Podcast appearances and mentions of michelle bishop

Dementia is a brain condition that affects memory, thinking, mood and behaviour. Around half a million Australians live with dementia, while about 1.7 million people care for someone with the disease. Its impact extends beyond the person diagnosed, affecting families, friends and carers. Ahead of Dementia Action Week, The Wire’s Georgia Perry spoke with Michelle Bishop about dementia’s far-reaching impact along with her experiencing supporting her late-mother.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of National Disability Radio highlights a recent disability rights victory in Colorado, where advocates successfully worked to repeal a law that permitted the forced sterilization of people with disabilities. One of our very own P&As, Disability Justice in Colorado, was instrumental in making this happen! Hear from policy leaders and self-advocates behind the effort as they discuss coalition-building, and why disability rights progress depends on keeping people with disabilities at the center of the conversation. **NOTE** Disability Law Colorado has recently rebranded to Disability Justice! Check out their new messaging and branding on the web and across their socials: Disability Justice's Website: https://disabilityjustice.co/ Disability Justice's Social Media Channels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disabilityjustice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disabilityjusticeco/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@disabilityjusticeCO The Arc of Colorado's Website: https://www.thearcofco.org/ The Arc of Colorado's Social Media Channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheArcofColorado Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcofcolorado/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-arc-of-colorado/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/thearcofco YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheArcofColorado The Arc of the United States' Website: https://thearc.org/ The Arc of the United States' Social Media Channels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thearcus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearc_us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thearcus/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thearc_us Transcript: Michelle Bishop: Okay. Sorry, sorry. I can get serious. We can do this. Wait, are we recording? Alden Blevins: Yes. Michelle Bishop: Oh, okay. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Well, there's our cold open. Here we go. Michelle Bishop: Hi everyone, and welcome back to National Disability Radio, the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network, where we share with you stories and conversations that advance the rights, voices, and leadership of people with [00:00:30] disabilities. I'm Michelle Bishop, one of your co-hosts, and today we are really excited to be joined by some of our own, two folks we were able to connect with through our own network of organizations across the US. We're going to be talking with Disability Law Colorado about some of the recent amazing advocacy work that they've been doing. But before we do that, I'm going to kick it to my co-hosts. Stephanie Flynt McEben: That's right. Hey, everybody. Stephanie Flynt McEben, public policy analyst with the National Disability Rights Network and two-thirds of [00:01:00] your podcast hosting team. But yeah, wanted to kick it off to our wonderful guests. Jack Johnson: Sure. Yeah, thank you for having me. So I'm Jack Johnson. I work at Disability Law Colorado as our public policy liaison, the one and only, so I'm a team of one here in Colorado, but am joined by a lot of great advocates in our network through our community partners, as well as all of the people that work at Disability Law Colorado who bring their lived experience to our policy [00:01:30] work and their expertise in their specific areas that they work in every day. And here in Colorado, we have a very busy legislative session and a very active legislature, which means we get to do a lot of fun work. And I get to work with Molly all the time, which I'm really grateful for, and I can pass it over to her. Molly Kirkham: Perfect. Well, yeah, thank you all. I'm Molly. I work for the Arc of Colorado as a legislative policy advocate, which basically means I get to talk to senators, [00:02:00] representatives, about bills and issues that matter to individual with disabilities. And aside from that, I'm also past president of SFO and vice president of Speaking for Ourself Colorado and People First. Speaking for Ourselves is a statewide group and People First is local. And I've always been connected to disabilities. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Awesome. Thank you so much, Molly. I'm going to pass on to Alden. Alden Blevins: [00:02:30] Yeah, I was just going to say I'm so glad that you're both here today. I think this type of legislative advocacy work is so important. I used to work at a P&A myself in Virginia, and back when I was doing their communications and kind of stressing the importance of the work, I kept coming back to the key phrase that changing laws can change lives. And I think that work like you guys have done on this bill that we're going to talk about today is something that could maybe be a blueprint for other P&As across the United States as they struggle with similar things [00:03:00] in their legislatures. So thank you so much for being here with us today. Michelle Bishop: Yes, we're excited to talk about this, especially