KPFA - Pushing Limits

In recent years, significant progress has been made in both disability rights and Krispjin Parsons LGBTQ+ visibility. However, the intersection of these identities remains an area that is often overlooked. On today's show, we welcome Krispjin Parsons, a gay man on the autism spectrum, who shares his personal journey navigating life at the crossroads of queerness and neurodiversity. Through candid reflections on both the challenges and triumphs he's experienced, Krispjin sheds light on the often-invisible nature of this intersectional identity. This episode explores the richness and complexity within both the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities, and highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating the full spectrum of lived experiences. This program is hosted and produced by Jacob Stanton with editing assistance from Denny Daughters and Dominick Trevethan. The post The Intersection Between Disability & Queerness – Pushing Limits – July 11, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

What would you do if your world slowly started going silent—and you didn't know why? This week on Pushing Limits, we bring you the story of Claire, a young student in Utah who began losing her hearing in fifth grade, despite having no family history of disability. When Claire was in fifth grade, she noticed the hearing in her right ear dropped, followed by her left ear. Now entering ninth grade, Claire reflects on her journey of obtaining hearing aids, a cochlear implant, and how she and her mother, Michelle, are learning to navigate a new language, a new identity, and a new understanding of access. Tune in as we ask what her audiologist and ENT did to help her, what made her decide to get a cochlear implant in her right ear, and how she learned to adapt to the cochlear implant. How do mother and daughter feel about learning American Sign Language? This week, Denny Daughters talks to Claire and her mother Michelle to answer all these questions and more. Plus, for a full transcript of the entire program, scroll down. The idea for this episode of Pushing Limits came from Denny's wife, Deah Daughters. This show was hosted, edited, and produced by Denny Daughters. Audio transcription was by Nicole Struthers.   Pushing Limits – Sudden Changes [Opening intro music]   Denny:  Hello, and 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 your host, Denny Daughters. Today, I have two guests, Claire and her mother, Michelle. Both live in Utah. Claire will be going into ninth grade this fall. This is her final year of junior high. Claire's mom, dad, and three siblings don't have any disabilities.   In fifth grade, Claire was a typical kid without any disabilities. That year, she lost her hearing. She went from having hearing aids in both ears to having a hearing aid in her left ear and a cochlear implant in her right ear. Welcome to Pushing Limits. Let's start out with a brief introduction from both of you.   Claire:  I'm Claire, and I lost my hearing in fifth grade, so it's been almost four years.   Michelle:  My name's Michelle, and I'm Claire's mom.   Denny:  How many people are in your family?   Claire:  I have two brothers, one sister. I'm the youngest.   Denny:  Do any of your family members have disabilities?   Claire:  No.   Denny:  Do you remember what you were doing when you lost your hearing, and what was it like for you after you lost your hearing?   Claire:  I remember very well. I was just playing Legos, and then it just dropped, and it started ringing, and it never stopped. So, I'd be like, “Mama, it's still in my ear,” and I could still hear out my other ear. It's kind of like a bunch of buzzing or like the ringing in your ears, but also sometimes it'll sound like there's a fly in your ear or something. We would put stuff in my ears trying to get a fly out, because I thought there was a fly in my ear.   Michelle:  She wouldn't believe me that there was no fly in her ear and would ask me to check over and over –   Claire:  Every day.   Michelle:  — because she just felt like there was —   Claire:  It sounded like it.   Michelle:  — a fly, but it was ringing so loud that I was having to yell really loud for her just to be able to hear me.   Claire:  Yeah.   Denny:  When the buzzing in Claire's ears wouldn't go away, it took about a week for them to get in to see her pediatrician, and then it was two weeks after that for them to see the ENT.  Here's Michelle.   Michelle:  It started to ring, and we talked to her pediatrician –   Claire:  Oh, yeah.   Michelle:  — right away.   Claire:  I don't remember that.   Michelle:  And he thought that maybe she had some fluid in her ears, and so we went and got that checked out, and it looked okay, but they put her on a medication in case there was some fluid that they couldn't detect, and then he had us wait.  At that point, when it didn't come back, then he had us go see an ENT.   We got her in pretty quickly. The thing that was tricky is that I started calling around to different ENTs, and no one could get her in.  They were all booked out pretty far, even just a month or two, but I was trying to explain, “She can't hear. I feel like this is kind of an urgent thing.” So, I finally found a place that could get her in, you know, it was a week or two after I called. They weren't pediatric, but it was fine.   They did an audiology test, and then she met with the ENT. They at that point just said – and this was our first doctor appointment – but they said, “Oh, she's going to need hearing aids,” and it just caught me so off guard, because everything up to that point you'd fixed. Right? She gets strep throat, you get medication, you fixed it. For them to just flat-out say, “Oh, she lost her hearing,” it was just shocking to me.  I don't think Claire even knows this, but I cried the whole way home, and she couldn't hear me in the back seat because she couldn't hear, and I was just devastated.   Claire:  Oh, yeah.   Michelle:  So, I came home and started researching more, and I saw that sometimes with sudden hearing loss, steroids would help.  I called my pediatrician that night. He's a friend of ours, and so I called him at 9:00 at night and said, “Would you prescribe some steroids for her to try?” He said, “You need to get in to this one specific ENT as soon as you can,” and I said, “I actually have an appointment with him, but it's not for another month and a half,” and he said, “I will get you in tomorrow.”   The next morning, I got a call from their office, and they got Claire in that day, and they did another audiology test with her, and then they gave her a round of steroids, which did bring her hearing back a little bit.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  But we had to go through all of the motions to see if there was anything that we could do to help with that, and it didn't, and so at that point, they decided the hearing aids would be the best option.   The first time we went in to this office that we're with now, the pediatric audiologist that we're with was on a humanitarian trip, and so they just had her seeing whoever was available at the time for her appointments.  But once we got in with this specific audiologist, she has just been –   Claire:  She was perfect.   Michelle:  — so incredibly amazing.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  I would say that's something that's been amazing with Claire's journey is just how amazing the people have been.  Her audiologist, we've gotten to become really close with.  She's just been amazing.  I couldn't ask for anything better. Her ENT, same thing.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  Just, they've been so good for Claire and done so much and truly cared about her, and it makes such a difference to go through this with that kind of healthcare provider.   Denny:  What were some of the emotions you were going through while all this was going on?   Claire:  I was just confused, because I didn't really know. When I was younger, I thought it was just like silence, so I didn't understand why I just had a ringing in my ear and why I couldn't hear, so I was really just confused. I wasn't really too nervous or anything.   Denny:  How did you feel when you found out first you were going to have hearing aids?   Claire:  I was kind of excited, because I've always wanted to experience stuff like that, and also because I could hear and stuff.   Denny:  Which ear did you lose your hearing in first?   Claire:  It started in the right ear, and then it came to the left, and then they were pretty good. Then my right ear kind of dropped, so then they did a bunch of stuff. They were testing things again, putting me on steroids, trying to see if we could get my right ear up, and then we talked about maybe getting a cochlear implant.   Denny:  Claire, have you ever been around somebody who's deaf before?   Claire:  Yeah.  I've met kids at school.   Michelle:  There was one kid that had hearing aids, but he wasn't really –   Claire:  No, he had two hearing aids, and then this kid with two cochlears and a girl with a hearing aid.   