligibility to include medically-needy aged, blind and disabled persons (previously, only categorically-eligible persons were eligible).
Waivers for Personal Care Services – W&IC section 14132.97
The Waivers for Personal Care Services, as defined under the Medi-Cal Program, were
required to be provided to persons meeting specified requirements.
*Please refer to the first tab titled “Acronyms” for a full description of acronyms. 45
California Department of Social Services
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)* History of Major Program Changes
1999
State Plan Amendment
Local Assistance 2015 May Revision
On April 1, 1999, a State Plan Amendment was approved by CMS expanding PCSP eligibility to include income-ineligible recipients (i.e., recipients with a share of cost).
Employer of Record – W&IC sections 12301.6, 12303.4, 12301.3, 12301.4, 12301.8 and 12302.25
Counties were required to act as or to establish an employer of record for IHSS providers for purposes of collective bargaining. Counties that had not established a public authority for the provision of IHSS services were required to establish an advisory committee to provide recommendations on modes and delivery of IHSS services. The IHSS Registry sales tax sub-account was also eliminated from the LRF and remaining funds were transferred to the GF.
2000
IHSS Non-federal Sharing Ratios and State Participation in Wages and Benefits – W&IC sections 12306.2 and 12306.3
This bill established the non-federal share to be paid by the state and counties for any increases in provider wages and benefits and associated taxes. Limits were also defined for state participation in increases to wages and benefits.
Non-Public Authority Counties
Effective January 1, 2001, participation in the non-federal portion of any county-implemented increase in IHSS provider wages, benefits and associated taxes was set at 65 percent state and 35 percent county. Wage increases were at county discretion and limited to no more than
three percent above the statewide minimum wage.
Public Authority Counties
Participation in the nonfederal portion of any increases in wages, benefits and associated taxes that are negotiated by a public authority or a non-profit consortium was set at 65 percent state and 35 percent county participation. Increases in wages and benefits were subject to the following limits:
- The state would participate in wages up to $7.50 per hour and in individual health benefits up to $0.60 per hour for all public authority and non-profit consortium providers.
- The state would participate in total wages and health benefits up to $9.10 per hour if wages reached at least $7.50 per hour. Gradual increases to wage and benefits were allowed for these specified providers over the four years following FY 2000-01, up to total combined wages and health benefits of $12.10 per hour in the fourth year.
- State participation in subsequent year increases would only occur if wages had already reached $7.50 per hour and GF revenue had exceeded the previous FY’s GF revenue by at least five percent.
- State participation in wage and benefit increases in any FY would be limited to a maximum increase of $1.00 per hour.Contract CountiesFunding was provided in FY 2000-01 for the increased state share of cost for existing contract counties that elected to increase their maximum allowable contract rates. (Wages and benefits for contract providers are negotiated between the contractor and their local unions).IHSS Advisory Committee – W&IC sections 12301.3 and 12301.4Each county that had not established a public authority was required to establish an advisory committee. The advisory committee in each county was also required to provide recommendations on certain modes of service to be utilized in the county for IHSS. The advisory committee membership would have to include one IHSS provider for a county that has an IHSS caseload of less than 500 and two IHSS providers for a county that has an IHSS caseload of more than 500. Reimbursement of the advisory committee’s administrative costs was also allowed.
2004
Improve Quality of IHSS – W&IC sections 12301.21, 12305.7, 12305.71, 12305.72, 12305.8, 12305.81, 12305.82, 12305.83, 12317, 12317.1 and 12317.2
The CDSS, counties and DHCS were required to perform a number of activities that would focus on improving the quality of IHSS. The key provisions included:
- Ongoing statewide social worker training.
- State oversight and monitoring of county QA activities.
- Hourly task guidelines, with exception criteria to promote accurate and consistent assessments, to provide social workers a tool for conducting assessments and service authorizations.
- Fraud prevention and detection activities that include collaboration among agencies to prevent/detect fraud and to maximize recovery of overpayments.
- Annual error-rate studies and data-match activities.IPWThe IPW State Plan Amendment was approved, allowing most residual recipients to be served in this waiver program (i.e., services provided by a spouse and/or parent of a minor child, or to those receiving Restaurant Meal Allowance or Advance Pay). The IPW was approved for five years, from August 1, 2004, through July 31, 2009, and extended until September 30, 2009.2009
Key Provisions of Fraud – W&IC sections 12301.15, 12301.22, 12301.25, 12301.6, 12305.7, 12305.71, 12305.73, 12305.82, 12305.85 and 12305.86The CDSS, counties and DHCS were required to improve detection, referral, investigation and prosecution of fraud in the IHSS program, communication and to develop collaboration between state and county agencies. The key provisions included: - Provider Orientation.
- Provider enrollment including fingerprinting and background checks, enrollment form andsigned agreement.
- Provider appeals.
- Fraud prevention protocols clarifying state/county roles and responsibilities including targeted mailings, unannounced home visits and county anti-fraud training.
- Policy guiding the use of Post Office boxes.
- Creation of the NOA to inform providers of recipient’s authorized hours/services.*Please refer to the first tab titled “Acronyms” for a full description of acronyms. 48 California Department of Social Services
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)* History of Major Program Changes
In FY 2009-10, CDSS approved county fraud plan funding for 45 counties to enable the development of the infrastructure necessary to support future fraud prevention operations.
The IHSS Plus Option
The IHSS Plus Option State Plan Amendment was approved on September 29, 2009, and the IHSS Plus Option became effective on October 1, 2009. The Social Security Act section 1915(i), Self-Directed Personal Assistance Services State Plan Option, was identified as the best replacement for the expiring IPW program.
Statutory Reductions and Court Injunctions
A minimum Functional Index Score threshold was created for IHSS Program services and this became the Oster I Lawsuit. The state financial participation rate for IHSS provider wages was capped at $10.10 effective July 1, 2010. This became the Dominguez v. Schwarzenegger lawsuit. The “Share of Cost Buyout” program was eliminated.
2011
Statutory Reductions and Court Injunctions
A 3.6 percent reduction in hours was implemented in February 2011 and a 20 percent reduction in hours was triggered by the Budget Act in December 2011. This became the Oster II Lawsuit and part of 2013 litigation settlement.
Health Care Certificate Requirement
The IHSS recipients were required to provide a Health Care Certificate from a licensed health care professional beginning August 2011.
Changes to Provider Enrollment Background Checks
Tier 1 – Specified Child Abuse, Elder Abuse and Fraud against government health care or supportive services.
Tier 2 – Other items identified in a background check could be waived by the IHSS recipient.
2011, 2013 CFCO
The ACA of 2010 (enacted March 23, 2010) established a new State Plan Option entitled CFCO. The CFCO provides home and community based attendant services and supports and also provides increased federal funding in the form of a six percent increase in the FMAP for CFCO eligible recipients. CDSS and DHCS submitted a State Plan Amendment to CMS on December 1, 2011. The State Plan Amendment was approved August 31, 2012, with implementation retroactive to December 1, 2011.
On August 31, 2012, the federal CMS approved State Plan Amendment 11-034 for CFCO, allowing the state to obtain increased federal funding for eligible PCSP and IHSS Plus Option program recipients. The CMS approved State Plan Amendment 13-007 effective July 1, 2013, and updated eligibility language for compliance with the federal Social Security Act, section 1915(k)(1) and 42 CFR section 441.510.
2012-2013
CMIPS II Launched
The CMIPS II launched in pilot counties Merced and Yolo in July 2012. In September 2012
San Diego joined the pilot. Extensive work and training has been conducted with counties/public authorities, labor organizations health benefit administrators and IHSS recipient/providers. In March 2013 group one launched eight additional counties followed by
20 additional counties in group two in May 2013. Group three (Los Angeles County) launched in August 2013 followed by the remaining 24 counties in group four in November 2013.
2013
Oster I, Oster II and Dominguez Lawsuits Settlement Process
The IHSS Settlement Agreement, filed March 28, 2013, received preliminary approval on
April 4, 2013. Court and legislative action was required by May 24, 2013. This lawsuit resulted in an eight percent reduction to IHSS Recipients hours effective July 1, 2013, through
June 30, 2014. The reduction decreased to seven percent effective July 2014 and will be ongoing, unless action is taken to offset the reduction.
CCI – SB 1008 (Chapter 33, Statutes of 2012) and SB 1036 (Chapter 45, Statutes of 2012) changed the following sections of California law related to the IHSS program: Government Code 6531.5; Government Code Title 23; W&IC sections 10101.1, 12306, 12306.1,12306.15, 12330, 14182, 14186, 14186.35 and 14186.36
The CCI, a Medi-Cal managed care plan, changed state statute related to the IHSS program. The CCI began phasing in the eight pilot counties April 2014. The implementation process, including stakeholder meetings, is ongoing. As the IHSS program moves eligible recipients into CCI, it will remain very similar to the current program. The CCI legislation requires the
Cal Medi-Connect plan to administer IHSS in accordance with current IHSS program standards and requirements. The plan will ensure access to, provision of and payment for recipients who meet the eligibility criteria for IHSS.
Key Provisions:
The IHSS recipients will retain the responsibilities as the employer of the IHSS provider for the purposes of hiring, firing and supervising their provider, appealing any action relating to his or her application for or receipt of services and the ability to request a reassessment.
IHSS providers will continue to adhere to the IHSS provider enrollment requirements set forth in existing statute.
Care coordination teams will be established, as needed and subject to the consumer’s consent, for individual care plan development. The teams will include county IHSS social workers, consumers and their representatives, managed care health plans and may include IHSS providers and others as applicable.
CDSS will retain program administrative functions, in coordination with DHCS, including policy development, provider appeals and general exceptions, quality assurance and program integrity for the IHSS.
The CCI shifts the responsibility of collective bargaining functions (wages, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment) from county Public Authority to a Statewide Authority. This shift will occur for each county when enrollment of dual eligibles into Cal Medi-Connect is complete. This establishes a new Advisory Committee for the Statewide Authority.
Each county will be responsible for paying a MOE instead of paying a percentage of program costs. Each county’s MOE is based on program expenditures for FY 2011-12, which was adjusted to reflect savings based on the additional six percent FMAP for CFCO eligible cases, county negotiated wage increases and an annual 3.5 percent inflation factor starting
July 1, 2014. This MOE requirement applies to all 58 counties effective July 1, 2012, regardless of when the county will begin participating in the CCI.
2013
CCI (CONTINUED)
Local Assistance 2015 May Revision
The CDSS, in consultation with DHCS, shall certify any agency that is contracting with
Cal Medi-Connect for the provision of IHSS. The CDSS shall also develop a written appeal process for any agency dissatisfied with the decision from CDSS regarding certification.
As required by CCI, CDSS has, in consultation with stakeholders, developed voluntary provider training available January 2014. Three stakeholder workgroup meetings were held between May 29, 2013, and December 3, 2013. The workgroup meetings included at least
one participant from each of the following groups: public authorities, providers, recipients, county representatives, recognized employee representatives and DHCS.
On March 27, 2013, the Dual Demonstration MOU was approved to integrate dual eligible beneficiaries as a component of CCI.
In an effort to ensure that data-sharing needs are identified and addressed prior to the implementation of the CCI in 2014, CDSS is holding data sharing stakeholder workgroups, the first of which took place November 30, 2012.
A stakeholder workgroup has been established to develop the universal assessment process, including a universal assessment tool for home and community-based services. The first stakeholder workgroup meeting was held September 20, 2013.
The W&IC sections 12300.7, 12306, 12306.1 and 12306.15 were amended and delinked CCI components to allow the mandatory enrollment of Medi-Cal and Medicare beneficiaries
(dual eligibles) into Medi-Cal managed care, the integration of long-term supports and services into managed care plans and the commencement of the IHSS Statewide Public Authority to proceed separately from Cal MediConnect.
FLSA Final Rules Concerning Domestic Workers – W&IC section 12300.41, 12301.1 and 12301.24
In September 2013, the United States Department of Labor issued its Final Rule concerning domestic workers under the FLSA. The regulations were scheduled to implement January 2015 containing several significant changes impacting the IHSS program, including more clearly defining the tasks that comprise “companionship services” and limiting exemptions for companionship services and live-in domestic service employees to the individual, family, or household using the services and not third-party employers. Under the final rule, CDSS is required to pay IHSS providers overtime wages and compensate providers for wait time during medical accompaniment and commute time between multiple recipients. CDSS is evaluating implementation options for compliance with FLSA regulations. Policy changes to IHSS provider workweek limitations and provider orientation were made.
Statutes were amended and added to provide a limitation of the hours an IHSS provider can work in a week contingent upon implementation of the FLSA ruling. Providers cannot work more than 66 hours each week, less the seven percent reduction while it is in effect (61 Hours). The 66/61 hour limit is based on the statutory maximum hours (283) an IHSS recipient can receive, divided by 4.33 weeks per month. It allows payment to IHSS providers for travel time, limited to seven hours per week, when traveling directly between different recipients on the same day. The CDSS or a county may terminate a provider from the IHSS program if he/she continues to violate the overtime/travel time limitations. The legislation also established a three month grace period for IHSS provider overtime changes, in which providers will be compensated for overtime. Statute was amended to require onsite orientation, completion of the IHSS provider application prior to attendance, oral presentations and written material translated into the IHSS threshold languages in the county. Statute also permits presentations by representatives of recognized employee organizations in the county.
2014-15
FLSA Federal District Court Ruling
In late December 2014, a federal district court ruled that a portion of the regulations exceeded the federal Department of Labor’s authority and delayed implementation of the regulations. Under state law, the state’s implementation of overtime, commute time, and wait time were also delayed pending further action by the federal court. On January 14, 2015, Judge Leon issued a ruling, vacating the Department of Labor’s revised companionship services definition that was scheduled to go into effect on January 15, 2015.
———————————————————————————————–
Thanks to Connie Arnold for these additional resources!The post Attendant Crisis- Pushing Limits – April 12, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Love is love, whether you live with a disability or not. However, those in interabled relationships face unique challenges that stem from within the relationship as well as from outside factors. These challenges can include finding a balance between needing care and being a reliable partner, as well as dealing with the financial limitations that governmental programs such as social security place on married couples.
In this program, three people with disabilities discuss their experiences with dating, intimacy, marriage and much more.
We talk to Denny Daughters, one of the Pushing Limits’ producers, about the unique challenges of being a blind man married to a sighted woman.
Genevieve Werner shares her high school (and beyond) dating experiences while living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. And, she details the difficulties of intimacy for those who require caregivers.
Adrion Garcia tells us how he met his fiancé and the changes they’ve stared down since he became a quadriplegic after a work accident.
This episode of Pushing Limits is produced, edited, and hosted by Dominick Trevethan.
The post Interabled Relationships – Pushing Limits – April 5, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
(Transcript below)
People with mental, emotional and cognitive disabilities face significant limitations in their daily life. They’re considered disabled under the law. Yet, some people with mental health conditions feel their needs are ignored by those with mobility and other physical disabilities. And, some people with mental health issues choose not to identify as disabled due the stigma of the category.
We talk to Brian Hollander from Disability Rights California, who identifies himself as someone with mental health challenges. Hollander gives his perspectives on why there seems to be division in the community and the steps both groups can take to work together.
Also, we talk to “Megan” a community organizer from L. A. about the journey she is on in becoming comfortable with identifying as someone with a mental health disability.
This episode of Pushing Limits is produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, with editing and voicing by Dominick Trevelham.
Photo Credits:
“Hands Over Face” Created by Jose Luis Navarro Copyright- CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 from MyRetrospect.com
“How will we decide” by Andy Miah Natasha Vita-More @ANDfestival Salon, Flicker
Transcript: Disability Movement Tension Spots
Dominick Trevethan (Dominick): Good afternoon and welcome to Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program by and about people with disabilities. We air every Friday at 2:30pm.