anytime we get a chance to highlight some of the incredible work that's being done in our own network. That's our favorite thing to do. So first things first, let's get into it. For any of our listeners who might be unfamiliar, the big news is that Disability Law Colorado worked with their state legislature to get a new law passed that would end forced sterilization policies that are on the books. [00:03:30] Can you talk a little bit about what the law allowed and how long it was essentially on the books? Jack Johnson: Sure. Yeah. So as a little bit of a background, lots of states around the country have these laws. I think maybe a dozen or so have repealed them. Colorado now joins that list, but over 30 states still have these laws on the books, and it's unclear [00:04:00] how many states use them still. But the fact that they exist even here in Colorado has been a problem for us and something we've tried to solve. And so what the law did is it created a specific pathway for a court to order the sterilization of a person who has an intellectual or developmental disability over their objection. It was actually passed not that long ago, around the same time that the ADA was passed in the '90s and early 2000s, and amended [00:04:30] through that decade. But the reason it was passed is because before this, courts were just doing it, and it goes all the way back to our state hospital and practices of eugenics back in the 1920s all the way through to the end of the 1900s where there was different courts doing different things, but not a legal due process pathway. And so when it was passed, it was supposed to be more progressive by adding [00:05:00] due process protections and adding things to the law that would prevent these sterilizations from happening without judicial intervention or without clear judicial direction. However, here we are in 2026 and the consensus is pretty clear that one's progressive policy now is very regressive because it still through statute authorizes eugenics-level sterilization for people over their objection. Alden Blevins: Yeah. It's wild [00:05:30] to think that it was passed that recently to me. And you kind of delved into this a little bit with your answer, but I mentioned earlier, I'm a woman with autism and I'm personally all too familiar with the rich history of eugenics that is unfortunately a part of America's story. So I just wanted to ask, how do you see this connecting to the broader history of how people with disabilities are treated in the United States? I know I have my own answer, but I wanted to see if you had any thoughts. Jack Johnson: Yeah, I [00:06:00] mean it's very interesting. This is the year 2026. Buck v. Bell was passed in 1927, so we're coming up on the hundredth anniversary of that Supreme Court decision and the decision that still could theoretically be used as precedence in future cases. And after a hundred years of advocacy, we have other protective laws like the ADA and other things, but [00:06:30] this is the last final piece, I think, in terms of our legal protections that needs to come into place. And it's a really problematic history, especially here in our specific state, in Colorado, where we have a single state hospital, which used to be a large institutional setting primarily for people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities or behavioral health disorders. It has since been transitioned in a way that is more clinically focused, but [00:07:00] the building itself remains and the practice itself remains at least a theoretical possibility in the law. We've been as an investigative unit, as the P&A, obviously active in protecting people's rights. And there hasn't been a recent case, at least in the last 10 years where we've had to challenge one of these proceedings. But in an era now where other areas of disability rights are actually regressing, and we're seeing policies passed [00:07:30] that move us backwards, we took the opportunity to take that last step forward to pass this law. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Thank you so much, Jack. I really appreciate it. In talking a little bit about, obviously we both know this as public policy folks, but a lot of factors and things can come into play when trying to get a bill passed, let alone a bill signed into law. And so I was wondering if you could [00:08:00] talk a little bit about any political barriers, cultural barrier, any types of barriers that you might've encountered when advancing this piece of legislation? Because I can't imagine, as we all know, policy does not happen overnight. And so I'm sure that this has been a long time coming given the nature of public policy as well in general. Jack Johnson: Yeah. We have been fortunate that the bill passed, I think unanimously or close to unanimously, [00:08:30] through the vote chambers and got almost 100 votes of the legislators, but it wasn't easy. I think we started this project actually over a year ago during the 2025 General Assembly. And because of a lot of barriers to how slow things move in politics, as well as some of the policy questions related to this topic, it took us over a year just to get our appropriate bill drafted with sponsors in place [00:09:00] to run the legislation. And even as the legislation passed, I think there were especially folks who unfortunately, I think, still have the policy in mind that some level of eugenics is acceptable to them, that there was some outreach to the legislators and to us that this was the wrong direction to take and it would lead [00:09:30] to negative outcomes