Michelle:  Okay.  But at that time, you didn't really know them.   Claire:  Yeah, and I still don't know them.  Like, I know them, and I knew their names, but it's not like we were friends, and I never really talked to them.   Denny:  Some people in the deaf community feel that it's better to learn American Sign Language, ASL, in order to preserve the deaf culture rather than getting cochlear implants. What are your thoughts on that, Claire?   Claire:  I don't have that many feelings, but I also feel like I tried learning ASL, but I didn't really like doing it, and I felt like it was really hard for me to learn.  Having things like cochlears for kids who might not be able to do it or like – yeah, just not being able to do it or anything.   Denny:  So, for you, learning ASL was difficult?   Claire:  Yeah.  I only tried it for a little bit of time, and then I kind of just stopped.  I know some words and the alphabet, but it's not like I know all of the signs.   Michelle:  Can I share my thoughts on that, too?   Claire:  Yeah, you can share your thoughts.   Denny:  Absolutely.   Michelle:  So, I actually love ASL.  I have always been fascinated with it. When I was little, I took a class during the summer, and I just love it. Anytime we've been anywhere where there's an interpreter that is signing, I just focus on that, and I think it is such a beautiful language. I would still love for Claire and I and other members of our family to learn it, because there are times – for example, we're on the beach, or at night when she's going to bed and she doesn't have her devices on – that I think it would be amazing.   But as we talked about the decision to do a cochlear, we realized that Claire is in a hearing community. She lives in a hearing community. Her family is hearing. Her friends are hearing.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  Her neighbors are hearing. And so, for Claire to be a part of that community, if there's an option where she can still be hearing, that's her community.  I think that would be different if other members of our family were deaf or other people in our community close to us. But because of that, we felt if there's an option for her to be able to still have that, that was what would make her more successful in the community that she's in.   Denny:  Besides giving you steroids, what were some of the other things they tried with your hearing aids?   Claire:  Not only did my hearing aid test, but they did a lot of cochlear tests, and then they would try stuff other than steroids. They turned up my hearing aid, because they can make the sound on hearing aids lower and less volume and a stronger volume.   Denny:  Were the tests hard that they had you do?   Claire:  No. It's kind of stuff like I go in this booth, and it's like, “Repeat this sentence. Repeat these words,” just to see how well I can hear those things, but if I don't hear it, I just say nothing. A lot of them were like, “Say armchair.  Say hot dog, baseball,” really weird, just random words.   Denny:  Michelle, were you there for all the tests?   Michelle:  Yes, I was there for every one of them. She was in the sound booth, and then I was sitting by the audiologist.   Claire:  Because the audiologist has headphones and a microphone, so she can talk to me and hear me, but she couldn't, but she was at least in the office.   Michelle:  And there was a window, so we could see her.   Claire:  Yeah.   Denny:  For two years, the hearing aids helped, and then without warning, the hearing in her right ear suddenly decreased to almost nothing. When you decided to get the cochlear implant, were you presented with other options, or did you feel like this was the only option that you had?   Michelle:  I mean, first it was deciding if you wanted to get a cochlear.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  And it was, “The hearing aid will no longer work.”   Claire:  Well, and we tried steroids again.   Michelle:  Yeah, we did. We went through two different rounds of steroids to see if that would help, but it didn't help enough, so it became we can do a cochlear or not. And then once we chose to do a cochlear, they did present us with a few different companies that do cochlears.   Denny:  Did you ever feel like they were trying to push a certain technology on you?   Michelle:  No, never.   Claire:  No. They were asking us about it, like, “Do you want to try hearing aids?”   Michelle:  They talked about all the pros and cons of both hearing aids –   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  — and the cochlear. I sincerely felt that they had Claire's best interest in mind.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  But the decision very much felt like it was our decision –   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  — and they weren't telling us what we needed to do.   Denny:  Claire talks about the final round of tests she underwent before getting her cochlear.   Claire:  So, there was like a hearing box room for hearing aid and cochlear tests, and they would put me in there to make sure I needed it, and I was telling them afterwards, “I couldn't hear a thing.” I thought it was telling me to do actions, and apparently it was saying sentences or something. I don't even remember it.   Michelle:  Yeah, her audiologist said, “I only had to do that as a formality, but I knew that you wouldn't be able to pass that test,” –   Claire:  Yeah, I couldn't hear anything. I thought it was –   Michelle:  — because she had lost all that hearing in the right ear.   Denny:  How did you feel when you found out you couldn't hear the directions your audiologist was giving you?   Claire:  I wasn't too worried, because I knew that if that didn't work out, I would just have my hearing aid in my one ear and get my cochlear, and I would be able to hear in that ear again with the cochlear. Failing that test would mean I needed the cochlear.   Michelle:  Claire's been very resilient. When we were driving home from that, I wanted to kind of talk with her and say, “How are you feeling? What are your thoughts? Are you okay?” and Claire said, “There's a reason for everything that happens, and there's a reason for this.” I was just amazed at the maturity and the acceptance and the resilience, that she's been able to say, “There's a reason that this is happening,” and she's just gone with it, and she's done so well because of that. She's had such a great attitude.   Denny:  What's the definition of a cochlear implant? A cochlear implant has two parts to it. The processor is surgically inserted. It sits in the inner ear, and it bypasses the damaged cochlea cells. There are some really thin wires that stimulate the cochlear nerve endings. In most cases, they don't physically touch those nerve endings; they just stimulate them. The cochlear nerve endings are attached to the cochlear nerve, which is attached to the brain. The receiver sits outside the skull, collecting sounds in the natural environment. The two components are connected via a magnet.   When they gave you your pre-surgery instructions, do you remember if they said anything besides ‘Don't eat anything after 11 p.m. the night before your surgery'?   Claire:  I don't think so. It was really just like a normal surgery that you would undergo.   Denny:  Were there any scary moments with your surgery?   Claire:  The only scary part for me was if they hit this certain nerve, then I wouldn't be able to move the right side of my face. That's one of the biggest ones. They'll have little things by it so if they get too close with the thing, they'll know.   Michelle:  Yeah. So, to clarify, if they touch that nerve, it will paralyze half of your face, and so during surgery, they have sensors all over your face so that if you get even close to it, the sensor goes off so that the doctor knows that he's getting close to that nerve.   Claire:  Yeah. That was the only part that scared me about the surgery, because I've had other surgeries.   Denny:  The city of Lehi is about 28 miles south of Salt Lake City. Here's Michelle.   Michelle:  Claire was the first child to have a cochlear implant surgery at the new Primary Children's Hospital that they had just opened in Lehi.  So, they got her under anesthesia, and then the doctor realized they didn't have all of the tools that he needed to do it, and so they had to get them from the other hospital in Salt Lake. She ended up being back there double the time, and so they called to give us an update and said, “They haven't started yet.” They didn't go into details at that point, and we were so confused why she had been back in the OR for so long.   Claire:  It was same-day surgery, so I was able to leave after that and go home.  I was excited to go to my bed.   Denny:  The surgery took between five and six hours to complete rather than the usual two or three hours. What was it like for you recovering from the surgery?   