This is Dominick Trevethan and today I’m voicing a script written by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. In recent years, there’s been a lot of conversation about an idea known as the hierarchy of disability.
This theory suggests that people of certain races genders, and disability are treated better than others both in and outside the community. People who believe this theory suggest that white men in wheelchairs have historically monopolized leadership roles in the community. The leaders have been accused of ignoring the needs of people of color and those with non-apparent disabilities who find themselves low in the pecking order.
Often, those at the bottom of the totem pole tend to have challenges with their mental health.
Jacob has talked with others who work for disability organizations feeling like they couldn’t share about their mental health issues. Recently, he talked to a therapist with a disability who seemed to suggest that people with mental health challenges are from separate communities.
So, on today’s show, show, we will discuss how the disability community can better accommodate its members with mental health issues.
Our first guest is Brian Hollander, a person with a mental health disability who has worked as a public policy advocate in both California and New York.
Brian Hollander: (Brian) My name is Brian Hollander. I am a disability rights advocate and a public policy advocate. I work with Disability Rights California and much of my work is focused on mental health, especially the intersection of mental health and other disabilities. And right now what I do is supervise advocates who are protecting the civil rights of people with mental health disabilities who live in state forensic psychiatric hospitals.
Dominick: Hollander gives us some historical context as to why it seems there’s this division between people with mental health challenges and those with other disabilities.
Hollander: Well, you know, it’s an interesting question because it sort of has two answers. I think that my philosophy, my hope is that both of those communities of advocates should be working together especially as it relates to centers for independent living and even protection and advocacy organizations to some degree. I think mental health has sort of been like, you know, left behind. not left behind, but historically it’s been the invisible disability that nobody really talks about. Now it’s getting a lot of play, but in some cases for the long reasons.
But I definitely think that more can be done to conjoin the voices of different groups that are doing this work to try to protect civil rights. And I think that, you know, I would say there’s no such thing as disability rights as a such thing as civil rights. And I think we need to do more to unify the voices of especially people in the disability rights community, but really all people that are working for historically marginalized or historically ignored or under franchised groups of people.
Dominick: So is anyone to blame for this division?
Brian: Well, I certainly don’t think anybody started it like. you know, like a schoolyard fight or anything like that. However, I do think that there are a variety of reasons why these organizations and even just people, individuals in general, don’t unify around one voice. One of them is that the disability rights movement sort of was founded and historically grew up around physical disabilities. I think that was a big part of it.
I think also… the different funding streams that provide for organizations to do this kind of work. And there’s a lot of money in programming right now, not a whole lot of money in advocacy. And so it’s hard to sort of put your money where your mouth is on the advocacy level when you’re trying to keep the lights on with the programming money. I think that’s part of it.
I think often just even within organizations. what everybody’s doing is somewhat, I hate the word ‘siloed’ because it’s such a buzzword, but for lack of a better phrase ‘siloed’ in that people kind of tend to focus on what they’re doing.
And in fact, one of the things we’re trying to do at Disability Rights California is internally just familiarize each other more with what we’re doing and who we are and what each sort of unit and department does so that everybody has a better understanding of the larger movement that we’re all working within. And [if] organizations want to start doing that and really bring sort of a single voice to advocacy, then one of the things they’re going to have to think about is what are they doing internally to make sure that happens? And, are they a model of the values that they want to convey to the public?
Dominick: According to Hollander, if there was less division in the disability community, we would be better equipped to deal with the housing shortage.
Brian: There is a crisis of housing in the state, and people don’t want to see people who are in shelter. And so largely what’s going on is money is being, a lot of money is being put into ways to sort of clear people from streets. streets and plazas so that people don’t have to see them in their everyday lives. But whether that’s going to translate to actual recovery and mental health and actually translate to say those people finding permanent housing is definitely up for debate, especially because you know like the Mental Health Services Act redesign doesn’t actually include money for housing. So that’s a big part of it right there.
And also, yeah, I mean, everybody’s chasing the same dollars. And when the dollars come from the people that you’re criticizing, it’s hard to really push very hard. I think that the movement overall is at a crossroads right now. There are people that are from the sort of original, starting you know, generation of our movement.
And I think our movement was originally a very grassroots, very on-the-ground movement. And I think that that has changed. And we still need a ground game. And as we focus more on kind of higher-level public policy as well as again, like I said before, we need to move forward. providing programming in order to keep the lights on at our various organizations, then what has happened is the grassroots work suffers.
And then also, I think you do have a change in leadership throughout the sort of movement going on right now as people are retiring and…
And I think that there are definitely conversations happening now about why are we talking to each other more and why are we talking to each other better? But do I think that it’s something that got forgotten? I don’t know if it’s something that got forgotten, so much as it’s something that just sort of built up around what we were focusing on over the years, not so much that we were deliberately ignoring anything.
Dominick: For years, parents of children with mental health challenges have played an important role in advocating for policies that dictate how this population is treated in society. Some of these individuals believe that parents shouldn’t have input regarding these policies that affect the lives of people with mental illnesses. Here, Hollander talks about the role of family in the movement and why it’s contentious.
Brian: I don’t know if I see it [parental organizations] dictating where the community goes. I do think that there is a push and pull between parents who want nothing but the best for their kids. They want them protected though, and that’s the natural instinct of a parent. But the problem is that protection doesn’t always lead to recovery, and it certainly doesn’t lead to independence and the ability to sort of live a fulfilling life on your own terms.
That being said, I agree with some of these parent groups like NAMI and others that have said that the mental health system has failed people, and I understand their angst. I understand why they’re upset that people are living on the streets when they could be getting help. I understand why a mother would not want her child to be living on the streets of LA and not have any connection to any kind of services.
But I also understand that there are civil rights implications and those have to be received. But yeah, I think there’s a role, I think there’s a balance that we need to find and I think the disability rights movement has to be, honestly, a little bit more realistic about what we’re willing to compromise on in the mental health arena.
Dominick: In order to foster greater acceptance and inclusion of people who identify as having a mental health disability, Hollander suggests that some in the community could be slightly more flexible when it comes to their beliefs.
Brian: There’s a very important rule in the disability rights community of ‘nothing about us without us’, but there’s also a fierce independence that runs to the point of ignoring potential solutions. Like, for example, okay, shared decision making and ways to make that, you know, scaled within the community system and but you know some people have to be sort of given a little push in order to get into services and I think there are ways that we can give people a gentle push without really interfering with their civil rights.
Dominick: Lastly, Brian offers more suggestions for building a disability community that embraces those. with mental illnesses.
Brian: I think we need people with significant mental health disabilities. I think we need people who have experienced being unsheltered, maybe even are experiencing being unsheltered, part of the conversations both at the micro level locally, right? Literally, where are we going to put housing? Who’s gonna come here and serve this community. Who in this community is gonna serve this community? I think we need to be parts of those conversations.
And then, yeah, there are organizations that provide a lot of sort of supportive education around this. There’s like mental health housing first, which is Dr. Sam Tsemberis started that organization. And then there’s intentional peer support, which is really… great because it can teach people how to be partners in recovery with others within our community of you know, people who have mental health disabilities and then also intentionally being there for one another.
And I think these are alternatives to models that involve a more official like law enforcement response to mental health crisis, which I think is the big issue that we have to address is, we’re never going to be able to do that. to engage people who are paranoid if we’re responding to them with police. You know.
And there are police officers, and I just want to say, there are police officers who are great with people with mental illness. I had a brother with mental illness and there were times when police had to intervene and that just so happened that for us, we happened to have officers that had training and we’re good and knew how to handle him when he was in crisis.
But it’s clear if you look at this. statistically across the country that people are much more likely to be harmed by police, than protected from them, than protected by them if they have a mental health disorder in this country.
It starts with small steps. It starts with just participating in what’s going on in your own communities. And I think it’s important to do that and have conversations.
And I think we also then, you know, know, as a community, need to have a larger conversation about, I mean, we really don’t have a strategic plan right now as a movement. And so we need to have an inclusive conversation about that and a strategic conversation about where do we want to be in 20 years? And how do we get there? And we really haven’t had that, and that’s something that really needs to happen.
Dominick: This is Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program about disability. And today, we are talking about the acceptance of persons with mental health challenges in the disability community and beyond. Our next guest is someone in the process of becoming more open about her mental health identity. For this interview she asks to go by the name Megan. Here, Megan shares a little of her journey.
Megan: I’m a community organizer in Southern California. And yeah, I mean, it’s been a long path for me, but I am somebody who has, you know, been in therapy for about a decade and on and off getting support, but just sort of imagining that I was like an anxious person, but I wasn’t clinically anxious or clinically depressed, and kind of sticking to the idea that I was, you know, quote, unquote, high functioning, which is not a term that I like, but that I was maybe like, low support need, or something like that.
But over time, especially over the past couple years, when I’ve both had people in my life who have noticed that my support needs around anxiety in particular are higher than I realize and also when I’ve gotten the opportunity to be in community more with disabled people and people who are advocates around mental health and mental health disability I have been able to see myself in those communities more and more.
And, at the same time because I still am, you know, I have support needs, but they’re lower around my anxiety and mental health disabilities that I don’t want to, like, claim an identity that doesn’t belong to me, but I also want to, you know, own a part of myself and be in solidarity and recognize the political importance of seeing the disability community as like a broad coalition of a lot of different kinds of people.
Dominick: A large reason why people choose not to go public with their experiences with mental health is because of social stigma. We were curious what role stigma plays in Megan’s decision to identify as someone with a mental health disability.
Megan: Definitely I’ve encountered stigma both in the like ableism or perhaps internalized ableism that I’ve held in my own life and in the water that we’re all swimming in. And so like stigma around not being able to, in my case, feeling like if I have mental health disabilities, if I embraced or looked more closely at that identity that maybe it would mean that I was out of touch with reality or quote unquote like a little crazy or you know those kind of stigma stigmas.
And, I think the other piece is not exactly a stigma but I was reading a really great book recently called Against Techno Ableism and it just reminded me there’s stigma that disability means like unable to do things. And it’s true, different people have different limitations and that’s just life. But that the prefix for disability, the word ‘disability’ is different than ‘unable’. Dis can mean like discern or distinguish, like it’s just a different way of doing things. And so I think that’s the other stigma that I’ve thought about is like ‘limitations’ rather than ‘creativity’, which is what I think actually a big part of disability is about.
Dominick: As an active member of the Jewish community, we wondered how its members handle conversations on mental health and disability.
Megan: Just like many others spaces, there’s a lot of growth to happen, like similar to other left spaces in California, where, you know, I’m not the only one for sure, but I’m definitely someone who’s like advocating for COVID precautions and big spaces still, so that they are accessible to immunocompromised folks and others who need to stay safe in those spaces. And that’s, you know, requires some pushing, but it’s met with general acceptance from people in the community.
And so I think it’s something that people are open to, but it’s not like fully integrated into our spaces yet at all, and that it can be that accessibility and disability can be an afterthought and in terms of stigma, yeah, I think probably the spaces I’m in, it goes unspoken.
I’ll say one other thing, which is like in a Jewish community organizing space, I’m in, we’ve been moving at a really, like a really fast pace since October 7th to organize in solidarity with Palestinians and it’s life or death and it’s urgent. And so that makes sense. And there are people, like particular older people but I think also disabled people myself included who are struggling to keep up with that pace. And so there’s not like explicit stigma there but I think there is yeah just like possibilities for both addressing the like urgency of the need to come together and the ways to you know grow the communities and grow the movements that make it possible for more and more people to participate, even if they can’t, you know, be working at that pace.
Dominick: Thankfully, Megan was able to get the support she needs from her colleagues.
I have talked about it with my boss and some colleagues, and I think there is support. I work in a place like this. that is very like centers understanding and, and rejecting and fighting ableism, which I’m lucky to do. And yeah, so it was a supportive environment to do that and I just was offered like support and flexibility as needed.
And if I need to take time off to do that, which I have done, I’ve taken mental health time before sometimes a day or two or up to like a week of sick time before and then in other spaces where I’ve been meeting with other like members of our organization, I have also shared that more recently and I used to talk about it also in the context of like giving support to somebody in my life who has disabilities and in return like getting support for my own mental health disabilities.
And it was like, it was a little bit of a risk for me and a little scary for me to start naming it in that way because like I was saying before, I didn’t want to claim an identity that, you know, wasn’t quite, wasn’t for me. And I also, you know, it is vulnerable for me to name that I have those support needs.
But I have always been, I’m really lucky. I’ve always been met with, with a lot of support. And I think I’ll just say that for the last thing, like that’s been something that is newer over the past year or so.
Before that, I had the same brain more or less. But I wasn’t, I don’t think I, I just wasn’t really accepting that I had a mental health disability until about a year ago, where I just, my support needs became higher. I had a moment where I was like, felt kind of like my brain was in control and I was out of control and maybe I would need to be institutionalized.
That passed and I didn’t have to go to an institution for care. But yeah, I just to say like it took some extreme, what felt like extreme shifts in my own experience for me to start talking about it more openly in my life. And it took me some time to just sort of accept that sick time could be also mental health time because my brain is unwell and needing of care and attention too.
And I think that sometimes mental health time people can think like oh you’re just taking the day off to take a bath and do nothing which may be true for some people, and it may be what exactly what some people need, even if they’re not having any kind of mental health crisis. It’s still okay and good to, I think, to maintain our mental health before we get into a crisis.
So I think that’s one part of it is this idea that either people are just like, you know, messing around if they’re not really sick or in need. But yeah, I mean, again, I work at a workplace that’s very like open and accepting so I was able to name hey I’m taking a mental health week or mental health day which you know you don’t need to disclose by the way but it was helpful for me to name it in my particular workplace.
And I think a challenge for me with that is like the truth is for me to kind of re-calibrate and address my mental health and my anxiety in particular. Sometimes I need a lot more than a day or a week even that it requires some like really deep work and changes so it’s not quite enough, but it helps me like stay away from crisis zone.
So that’s my experience and I’ve had colleagues too who have needed the same and I’ve been able to you know support them in fully unplugging from the work and not feeling you know hesitant about taking the time that they need so I’m glad that I’m able to you know offer that support in return when I can.
Dominick: Lately, Megan talks about the support she uses around her mental health as well as ways that the disability community could be more welcoming to her and others with similar identities.
Megan: I am really lucky because I’ve been able to find a really wonderful talk therapist who has really supported me in moving through my own mental health needs and therapy is really expensive and out of reach for a lot of people and so I think and it’s not the only thing or the thing that works best for people also so and also like same with medication, it took me a really long time to decide I wanted to try something ’cause I was afraid. I thought it would change my personality or I would feel like out of control in some way.
But I think, yeah, just like, for me, something that I’ve learned recently over the past year or so is both like, when I’ve been able to really understand and appreciate that I have support needs around disability and mental health and then like access to support and not shame myself for accessing the support whether it’s medication or therapy or even just like accepting that I have limitations: that if I’m overwhelmed by anxiety in a work situation or a social situation I don’t have to be ashamed that it’s more than I can handle, or I don’t have to push through just because I think I’m supposed to at whatever cost.
So yeah I think maybe it’s just encouragement that folks are thinking about like limitations and support in a way that is really like dignified and about what is possible for us and what we want to do and then the last thing I’ll say too is yeah just again the emphasis on building cross -disability community and solidarity and questioning our biases and our internalized ableism so that we can have a united front to move against the world’s ableism.
Some of the resources that would have really helped me are like some information about language, not that like there’s one way, always one right way to talk about things, but I felt uncertain about with mental health disability, like how to even talk about it for myself and to others.