for people, which is surprising given the year that we're in, but maybe not all that surprising given some of the other areas of disability rights where we're seeing policies go backwards. But in spite of that, I think we had people like Molly and other people speak for themself who have lived experience with a disability, who, given this law, could be sterilized over their objection. And so having them speak in both of our panels of public testimony [00:10:00] in the House and the Senate was really, really powerful to the legislators and I think helped convince them despite the outreach they were getting from other folks that this was the right policy to pass. Alden Blevins: Yeah, that leads us so nicely into the fact that I think having buy-in from the disability community is always helpful when it comes to the world of legislative advocacy, because ultimately people want to hear from their constituents. So that said, could you tell us a little bit more about how you [00:10:30] engaged advocates with disabilities to help support you guys? Or you said maybe they delivered some testimony when advancing this bill. Jack Johnson: Yeah, absolutely. So Colorado's legislative session I think is like most states in that we start in January and we go through the spring and we're time-limited to the middle of May, 120 days after we start. So that's kind of the cycle that we all work on to pass public policy objectives, which means that at the end of every May or the beginning of every June, [00:11:00] we meet as an organization, as a P&A, and we talk about what the next year's objectives are. And that includes from our survey that we put out into the community issues that people are facing, as well as barriers that our legal teams are seeing with laws that are not working appropriately or that need to be changed or repealed or protections added for people with disabilities. And from there, we spend most of the summer meeting with all of our community partners. So all [00:11:30] of the organizations that represent and advocate for people with disabilities and who interact in this world. We have community round tables and do one-on-one meetings where we present what we think our priorities are going to be for the next year. We get input from our community partners and we hear what they're working on and what we can support them on as a collective. And from that round table, we usually come away with both our legislative priorities, but also our team's legislative priorities. [00:12:00] So everyone else who works in the legislature, who advocates here, we understand what every organization's doing and how we can partner with each other and support each other, and then testify in support of each other's legislation. And so from those community meetings, there was a lot of excitement about this bill, and they're open to the public. So it's not just if you are a part of an organization, anyone with a disability is welcome to join. And we have email lists that people then can join onto if they want to learn about particular [00:12:30] pieces of legislation throughout the summer and the fall as we advance them. And when it comes time to testify, we just notify our partners and anyone on those email lists to come speak their voice. And we've been fortunate the last couple of years because of all this community-building that we've done, that when we run legislation or our partners run legislation, there's always great turnout in supporting the rights of people with disabilities. And especially here in Colorado, we have had great success the last three to five years [00:13:00] in really passing impactful legislation, and this is just another example of it. Michelle Bishop: Jack, just congrats to you and to everyone on the work that was done here. And I believe it when you say folks were excited about doing work on this bill, because the historical perspective is one of the things that's really interesting to me. When I talk to folks I know from outside disability rights world, I think this is one of those issues that people think is, "This is old, this is from the past. There's a problem that should be solved. [00:13:30] This is not an issue anymore." But it's not just Colorado. Antiquated laws like these seem to stay on the books. They stick around even when notions of how we approach disability have changed. And I'm wondering why you think laws like this seem to have such staying power even decades after society has, I'll say for the most part, rejected these kinds of ideas. Jack Johnson: Yeah, you're right. We see lots of laws, not just this one, that seem antiquated but still [00:14:00] remain on the books. And I think there's a lot of reasons why. The first reason is that many of these laws, it takes an act of a governing body to change the law, and legislators only have so much time in their day and so much effort to run legislation across all of their constituencies. And so taking time to pass a law that maybe seems antiquated and doesn't do anything requires people to step up and ask for it to be changed. [00:14:30] It requires us as the P&A to devote our resources to repealing it and our community partners to come testify and a legislator to spend 120 of their days in legislative session to advocate for its passage. And so the inertia of getting any law passed small or large is big. And when you think about all of the different areas of disability rights that need attention, all the legal protections that need added or all the systems that need improved or all the old laws that need repealed, [00:15:00] sometimes it takes a lot to get