Claire:  It was a very long recovery, I'd say. I'd be mainly staying in bed, and people would come visit, and my mom was like, “Come out to the couch.” I didn't really want to walk around too much, because I'd get dizzy and feel nauseous. I was tired a lot of the time, so I didn't really want to talk to people as much, but I still wanted to see them and visit with them.  I mainly just stayed in my room, and I watched shows on my headphones.   I didn't lay on that side of my head for a while, because there was stitches, and it hurt. I would wear clothes that I didn't have to put over my head, like button-ups and stuff, so I didn't have to put anything around that ear. I just laid in bed and rested and had medicine.   Michelle:  It's hard to watch your kid struggle, you know, after surgery, when she was so miserable and she kept saying, “I wish we wouldn't have done this.” That only lasted a couple days, but it hurts to see them go through that.   Claire:  Yeah.   Denny:  How long did it take to recover from your surgery?   Claire:  I want to say like maybe a week or something.   Michelle:  Yeah, maybe. I can't remember exactly.   Claire:  It was like a week or so.   Michelle:  But after a few days, her dizziness was so bad she didn't even want to lift up her head.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  So, her ENT called in a little patch to put behind her ear, and we tried that, and that actually helped quite a bit, too.   Claire:  Yeah.   Michelle:  So, it was probably four days, five days, maybe.   Claire:  Yeah. And also, I have a small goose egg where the magnet is. It's kind of just popped up a little bit where the magnet is, just a little bump on the back of my head.   Michelle:  But the scar from the surgery, you wouldn't even know it's there, it healed up so nicely.   Claire:  Yeah. Michelle:  It's right at the crease of her ear in the back.   Denny:  It's where your ear joins your skull in the very back, right?   Claire:  Yeah.   Denny:  Right. Okay.   Claire:  It's healed up. It took a while for it to be completely healed, I'd say like two months, but now you can barely even see the scar.   Denny:  94.1, KPFA. You're listening to Pushing Limits. I'm your host, Denny Daughters. Today, I'm talking to Claire and Michelle. Claire just finished telling us how she recovered from her cochlear implant surgery a couple years ago when she was in seventh grade.   While recovering from surgery, did you have a lot of schoolwork to make up?   Claire:  I only took off a couple days, and then I was back to school, and my teachers were very accommodating to me.  So, if I missed a test or I had something past due, like I couldn't turn it in, they would accommodate to me and let me do it because I had my surgery.   Michelle:  One of the things that was nice for Claire is a lot of times, people will get two cochlears at the same time, but because Claire had the one and then she has a hearing aid in her other ear, she was still able to hear through all of that process, which was really a nice advantage for her to have.   Claire:  Yeah.   Denny:  What was it like when your audiologist first turned on your cochlear implant?   Claire:  It was weird. It sounded like everyone was a robot. I couldn't hear out of it as well as my hearing aid, that's what I'm trying to say. If my mom talked, I couldn't really understand what she was saying. At night, I'd take out my hearing aid, and she'd cover her mouth and test, like she'd say words to see how well it improved. Eventually, we got to where my mom and dad would switch off saying words, and I wouldn't be able to say it, and now I can be like, “Oh, that's Mom,” “Oh, that's Dad,” “Oh, that's whoever.”   Denny:  Claire talks about when her audiologist turned on and adjusted the cochlear implant.   Claire:  I'd go in, and they would turn it on, and then I'd go in in another week, they'd test me and turn it up a little, and then in another two weeks, turn it up a little, see how well my tolerance for the sound needed to be and how high it should go or how low it should go. Now, we're to the point where it's like every six months, they make sure my hearing aid's not going down and I need another cochlear or anything like that.   Denny:  Claire, in your opinion, what's the possibility of you getting a second cochlear implant in your left ear?   Claire:  Personally, I think it's low, because my left hearing is good. If I take out my cochlear and my hearing aid, I can still hear out of my left ear a little bit. It's not a lot, but I can still hear a little bit.   Michelle:  Because they don't know the cause of her hearing loss, they said there's a chance that it could. Everything was so sporadic with her hearing loss in the first place, they just keep an eye on it, but they have no idea what that will look like.   Denny:  How long did it take for you to start recognizing different voices?   Claire:  Probably like three to four months, I'd say. But overall, for me to fully adjust, I'd say it'd take a year, because I had my year anniversary, and I'm doing a lot better now. Lip reading was a big thing when I downed my hearing aids at first. I'd be like, “What did you say?” I'm like, “Come closer. I need to read your lips.”   Denny:  Are you still pretty good at it?   Claire:  No.  I can still kind of do it, but it's very hard for me to read lips.   Michelle:  I think with the little bit of sound she was getting and the lips together, the combination…   Claire:  Yeah, with the little bit of sound.   Denny:  Did you have any other problems after getting your cochlear implant?   Claire:  It would give me headaches at first, because we got too strong of a magnet. There's different magnet strengths to stick on your head.   Denny:  The part of the cochlear implant that is detachable and sits on the outside of your ear, do they have a waterproof version of that so you can go swimming and take a shower?   Claire: There's no waterproof hearing aids, but there is an aqua kit for my cochlear implant, which I wish there was one for my hearing aid, because again, I can't hear out of my cochlear as well without my hearing aid, so I sometimes won't wear it, but at least I have that option.   Michelle:  And it's more of an option for swimming, not for showering and things.   Claire:  Yeah, not for showers.   Denny:  What was the support like from your friends and family?   Claire:  It's been good. My friends were really worried at first, because they didn't know why I was not at school for a while, because I didn't really tell them. They were supportive and really friendly. They'd write stuff on pieces of paper in school. I couldn't hear the teacher, so I'd ask them after, because we'd have little talks with our little groups with our teacher, and I wouldn't hear her.  So then, I'd ask my neighbor, and they were pretty accommodating in helping me.   And then, my family was super supportive. They adjusted to it. They would write stuff on pieces of paper or whiteboards to talk to me sometimes, or they would help my mom get my attention if she was further away.   Denny:  Have you ever been bullied or teased by other students?   Claire:  No.   Denny:  As we were talking about school, Claire brought up one of the frustrating things she encountered at school before she got her hearing aid.   Claire:  Before I got my hearing aid — because I didn't have it yet, because they had to make the mold and stuff – they'd give me this hearing aid that connected to a microphone so I could hear my teacher, but I couldn't hear anything else other than in that microphone, which got frustrating sometimes, because my teacher didn't know how to turn it off.   We'd go to art, and then I would hear my teacher talking to other teachers instead of my art teacher or whatever. It got frustrating at times, and I didn't like it as much as my hearing aid, but it was very nice of the accommodation, because then I could at least hear my teacher until I got my hearing aid.   Denny:  What kind of accommodations are you receiving?   Claire:  So, I have these two people who my mom can email. They can give me microphones that I can give to my teachers, which I don't like doing as much, but I can hook them up to a cord which go into my computer, so instead of having to wear headphones, which I can't really hear anyway, I just connected that, and then it goes from the computer into my hearing aid. Then they also will come, and if I need new tubing, which is a little thing that connects the ear mold and the electronic part of my hearing aid – like, my old one broke, and we can't get into my main ENT. My mom emailed her, and she came and fixed it for me. So, they'll just really help me with anything I need if they can.   Denny:  Tell me how the microphone connects to the computer and then to your hearing aid.   Claire:  There's a little thing. So, it plugs into the microphone, and then that thing that plugs in the microphone plugs into the computer, so instead of it plugging into my hearing aid, it plugs into the microphone. I can also use that on airplanes and stuff. I have one for at home that I got with my hearing aid, so I can also use that anywhere I really want.   