I think I would love like more history, just a little background on like, there’s so much rich history around both disability but mental health in particular, that I’m really… not so familiar with and that it has so much to do with like also race and gender and so really like understanding that history a little bit more, I think would be really a amazing welcome. And I think the last thing is like in that spirit of solidarity, I think like I would love,
I’m coming in with a specific perspective. and an experience, especially with anxiety, a little bit with depression, although not as much, and like if there’s like some testimony from people with different mental health experiences, diagnoses, not that people are defined by those, but just like what do you want people to know about you and your support needs or what, you know, your reality is like,
And just having a little bit of a window and into different people’s experience and like requests they have for the community would be really cool, too.
Dominick: Jacob and I would like to give a huge thank you to both Brian Hollander and Megan for their time and their input on this program. We would also like to thank our engineer, Rod Akil, as well as you for tuning in. Have a comment about today’s show? Interested in joining our mighty production team?
Email us at pushinglimitsADA@gmail.com. That’s all one word. PushinglimitsADA@gmail.com.
You can also find us on Facebook as Pushinglimits Radio.
Once again, this is Dominick Trevethan voicing a script written by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Thank you for listening and stay tuned for Talk It Out Radio, coming up next.
♪ Keep on pushing, what I say now ♪ ♪ Keep on pushing, keep pushing ♪
The post Disability Movement Tension Spots – Pushing Limits – March 29, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Are you ready? Ready for whatever comes at you?
No one can answer “yes” 100% of the time. But we can take steps to be prepared. And Pushing Limits is here to help.
This week, Amy SP Wilson brings a wealth of ideas about the perennial problem of strangers who are intrusive when they try to help people with disabilities. Amy SP Wilson is the CEO and founder of the Safety Positive Foundation, a nonprofit in the business of solving the personal safety needs of the blind and visually impaired community.
And, Serra Rea explains how emergency centers teamed up with local Independent Living Centers to help keep people with disabilities safe during the recent Southern California Floods. Serra Rae is the Disability Disaster Access & Resources Program Manager for the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers.
Listen up; Stay Safe; Be Prepared!
Interviewers and producers: Chelsea Lesner-Buxton, Bonnie Elliot and Dominick Trevethan.
Audio editing: Denny Daughters, Dominick Trevethan and Adrienne Lauby.
Host: Adrienne Lauby
More about Amy SP Wilson:
Amy SP Wilson’s commitment to personal safety has been a lifelong pursuit. From playfully wrestling with her cousins during her early years to becoming the first female wrestler at the Missouri School for the Blind in 1996, her passion for wrestling led her to the United States Association of Blind Athletes nationals in 1997, where she discovered Judo.
In 1998, Amy proudly represented her country in the World Championships for the Blind in Judo, as a member of the inaugural women’s Judo team of the USABA, all before graduating from high school. Amy’s eye condition, Stargardt’s, diagnosed at the age of 10, prevented her from continuing her martial arts journey.
Amy earned her first bachelor’s degree in psychology, only to become a survivor of domestic violence shortly after. This was not her first experience as a survivor, and she is deeply passionate about addressing the alarming rates of mental and emotional abuse within relationships involving individuals with disabilities.
Amy’s pursuit of knowledge led her to earn a second bachelor’s degree in social work. For the past decade, Amy has been involved in instructing and developing self-defense programs specifically designed for the blind and visually impaired. However, she found that these programs and organizations often had limited expectations for the Blind and Visually Impaired community, which did not align with her mission.
Through the establishment of the Safety Positive Foundation, Amy shares her skills and empowers her community to embrace a safety-positive lifestyle.
More about Serra Rae: While working with the County of San Bernardino in the Public Works department, Serra Rae learned a lot about wildland fires, flooding, and earthquakes. Preparing for the next emergency and working as a Emergency Communications Specialist in the FireCorps, Serra attended American Military Academy and obtained a bachelor degree in Disaster and Emergency Management with a focus on Terrorism and Geological Disasters. Later becoming certified as an Emergency Management Specialist with California Specialized Training Institute.
Serra Rae was introduced to the DDAR program while working at Rolling Start, an Independent Living Center member with CFILC. Working with the program at the center level gave her a good foundation to help the community open up the discussion of resources available to the community before, during and after an emergency or disaster event.
The post Be Prepared – Disability – Pushing Limits – March 22, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Denny Daughters interviews people from The Braille And Talking Book Library in Sacramento, Director Mike Marlin and Technology Specialist Morgan Pershing.
The Braille And Talking Book Library is part of a larger national network of libraries called The National Library Service For The Blind And Print Disabled. NLS for short.
Learn how can you sign up for services, how these libraries are different from commercial audio book companies, some of the devices you can borrow, the Marrakesh Treaty, and more.
Braille and Talking Book Library in Sacramento: btbl.ca.gov
To reach Mike Marlin and/or Morgan Pershing call: (800) 952-5666, (916) 654-0640
Mike’s email is: mike.marlin@library.ca.gov; Morgan’s email is: morgan.pershing@library.ca.gov
The National Library Service website is: l
oc.gov/nls
The bard website to download books is nlsbard.loc.gov
This program was edited, hosted and produced by Denny Daughters.
Photo Credits:
T-shirt Design by Bruno Henrique on Printerval
, photo by Joe Wolf, license CC BY-ND 2.0 Deed
The post “Braille & Talking Books” – Pushing Limits – March 15, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
This week’s show is preempted by special fund drive programming.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.
Today’s episode is preempted by special KPFA Winter Fund Drive programming.
The post Special KPFA Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.
Today’s episode is preempted by special KPFA Winter Fund Drive programming.
The post Special KPFA Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public.
The post Pushing Limits – February 16, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – February 9, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Philosophy is about knowledge, truth, right and wrong, religion, the meaning of life and disability. Yep, when Adam Cureton speaks, disability fits right into that list of basics.
In this program Cureton brings an overview of the field of Disability Philosophy to Pushing Limits listeners. He’ll talk about “coming out” as a person with a disability and his work prompting the social model of disability in society.
Adam Cureton is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee and has written & edited four books, including The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Disability.
Take a look at Adam Cureton’s webpage, his Ted Talk and his article about the difference between social and medical model of disability.
BONUS:We return for more conversation with Denver City Councilman Chris Hinds about the unique challenges of being Colorado’s first elected official with a physical disability.
We began this program with audio from a great presentation about the social model of disability which you can find (and watch) here. It’s from a course at the Disability Advocacy Resource Unit in Melbourne, Australia. We appreciate their solidarity.
This program was produced and interviews were done by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Editing and voicing by Denny Daughters.
The post Philosophy, Politics & Disability – Pushing Limits – February 2, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Disability and Palestine Teach-In: A Conversation with Sawsan Zakaria, Marina Salman and Allie Cannington.Monday, February 5, 3-4 pm On-line zoom event. ASL/CART provided.How does the ongoing attack on Palestine relate to disability communities and disability justice?
For other access needs please contact us at pklinst@sfsu.edu
Register here.
(See below for biographies of the presenters)
Events Coordinator Shaina Ghuraya talks about the upcoming online Palestine Teach-in on Feburary 5. and other ongoing work at the Paul Longmore Institute at S.F. State.
Cafe Crip: Neurodiverse and Neurotypical Cross-Cultural CommunicationFriday, Feb. 2, 2024 12:00, noon PST by zoomGo here for accessibility information and to register.Cafe Crip returns regularly. See the Longmore Institute’s twitter page for more events.——————————Our guest, Shaina Ghuraya jokes that she’s a triple threat – she’s female, South Asian, and a wheelchair-user. She’s written on two Netflix animated series and is a 2021 fellow of the Sundance Institute’s Accessible Futures Initiative. She loves creating bold stories about scheming women disrupting the status quo (like herself), and is an activist who supports the teachings of Disability Justice. Her films surrounding topics of disability have screened at Slamdance, Superfest, and Hollyshorts. Originally from Elk Grove in Northern California, Shaina attended USC and majored in Film and TV Production where, after graduating, she was featured in Forbes. Learn more here: www.shainaghuraya.com
Eddie Ytuarte produced and hosts.
Sawsan Zakaria (she/her) is an actress/advocate who also works at the Autism Society as the Operations Lead. She assists with all operational and admin tasks to efficiently teach people with and without disabilities within the community to navigate state services to receive proper care to live independently. Sawsan has also made a name for herself in the commercial space, representing people with disabilities being featured in Disney, Sephora, and GoRV commercials. Sawsan is Palestinian and grew up in a Muslim household in Chicago, however currently lives in Los Angeles advocating for people with disabilities in the media.
Marina Salman (she/her) is the SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) Case Manager in the Community Reintegration Department at Access Living. In 2018, Marina completed a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Her current research and advocacy work includes addressing disability and ableism in the healthcare and justice system, as well as incorporating Independent Living philosophy in all aspects of life. Marina is of Middle Eastern descent, enjoys working out at the gym, and is an advent Chicago Bears fan.
Allie Cannington (they/she) Allie Cannington (they/she) is a white, jewish, queer, disabled activist and organizer. For over 15 years, they have organized people with disabilities on local, state, and national levels for over ten years – centering on people with disabilities who live at the margins, including LGBTQIA, Black, Indigenous, people of color, low/no income, and youth with disabilities. Currently, Allie lives in Denver, Colorado and is an active member of Jewish Voice for Peace Denver/Boulder chapter.
The post Disability & Palestine Teach In, Longmore Institue – Pushing Limits – January 26, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
Wendy Patrice Williams is on a mission – a mission to save others from the severe symptoms of trauma from infant surgery without anesthetic. Wendy underwent infant surgery for pyloric stenosis when she was 26 days old. The surgery was called a success but its after-affects included decades of suicidal depression and extreme anxiety.
Wendy’s book, Autobiography of a Sea Creature: Healing the Trauma of Infant Surgery, chronicles the steps she took to learn why she was hurting and to find ways to reclaim joy. And it’s being offered for free at the publisher’s website.
She discovered that, before 1986, infant surgeries were routinely done without anesthesia to prevent harm to a fragile infant from the powerful drugs. It was thought that an infant’s nervous system was not developed enough to feel pain. Also, it was common to give a paralytic so the baby would be completely still as the surgeon did their delicate cutting work.
Neither Wendy nor her parents were told anything about possible emotional consequences.
Many of us in the disability community have undergone infant surgery, often more than one. Today, we introduce you to Wendy Patrice Williams’ research and healing work in the hope that, if it resonates with you, you can find a road to healing.
Since 2009, Ms Williams has written a blog, Healing Infant Trauma and, through it, met and supported others who have undergone surgeries without anesthetic. One of them, Roey Shmool produced a film called, Cutdown: Infant Surgery without Anesthesia.
Wendy’s blog includes posts about coping with and healing from PTSD and reviews of articles and books about trauma.
Surviving Infant Surgery, a blog by Fred Vanderbom, also includes posts more specifically about infant surgery for pyloric stenosis or stomach blockage.
Dr. Liza Morton, a woman born with congenital heart disease, writes about the need to add Medical Trauma to the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) tool. You can find her article at https://www.traumascience.org/newsletters. Scroll down to: “Medical Trauma-The Forgotten Adverse Childhood Experience” by Dr. Liza Morton.
For general help for PTSD and Trauma response, Wendy recommends: Help for Trauma, where you can watch videos about the Instinctual Trauma Response and find a therapist.
She also recommends body-based psychological therapies:
-EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (Look for a local therapist who works with this technique)
—Somatic Experiencing where you can find resources and learn about Dr. Peter Levine’s work.
Infant trauma is pre-verbal trauma and, as Wendy Patrice Williams discovered, often requires non-verbal, somatic treatments. Through friendship, community resources, therapy, art and an important year in the California Synanon community, Wendy has greatly reduced her PTSD symptoms. Now, she is helping others to find a path through theirs.
Autobiography of a Sea Creature – Healing the Trauma of Infant SurgeryUniversity of California Health Humanities Press
The post The Trauma of Infant Surgery – Pushing Limits – January 19, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
(Due to technical problems, this program is a rerun of the previous week.)
‘Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services‘ is a long title, but an important one. Vance Taylor, diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of seven, tells us how his lived experience as a person with a disability molded him for this extremely rare position that gives him access to the ear of the governor.
Join us as Vance Taylor explains the intricacies of his job, which include visiting actual areas impacted by disasters and assessing the accessibility of the systems in place to keep impacted individuals safe. Additionally, he details the need for more disability representation in government across the country.
Most importantly, listen in as he reminds us that our ability to recover from disasters is just as imperative as preparing for them.
Produced and Hosted by Bonnie Elliot, with production assistance and audio editing by Dominick Trevethan.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Vance was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child and uses a power wheelchair. He has worked in Washington, D.C. as an advisor for two different members of Congress, directed security policy at a national water association, and been a principal at a top-ranked homeland security and emergency management consulting firm.
Vance is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocate for individuals with disabilities.
Interview by Bonnie Elliot, Editing and hosting by Dominick Trevethan
The post Emergency Preparedness – Pushing Limits – January 12, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
‘Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services‘ is a long title, but an important one. Vance Taylor, diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of seven, tells us how his lived experience as a person with a disability molded him for this extremely rare position that gives him access to the ear of the governor.
Join us as Vance Taylor explains the intricacies of his job, which include visiting actual areas impacted by disasters and assessing the accessibility of the systems in place to keep impacted individuals safe. Additionally, he details the need for more disability representation in government across the country.
Most importantly, listen in as he reminds us that our ability to recover from disasters is just as imperative as preparing for them.
Produced and Hosted by Bonnie Elliot, with production assistance and audio editing by Dominick Trevethan.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Vance was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child and uses a power wheelchair. He has worked in Washington, D.C. as an advisor for two different members of Congress, directed security policy at a national water association, and been a principal at a top-ranked homeland security and emergency management consulting firm.
Vance is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocate for individuals with disabilities.
The post Emergency Preparedness and Disability – Pushing Limits – January 5, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.
What does it take to run for officeas a person with a disability?We talk to Rebecca Lamorte, who ran for city council in New York on a platform on disability rights. Listen as she talks about her experiences running for a major office in the Big Apple.
We also talk to Ventura City Council Member Liz Campos about working at a city hall that is inaccessible, her challenges finding accessible housing, and how she ran a successful campaign on only $3,000.Lastly, we talk to Denver City Councilman Chris Hinds about the unique challenges of being Colorado’s first elected official with a physical disability.
This episode of Pushing Limits is hosted and edited by Denny Daughters, and produced and written by Jacob Lesner-Buxton.
Check out this database of elected officials with disabilities. Add your favorite politician with a disability to the list.
Rebecca Lamorte Website
Campaign website for Liz Campos
Website for Council Member Chris-HindsTranscriptDenny Daughters: Welcome to Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program by and about people with disabilities. We air every Friday afternoon at 2.30 p.m. I’m Denny Daughters and I’ll be voicing a script written by Jacob Lester Buxton.
According to a 2019 estimate by Rutgers University, 10.3% of elected officials serving in federal, state, or local government have a disability. People with disabilities are twice as likely to serve as local officials rather than as state or federal representatives. Today we will be talking to people with disabilities who have run for public office at the local level.
Our first guest is Rebecca Lamorte. She’s a lobbyist for a labor union and she lives in Manhattan. In 2021, she ran for a seat on the New York City Council. There were a total of seven candidates. Unfortunately, she lost the election, coming in at third place.
We asked Rebecca. What motivated her to run?
Rebecca Lamorte: Anger, honestly. When I was pushed on the subway, I was 22 years old. And I had just finished college. I had just moved in to my first apartment alone in New York City. You know, I had my student loans, I had my bills, I had my friends. And in an instant, everything changed for me where I went from taking my body for granted and not looking at a flight of stairs, for example, and thinking twice about them to not being able to really leave my own apartment building for a long time because it had stairs and dealing with rude and invasive questions and comments and being faced with discrimination on the job and in public places.