all of those resources into place to repeal a law that may be old. But also there is a lot of institutional power that we take back in disability rights. And so institutions, the governments or state or local governments, large institutions related to healthcare or economic institutions, even [00:15:30] laws that they potentially don't use anymore doesn't mean that they would accept us removing them, taking them off the books, because that's taking away some of their perceived power. And so when you're looking at a government and we're asking it to give us more rights, give people with disabilities more rights and take away some of the power they have over people with disabilities, even if it's not power that they currently use, there is sometimes that institutional [00:16:00] resistance to allowing that change to occur. And so between those two things, sometimes it's hard to find a sweet spot where you can actually get something passed. Alden Blevins: Yeah, I think resistance to change is just something that we struggle with in general, but especially when it comes to those larger systems that you spoke so well about, it can really be hard to just change people's minds about the way something has always been done or the way [00:16:30] something has always been framed. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Oh, 1000%. Just talking about that, I think one of the things that really helps in terms of changing minds is really spotlighting the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities. And so with that, I do want to pivot our next question over to Molly. So Molly, I know that you have your own lived experience with disability, and I know that this topic is an incredibly heavy topic, [00:17:00] especially throughout the disability community. Do you remember how you felt when you first realized or learned about that a law like this was a thing or existed? Molly Kirkham: Yeah, I definitely can. For me, my first reaction I think was shock. Kind of like what you guys and Jack said, it's 2026, and I was shocked to hear that it's still happening and that it hasn't been. [00:17:30] Yeah, it's more of shock of, wow, we have so much progressed in thinking and how we value people with disabilities in the community, but it's still shocking to think that there's still stuff like for sterilization and that's still happening. And so to me, it's shock. And also that it's time that we address this. So, for real, shock and almost, not frustration, but just like, wow, how? And [00:18:00] almost like, yeah, because I wouldn't think that was still going on. So that shock of being like, okay, this is still happening, for me, I think it's more just [inaudible 00:18:16] 2026 and this is still going on. And I think that's how probably a lot of people feel, is the unknown too. It's like you don't know that's going on. So when you hear it, you're like, "Okay, let's do something about this." Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah, absolutely. And [00:18:30] I think that you hit a major point on the head, is a lot of people don't know what they don't know. And so I think that's a really huge point that hitting on is so important. And I definitely agree. It's 2026. You wouldn't think that laws like this would exist, or at least the average everyday person wouldn't think so, but you pull behind the curtain and this is what you see. I know that Alden has some lived experience that maybe she may be able to share too. Alden Blevins: [00:19:00] Yeah. So I was just going to say that as someone with my own lived experience with disability and my own trials and tribulations, especially with navigating some systems as a person with disabilities, I know that something that can be very hard for our community is trusting systems, especially the medical system, the healthcare system or the legal system. And I just wanted to ask you, Molly, how do you think that laws like these and their history affects [00:19:30] how our community trusts these systems? Molly Kirkham: Yeah. So I think now it does make you feel untrustworthy of it. And I think this goes back to the fact that you're not in charge of your own decisions. So to me, that's the big part, is not trusting the system to truly listen to you. Because a lot of times when you have disabilities, it feels like the legal system or doctors are deciding what's going [00:20:00] on or what's going to happen without you being present or being in control. So for me, part of trust is feeling like people listen and heard. So for me, a lot of times when in legal systems, if you have a disability, you feel like that you're not going to be heard. And that's I think what ruins the trust, is the fact that people with disabilities already [00:20:30] feel not in the majority, in the minority, and we're already a group that's not as included sometimes in discussions or decisions. So for that, I think that's what it goes back to, is that when people with disability feel like they're not valued or people just don't make decisions, I think that blows the trust just in the fact that you don't know if they're going to make the decisions [00:21:00] in your best interest. Before the law came in, I think now that we do have this, I think it's building more trust back because you can tell that people want to listen, that they are changing the ways of having ... instead of other people decide, that they're giving the control and the decision back to the person with disabilities. So I think there's still lack of trust, but I think the more bills or the more legal systems and actual systems start [00:21:30] giving