Michelle:  Or if we were at a really busy place, you know, a really busy restaurant that was super loud –   Claire:  I could bring it with me and bring it to my mom –   Michelle:  She could bring it, yeah.   Claire:  — so I could hear her.   Denny:  Do things like music, listening to the radio, or different musical instruments sound any different with the cochlear implant?   Claire:  They sound about the same. My hearing aid, it's using the sound from my ear. It's not from my brain. With my cochlear, it sounds a little bit different, but with my hearing aid, it sounds basically the same.   Denny:  If you're eating something crunchy, like potato chips or carrots, you can still hear the crunch?   Claire:  Yeah. If I'm talking without my hearing aid and cochlear, I can hear myself, but I don't know how loud I am. Sometimes my friends will be like, “You're yelling,” and I just don't know. I don't have that concept of sound if I don't have any hearing aids in or cochlear or whatever.   Denny:  You have to see an audiologist every six months. Do you have to see an ENT, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, as well?   Claire:  No, just my audiologist. If it's like I'm losing my hearing and I need a cochlear or whatever, then we'll go see the ENT, but it's mainly my audiologist.   Michelle:  She just had her six-month checkup. The cochlear side that they tested, she's getting 68% accuracy in what she hears, which can sound not great, but without the cochlear, she would be hearing 0% and understanding 0% in that ear. Literally, when she was tested before in that ear, she understood zero. It's gone from 0 to 68. Every time she goes in, it does seem to increase some. It's not quite as good as her hearing aid ear, but almost hearing at 70% is a lot better than what she is without it.   Denny:  That's great. Claire, how do you feel about your numbers?   Claire:  I feel good about them. And, like, the sentences are really weird. They're like, “The sister-in-law is toxic poison,” so they're hard ones, too. That's one of the ones that I remember, because it was like I got 100% on them. They're weird ones, so sometimes I'm hesitant to say it, too. I can understand a lot better, too, with my hearing aid, which that was just with my cochlear.   Michelle:  With the combination, she actually hears really well.   Claire:  Yeah, with the combination, it's 100% or something. Michelle:  Yeah, or close to.   Claire:  95, 98 or whatever.   Denny:  Are there any activities that you can't do anymore because you have a cochlear implant?   Claire:  I can still swim, but it's kind of hard sometimes. It's good if it's an indoor place, because it's echoey, but sometimes I won't be able to hear them. It's harder if I'm with people, like at the ocean or whatever, because I don't want to wear my aqua kit thing because I'm worried I'm going to lose my cochlear. I can still do everything, but if I have to take off my hearing aid or cochlear, I'd rather not do it as much, because it's sometimes harder for me.   Denny:  When you're in a crowd or a noisy environment, is it hard to distinguish one voice from another?   Claire:  No, I can tell their tone of voice. Sometimes if it's really loud, my hearing aid, if it gets too close to something or something's really loud, it will send out a high-pitched noise. It's feedback. If I'm like at the audiologist's place, there's an elevator, and every time it comes down, it's like my hearing aid will give feedback at that event. It kind of hurts my ears when there's feedback, but I can take out my hearing aid, and I'll be fine.   Denny:  How long does the feedback last?   Claire:  As long as the noise is. So, if the noise is going on for a minute, the feedback's going to be going on for a minute, or if I'm laying against a pillow, it will be giving feedback until I get off the pillow. There's no feedback from my cochlear; it's just my hearing aid.   Denny:  Do you ever use the closed caption option when you watch TV?   Claire:  Not really, only if I don't have my hearing aids in or something. If I'm wanting to go to sleep because I'm getting tired, but I don't want to fall asleep with my hearing aids in — because I take them out, I put away my cochlear, I plug it in, my hearing aids on batteries – if I have my hearing aid and cochlear in, then I can just watch it, and I can still hear it just fine. I might turn it up a little louder, and people will be like, “Claire, we don't need to turn it up more. We need to turn it down more,” but I'm like, I can't hear it as well.   I could also put my microphone by the TV if I wanted to, just by the speaker of my TV, or Chromebook, or whatever I'm watching on. My hearing aid can Bluetooth connect to my iPhone, so it's like I'm having an AirPod or something in my ear, or an earbud. I can watch my TV show on my phone, and I can just hear it. Or like I'm cleaning my room, I can listen to my music while I come into the kitchen to grab something. I can still hear it, even though I'm far away from my room. I usually use Siri.   Michelle:  It reads all of her texts to her, so if she gets a text, it just pops up in her hearing aid.   Claire:  Yeah. So, I go to school, and they don't like us having our phones, so I make it so Siri reads me my text messages, so if it's an emergency, I can be like, “Oh, I need to look at my phone,” which is nice, because then I have it at school.   Denny:  Michelle, have you noticed any differences in Claire since she got the cochlear implant and hearing aid?   Michelle:  It was kind of weird, because she was hearing. There was a few months in there, but it was relatively short compared to someone who hadn't heard and then could hear. It was amazing for her to come home that first day with hearing aids and go, “I can hear my footsteps on the floor. I can hear my cup set down on the table. I can hear an airplane,” and it made me wonder a little bit if maybe her hearing had been fading a little bit before that, and she didn't know. I don't know.   Claire:  I think it did, because I'd do the hearing tests at school that they make you do in elementary. They were saying they were lower than normal.   Michelle:  Yeah, but still in a normal range. The hearing aid is kind of like an instant difference for her. Like, she didn't have them, she puts them in, it's like a microphone so she can hear immediately. The cochlear took about a year to adapt to, and so there was that difference, but when she got the hearing aids and could immediately just hear, we were just so grateful for that, because it was hard for her in this environment to not be able to hear.  I would flash the lights if I was trying to get her attention or different things like that.   Claire:  You still do that.   Denny:  Have you ever forgotten to charge one of your batteries?   Claire:  Actually, recently. I was at school, and it was dying because my battery thing for my cochlear was unplugged all night. I plugged it back in, and then right before I went to babysitting, I just switched it and went over and babysat. My hearing aid is on batteries, so it will let me know when it's low on battery, and then I'll switch it. On my phone, I can also look and be like, okay, I have 20%, so I still have time.   Denny:  Claire, what advice would you give to somebody who's thinking about getting a cochlear implant?   Claire:  I'd say it's a very good option, and even though it's frustrating at times, you just have to keep going with it, because there's going to be people sounding like robots, but if you don't wear it, they're going to keep sounding like robots. If you learn ASL beforehand, it helps, because then you can still talk to people after. There's a learning curve with it, is what I'm trying to say.   Michelle:  I agree. I think that it's definitely scary going into anything unknown. That's normal. It does require a lot of patience. With her hearing aid, it was instant hearing, and with this, it's not, and it does require a lot of patience, but given time, it's definitely been the right choice for Claire. I think part of that is getting the right audiologist and ENT, so I think if you don't feel confident or comfortable with how they're treating your healthcare, it's worth trying someone new.   Claire:  Switching, yeah.   Michelle:  So, that has made such a difference. We've seen that as being a big factor in her journey.   Denny:  I'd like to thank both Claire and Michelle for sharing their story with me and for letting me interview them for this episode of Pushing Limits. I'd also like to thank my wife, Deah Daughters, for coming up with the idea for this show.   Today's show was hosted, edited, and produced by Denny Daughters. Audio transcription was by Nicole Struthers. And thanks to our engineer, Kirsten Thomas. Contact us by email, pushinglimits@kpfa.org, find us on Facebook at Pushing Limits Radio, or you can visit our website at pushinglimitsradio.org.   I'm your host, Denny Daughters. Thanks for listening to Pushing Limits. Stay tuned for Talk It Out Radio, 94.1, KPFA.   [End] The post Sudden Changes – Pushing Limits – July 4, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