The most egregious thing for me that really made me and pushed me to take that step to decide I am gonna run for office is one day I was at New York City Hall for work. I’m a lobbyist, I work for a labor union, and I have for 12 years now. And at City Hall that day with union members, I was there with my cane and security told me if I couldn’t walk up the stairs, maybe I didn’t belong there. And I got so angry. I almost couldn’t speak. I was so angry because I felt if this is happening to me, what’s happening to other people?
Who cares about us? Who’s fighting for us? Who else is experiencing this? And so angry and so upset right now when they’re just living life and going about their day like everybody else. And I wanted to take my anger and do something positive from it. And for me, working in the government space and being interested in politics, that was running for office to give disabled people like myself and others a seat at the table where decisions are made. Where I was now witnessing and now very aware that those decisions were being made in ways that harmed us and harmed our community and ignored our needs, ignored accessibility, ignored disability rights and the inclusive society and city we could have. And that’s what made me throw my hat in the race for 2021.
Denny: Lamorte put disability front and center of her campaign. It raised some eyebrows among political people in the city.
Rebecca: Yes and no. So, there have been some people in public office with disabilities. Not everyone has been comfortable speaking about their disabilities, which I very much so understand. You know, not many people go out every day in the world and get asked about their bodies and have people expect that we’ll respond and share everything that’s happening with us. But that’s unfortunately reality for people with disabilities. And there have been people in elected office in New York that haven’t been comfortable speaking about their life, speaking about their accessibility needs, speaking about their lived experience as a person with a disability because of that stigma and discrimination, which is really unfortunate and keeps other disabled people from speaking out, feeling that commonality, knowing they have an ally in government.
But outside of that, we’ve had some really great people in office right now. We have our first disabled New York City council member, a woman named Shahana Hanif from Brooklyn. We used to have another amazing woman, Yuh-Line Niou in the New York State Assembly. She unfortunately isn’t there anymore, but we have some other great people out there fighting for us and making sure we have a seat at the table.
But we need some more people. Just having, you know, between five and 10 people with disabilities in office isn’t going to change the conversation. We need more voices in the chorus for us.
Denny: To create the campaign she wanted to run, Rebecca first had to look inward. There’s the nitty gritty stuff, filing your paperwork to run for office. Like you said, I made my decision and then I was like, well, what do I do now? Like how do I make it a reality? I’m, I’m, I’m here. I’m going to run, but what do I do?
And so I did the like the nitty gritty stuff, file paperwork, tell the government I’m running, told local elected officials in the neighborhood that I was running, reached out to people in politics, consultants, other people I knew saying I’m going to run, what’s your advice?
And unfortunately, in doing that, I started getting back comments that wanting to run on a platform of disability issues, disability justice, as I refer to it for my campaign platform, that that was a niche issue. And I should first run, then win, and work on it and tell people I care about it. And that was really hurtful for me as a disabled person, because it’s like, well, do you see me every day when I’m out like this? Like my life isn’t a niche issue. There are so many New Yorkers that have this experience too.
So my first real campaign thing was getting comfortable, being uncomfortable as a disabled person, getting comfortable sharing things about my life, about my opinions, my experiences, my feelings, about my physical body — about certain social and emotional impacts that I deal with from being a person with a disability out in society that can be really difficult at times for us.
And so that was the first thing. Getting comfortable as a disabled woman, what I was comfortable talking about, how I was comfortable talking about it and really rooting myself that this was a campaign for disability justice, and everything would always pivot back to that center.
Denny: We asked Rebecca how she handled being perceived as the woman who only talked about disability issues during her campaign.
Rebecca: That was the lady with a cane, the one trick pony with a cane. I would call myself at a point in time. Um, what you’re saying is true. There were some people that would be able to see the far through the trees with me of affordable housing is a disability issue. We need affordable, accessible housing and it’s not just accessible with an elevator in the building. That’s my disability experience, but there are other people with disabilities that, okay, you need to have your handles lower. You need to have your counter heights changed.
Denny: Surely a candidate like Rebecca, who is so passionate about disability would be fully embraced by everyone in the community.
Rebecca: So unfortunately, there wasn’t much support from formal disability groups for me during my campaign in New York City. We have what is called the 504 Democrats, which is a citywide disability center Democratic club. And they endorsed a person without a disability in my race. And it really upset me. And that unfortunately kind of colored my experience and opinion with them and some other formal groups going forward.
Coming from the political space, I understand wanting to go to the power and wanting to have a seat at the table. And sometimes you have to choose the person that’s going to win, even if there’s someone else you like better. But with something as personal as running for office with a disability, how few people do it and to have a candidate running so vocally, opening and powerfully as a woman with a disability on a campaign rooted in disability justice — that was really, really hurtful. I’m not going to lie to you.
But outside of that, I was very blessed to have individual disability advocates from throughout the country come together to help me learn about disability issues that are not personal to me in my experience as a disabled woman, to help me meet other people that could offer advice that had run for office or were working within the government space and had experience with this. And so it was those individuals that really surrounded me and gave me the cocoon of love from our community that I do wish had been there from other larger organizations, but just unfortunately was not, because politics makes for strange bedfellows as the saying goes, right?
Denny: As a result of her campaign, Rebecca became more active in disability rights movements, including mentoring others who want to run for office.
Rebecca: I’m a board member of an organization called Disability Victory, which is aimed specifically at helping disabled people run for office and or work on campaigns that are accessible and engender real disability justice and disability inclusion in them. And through that, we do campaign trainings where it’s everything from how do you talk about being a person with a disability on a campaign, getting comfortable with that, what you want to share, what you don’t want to share. Kind of like I spoke about with my own journey and experience on that — things like how do you develop a campaign platform? And how do you then pivot those issues back to disability justice and disability rights?
We actually just did a great hour-long talk about that specifically where I led the conversation. I had everyone choose a policy. And by the end of the hour, we took that policy from not being about disability rights to making it about disability rights to show that it is possible and these aren’t niche issues. And, if people are interested, they can follow Disability Victory on Facebook, X and Instagram. And we also have a website, DisabilityVictory.org. And we’re doing more trainings coming up in 2024.
Our next one will be about canvassing with a disability because, not surprising for anyone here that’s listening, it’s not so easy. And campaigns are not made for disabled people. And that’s people like myself with mobility aids and mobility issues. That’s for people that are blind, that’s for people that are deaf, that’s for so many different disabled people because campaigns are made for one kind of person and it’s a cis white rich man — typically.
And that’s not politics. That’s not my politics. That’s not what I want our country, our society, my city to be. And so Disability Victory is working on that specifically. And so in January, we’ll be talking about canvassing with a disability. We’re going to be having some fireside chats to also just offer more emotional support for candidates in this space because running for office is so difficult and isolating. But when you’re running with a disability, it’s even more so because traditional spaces in politics aren’t made for us and they don’t include us.
And when we do go to them, we’ll be made to feel that way, at least in my experience at times here in New York. So, making sure that we have a space that is specifically for us. And I’m really proud that that’s Disability Victory now.
Denny: In the world of politics, we were interested how Rebecca developed a thick skin.
Rebecca: I was born with a bit of a thick skin. It definitely got thicker, though, after my subway accident.
You know, when you go out every day and people see you and they’re gonna pry and they’re gonna ask questions, they’re gonna look at you differently, and I am out here with an invisible disability with my cane — and I still get those stares and those questions and those uncomfortable moments. So, it’s made me develop a much thicker skin. It’s also made me get really quippy. Like for example, when I walk down the sidewalk in my neighborhood and people are staring at me, I like to stop and look at them and go, “Show’s here all day everybody” and then watch them laugh and get uncomfortable. I also like to call people out if they’re staring. I’ll be like “Let me do a trick!” And then, they like look away anxiously and uncomfortably. It’s made me develop a thick skin but also, it’s given me a confidence in myself that [pause]. I was always a confident person before, but it’s a different and it’s difficult to put into words the kind of confidence that comes from knowing who you are when you may be at your lowest. And even if you’re not there physically, but emotionally at your lowest from what someone has said or done or how you’re feeling that day or (for me), what my mobility is that day. And just knowing that still doesn’t define who you are. And if people see you as just that, that’s a reflection on them.
And it’s such a confidence that I feel very lucky to have. And it’s something that it took a while for me to develop, but I’m here now and I’m really thankful to be. And to feel this good about myself 10 years in the game. Lately, Rebecca offers motivation to those with disabilities who are interested in running for political office. If you’re a person with a disability, thinking about running for office, it’s probably the scariest thing you’ve ever thought about for big and small reasons but it could also be the best thing you’ve ever thought about.
I didn’t win, but I am so thankful that I ran for office. I am thankful for what it taught me about myself, what it taught me about disability rights, disability issues. I’m thankful for the community it helped me create around myself. And I’m also thankful for the platform it’s given me as a person with a disability to now call out things that I see, share my experiences, shine a light on things that so many people have said, ‘I never thought about that, Rebecca’.
Just today, a friend texted me, ‘a woman with a walker can’t get down the subway stairs right now, and I wouldn’t have thought about that if it wasn’t for you’, — talking about subway accessibility. And that’s a small thing, but that’s someone that would have never thought about that if I hadn’t been out there running as I was and talking about things like I did and getting comfortable being uncomfortable at times. And so it’s the scariest thing you may be thinking about, but it could be the best thing you’ve ever done, not just for yourself, for your community, for our larger disability community, for our country. Because if we don’t have a seat at the table, we’re on the menu and policies never have us in mind. And so we have to put ourselves in people’s mind.
So take that step! Be bold! Don’t be afraid! And feel free to reach out to me on social media, because I’m always going to be here to tell you that, you know, you’re either a Smart A [Beep] with a mobility aid like me or, you know, something else that will build you up and get you back out there in the streets fighting for us. Because we need more voices in our disability chorus.
Denny: You’re listening to Pushing Limits on 94.1 KPFA. I’m Denny Daughters. We just heard from Rebecca Lamorte who ran for a New York City Council position in 2021. Today, we are talking to people with disabilities who run for public office. Our next guest is Liz Campos who sets on the Ventura City Council. Campos decided to run for office because she was frustrated that city hall wasn’t responding to the needs of the people in her community. 94.1 KPFA.
Liz Campos: Well, I’ve been active in my community for 20 years and particularly the last 10 years I spent on the board of the Westside Community Council, my neighborhood community council. And after becoming chair of that board, I realized that City Council wasn’t listening to the people, the diverse voices in the community properly. I also, for almost seven years, attended every city council meeting, listened to what they were doing, spoke to them many times often with no result. And I decided that it’s important for people to be on an elected body who will listen to the entire community.
So I didn’t come just to be a voice for people with disabilities, but to be a voice for everyone who feels disenfranchised.
Denny: While many people in the Compos community were excited by her candidacy, those in City Hall sang a different tune.
Liz: Because I had been active in my community. Ventura has districts. My district is about 8,000 registered voters. But I had spent two and a half years in my community holding public rallies to fight against the expansion of a Southern California gas compressor that is across the street from an elementary school. And that alone is disabling many children not just with asthma, but with central nervous system problems and cancers.
So the community knew me already from that battle and had gotten accustomed to seeing me in the wheelchair, but knowing that I was there for them. So, my community didn’t show a lot of disdain or problem for me as a person with a disability.
Where the pushback came was from a couple of the other candidates but also from some of the higher-level city staff who looked at me as an imbecile or had the attitude that I would never be able to serve on city council. And so, I shouldn’t be encouraged. And that was a difficult battle, both before and after getting elected.
Denny: Ventura City Hall wasn’t ready for Campos to assume office, or any person with a physical disability for that matter.
Liz: Ah Ventura City Hall is not the most accessible location, in part because it’s up on the top of a pretty steep hill, California Street. It has a beautiful view of the ocean, but for a person in a wheelchair — a manual wheelchair cannot make it up the hill by its own steam. I’m in an electric wheelchair and I can roll up to City Hall, but when I leave City Hall, I have to roll backwards because the hill is too steep. And that’s just to get to City Hall. There is a ramp on the street level that goes up into the building. And that is there because about 11 years ago, I sued the city for access. So they made the public area more accessible with bathrooms and a ramp and electronic doors.
When I got elected to City Council, anyone would have expected that the council dais and council area would be made accessible. December 12th will be my one-year anniversary and I still cannot use the bathroom where all the other Council members use the bathroom. I have to leave the dais, exit the Council area out into the hallway, and go to the other end of the building for an accessible bathroom during meetings.
For the first several months, the way I got up on the dais was they threw a piece of plywood over a steep staircase. And so I would roll up, but again, I had to roll backwards off of that. And this was all during the tenure of that acting city manager who was here, who wasn’t happy about me being here. My wheelchair ultimately got broken rolling down because it started to slide sideways, and the brakes broke. So, the city’s paying for the repair of that wheelchair.
That acting city manager resigned, and our new city manager is incredibly kind and generous and working very hard to ensure not just my access, but everybody’s. He’s had the city hold trainings for every staff member to learn about disability access. And so, I appreciate that none of that would have happened had I not been here. And it’s not just about me.
It’s about every person in the community that is challenged with barriers to access.
Denny: One of their priorities for Liz is creating more accessible and affordable housing in the city, an issue she is currently experiencing.
Liz: So, I still have not found housing in my district that is wheelchair accessible and affordable. And the cost of housing in Ventura just keeps getting higher and higher. So, I’m currently living in a [pause]. It’s, it’s a van, but it’s not a little tiny van. It formerly was an access bus and a paratransit bus. So, it has a ramp. It’s pretty big. It’s about 16 feet of living space. I have solar panels on top. I can cook. I have a camping toilet. So, it suffices while I’m still looking for housing.
But really — Affordable housing for people with disabilities and seniors on limited income does not currently exist in the city of Ventura except through Section Eight. And the Section Eight waiting list currently is 15 years long.
Denny: Upon hearing what Liz spent on her campaign, our interviewer Jacob was speechless.
Liz: I didn’t raise a lot of money. I probably spent the least money of anyone who’s ever run for Ventura City Council. And people who are rich will spend a lot of money, but it really isn’t about the money as much as about how you connect with people. I put a website up that cost me $100, and I used it for fundraising. And I had all the videos from the rallies I did and from public meetings and… I think I posted a video from one of the events I did with the ILRC [Independent Living Resource Center], and then I just made a couple short videos talking about the cost of running, but how important it is for me to be there to represent the people.
I put a PayPal link to the campaign bank account, and I raised just about $3,000. Of that money, I had two events in a park and gave away free tacos that cost about $1,200. And I spent $800 on t-shirts saying Vote for Liz Campos in two languages. And I gave away the t-shirts free. I had 2,000 t-shirts of all sizes. So, people in my district were walking billboards for me.
The other thing that’s important to do is to meet with unions or organizations. iIf you get their support and get an endorsement who will knock on doors for you. Because both Santa Barbara and Ventura, for example, are a little bit hilly and they’re old. There’s narrow sidewalks. There’s front gates that a wheelchair can’t get through. People don’t answer their doors to strangers.
Because I couldn’t knock on doors myself, I held events at the park. But I had CAUSE who endorsed me, and Stonewall Democrats and the county Democrats endorsed me, and they knocked on all the doors in my neighborhoods for me. And they also paid for mailers. Because they endorsed me, they paid for the mailers. So, when I finished my campaign, I had $800 left that I donated to a local nonprofit organization.
Denny: Like Rebecca, Liz also offers words of encouragement to people with disabilities who are interested in running for public office.