back that choice and the decision to people with disabilities, is going to build that trust back up. Michelle Bishop: Molly, I really feel that as we're talking about this, it seems like this is something that comes up again and again every time we talk about the healthcare system in the US, that is people with disabilities, we struggle to navigate the systems, we struggle to get our needs met. And I was wondering if y'all could talk about how disabled people's capacity to make decisions about their own bodies [00:22:00] gets questioned or even if are there other legal protections that exist or that need to exist to protect the bodily autonomy of people with disabilities in Colorado or beyond? Molly Kirkham: To answer that question, I think yes, we can always have more protections. I always say the more protections and the more protection for people with disability are always, to me, a plus. But to the [00:22:30] first question, which is, yeah, the decisions and their own bodies [inaudible 00:22:36], I think that again goes back to the fact that the judgment part, the preconceived notion is that when someone comes in with a disability, that they must not be able to make the decision. Or it's the same thing with doctors, is they can decide just because you have a disability, that means that you cannot [00:23:00] make your own decisions or that you don't have the capacity. And I think that goes back to the fact that disabilities, not able or not as able as someone else. So it goes back to that context of if there's someone with disability, that must mean that someone else has to make that decision for them. And I think with doctors, it's the same as they're professional. And so they're going to say that because as a professional, that it feels like they sometimes [00:23:30] have maybe more knowledge. And a lot of times when someone with disabilities, a lot of people assume that they need someone else to do it, that they are not going to be able to make that decision to give consent. And I think it comes back to, again, that preconceived assumption that someone with a disability is not able [00:24:00] to understand, that they're not able to really actually make that decision. And I think that goes back a long time for many areas. So doctors, teachers, one of them, but I know we're always trying to work on this, is support decision-making, guardianship. I think for me, this is a big one as first sterilization of course is a big one since it really [inaudible 00:24:30] [00:24:30] I can't imagine not being able to decide. But I think it goes to almost a lot of stuff. So to me, it's anything that can impact a person with disability rights is something that needs to be protected, whether that's [inaudible 00:24:46], whether it's health insurance, whether that's job. But I think a lot of times one thing that would need to change for that is getting rid of that preconceived notion that people with disabilities are not [00:25:00] able to do stuff and trying to get to the point of supporting them and giving them that opportunity to take some control back of decisions that truly affect them. Stephanie Flynt McEben: 1000%. Absolutely. And I think that a lot of that is based on perceptions and misconceptions. People don't realize or expect [00:25:30] that disabled people or people with disabilities can make various decisions for themselves. Obviously, these are some really, really heavy topics. And so I did want to lean a little bit into a little bit more of a positive framework here and really just personally ask, what does it mean for you personally that this law has passed? Molly Kirkham: Yeah. What does it mean personally to me to see that change? [00:26:00] I think, to me, it's hope. It's the idea that there are people even now through tough times that are willing to stand up and say, "This is not right," and fix it. And to me, again, it's going back to seeing that people with disabilities are valued, that they do matter. Going back to personalization, to me, it feels very hopeful and comforting to know [00:26:30] that there is a law now that does say that people with disabilities still have the right to [inaudible 00:26:38], that they have the right for them to be in control of their lives and make decisions. And again, the repeal of the law, to me, it means that we're taking a step forward. That we are saying that people with disabilities should have that decision, that they are the ones who can decide [00:27:00] what happens to them and what is not going to happen. When I think about this bill, I think about how far we already have come from the history of people with disability being sterilized and now coming to the place that we're saying, "No, that's not right." And that this is not how people with disabilities are going to be treated. To me, that is really very comforting [00:27:30] to know that the people are going to stand up, that even laws like this can be changed and that people can do what I think is the right thing even if it's a lot. Even if there's a lot of people pushing against it, that there is always going to be at least, that people are going to support the disability and that they want ... And that's a change in perspective from people with disability not being able to say what they [00:28:00] want to do to now being the ones in charge of what goes on. So I think at the end of the day, it's just about seeing, even if things are tough, seeing the progress that's going on, even if it's little. Alden Blevins: I love what you said about both hope and progress. For me, it's inspiring both to look backwards and