What happens when the care you need to survive just isn't available? Across the U.S., millions of disabled people are facing a growing caregiver shortage—a crisis that makes independent living harder, sometimes impossible. For those with complex physical disabilities like Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the stakes couldn't be higher. Kevin Schaefer This week on Pushing Limits, we talk with Kevin Schaefer—a disability advocate, writer, and podcast host living with SMA. Kevin is the voice behind the podcast, SMA News Today, and Embracing My Inner Alien, a column where he shares deeply personal, often humorous stories about navigating life in a body that relies on others for daily care. Tune in as we unpack what it means to depend on a support system that's under threat of losing government funding, the difference in accessibility across the country, and why creating community matters more than ever. This program is hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan. The post SMA: Weak Muscles—Stronger Voices – Pushing Limits – June 27, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

What happens when psychiatric hospitals use restraints and drugs in ways that violate the rights of disabled patients? What does it mean when unhoused disabled people are forced to navigate city services from tents on the sidewalk? And is the Bay Area transit system finally listening to disabled riders? This Friday on Pushing Limits, Eddie Ytuarte and Talia Mariano take you on a fast-paced tour through some of the most pressing disability rights developments in California. From providing an update on the damning report on College Hospital Cerritos—where Disability Rights California found dangerous conditions for psychiatric patients—to a firsthand look at the growing encampments of unhoused disabled people in Berkeley, they'll break down what's really happening on the ground. Plus, they'll bring insights from a recent Metropolitan Transportation Commission disability conference, exploring how transportation policies are shifting—or stalling—for riders with disabilities. Tune in to stay informed, stay connected, and hear voices from the front lines of the disability rights movement. This program is hosted by Eddie Ytuarte and Talia Mariano. The post Disability Happenings – Pushing Limits – June 20, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