Liz: Don’t hesitate to do it. Get to know other people as much as possible. Speak at rallies and events. And make sure you get video of those things so that you can put it online when you’re running. That way other people who don’t know you get to know you.
But I think that there are people still who have animosity to us as people with disabilities, but more and more people are recognizing we’re not so different from them. So, I would encourage everybody who wants to run for public office to run. Even if you lose the first time, keep at it because it helps everybody in the disability community — win or lose — if people see us in public and hear us speak and recognize that we’re good people.
Denny: Our last guest is Chris Hinds on the Denver City Council.
Chris Hinds: I’m the first elected official in Denver’s history, local, state or federal, who uses a wheelchair to get around. My decision to seek elected office is because we’ve never had disability representation in Denver. I have an acquired disability. I grew up as an able-bodied individual. I was in a crash in 2008.
The Democratic National Convention was here in Denver in 2008. I was on a bike and got hit by a car. So, um, I went from being on three soccer teams to, uh, learning how to sit up in bed and, uh, I have a spinal cord injury. It is a T-3, do, um, third thoracic vertebra and, uh, I now use a wheelchair to get around.
I started looking around and I didn’t see people with disabilities in areas of power or influence, or I couldn’t find a lot of role models that I really wanted to aspire to be. You know, as the Gandhi quote is, “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I realized that it was important for me, if I felt like I could represent people with disabilities, then I had an obligation to do so.
Denny: Chris talks about a few challenges he faced while trying to run for office.
Chris: You know, much of campaigning is knocking on doors and telling people, you know, sharing with people, one-on-one, your story.
I can’t do that because most of the homes have at least one step right before the front entrance. In some ways that was great for me because I can’t knock on any doors at all because of my wheelchair and those steps to get to the front door, but no one else could either. Because 80% of the people I represent in central Denver live in apartments or condominium buildings, you know, secure access buildings.
Campaigning is grueling for anyone. It, it takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of energy. It takes, it takes a lot of focus. And so, someone with a, you know, with a disability has to spend more time doing things and can’t do things that other people can. And so being a candidate and campaigning and making phone calls and worrying about pressure sores, some pressure ulcers.
I don’t have control over my bowel or bladder function like I used to, because just it’s all paralyzed. I would be at a venue, turns out that the restroom wasn’t wheelchair accessible. I mean, there were times when I would pee on myself. In addition to having to learn how to say something compelling to someone and really get them to want to vote for me instead of anyone else, I also had the more basic thing of I’m being myself, how do I minimize that? How do I keep someone from realizing that I am embarrassing myself in a public space?
Denny: There are people with a wide variety of disabilities serving in various positions all across the USA. The National Council of Independent Living maintains an online database of elected officials that Jacob used to find guests for today’s show. A link to the database can be found on the KPFA archives page for this show.
We’d like to thank today’s guests, Rebecca, Liz and Chris.
And thanks also to the whole Pushing Limits collective for another great year of Disability Radio. Today’s interviews and script were done by Jacob Lesner Buxton, announcing and audio production by Denny Daughters. Contact us by email (all one word) PushingLimits at KPFA.org, catch us on Facebook at Pushing Limits Radio, or you can visit our website at Pushing Limits Radio.org.
Stay tuned for Talk It Out. This is 94.1 KPFA.
Keep on Pushing Theme Song. [Keep on Pushing sung by Curtis Mayfield]
The post Politicians with Disabilities – Pushing Limits – December 29, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
In a world where she could be anything, Sarah Rodriguez became a certified professional dog trainer. Many would have imposed limitations on her in their minds because Sarah Lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a rare neuromuscular disease that affects individuals’ control of their voluntary muscles. She is living proof that individuals living with disabilities are just as capable dog trainers and pet owners as their able-bodied counterparts.
On this pet-friendly program, Sarah shares her expertise and experience as owner of Homeschooled Hound, the business she started to teach others how to grow closer with their furry friends. We hear where her passion for animals began and the science behind positive reinforcement.
Listen in for Sarah’s tips for more accessible pet training and pet caring for those across the spectrum of mobility.
Produced and edited by Dominick Trevethan. This program originally aired in a longer form on the Disability Myth.
TRANSCRIPT♪ Keep on pushing, keep on pushing ♪ ♪ I’ve got to keep on pushing,
keep on pushing ♪ ♪ I can’t stop now ♪ ♪ Move up a little higher, some way, somehow ♪
Dominick Trevethan: Welcome to Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program by and about people with disabilities that airs every Friday at 2:30pm. My name is Dominick Trevethan and I will be your host today as I am joined by my friend Sarah Rodriguez, owner of Homeschooled Hound.
Sarah also lives with spinal muscular atrophy, the same genetic condition that I was born with. Essentially, we both have extremely limited range of motion, as the motor neurons that control our voluntary muscles lack a protein needed to stay alive and healthy. As a result of this, our muscles are extremely atrophied, which has led us to live our lives as power wheelchair users. As you will hopefully come to learn throughout the rest of this program, despite the fact that we look different, we are adaptable and we can accomplish anything that anyone else can. On today’s program, we will be talking about ways in which people with disabilities can adapt to become capable dog trainers and pet owners, despite the misconception that we may struggle to do so.
Additionally, this program aired as a one hour-long discussion on my podcast, “The Disability Myth,” which I co-host with my caretaker and best friend, Uriel Ruelas. If you’d like to learn more about me, Uriel, and our takes on the disabled experience, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and /or YouTube. Also, be sure to keep up with us on socials, such as Facebook and Instagram @thedisabilitymyth, all one word. In the meantime, here are Sarah’s thoughts on those misconceptions that I mentioned earlier:
Sarah Rodriguez: So I know that a lot of people think like, “Oh, you can’t you know make physical contact with your dog if you’re like in a wheelchair, so you can’t provide comfort and love to them,” or, “You mustn’t be able to feed them, because physically it’s hard for you to move,” and I think there’s so many different ways to meet the dog’s needs or any animal’s needs for that matter. And like for example you know I think so many people think like ‘oh I just love to hug my dog’ and as a dog trainer I can tell you like most dogs actually hate to be hugged. Humans love to like hug people and that’s how they show affection. But when you look at like dogs together and they’re like have a deep bond, they like to curl up next to each other. They’ll lick them, they’ll like be near them. But it’s not like they’re like petting each other or hugging them. So even if a dog like sleeps with you or curls up next to you, that’s a lot of what they need as far as social and physical contact.
And there are definitely ways that we can love on them, give them scritches and just have fun with them, play with them. As a dog trainer, I do a lot of adaptive training with people. So I make it accessible for them so if they have a disability, we work around how we can make it possible for them to build a bond through playing and training, how they can feed them in different ways and so I love to be able to do that because it really opens up people’s worlds to really help them be the primary caretaker for their dog.
Dominick T.: Now I’m a big fan of dogs. Throughout the course of my life, I’ve probably had two different dogs. However, unfortunately due to circumstances, I never had them for very long. Perhaps if I had, I may have become a dog trainer like Sarah. So I asked her where her passion for dog training and animals in general came from.
Sarah R.: Yeah, so I actually started out, we adopted our first dog from the animal shelter when I was five years old. And I actually was very scared of dogs when I was a child. So it’s funny because like I went from being afraid of dogs to like absolutely adoring them once I adopted her. It was just like ‘oh my gosh like I just love this feeling of like just so much non -judgmental unconditional love’. Like dogs don’t have expectations of how we’re supposed to look or what we’re supposed to be able to do. They just love you for who you are and so my passion I think for animals really started there. And then I started volunteering at the animal shelter when I was a young teen and I realized how many people just don’t understand their dog or have a bond with them. And so, they would give them up at the animal shelter. And so, I really wanted to help people experience the joy of sharing their life with an animal and also to be able to bond with them and understand what they needed through training.
Dominick T.: One of the things that I’ve come to love most about animals is the fact that they don’t have prejudice. They either like you or they don’t. However, it’s always been my perception and likely a misconception that dogs and animals in general tend to freak out at the sight of my wheelchair. Common experiences include lots of barking and running around. So, I asked Sarah, how wheelchair users and those with a mobility device can overcome this.
Sarah R.: My goal is to find what makes the animal want to do things. And so we pull that reinforcement and we find what motivates them. And so we’re able to get the behaviors that we want. Not by forcing them, it doesn’t take physical force. In fact, you have a deeper relationship with your dog if you let them choose to want to listen to you.
And as far as like the fear of wheelchairs and all of that… A lot of times… like I mean I work with a bunch of different clients and dogs are always coming, and some are not familiar with like a moving wheelchair. And so I just try to like stay still in the beginning and let the dog really get comfortable
Because sometimes if we move to too much in the beginning, they’re like ‘oh my god somebody’s like sitting randomly on the sidewalk and they’re moving” and it’s just like mind -blowing for them.
So I think the first thing is just let them kind of come up and sniff you and be able to (and you might want to turn off your wheelchair because I have been driven by animals before). But it’s really surprising how much dogs gain confidence and get information by sniffing. So by providing them that opportunity to just sniff and kind of go at their own pace without us doing anything like to move too much or anything like that, it really gives them the time. And so if like you’re adopting a dog and they’re maybe kind of a little nervous, what you can do is just like toss treats to them or have somebody else toss treats as you move tiny, tiny bits from further away. So they’re never like forced to be too close to something that’s scary. And then we use classical conditioning by making a positive association. So every time he or she moves, I get a treat. So then moving is actually a really good thing.
Dominick T.: The power of understanding motivations is obviously a great tool for any pet owner. But you might be wondering, what are some more tangible ways that individuals living with disabilities can adapt training methods to make them just a little more accessible.
Sarah R.: Yeah, so I think one of the things like when we talk about luring a dog — so that means like putting a treat in front of their nose and holding it up over their head and going back to get the dog to sit, for example. Sometimes that can be really hard to do because you have to like bend over and reach the dog way down to the ground. So you can raise the dog up. You can put them on a sofa, or on a training platform, or on top of a couple stairs so you can reach them better.
I know one thing that I do, even just for people who have a puppy and are teaching loose leash walking, it can be really hard to be reinforcing the dog with treats and you have to like bend all the way to the ground because the puppy is so small. You can use a little spoon like a wooden spatula or something like that that’s longer, you know. Those wooden paint sticks they have at Home Depot, you can smear some peanut butter on the end of that and then give the dog a little lick as they’re walking with you. So there’s a lot of ways to make training more adaptable.
There’s also like, it’s called like when you use clickers, you can use like an app on the phone, so it’s just like a touch instead, or you can just use a word like ‘yes’ to mark a behavior. You don’t have to use a clicker. So there’s a lot of ways to really adapt training, and then of course the automatic treat dispensers, so that you don’t have to be physically right there. You can feed the dog from afar.
Dominick T.: A lot of these ideas that Sarah mentions are really innovative, cost effective, and surprisingly simple. So we continue the conversation by asking her the most innovative adaptation that she has made in regards to her pet training regimen.
So surprisingly, that would be a wrapping paper roll. So I was teaching my dog to walk on a treadmill at the time and I couldn’t… every time I tried to toss a treat into the bowl that was on it, it would roll off and then he’s like falling off the treadmill. So I got a wrapping paper — you know the roll inside their wrapping paper? It’s long and so it’s like a shoot. So I was able to drop the treats perfectly in there and then that ended up being a really cool way to actually feed your dog too. If you want to just dump the food into the bowl without it bouncing out everywhere you can use a wrapping paper roll.
Dominick T.: Again, these adaptations are surprisingly simple, and they are easy to implement in the home. However, just like any other animal, dogs need to go out and socialize with other dogs. So we asked Sarah if she had any tips on socializing dogs for those with a mobility device, such as a wheelchair.
Sarah R.: Yeah, so I think for somebody with a disability, it’s always wise to have someone with you who can help in dangerous situations. For example, I don’t walk my dog myself just because sometimes there’s loose dogs that come running out of nowhere and I don’t want them to hurt my dog. And it’s not like I can just pick him up and go.
So I always like to have that little safety net but you would be surprised like how many opportunities there are as far as resources go. So if you don’t have someone who can walk with you, you can find a neighbor or you know, there are so many different ways that you can even hire someone for really cheap to go on walks with you just to keep your dog safe.
But as far as socialization, I think it’s really important to know the other dog that your dog’s going to be socializing with. So for example, I often tell clients if you’re looking for a doggy friend for your dog, you can go to like a dog park, but dog parks can be really dangerous. So what I tell people is go without your dog and just stand there and watch the dogs play. And if you see a dog that’s playing really, really nicely and proper social behavior, that’s really polite, is to see a dog kind of doing 50/50 of like chasing the dog and then being chased. So you never want to choose a dog that’s just like chasing another dog all the time, because that’s kind of more of a bully behavior. So you want to look for friends to your dog who is very kind and gentle with other dogs and plays appropriately. And then you can ask them, them, “Hey, you know, I have a dog, would you be willing to kind of do like a play date?”
And so you can start with like dogs on leash and just kind of parallel walking so that they get used to each other’s scent. They can sniff. They’re still on the move, so it’s not confrontational. And then if something goes wrong, each person already has the leash on their dog. They can just pull them apart much easier. So that’s a nice way to do introductions. That’s much safer. And then of course, you can do positive reinforcement too. So, if your dog is really, really shy, just let them see dogs from afar and get treats and then leave.
Social interactions should not be very long. So I would say like under 45 minutes, probably like 30 minutes. Because if a dog gets tired, either your dog or the other dog, and then one of the dogs wants to play more, that’s where we can get into issues where one dog gets aggressive because they’re like, ‘Stop already, I’m tired’. So we want to keep it very short. And that can also reduce chances of aggression as well.
Dominick T.: At this point in our conversation, I thought to myself, “Wow, Sarah must really help a lot of people”. But as she details, some people aren’t so quick to accept her as a professional. And some even disregard her entirely based off of the fact that she has a visible disability.
Sarah R.: Yeah, so I actually have had some negative experiences. So at first I started out, you know, I would talk to the potential client and answer their questions and set everything up. And then, you know, okay, so we’re going to get together, you know, next Tuesday. And I would say, and, ‘You know, just to let you know, I’m in a wheelchair’. So I just, you know, either I would ask them ‘Is your house, you know, accessible or other stairs, or can we meet outside?” Or, you know, ‘You’re welcome to come to me’. And, you know, I’ll get people like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s that’s interesting you’re in a wheelchair. Yeah, so I’m really gonna have to call you back. Let me just check with my wife,’ or like you know, whatever, and then they would never call back.
So then I started kind of testing it. And I was like, maybe I just won’t tell people. And I’ll just tell them I’m doing it at my house and they can come to me. So I started doing that. And then people would like… I would definitely get more clients. And then, because they were already there, then they can just, you know, go through the session. And then they were really happy with the information they got. And so they would continue coming.
But it’s crazy, how that thought that like ‘oh they’re disabled well how can they possibly help me train my dog?’ And I think it stems a lot from the mentality of like dominance theory and all of that. That like well you’ve got to be physically you know keep pushing your dogs to the ground and that kind of thing and use a lot of force and and all of that. And I think you know that’s unfortunately why that contributes to somebody with a disability being a dog trainer, maybe not getting as many clients because people think, ‘Oh, they can’t possibly do it’. And I’ve actually, I did have one client who did come and she was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect, you know, someone in a wheelchair’. And like, she ended up not even paying me for that session and she wasn’t even like paying attention. It was like, she didn’t even want to look at me. It was like, it was so horrible.
Dominick T.: You’re listening to Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program about disability. The voice you just heard was that of Sarah Rodriguez, who is owner of Homeschooled Hound. And today, we’ve been talking about ways in which people with disabilities can adapt to become capable dog trainers and pet owners — despite the misconception that we may struggle to do so.
In my discussion with her, Sarah came off as a very experienced and knowledgeable dog trainer. Her list of credentials is long and actually includes being a certified professional dog trainer, certified dog behavior consultant, and a Fear Free Professional. Now just like any other professional, Sarah spent a lot of time earning those credentials through various programs. So we took the time to ask her about her experience as someone studying how to become a certified professional dog trainer with a disability.
Sarah R.: Yeah, so at first, I was trying to find a school that would accommodate me and, surprisingly, a lot of them would not. You know, I would ask them, you know, ‘I’m in a wheelchair, like can we make adaptions or, you know, I want to be able to train dogs.’ And they weren’t interested in helping me. So there was one that did and it was called the Ethology Institute. And so that’s where I got my first certification as a certified professional dog trainer. So there was a lot of like book learning and all of that and exams. And then once you complete that, you had to do what was called a proficiency verification exam. So you had to train your dog like a series of really complicated behaviors. And I think the only adaption that they had to make for that exam was one of the behaviors was to weave through your legs. And obviously, I couldn’t do that. So I had my dog weave through cones which is actually harder to teach and so they were totally open to that. That was fine.
And then the handling thing. In the beginning you’re supposed to like have the dog in a heel position and accept handling and I couldn’t do the handling. So somebody else just had to do the handling, which again is harder because if the dog’s already trained with you, they’re going to be more comfortable with you handling them.
And then lastly, some of the behaviors were on leash, and I just opted to do it off leash. So there was no chance of getting tangled up or anything like that. And again, off leash is harder, because the dog knows they can just wander off if they wanted to. So they were really accommodating, though, and I was able to pass. So, so yeah, that was really awesome.
And then, so that was the first certification program. And then the second one was the CDBC was like a written exam. And you had to share case studies and like answer a bunch of questions. So all of that was just like written type stuff to test your knowledge. And then the Fear Free program was the same. It was a lot of online stuff. And then you take the test and get your certification. With the CPDT, I also had to put in a certain amount of hours with…
I think it was like 300 hours or something like that. It’s been several years now. I can’t remember exactly. But I just did a lot of training with like friends and family’s dogs, and then I did shelter dogs as well. So that’s how I got the experience, like learning with a variety of dogs.
Dominick T.: Three hundred hours for one credential is no joke, not to mention the other two that she has. And Sarah has obviously put in the time and the effort to reach her level of expertise. However, some people may try to undermine the whole process.
Sarah R.: And it’s sad because like there’s actually no, there’s no like laws against calling yourself a dog trainer. So people like the dog whisperer or dog daddy can just be like, “Today I’m a dog trainer,” and they have no certification, no like prior learning whatsoever, and they just do their own thing. So it’s really important that whenever you’re looking for a trainer to make sure that they’ve done the work, that they’ve learned, because you’re paying a lot of money for someone just to call themselves a dog trainer. So you want to make sure that they have certifications. It’s not a lot out there, like as far as information goes about this. And so, you know, well-meaning pet parents are just wanting to get their dog trained. And so they go to the nearest, you know, dog trainer they find on Google. And unfortunately, sometimes that means that the person is not credited. And so you always want to make sure that they have credentials and when they say that they do, you can look them up. You can always make sure too that if you’re looking for a dog trainer, you don’t want to go for a Board and Train because what happens is a lot of times these kennels will take your dog and charge you a ton of money and the dog stays in a kennel all day and then comes out for training for like an hour or two a day. So they’re really not getting, they’re basically staying in a cage stressed out for a majority of the day. And so if you do board and train, you want to make sure it’s a certified trainer who keeps it at their house or they come to you and they’re really intensely working with your dog, because you’re paying way too much money for your dog to sit in a kennel.
Sarah R.: And always go with your gut if you feel like something a trainer is doing is wrong or harmful to your dog. Always go with your gut because that usually will not steer you wrong. And make sure that you know, you advocate for your dog all the time.
Dominick T.: Towards the end of our conversation with Sarah it became obvious to both Uriel and I that she would train practically any animal and she’s capable of it too. So, given the bad rap that they get in the media, we asked Sarah about her thoughts on pit bulls and the aggression that they are typically associated with.
Sarah R.: Yeah, so I think it’s really a matter of breeding. So unfortunately, there’s a lot of people who breed dogs for dog fighting, for example. And so, the genetic line that they’re going to choose is going to be dogs who have a predisposition towards being more aggressive, for example. But even with that being the case, pit bulls were bred to be aggressive to other dogs, never people. So if a dog has an aggression, it would usually be towards a dog within that breed.
But I think they get a bad rep because they are bigger and more powerful dogs. So if a chihuahua bites somebody, it’s not gonna make the news ’cause they made a nick in their big toe. But if a pit bull bites someone’s arm and there’s gonna be a bigger mark, the person’s gonna be more traumatized ’cause that was just a more scary experience. And that’s the case with any larger dog. But unfortunately, that’s what makes the news. And so people hear one story and think, ‘Oh, you know, pit bulls are bad’, but that’s not the case at all. They’re very, very sweet dogs. They have great personalities, and they’re not, you know, a dangerous type of dog.
It really, again, depends on their upbringing. And their genetics, too, plays a part, so you always want to make sure that you, you know, learn about the dog. Be careful where you get them from, if you’re going to choose a breeder. But there are plenty of really amazing dogs at the shelter who have been temperament tested. Or go with a rescue who knows a lot about the dog and they can you know have been in foster care and so they can tell you all about them.
Dominick T.: Feeling enlightened on various fronts regarding dog training and common misconceptions associated with it. We asked Sarah if she had any advice for individuals that may be hesitant towards taking in a pet regardless of their level of mobility.
Sarah R.: Yeah, I think as far as advice goes, just remember that you’re not in it alone. You can really build a support system by using resources. You’d be surprised how many people would love to help.
So there are so many people who wish they could have a dog but they don’t have the time. I see it all the time in like the Next Door app. People want to like walk dogs because they find it really relaxing, or helpful for their depression, or you know they want to get out more but they want to have a reason to. And so they’ll walk your dog for free, you know you can just put it out there and say ‘Hey you know I need somebody to help me walk my dog.’ And see what’s available. Maybe you know there’s some people you pay a couple bucks or you know ask a neighbor or a friend. But I think just remember that you’re never alone and that you can seek people to help you and then find resources.
As far as ways that you can adapt things, because there is always a way, If you think like ‘Oh I can’t play with my dog,’ you absolutely can. It just takes a little bit more adoption, but there are ways to use lightweight toys. You can teach a dog to enjoy fetching an empty water bottle. It doesn’t weigh much and it’s easier to throw or use an automatic ball launcher, like the iFetch.
So there’s a lot of different ways that we can make it accessible for us to work with dogs, to train them, to bond with them, to play with them, to feed them — everything needed for their care.
Dominick T.: I love these final sentiments by Sarah because they embodied the idea that people with disabilities, you know, we’re not so different that we cannot care for a pet. Where there is a will, there is a way. And on that note, we asked Sarah a question that we tend to ask all of our guests on the podcast ‘What do you wish more people understood about individuals living with disabilities?’
Sarah R.: I wish that more people understood that we were just like everybody else and We’re just as capable. I think so often we get overlooked for what we can do. For example, as a dog trainer, it’s like, well, we can’t physically handle a Great Dane. So therefore, you’re not capable of training one, but we absolutely are. Sometimes it takes more creativity like we talked about and different adaptions, but we are capable of making a difference in the world. And we’re just like everybody else.
Dominick T.: Once again, this is Dominick Trevethan, and I would like to give a big thanks to Sarah Rodriguez for her time and her expertise. Another huge thanks to our engineer Rod Akil and the entire Pushing Limits gang, especially for welcoming a rookie like me onto the team so graciously.
And of course, thank you for listening. Pushing Limits is produced, of course, by a collective of people with disabilities. If you’d like to get in touch with us, contact us by email at pushinglimits, all one word, at kpfa.org. Our website is pushinglimitsradio.org and you can also find us on Facebook at pushinglimitsradio.
Additionally, one final thanks to everyone who joined KPFA during the Winter Fund Drive. If you haven’t joined us, you have until December 31st to make a tax-deductible donation and pick up a thank you gift. Simply go to kpfa.org or call 1-800-439-5732. Again, you can go to kpfa.org or call 1-800-439-5732.
And be sure to stay tuned for Talk It Out Radio coming up next.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Keep on pushing. Woo -hoo. Keep on pushing. What I said now? Keep on pushing. Keep on getting ready. Keep on pushing. It’s gonna be alright now. Keep on.
The post Dogs & People with Disabilities – Pushing Limits – December 22, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Last day of the fund drive. Great programming today.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – December 15, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming – December 8, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
What do a dance teacher, a pastor, a community advocate, and a home care worker have in common? If you said they all could be allies to those with disabilities, you’re right!
On this episode of Pushing Limits we will be talking to individuals with those labels – all of whom work to support and empower those with disabilities.
Join us for a journey into the mind of these allies to find out what motivates them to be in solidarity with those with disabilities, and get tips on how to join them in this important work.
Reports on People with Disabilities and the Israel-Palestine conflict(From DisabilityDebrief.org by Peter Torres Fremlin)
From Palestine, there’s relatively extensive coverage of the situations of disabled people in Gaza. Maha Hussaini, a Gazan journalist, writes about families trying to get out with disabled people after losing their homes. CNN reports on a range of struggles including the impossible dilemma of a director of an orphanage for disabled people: “Where will I leave these children, on the street?”
As well as the investigation from Human Rights Watch, Time has explored the additional barriers disabled people are facing in conflict. Aljazeera offers some short videos on the hardship faced and the experience of a deaf couple: “The planes bomb us. We are deaf so it scares us. There is no one to help us and [we] cannot hear.”
For more of Peter’s news on Palestine go here.
In Israel, one estimate suggests over 50,000 people with disabilities have been evacuated from areas close to the border, to get further from rocket fire. The war is challenging for disabled people, but one hotel is hosting disabled and elderly evacuees for free, and the Shalva National Center has also become a refuge. The so-called “Special in Uniform” unit of the Israeli Defence Forces have been packing and distributing supplies.
For more of Peter’s news on Israel, go here.
For further news on the Israel-Palestine Conflict, including some of the conflict’s ripples beyond the Middle East, go here.
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This program was produced, interviewed and written by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Edited and voiced by Adrienne Lauby.
The post Disability Allies – Pushing Limits – December 1, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
We present a selection of tunes from artists with disabilities: a rock band whose members are Deaf, a jazz number about dealing with clueless social service providers, disability pride hip hop, and a xylophone short from Denny Daughters – who also edited and voiced this program.
Plus a band comprised of neurodiverse students from Cal State East Bay and more.
Great music, great musicians and some relaxing fun.
Produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton.
The post Musicians with Disabilities – Pushing Limits – November 24, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Have you ever ended up on one side or the other of a lawsuit related to disability? If so, KPFA listeners want to hear from you!
Call Friday during the live show: 510-848-4425 or 800-958-9008.
The business community likes to complain about disabled people who make a living suing them for the lack of accessibility. Have you ever been one of these people? Ever sued your landlord or a government agency for not allowing you to live in an apartment or participate in civil life? If so, what was that like?
We also want your thoughts on suits that take on government agencies or corporations on behalf of the larger disability community. Often these suits are filed by disability non-profits with social change in mind. Has a suit like this helped you out? Have you seen changes come about as a result of them?
We’ve been looking at Smith v. Oakland, filed by Disability Rights Advocates against the City of Oakland in 2019. That suit seeks to allow disabled persons to live in rent-controlled units, even though a state law called Costa Hawkins prohibits rent control for anything built after 1983. The suit claims that the Federal ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) supersedes the California law.
The post Lawsuits – Pushing Limits – November 17, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
In this program, Pushing Limits brings you information about disabled people in Gaza who are affected by the Israeli invasion.
Then, your host, Eddie Ytuarte, shares other news of special interest to the disability community and spins some music by musicians with disabilities.
Photo: Gigi Ibrahim
Text Description: A man with a beard and mustache lays flat in a simple hospital bed. Both arms are hoisted to the side with tubes and bandages. There is a canola going to his nose. He is partially covered by a brown blanket and we see a hand adjusting it.
Flicker: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gigiibrahim/8202157529
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
The post “Disabled in Gaza and Other News” – Pushing Limits – November 10, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Chelsea Lesner-Buxton is a legally-blind woman in her late 20s who lives with emotional disabilities.
In this program she talks to her about her abusive childhood and her intense struggle to find a reason to live.
In only two-three years, her life has improved significantly and she believes she has the tools to continue with this firm foundation.
She tells us how she found those tools, why they have been such a help to her and speaks directly to those who may feel hopeless today.
“Just because you feel like you’re at your wits end with your mental health or you’re at such a low point that you don’t feel like you can ever go up – trust me, I was there. With the right supports (and it does take work; it really does), you can get to a point where you’re more stable and you’re feeling better about yourself.
“You’re never alone no matter how much you feel like you’re alone. There’s always somebody, even if it’s a stranger, that cares!” Chelsea Lesner-Buxton
Produced and hosted by Adrienne Lauby
Audio editing help by Denny Daughters
The post Chelsea Lesner-Buxton – Blind & Living With Mental Disability – Pushing Limits – November 3, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
We talk to two able-bodied individuals who are attracted to people with disabilities. Some of the individuals have referred to themselves as “devotees”. Not everybody likes this term but there is a community that uses the term to find support for their sexuality as well as a way to find disabled people who might be interested.
We feature interviews with Sarah Mae from Canada as well as “James” from the U.K, who talk about their attraction to those with disabilities. We also talk to a man with disabilities in his mid-20s’ about his experience with dating and his thoughts on the devotee community.
This episode of Pushing Limits is produced and the interviews were done by Jacob Lesner -Buxton. It’s voiced and edited by Denny Daughters.
AnnouncementEmergency Preparedness and Resiliency Survey for Alameda County
The Center for Independent Living’s Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Program Team is collaborating with the World Institute on Disability (WID) to survey people with disabilities in Alameda County. The intention of this survey is to understand people with disabilities’ emergency preparedness, their experiences during emergencies and disasters, and what county or community resources they access, or expect to access. We want to learn what’s working, and what isn’t working. Our goal is to better understand the experiences, needs, and challenges of people with disabilities and how county and community resources can better respond to them.
The survey asks specific and intentional questions carefully crafted by our team. We feel these are the best questions to ask community members in order to achieve our goals outlined above. However, we understand that this survey might not leave room for your entire perspective and all of its nuances. We will be holding a series of focus groups and community listening sessions in the near future, which you will have the opportunity to sign up for at the end of this survey. We estimate the survey may take you 5-15 minutes to complete. Thank you so much in advance for your time and input into this important future community resource! Please circulate this survey far and wide among your family, friends, networks, and communities you are a part of.
Click here to access the survey!
Photo credit: The Disabled And Here collection is a disability-led effort to provide free and inclusive stock photos shot from our own perspective, featuring disabled BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) across the Pacific Northwest. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Disabled_BIPOC_taking_a_selfie.jpg
The post “Devotees” of Disabled People – Pushing Limits – October 27, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs every Friday from 2:30-3 pm.
This program was a rebroadcast of our Oct. 13th show: Judith Lesner, Disability Ally
The post Judith Lesner, Disability Ally – Pushing Limits – October 20, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Judith Lesner came to the disability rights movement early in her life as a counselor for Camp Jenad, which was memorialized in the Oscar-nominated movie Crip Camp. When her son Jacob was born with cerebral palsy, Judith turned her early experiences into fodder for a life of effective, able-bodied ally-ship. Among her other work, Judith taught thousands of parents in workshops to better advocate for their children’s rights in school settings.