This Friday on Pushing Limits, we dig into the escalating attacks on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) under the Trump administration. As backlash spreads nationwide, what does it mean for the disability community? Desiree Delonia Our guest, Desiree Delonia, Director of DEIA at Disability Rights California (DRC), joins us to unpack what DEIA really is, why it matters, and how DRC is pushing back against efforts to dismantle it. Plus, we will catch up with one of our past guests, Jennifer Chassman, and discuss how her work as a DIEA practitioner has changed since Trump took office. This episode is hosted by Denny Daughters with production assistance from Jacob Lesner-Buxton, and contributions from Adrienne Lauby. Relevant Resources: Disability Rights California Jennifer Chassman's Website Desiree Delonia's Book Cal State East Bay's Think by the Bay program Jennifer Chassman The post The State of DEIA Under Trump 2.0 – Pushing Limits – June 13, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

On this edition of Pushing Limits, we speak with Grace Fisher — a gifted artist, founder of Santa Barbara's Inclusive Arts Clubhouse, and owner of the Grace Fisher Foundation. At 17, Grace's life changed overnight when she was paralyzed from the neck down by Acute Flaccid Myelitis, a rare polio-like illness. During her rehabilitation, she discovered adaptive music and art — a turning point that would shape her future. In 2023, driven by a vision of creativity and community, she opened the Grace Fisher Inclusive Arts Clubhouse, which has become a vibrant center offering music, dance, and art classes for people with disabilities. Grace joins Pushing Limits collective member Bonnie Elliott for a conversation about art, disability, and what it takes to run an inclusive creative space. This episode is hosted by Bonnie Elliott, with production support from Jacob Lesner-Buxton and editing by Denny Daughters. Grace Fisher The post Inclusive Arts Clubhouse – Pushing Limits – June 6, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

How far can a California private psychiatric hospital go in violating the rights and safety of people with disabilities—without being held accountable? A new report from Disability Rights California (DRC) shines a harsh light on College Hospital in Cerritos (CHC), revealing a disturbing pattern of inappropriate restraint and seclusion, as well as questionable use of involuntary emergency medications. These are not isolated incidents—they point to systemic problems affecting some of the state's most vulnerable residents. On this program of Pushing Limits, we'll speak with Richard Diaz, the lead attorney on the investigation, to unpack the key findings and what they mean for psychiatric care across California. We'll also examine how a lack of oversight, transparency, and disability rights enforcement contributes to ongoing harm in institutions that are supposed to help people heal. What can be done to stop it? What recourse do disabled residents have? And what role should we all be playing in demanding better? Tune in to find out. This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte. The post Locked In and Let Down in Cerritos – Pushing Limits – May 30, 2025 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 – May 2, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Ever visit a museum and feel like it wasn't built with you in mind? Struggled to read the exhibit text, navigate a gallery space, or find someone who could help — all while being told the place was “accessible”? You're not alone. And change is possible. Maia Scott This week on Pushing Limits, we're joined by Maia Scott, a blind educator and disability advocate who's working to transform how museums serve people with disabilities. Maia recently launched her own consulting business that focuses on partnering with museums and other cultural institutions to break down barriers whether they are physical or systemic. She brings her lived experience and creative insight to the conversation, sharing how inclusive design, tactile access, better signage, and staff training can open doors — not just for disabled folks, but for everyone. Whether you're someone who's felt excluded from these spaces, or you work in one and want to do better, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. This episode of Pushing Limits is hosted by Bonnie Elliott, produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, and edited by Denny Daughters. To learn more about Maia's work, visit  https://maiamaia.co/ The post Making Museums Accessible for All – Pushing Limits – April 25, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Struggling to get your landlord to install a ramp or let you keep a service animal? Ever been denied housing because of your disability, but weren't sure what to do next? You're not alone and there are protections in place. Angie Watson-Hajjem This week, Pushing Limits welcomes Angie Watson-Hajjem. She is the Fair Housing Coordinator of ECHO Fair Housing, which serves the San Francisco East Bay. Topics she will talk about include different forms of discrimination against people with disabilities, accommodations, recourse when discrimination occurs, plus the possible effects of Trump's actions on the disabled community. As the Fair Housing Coordinator, Angie investigates housing discrimination complaints for residents in Alameda, Contra Costa, and Monterey County. She is a certified mediator and helps facilitate reasonable accommodation requests for disabled tenants. Angie holds monthly regional fair housing trainings online where tenants and housing providers can receive fair housing education and counseling. This program is produced and hosted by Eddie Ytuarte. The post Housing Accommodations, Discrimination, & Action – Pushing Limits – April 18, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Does the very system that supports you hold you back? There are a plethora of concerns regarding this administration and Social Security. Social Security is a life and death support in our community. Accordingly, disabled advocates have tried to improve Social Security for literally decades with limited success. We don't have a choice, as we defend this Social Security, we must work to improve it. Did you know Social Security resource limits haven't been updated since 1989? The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act has been sitting in Congress for a year and a half. Why? On this week's Pushing Limits program, we learn more about producer Denny Daughters' experiences with Social Security. Joining us as we share our frustrations and lived experiences is another blind friend and podcast producer, Kevin Wassmer. Plus, producer Dominick Trevethan shares the financial constraints the current SSI income limits place on him as someone who relies on Medicaid services to live an independent life. From absurd income caps to the hoops we jump through just to survive — we get real about what needs to change. This program was hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan with editing assistance from Denny Daughters. For more Information on the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, click here. The post Social Security: Trapped by the System – Pushing Limits – April 11, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

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In California, 2.3 million people are covered by Medicaid. In addition to covering medical care, the program also helps with transportation costs, in-home care, and access to other community support for persons with disabilities and older adults. But that support is in jeopardy. Currently, Congress is trying to cut this program by $800 billion, which would lead to a major reduction in services. Our guest on this week's program of Pushing Limits is healthcare advocate and Youtuber Jane Hash. She will talk about the impact of those cuts on her and other people with disabilities. Plus, Hash will speak frankly about how people with disabilities are struggling to survive in a country that doesn't adequately fund the services we need. This episode of Pushing Limits is written and produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. It is hosted and edited by Dominick Trevethan with assistance by Adrienne Lauby and Denny Daughters. Relevant Resources: Jane Hash's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaneHashCNHP Latest info on ways to protect Medicaid: https://justiceinaging.org/ Jane Hash The post The Consequences of Cuts to Medicaid – Pushing Limits – March 28, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