Judith died August 30 at age 80 and, in this program, we air excerpts of an interview with her by Tina Lemmon, a student at California State University, Monterey Bay. An activated progressive, Judith speaks of her early disability work in the context of the larger movements of the 1970s and 80s and provides some elder-wisdom for weathering our current right-wing backlash.
Her family, including her son and our producer, Jacob Lesner-Buxton, asks that you carry on her work to bring disability rights into the centers of progressive/left movements. If you don’t, they say, an old Jewish lady will come down from heaven and speak severely to you.
Produced, edited and hosted by Denny Daughters.
The post Judith Lesner, Disability Ally – Pushing Limits – October 13, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – October 6, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – September 29, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – September 22, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Why Socialism?” An answer ~ through the lens of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Our guests are Kristen Smith & C.S. Jackson from the DSA Disability Work Group. They believe the Democrat Socialists of America is the best alternative to the two major parties, and will represent people with disabilities well.
This is an opportunity hear a discussion certainly missing from commercial radio.
Produced and hosted by Eddie Ytuarte.
The post Socialism & Disability – Pushing Limits – September 15, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Brothers Jacob, 23, and Joshua, 21, have been dealing with severe degenerative joint issues, navigating a health care system that does not treat young people with respect, and trying like hell to advocate for themselves and maintain mindfulness. Vertical Mouse used by both brothers. Since high school, Jacob was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Joshua with subluxation of the ECU (extensor carpi ulnaris) tendon in both wrists and ECU instability. Both live with their parents and are finding ways to re-learn, re-prioritize, and re-define success. You can find more of Jacob’s music on music platforms under the name “hasma”. Click below for the full song “itamu” which we play on the program.
Here’s Joshua’s vertical keyboard, photographed from two angles.
These two young men became unexpectedly disabled as they were on the cusp of adulthood. They face the uncertainty of their future with intelligence and courage. The post Young, Relearning & Coping – Pushing Limits – September 8, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – September 1, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Dogs Comfort People in Crisis
Jennifer Barbettini We talk to Jennifer Barbettini, who runs the Courthouse Facility Dog Program in Ventura CA. The program connects victims of crime to doggy comfort when they testify in court and when interviewed by detectives.
Mark Ruefenacht We also talk with Mary Hooker and Mark Ruefenacht with the National Institute of Canine Service and Training. Among its other programs, the organization provides emotional support dogs to first responders around the USA, in particular, to help those with disabilities in crisis.
Despite the shameful legacy of K-9’s used by government institutions to terrorize minority communities, dog lovers continue to train dogs and offer them for support.
Amanda Jurysta
This episode is hosted and voiced by Amanda Jurysta who also work on the audio editing. Jacob Lesner-Buxton was lead producer, Josh Elwood assisted with the interviews and Adrienne Lauby assisted with editing.
The post Crisis Dogs – Pushing Limits – August 25, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – August 18, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Sean Kelson, Program Manager of Interlink, Santa Rosa Peers and Mental Health Recovery with Sean Kelson Our guest, Sean Kelson, has faced mental health challenges since he was a child. He’s also spent over a decade at the Interlink Self-Help center in Santa Rosa, California, helping other people make peace with the mental and emotional disabilities. Now, he’s talking to the movers and shakers in Sonoma County’s wine county about the need to invite sobriety into our community culture. We talk to Sean about his personal journey and what he’s learned about using peer support to deal with severe mental health issues. Is it possible to have a meaningful, connected life while living with an emotional disabilities? Sean not only answers with a powerful, “Yes;” he tells us how we can get there too. A superhero in his own life, Sean has tools in his tool belt that would benefit Batman. And, when someone tells him, “Don’t worry; That’s normal.” He replies, “Hey, Dude, Set your sights a little higher!” Interlink Self-Help Center 1033 Fourth St. Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone: (707) 546-4481 https://interlinkselfhelpcenter.org (Return to this page later this week for more resources for peer mental health and the Mental Health Recovery Movement) This program produced and hosted by Adrienne Lauby. Audio editing by Shelley Berman The post Mental Health w/ Sean Kelson – Pushing Limits – August 11, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – August 4, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – July 28, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – July 21, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – July 14, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
COVID- 19. What is it like for people living with disabilities – past and present? Is Long Covid part of your daily life? Is mass transit safe for disabled people? Who feels safe on an airplane with all mask mandates lifted? Discussion of these issues and more. We invite people with disabilities to call with your experiences, thoughts and concerns: 510-848-4425 And check out this great resource and power-building group organizing around Long Covid, Long Covid Justice. Hosted by Shelley Berman and Adrienne Lauby The post Covid Call In – Pushing Limits – July 7, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Stuttering with Confidence: A Conversation with a Speech Therapist Who Stutters We air an episode of the podcast, Proud Stutter, with Maya Chupkov and Cynthia Chin. Their guest is the wonderful, thoughtful, interesting Bailey Levis. Read more about it on their website here. The post Proud Stutter – Pushing Limits – June 30, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Ligia Andrade Zúñiga A week from today, Governor Newsom is expected to sign the 2023-2024 California state budget. In this program, we look at the deals that were struck and their impact on people with disabilities. Then we widen our camera to talk about our yearly budget advocacy and how our community can become more powerful in this and other policy arenas. Eric Harris, the director of Public Policy at Disability Rights California, breaks down how the state has chosen to invest its money for the next fiscal year. Ligia Andrade Zúñiga, a member of the State Independent Living Council and trustee of the San Mateo Union High School District, discusses the budget’s problems as well as the stress of constantly advocating for services affecting people with disabilities – in particular women of color. Zúñiga and Harris also bring us valuable tips on how to advocate effectively with policymakers on issues of importance to those with disabilities.
Funding programs for our community. How to win more and lose less. What individuals can do.
It’s all coming to your ears on Pushing Limits. Eric Harris Produced and hosted by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Voiced and edited by Adrienne Lauby Eric Harris
Eric Harris was born in Berkeley, California and grew up in Sacramento. He was born with left congenital hip dislocation, which gave him nerve damage in his left leg, right foot and right ankle. He had a number of surgeries growing up. Mr. Harris played on the sheelchair basketball team from BORP to win the National Championship game. As a member of the Under 20 USA Wheelchair Basketball Team he won the international championship. He’s played wheelchair basketball with the Golden State Road Warriors and is one of the founding members of the Sacramento Rollin Kings.
While in college, Mr. Harris focused on public policy and worked for United States Representative Barbara Lee (CA) and Sacramento City Council member Allen Warren. He attended the University of Oregon School of Law and worked at the Democratic National Committee. He’s worked on general policy for the western region and disability policy throughout the country, interned at the American Association for People with Disabilities in Washington, D.C., worked for the California State NAACP. He started to work at Disability Rights California in 2019. Mr. Harris has done community work with disability leaders, community members and elected officials throughout the country. He is a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and attends Bayside Midtown Church in Sacramento, California. Mr. Harris is a member of the State Independent Living Council as a Governor Newsom appointee, and a board member of the Resources for Independent Living in Sacramento. Ligia Andrade Zúñiga Ligia Andrade Zuniga, MPA, is a disability rights advocate and leader focused on the empowerment of marginalized and underrepresented communities primarily women of color with disabilities. Being a first-generation Guatemalan American-woman of color, preserving cultural identity, while embracing intersection and interdependence is extremely important to her. Ms Andrade Zuniga attended Notre Dame De Namur University in Belmont California and has worked in local government and nonprofit for over 15 years. In 2009 almost a year after graduating from graduate school Ligia sustained a spinal cord injury which opened the door to the disability community. She is a volunteer peer supporter through the Spinal Cord Injury Peer Support Program at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center where she rehabilitated. Ms Andrade Zuniga worked for the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center in the deinstitutionalization program where she learned about the Independent Living Movement. Currently, she works as a Sexuality and Disability Educator and Advocate and is an elected trustee and vice president of the Board of Trustees of the San Mateo Union High School District. Ms Andrade Zuniga is highly involved in civic engagement locally primarily influencing policy and regulation around individuals with disabilities. Groups she is affiliated with include; San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities, San Mateo County Public Authority Advisory Committee, San Mateo County Cal Medi Connect Committee, San Mateo County Health Commission, and Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities Board of Directors. Ms Andrade Zunigavalues the visibility of parents with disabilities and has made sure parents with disabilities are visible and taken into consideration through the school experience with their children. The post CA Budget – Disability Advocacy & Results – Pushing Limits – June 23, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – June 16, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Alex and Ellen Rush Alex Rush, 81 years old, recently went under the knife and had his chest pried open. Doctors call this open heart surgery. Hearts are complicated and, when hearts are exposed to the Goddess and everybody, much can happen. One might be shaken to the core. One’s life partner might be turned upside down. Yes, when everything is given over to fate, and mortality stares us in the face – what was buried may surface and what is on the surface may not be all there is to see. Join us as we talk to elders Alex and Ellen Rush about their experience preparing and living through a major surgery. Shelley Berman and Adrienne Lauby interview these long-time spouses about the inner life of an elder undergoing major surgery. With gratitude to John Prine, they sing us a song too! Produced and hosted by Shelley Berman. The post Open Heart Surgery – Pushing Limits – June 9, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – June 2, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – May 26, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – May 19, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – May 12, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – May 5, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
We jump into summer by talking with people who are making seasonal activities accessible to those with disabilities.
Rachael A Zubal-Ruggieri has a passion for comic books and helped start the “Cripping the Comic Con” at Syracuse University. This bi-annual symposium featured topics relating to disability and pop culture.
Then we hear about the California Youth Leadership Forum for students with disabilities. Now in its 31st year, the forum teaches high school students about disability history, advocacy, and culture. We talk to Catherine Campisi, who helped develop the program, about its impact.
Finally we touch base with Curran Brown, the camp director at EmpowHer. Founded in 2021, this year-long leadership program for young women aged 13-18 includes a week-long camping trip in New York. We’ll be talking more to Curran sometime soon.
Grab a cool drink and some ice cream — and enjoy.
The post Disability Summertime – Pushing Limits – April 28, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – April 21, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – April 14, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – April 7, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Building Solidarity Between the Disabled and the Left:The Good, The Bad, and The Inaccessible We talk with two advocates about their experience working in progressive movements where disability is not the primary focus.
Maya Chupkov has worked as an organizer on issues such as affordable housing and promoting democracy. In the past, she has experienced challenges in getting other organizers to understand her stuttering disability.
Maya Chupkov is the producer and host of the podcast “Proud Stutter”
The Rev. Rowan Fairgrove, EP is involved with the Poor Peoples Campaign. This movement aims to unite low-income U.S. citizens to advocate for social and economic justice. Fairgrove talks about the challenges she faces as a wheelchair user at these campaign events and why it is important for alliance building between the progressive and disability communities.
AnnouncementsSF-MOMA’s Raw Materials podcast is featuring Alice Wong and the Disability Visibility Podcast, including a recent interview with Wong about the partnership.
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Accessible currency with different size notes, braille, large print denominations, and high color contrast have been implemented by over a hundred countries. On March 10, the American Council for the Blind organized a rally outside the White House to demand accessible currency in the U.S. as the Treasury is redesigning the $20 bill to include a portrait of Harriet Tubman.
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AXIS Dance Company the troupe with both disabled and non-disabled performers is hiring a Rehearsal Director and Apprentice Dancer. Both deadlines are March 26th. Their phone number is (510) 625-0110.
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CRIPTonite: A Drag & Burlesque Variety Show On Saturday, March 25, 5pm Pacific Daylight time is sold out in-person, but you may be able to watch it live streamed online at thedisabilitycollective.com as we celebrate the intersectionality of queer and disabled identities!
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Thanks to Kevin Gotkin for “Crip News”, his excellent weekly roundup of disability arts and politics. You can subscribe to Crip News at CripNews.substack.com There is a free version.
Produced by and Interviews by Jacob Lesner-Buxton.
Voicing by Mark Romoser.
Editing by Mark Romoser and Adrienne Lauby.
Website and social media for Proud Stutter:Website: ProudStutter.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/ProudStutterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/proudstutter/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/proud-stutterYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEDPRORSa4elXrYYmYQxsdA The post Solidarity ~ Pushing Limits, March 24, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
This week, a national CDC study found that nearly 3 in 5 (57%) of teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021 — double that of boys. This is a nearly 60% increase and the highest level in the past decade.
For the young people, their families, and friends, it was just a reminder of something they already knew. We have a national mental health crisis in the U.S. and there is a stunning lack of resources to help.
In addition, in the North Bay of California, deaths involving fentanyl went up a whopping 2,550% in the five years since 2017. This is on top of the opioid crisis across the U.S.
The CDC recommended more support for girls and other teens in their schools and Sonoma County put up billboards warning about the death-dealing power of fentanyl.
But other people have a technological solution, one that will make them rich from our mental health and addiction crisis. Their monitoring solutions could affect millions of people with mental and emotional disabilities and addiction problems.
As our guest Sarah Roth explains, it could put many of us into virtual asylums.
Sarah Roth is Development and Communications Fellow at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project.
She has a BA in Political Science and Psychology from Vassar and has been a congressional intern. Her organizing work with anti-militarism groups resisting incursions on human, democratic, and civil rights around the globe has led her to work on local policing, criminal procedure, and Dept of Homeland Security policies.
She’s here today to talk about the scale and speed at which mass surveillance is discriminating and violating civil liberties. Her recent article on this topic is titled, The Virtual Asylum Replacing Mental Health Care.
Go further. Read the Daily Beast article Sarah Roth co-wrote with Evan Enzer on disability surveillance in schools.
Produced and hosted by Adrienne Lauby
The post Mental Disability Surveillance: The Virtual Asylum – Pushing Limits – Feb 17, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Today on Pushing Limits, host Mark Romoser discusses the life of the late Lois Curtis with some of her friends from Atlanta. Curtis was one of the plaintiffs in the landmark civil rights case Olmstead v. L.C. and E.W. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the majority opinion that declared that under the ADA, people like Lois had the right to live in the community rather than in large institutions. And so she did. She became a well-known artist, appeared at a 25th-anniversary ADA celebration at the Smithsonian in Washington, and visited the White House and met President Obama. Join us on Pushing Limits this afternoon at 2:30 on KPFA.
The post Pushing Limits – February 3, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
We delve into the world of people with disabilities who identify as nerds and geeks. While some might think the turn is insulting, our guests today wear these titles as a badge of honor.
Hear from disability advocates Emily Bridges and Rachael Davis about the different aspects of nerd culture and why they find the community accepting of those with disabilities. We will also hear Max McClure talk about the challenge of making geek culture accessible Lastly, we were here from Katie O’Rear a self-described chicken geek.
So this Friday, as you polish your Star Wars action figures, turn off “Weird Al” and listen to Pushing Limits instead.
This episode of Pushing Limits is produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton and hosted by Mark Romoser and with editing assistance from Mark Romoser, Sheela Gunn-Cushman and Adrienne Lauby.
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The Geeky Gimp (NOTE: The website’s creator uses the term “gimp” as a way to reclaim an oppressive word and turn it into a word of empowerment):
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Disabled Gamers, Geeks, and Nerds on Facebook. A community for PWD to share thoughts on”anything geek oriented.
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The Learned Fangirl: Committed to providing critiques from women and people of color on pop culture, technology, and other related topics.
——DISASTER RELIEF————Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs)Residents who were affected by the severe storms and flooding can update their FEMA applications and learn about state and community programs and other available assistance.
Each DRC provides the following standard accessibility resources:
- On-site American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter
- Remote ASL interpreting through Zoom
- Assistive listening devices (Pocket talkers)
- Magnifying glasses
- Manual wheelchairs
- Language translation services (in-person and/or telephonically)
- People who can assist survivors to read/write/complete forms
The Merced County DRC:Merced County Fairgrounds (Yosemite Building)
900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Merced, CA 95341
Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
Dates: January 18 through 25, 2023
The Sacramento County DRC:Chabolla Community Center
600 Chabolla Avenue
Galt, CA 95632
Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
Dates: January 18 through February 1, 2023
A Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Santa Cruz CountyRamsay Park Family Center
1301 Main St.
Watsonville, CA 95076
Hours of operation: 9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
Dates: January 21 through February 18, 2023
Resources:Cal OES ResourcesSupport for Californians impacted by the winter storms:
2023 Winter Storms Recovery (English)
2023 Winter Storms Recovery (Spanish)
Video Resources (ASL included)For an accessible video on how to apply, go to FEMA Accessible: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance.
This video covers how to register: Important Registration Assistance Information for People with Disabilities
This video covers very specifically question 24 (1 minute video):
Applying for Assistance: Important Information for People with Disabilities (Question 24
Individuals and Households Program Disability Cap
Federal ResourcesCalifornia Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides DR-4683-CA
Apply for Disaster Assistance:The fastest way to apply is through DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply through the FEMA mobile app or by calling 1-800-621-3362. If you use a video relay service, captioned telephone service, or other communication services, please provide FEMA the specific number assigned for that service. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
Get Immediate Help:Find help with needs that FEMA is not authorized to provide. Check with your local emergency management officials, voluntary agencies, or by dialing your local 2-1-1.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Help for Individuals and Families After a DisasterI Applied for Assistance. What’s Next?You will receive notification letters from FEMA either by U.S. mail or by electronic correspondence explaining your next steps. If you reported during the application process that you received damage and are not able to live in your primary residence, an inspector will contact you by phone to schedule an inspection. FEMA home inspections are conducted in-person; however, if you are apprehensive due to ongoing COVID-19 uncertainties, you can request we conduct the inspection without entering your home. Learn more about the steps after applying.
“Help After a Disaster” BrochuresTranslated into 27 languages, the “Help After a Disaster” brochure is a tool that can be shared in your community to help people understand the types of FEMA assistance that may be available to support individuals and families in disaster recovery. Download brochures.
GOT A PROBLEM RELATED TO DISABILITY? CALL VANCE!——————————————-L. Vance Taylor
Chief, Office of Access and Functional Needs
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, CA 95655
vance.taylor@caloes.ca.gov
916-845-8202 (o)
916-205-1630 (c)
The post Revenge of the Disabled Nerds – Pushing Limits – January 27, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
We feature an overview of the Vocational Rehabilitation system in the United States with guest Andjela Kaur. The system by which people with disabilities are employed began in colonial times; and it has not always been a pretty history.
Part of the story includes the fact that most states in the U.S. still allow employers to pay disabled employees a sub-minimum wage.Andjela H. Kaur is an Assistant Teaching Professor, Rehabilitation and Human Services at Penn State, Lehigh Valley. She has taught or written about the political economy of disability, the labor history of disabled people, disability employment, disability unemployment, globalization and disability, professionalism and oppression, and disability bioethics.Hosted and produced by Eddie YtuarteThe post Vocational Rehabilitation – Pushing Limits – January 20, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
This week we spend time in a community of low-income seniors, many who live with a disability. We ask how they are handling the days of this major storm. Are they huddled in fear? Making serious plans for a sudden evacuation?
We find human beings facing physical limitations with a small measure of resource
and support.
And, we find stories laced with good humor and insight. Reports on the downside of community society, tales of companionship and a surprising offer from a neighborhood business.
Hang out with Bliss Cameron and other seniors as the storms continue to rage.
Produced and Hosted by Shelley Berman.
Production help by Adrienne Lauby.
The bridge over the Charles St Village creek.
The post Some Seniors In the Storm – Pushing Limits – January 13, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
Many people with disabilities get their income from Social Security. But what happens when they go to work? A thicket of regulations puts many people in danger of losing Social Security when they begin working. And, that can spill over into other benefits like Medi-Cal.
What should be the thrill of getting and starting a job can easily become a disaster.
Today, Pushing Limits’ own Josh Elwood discusses his Social Security situation with Adrienne Lauby.
Then, Kholoud Rashid and Makyla DaPonte from Disability Resources Agency for Independent Living (DRAIL) in Modesto talk about the full range of Social Security issues with host Mark Romoser.
The post Social Security Issues – Pushing Limits – January 6, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – December 30, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Two or three times a year, a celebrity makes an ignorant comment or joke about a person with a disability. Whether it’s TV show host Jenny McCarthy promoting the widely debunked idea that vaccines cause autism or the many comedians who mock people with disabilities, these actions hurt.
Do these ignorant and painful comments warrant a response from disability activists? Should we take time from our focus on survival issues like housing and homecare to push back and educate celebs?
Today we discuss how celebrity actions shape society’s attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Our guests include activist Reyma McCoy Hyten, creator of the social media slide project, “Lizzo and Wheelchair-Accessible White Supremacy;” Zoe Gross, Director of Advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network; and Nicole Adler, actress and member of the state council for developmental disabilities.
This episode of Pushing Limits is produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton with editing assistance from Mark Romoser, Denny Daughters & Sheela Gunn-Cushman.
The post Pushing Limits – December 23, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – December 16, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.
The post Pushing Limits – December 9, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Dr. Sarah TaylorIn October, a new Center for Disability Justice Research opened with great fanfare at Cal State University – East Bay. One of the Center’s focus areas is radically inclusive dance, which was celebrated in the opening ceremony with a performance by the AXIS Dance Company and Cal State’s own Wandering Ensemble.The Center has a broad purpose that includes health, equity, education and creativity. And, it’s set to play a large role in the Bay Area disability community.Today, host Mark Romoser discusses the theory and activity of this new facility with three of its leaders. Our guests are the co-directors, Dr. Sarah Taylor and Shubha Kashinath, and center affiliate Dr. Eric Kupers. The post Disability Justice Center Opens – Pushing Limits – December 2, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Ashton Applewhite We explore alliances between senior and disability communities. From the outside, it seems both groups would be perfect partners in advocating for social change. Both groups are affected by challenges such as accessing accessible housing, healthcare, and transportation. Yet two systems of oppression, Ageism and Ableism, often impedes those alliances from being created. We talk to people who have navigated these systems to build strong partners between these two communities. Ashton Applewhite is an anti-ageism advocate, a person with a disability, and author of the book, This Chair Rocks and many other writings. She was named one of 50 most important voices in aging in the world by the U.N and World Health Organization. Julie Reiskin Julie Reiskin is the Co-Executive Director of Colorado’s Cross-Disability Coalition. Her coalition has worked with senior groups throughout the state to advocate for laws to improve access to healthcare and housing. Kathleen Riel with her cat. Finally, we interview Kathleen Riel who has been a disability advocate in Santa Barbara for over 40 years. She will discuss her experience trying to build alliances with senior groups. This episode of Pushing Limits is produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton with voicing and editing assistance from Mark Romoser and Sheela Gunn Cushman.
The post Alliances Between Seniors and Disability Groups – Pushing Limits – November 25, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Emily DiMatteo Are there things about the connection between reproductive rights and the disability community that the reproductive rights movement has not yet latched on to? We interview Emily DiMatteo, the lead author of a paper called “Reproductive Justice for Disabled Women: Ending Systemic Discrimination.” The paper details considerations that should be factored into the debate over reproductive rights or reproductive justice.
Emily DiMatteo is a policy analyst for the Emily DiMatteo is a policy analyst for the Disability Justice Initiative at American Progress. Prior to this role, she worked on various disability policy topics as a disability rights intern at Human Rights Watch and fellow at The Arc of the United States. DiMatteo was also a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in the Czech Republic from 2019 to 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Villanova University and a master’s degree in international relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School.. Prior to this role, she worked on various disability policy topics as a disability rights intern at Human Rights Watch and fellow at The Arc of the United States. DiMatteo was also a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in the Czech Republic from 2019 to 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Villanova University and a master’s degree in international relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School.
This is the second part of our analysis of reproductive rights in relationship to disability justice. For part one, click here.
To read the entire report, which was co-authored by Emily DiMatteo, Osub Ahmed and Villissa Thompson, go here:
Hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte The post Reproductive Rights & Disability, Part 2 – Pushing Limits – November 18, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Robert Bouvard, aka Robbie Ross Is that old neighborhood guy a wheelchair-using amputee? Or a man in an impeccably tailored formal gown with Oscar-caliber make-up and hair? Robert Bouvard is both. Robert Bouvard
Robert Bouvard worked with the pioneering Jewel Box Revue, a female impersonation show that toured the Chitlin Circuit in the 1940s. The Jewel Box played New York’s Apollo Theater while Black Muslims on the sidewalk outside yelled, “Get the faggots out of Harlem.”
Later Bouvard worked in Hollywood and toured with many Broadway musicals, including “Hello Dolly” and “Phantom of the Opera.” Now, 85 years old, he lives in a three-room apartment with his good friend Suzie, tools his go-cart around town and enjoys his theatrical sensibility. Jewel Box Revue. Robert Bouvard and Lynne Carter in a routine that may have inspired the movie “Some Like It Hot” staring Marilyn Monroe. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.
We ask ourselves – who else lives in the neighborhood? Hosted by Adrienne Lauby. Produced by Shelley Berman and Adrienne Lauby. The post Robert Bouvard – Pushing Limits – November 11, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Lilian Aluri, American Association of People with Disabilties, Civic Engagement Coordinator The election is right around the corner. What role will people with disabilities play in the national contest, both as voters and as candidates?
Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman has faced a barrage of attacks on his competency after having a stroke in May. Many other potential disabled candidates are simply passed over by their respective parties. And disabled voters face vote suppression similar to that of people of color. Join us as host Mark Romoser discusses all this and more with Lilian Aluri, civic engagement coordinator for the American Association of People with Disabilities and Maria Town.
Maria Town, American Association of People with Disabilities, President, CEO Maria Town is the president and CEO at the American Association of People with Disabilities. Before that, she was the key disability person in the Houston mayor’s office. And she learned a thing or two about voter suppression as a student at Emory University outside Atlanta, Georgia.
This program inaugurates an expanded program schedule for Pushing Limits, KPFA’s weekly program by and about people with disabilities. Now you can tune in This Friday, and Every Friday, at 2:30 PST, or Any Time, Right Here on the world wide web.
The post Disability & the U.S. Election – Pushing Limits – November 4, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Nick Feldman arrested in a 2009 protest with a sign “Feel the Power of the Disability Vote.”. Photo by Steve Rhodes, courtesy of Disability Rights California and UDWA The weather’s getting colder, November’s drawing near, and you know by your full mailbox the SPOOOOOOOOKY season is here! Today, the Pushing Limits crew sketches some state and local issues with a LEETLE Federal spice, and tell you which measures are naughty and which nice. Our web site has goodies to make you more wise, and inoculate you against tricks and the evil surprise. Konstantine Anthony Konstantine Anthony, Chair of the California Democratic Party’s Disabilities Caucus, is soon to be Mayor of Berbank and the first openly autistic mayor in the US. He’ll walk us through state propositions of interest to people with disabilities. Eddie Ytuarte will talk about local housing measures in Alameda County. Sheela Gunn-Cushman hosts, and will tell you why you are seeing one Federal Senate seat TWICE on your ballot, and why you may not be in the district you thought you were in. (Yes, the lines HAVE moved!) Mark Romoser and Josh Elwood contributed production help to this program. Resources Affordable Housing on East Bay Ballots Recommendations from East Bay Housing Organizations Voter Guide has got you covered. Over on their YouTube channel, you can watch their Endorsed Ballot Measures Forum as well as candidate forums with candidates for Alameda County District 3 Supervisor and Oakland Mayor. Check out their Elections Hub for voter information and information about how to get involved. Say yes to affordable housing: YES Berkeley Measure L YES Berkeley Measure M YES Berkeley Measure N YES Oakland Measure Q YES Oakland Measure U YES Oakland Measure V Oakland Ballot Measures Measure Q – Article 34 Authorization. Preapproves the construction or acquisition of 13,000 affordable homes. Measure U – Infrastructure Bond. An $850M infrastructure bond which includes $350M for affordable housing. Measure V – Just Cause Expansion. Further extends eviction protections to residents of RVs, school aged children and teachers, and more. Berkeley Ballot Measures Measure L – Infrastructure Bond. A $650 million dollar bond, which includes $200 million for affordable housing. Measure M – Vacancy Tax. Taxes property owners who keep non-exempt homes vacant for more than six months in a year. Measure N – Article 34 Authorization. Preapproves the construction or acquisition of 3,000 low-rent homes. How to Help Commit just thirty minutes this month or ten hours a week. 1) Table for Oakland’s Measure U. Hosted by Safe Street Advocates at the Grand Lake Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and the Temescal Farmers Market on Sundays. Shifts are 9 AM–2 PM. Sign Up to Table 2) Lawn Sign for Oakland Measure U. Don’t have any time, but still want to help out? Email angelina@ebho.org to have a free lawn sign for Measure U delivered to your doorstep. 3) Canvass for Oakland Measures Q & V. Hosted by Care 4 Community Action. Shifts are held at 10 AM on Saturdays and Sundays and 5:30 PM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Sign Up to Canvass 4) Phone Bank for Berkeley Measure L. Co-hosted by EBHO on Thursdays from 6-8 PM at Campaign HQ, 2026 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley. Email Angelina at angelina@ebho.org to sign up! 5) Volunteer for Measure M. The Measure M campaign is offering several ways to get involved including canvassing, voter outreach, and delivering yard signs. Sign Up to Volunteer Call & Text for Measure M Every Wednesday Night for calls and texting at 2025 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. More Information. Hear from the Candidates Watch the Alameda County District 3 Forum Watch the Oakland Mayoral Forum What do your candidates say about affordable housing? Click here to read what candidates for Alameda County District 3 Supervisor, Oakland Mayor, Oakland City Council, Berkeley City Council, San Leandro Mayor, and San Leandro City Council give as their positions on housing and homelessness. Urban Habitat Voters Guide This guide overlaps with some of the advice above, as you would imagine, but it covers other issues and races as well. It even has a recommendation for Healdsburg voters way up in the North Bay. How Pete’s Voting Community Activist Pete Woiwode: “How Pete’s Voting” Pete has opinions on a ton of local ballot measures and city council races and much, much more. You may not agree with him on everything but his frank, concise voting guide is well worth some attention. The post Vote for Your LIfe -Pushing Limits – October 21, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. This program returns October 21.. The post Pre-empted for Fund Drive – Pushing Limits – October 7, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – September 23, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.
Patty Berne The clamor about the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke Roe v. Wade and allow the states to make their own rules about a woman’s reproductive right to abortion has been loud.
The women-led backlash to this decision may actually allow the Democrats to keep control of the House of Representatives next year. But, in all the noise and anguish, voices of women with disabilities have generally been absent.
In this program, we are going to shout truth into that wall of silence – because this decision has grave consequences for women with disabilities and those who love them.
Elise Cossart-Daly
Guests: Sins Invalid’s Director Patty Berne talks to Bianca Laureano, MA, CSE, CSES, about reproductive rights, disability, ableism and much more. (from their 2020 series “Reproductive Justice is Disability Justice.”)
Santa Barbara civil rights attorney, Elise Cossart-Daly, explains how the court decision strikes a blow against privacy rights for people with disabilities. Bianca Laureano, MA, CSE, CSES
Produced by Jacob Lesner Buxton. Hosted by Adrienne Lauby. Edited by Sheela Gunn-Cushman and Mark Romoser. The post Reproductive Justice and Disability – Pushing Limits – September 9, 2022 appeared first on KPFA.