A vital legal protection for people with disabilities is under attack. But a coalition from 15 states is fighting back, filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration's attempt to gut Section 504 of the federal code. This crucial regulation has been a cornerstone in the battle against discrimination in employment, housing, and more. Claudia Center, legal director at the Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund, joins us to break down what's at stake and how this legal battle could impact the rights of millions. Tune in to Pushing Limits this Friday at 2:30 PM to learn more about the fight to preserve Section 504 and what you can do to support disability rights. This program is hosted and produced by Edward Ytuarte. The post The Legal Fight for Section 504 – Pushing Limits – March 21, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Despite epilepsy being the fourth most common neurological condition, affecting one in twenty-six people globally, there's a widespread lack of awareness surrounding this disability. This is in large part due to its low visibility in daily life. Many individuals living with epilepsy exhibit little to no visible symptoms that would signal their epilepsy to the people around them. Such is the case with the two guests on this week's program, Hanna Wight and Mary Cadd. When most people think of a seizure, they typically associate it with what is called a “Grand Mal Seizure,” which involves a complete loss of consciousness and motor control. However, as we explore in this program, seizures and other epileptic events affect individuals in a myriad of ways. In this conversation, we explore how Hanna and Mary navigate their personal and professional lives while living with Epilepsy. This condition affects relationships, work, driving, and many other aspects of our guests' daily lives. Mary and Hanna both advocate for increased empathy and awareness of this disability. It is important for the public to know how to respond effectively while being non-intrusive when someone has a seizure. This program was hosted and produced by Jacob Stanton with audio editing by Denny Daughters and Dominick Trevethan. Mary Cadd Hanna Wight The post Epilepsy Enlightenment – Pushing Limits – March 14, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

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If you are not worried about programs that come from the Federal government, you are not paying attention. Supports for people with disabilities are on the chopping block, everything from Food Stamps to Meals on Wheels to Social Security and Medi-Care. All of it is under threat from the heavy hand of Elon Musk. For our brothers and sisters overseas, these threats became a nightmare in actuality with the Trump Administration's “Stop Work” order for all International Aid on January 28. Disabled children lost the ability to attend school at the same time food supplies were cut. It's been a disaster for disabled refugees, disability organizations, and many others. We talk with Peter Fremlin Torres about what his international contacts told him about the effect of this order. There have been legal challenges and protests in support of the staff at the USAID agency, but in many countries outside the U.S., the damage is real and likely to spread. Join us to learn more about the billionaire's war on disabled people around the world. Peter Torres Fremlin is a disabled man who writes the weekly Disability Debrief newsletter which is archived at disabilitydebrief.org. He's spent 10 years studying, working, and language-learning in Brazil, Bangladesh, Switzerland, and Egypt. He currently resides in Colchester, England, where he grew up. Disability Debrief signup page: https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/signup Link to the article on the Stop Work order: https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/debrief/stop-work/ Inclusive Development Partners: https://www.inclusivedevpartners.com/  Their crowdfunding site: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-support-for-idps-global-mission Peter Torres Fremlin Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-torres-fremlin/ Note: The artist who painted the picture below was Tan Kuan Aw, who sadly passed away recently. A link to his work on the Debrief is here. Hosted and Produced by Adrienne Lauby. Audio editing by Dominick Trevethan, Denny Daughters, and Jacob Stanton. Peter Torres Fremlin The post The Billionaire's War on Disabled People – Pushing Limits – February 14, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Welcome back to Trump's America and another round of attacks against people with disabilities. In the past week we saw Trump try to blame our community for the crash of American Eagle Flight 534. Trump's comments came less than 48 hours after his administration tried to freeze federal funding for many disability organizations, as well as programs like Medi-Cal and Section 8.  With all this chaos, it's understandable if you want to hide in the bedroom watching reality television for the next four years. Nieta Greene However, this Friday at 2:30 PM, Nieta Greene has another idea! She'll be encouraging people with disabilities to resist Trump‘s policies on KPFA's Pushing Limits program. Green is the founder and CEO of Disability Community for Democracy. She works to get organizations and policymakers to consider the needs of persons with disabilities. This new organization is dedicated to preserving, protecting, and defending liberal democracy and disability rights. On March 1st, the group will host a protest on zoom to push back against Trump's policies. Additionally, the organization advocates alongside public officials to do a better job at encouraging voters with disabilities to run for public office. Plus, we will hear from the next generation of truth-tellers as Josh Elwood interviews people with disabilities who are learning how to produce radio through a KPFA internship program. Thanks to grant support from Berkeley City College, Clayton Pedersen and Jess Hutcheson are gaining valuable work experience in the fields they would like to pursue – music and talk radio. Tune in to hear more! This episode of Pushing Limits is written and produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton and Josh Elwood. It is hosted and voiced by Denny Daughters. Editing by Dominick Trevethan and Denny Daughters. Relevant Resources: Link to Disability Community for Democracy Also, look for them on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. PSA: The recent devastation of the Southern California wildfires has shown us how important emergency/disaster preparedness is…and we've got some answers! Join Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) and CIL's Emergency Preparedness and Resilience program for a special Emergency Preparedness 101 specifically for Blind/Low Vision Communities, led by CIL's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Sheela Gunn. This workshop will be held as a hybrid, both virtually over Zoom and in-person at the Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, 94703, in the Osher Room. When: Thursday, February 13th, 2025, from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Where: Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, 94703, in the Osher Room and via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82594949995 What: A workshop for people who are Blind or Low Vision that live in the San Francisco Bay Area to learn, then apply, the basics of emergency/disaster preparedness. Who: The Center for Independent Living (CIL), serving northern Alameda County, and Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL), serving southern Alameda County. Accessibility: The Ed Roberts Campus is a wheelchair-accessible space. Masks required for in-person attendees. Wayfinding support available. Other accommodations available upon request. Register at: https://bit.ly/EP101BLIND1 The post Disability Resistance in the Age of Trump – Pushing Limits – February 7, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

When tough times fall on us, we often learn who is really in our corner. However, if Dominick & Uriel push came to shove, would you trust your friend to help you use the restroom? Would they even be willing to do so? On this program of Pushing Limits, one of our very own producers shares his experiences in this exact situation along with his IHSS provider and best-friend. Join us as Dominick Trevethan and Uriel Ruelas discuss their unique friendship. They will be sharing all of the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) that Dominick needs help with, how they navigate the nuances of a friendship and work-dynamic, as well as their thoughts on the current state of IHSS. Should family members be paid nearly minimum wage to care for loved ones? Tune in to hear Dominick and Uriel's thoughts. This program was hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan. The post The Provider-Recipient Dynamic: An Inside Angle – Pushing Limits – January 31, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

January is a month often filled with new gym membership, NFL playoffs, and even snow. Before COVID, we didn't associate it with debilitating and devastating illnesses, but COVID-19 changed that. In January of 2020, “Joyful” Joni Gold was the fourth person in her small community to get covid and, for her, this month will never be the same. Living in Los Osos, California with a population of 14,485, Joni faced life-threatening challenges. In a community with few medical providers, she needed quality care. As someone in a nation with little understanding of the disease, she needed advice and support. Now, living with long covid, Joni talks about her experience and how her spirituality helps her live with her disability. On top of hearing from jovial Joni, we have a commentary from Pushing Limits collective member Adrienne Lauby on COVID, unity, and Mr. Trump. Stay tuned! This episode of Pushing Limits is written and produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. It is hosted and edited by Denny Daughters. Joni Gold The post Long Covid in a Small Town – Pushing Limits – January 24, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

On this week's program, Pushing Limits is diving into the heart of the Bay Area disability community with two local guests who are making a mighty impact. First, we'll hear from Scott Simpson, President of the Board of Directors for KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) San Francisco. KEEN empowers children with disabilities through swimming and a variety of other adaptive sports. Learn how this innovative program builds confidence, fosters friendships, and inspires joy for kids and their families. Dr. Emily Beitiks Next, we welcome back Emily Beitiks, Interim Director of the Paul Longmore Institute at San Francisco State University. Emily will provide an update on the Institute's latest initiatives, including its work in disability history, culture, and advocacy. From groundbreaking research to upcoming events, find out how the Longmore Institute continues to amplify the voices of disabled people in the Bay Area and beyond. This program is produced and hosted by Eddie Ytuarte. Relevant Resources: KEEN – San Francisco San Francisco State University – Paul Longmore Institute on Disability The post Bay Area Disability Happenings – Pushing Limits – January 17, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to take care of someone else with major physical needs? Just like any relationship, the caregiver-patient relationship is a two-way street. Usually we bring you the voice of the “patient” on our program, but today we're mixing it up. During the interview, Dean talks about his clients. Some of them have different mobility disabilities; others have diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, and various injuries. One younger client hadn't had a regular bath or shower in several years, but Dean made this problem disappear. Find out how by tuning in! This program was produced and hosted by Denny Daughters. The post The Caregiver's Perspective: Dean Starmer – Pushing Limits – January 10, 2025 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 – January 3, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

As Bugs Bunny once said, “tha-that's all folks!” 2024 has come to a close, and the Pushing Limits gang is looking forward to making next year even better. As we get ready to turn a new leaf, we invite you to join the crew as we look back at what we learned and appreciated about this year as we plan our goals out for next year. In this holiday special, host and producer Denny Daughters interviews all your favorite Pushing Limits producers, editors, script writers, and hosts. Plus, there's a year-end montage and blooper reel that's sure to send you laughing into 2025! See ya next year! The post 2024 in Review – Pushing Limits – December 27, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Victor McConnell Life is full of inconveniences, and it's up to us as individuals to respond to those inconveniences. That's how Victor McConnell looks at life anyways. Despite being born and orphaned in Russia without his entire left arm and shoulder, he is a successful IT consultant, photographer, and musician. On today's program, we learn what it's like to experience life without an arm. Plus, we get a taste of Victor's optimism and spunk. Don't miss the finale—where Victor lets his music do the talking. This interview has been edited from an episode of The Disability Myth. If you would like to hear the longer program, check out the podcast, The Disability Myth. This program is hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan. Relevant Resources: Victor's Website Victor's Youtube Channel   The post One-Handing Life – Pushing Limits – December 20, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Self-advocacy by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has become a big part of the disability movement's approach to this part of our community. Essentially it means that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can and should be supported to speak for themselves, help make policy, serve on boards, and more. Sadly, too often organizations use the term “Self Advocate” simply to get grants or “street cred”. Today's guest, Brittanie Hernandez-Wilson, helped make Self-Advocacy more than a “buzz word” when she was the Equity and Justice Director, at the ARC Minnesota. Hear her explain what it takes to transform disability organizations into places that are truly representative of and accountable to the communities they serve. This program was produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, hosted by Shelley Berman, and edited by Denny Daughters and Dominick Trevethan. Brittanie Hernandez-Wilson The post Beyond the Buzzword: Self-Advocacy in Action appeared first on KPFA.

Did you know some of the most iconic musicians in history lived with disabilities? Beethoven composed masterpieces despite losing his hearing. Stevie Wonder, blind from infancy, redefined soul music. Rick Allen of Def Leppard turned a tragedy into triumph, playing the drums with one arm after a car accident. Accordingly, this Friday, November 22, Pushing Limits brings you a unique musical journey spotlighting incredible artists from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Explore how their creativity and resilience shaped their music—and the world. Host Denny Daughters dives into his rich collection to share hits from artists living with blindness, dyslexia, Stiff Person Syndrome, and amputation and more. Whether you're a lifelong music lover or simply curious, this half-hour promises unforgettable tunes. This show was hosted, edited, and produced by Denny Daughters. But wait, there's more! For an uncut version of this program, alongside the programs predecessor, visit this episode of The Flashback Podcast. The post Musicians With All Types Of Disabilities – Pushing Limits – November 22, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Erin Nguyen Neff 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 Ulices Arreola 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. Claudia Center 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: 1. Claudia Center's analysis with page numbers in the Project 2025 document.so you can read what it says yourself. 2. Instragram post by DREDF. 3. 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 Devilish Details for Disabled People: Project 2025 – 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 signifiers That 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 Theresa Rodgers 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. Dr. Emily Beitiks 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. 2024 Superfest Disability Film Festival Flyer 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. Gianna Lacofano 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. Nohemy 1 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 or donate to research funds, you can do so here. This program was produced and hosted by Dominick Trevethan with editing assistance by Denny Daughters. Nohemy 2 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 Resources To 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 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. Michael Rembis 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 U Baul French 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. Daniel Broz Alexander Sing 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. Michelle Uzeta 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. Connie Arnold 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. Jennifer Lincoln 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. Christine Fitzgerald This program was hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan. 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? Kimberly Starke – Dean of the Disabled Resources Department at Santa Rosa Junior College 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. Here's more factoids: Humanity & 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! https://www.hi-us.org/en/humanity-inclusions-office-in-gaza-city-destroyed 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.

Young person typing braille by George Williams 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. Hands reading Braille by Vater_fotografo622_NSC_4787_bis_Braille– “la luce attraverso le dita” (light through the fingers) 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.

Sophia Lee-Park 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.