think about the things that some of our ancestors in the disability community had to live through and that they were able to get through [00:28:30] that not even that long ago. But it's also inspiring to look forward and think about all of the progress we can make and how far things have come in terms of changing attitudes and really supporting the capacity and the competency of people with disabilities to make decisions about their own lives. So I love the message of hope because I think it gives me some hope too. Michelle Bishop: I think that's true, Alden. And not to be a huge bummer, but [00:29:00] as we've been having this conversation, I've been wondering for Jack or for Molly, we've talked a lot about the history here. Do you think it's dangerous to assume that this could never happen again? Jack Johnson: I'll jump in here. That's one of the reasons we wanted to repeal the law. What we saw was a friendly legislature and an opportunity. Even though we've heard that this procedure has not been used recently, we very much feel that given everything happening in the world right now, it's not [00:29:30] unrealistic that someone could use this law to justify doing this again or expanding involuntary sterilization the way it is right now. And so it wasn't just a symbolic repeal of something that doesn't happen anymore. I think it really is an important repeal to protect people with disabilities as many areas of government move to look to restrict rights even further. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Thank you so much. [00:30:00] I really appreciate that insight there. Are there any other takeaways throughout the legislative process of getting this done that you think might be informative for other states to engage in their own advocacy? Jack Johnson: Yeah, I think one of the powerful things that we looked at that really started this process was a 50-state study done by a national women's health organization that looked at [00:30:30] forced sterilization laws across the country and also examined state by state using citations where those laws exist in the statute and how they may interact or interplay with other areas of law. And that was a really powerful study because it's persuasive to the legislators who are looking at what other states have done, but it's also a great starting point because it points you directly to what your state is doing in terms of forced sterilization in their statute, where it belongs in the statute, and [00:31:00] an easy point to just say, "We need to repeal this thing right here." Alden Blevins: And I love that you said that you leaned on that study from the national women's health perspective, because I think that that so well illustrates a topic for my last question, which is just, do you have any additional advice about how to bridge gaps or build coalitions with other organizations so that we can collaborate as a larger disability community to [00:31:30] make things like this happen? Jack Johnson: Yeah. Well, I definitely encourage folks to reach out to every other organization that works in those spaces in the state or in neighboring states. I think we've had a lot of success with that, building power in our movement by collaborating with other disability-focused organizations or adjacent organizations that advocate for kids, advocate for healthcare patients, advocate for justice-involved folks, [00:32:00] because all of those organizations have an impact and their advocacy helps us just as much as we help them. And those type of movements have really given us not just us standing alone, but us standing in community with a lot of lived experience, not just from the disability perspective, on the policies and their impacts on people. And then the other thing is we try very diligently to keep a lot of our policy meetings open so that anyone can participate. And I think that gives us a [00:32:30] lot of buy-in, not just for people with lived experience, but for other organizations who may not want to participate or may not be able to participate now, but who want to follow along in our process and who may, given the right bill or the right opportunity, jump in and be a great supporter that we have. And so I know there's a lot of strategy that goes involved in lawmaking, but we always try to just leave our meetings open with invites that are public, and that has given us a lot of success in terms of buy-in and voices [00:33:00] of people with disabilities leading the way. Michelle Bishop: Thank you both so, so much for joining us today. This has been really an incredible conversation, and thank you both so much for your work and your leadership. I'm glad we can share this with the rest of our network. I know Stephanie has some info for our listeners. And Molly and Jack, I fear that you're also about to find out about Stephanie's gift for joke telling. Stephanie Flynt McEben: My gift? Oh my goodness. Yeah, no, seriously. Thank you all so much for being [00:33:30] a part of this conversation, 1000%. For any of our listeners who are interested in keeping up with everything that's going on, you can follow Disability Law Colorado on their website, which we'll have linked in the show notes as well as their social media channels. But I also want to give Jack and Molly an opportunity to shout out anything else that they might want to plug in terms of following. Jack Johnson: I think Disability Law Colorado's webpages and our social [00:34:00] media is the best place, but Molly is the rockstar. She's on the local news in the evenings when they interview people with lived experience. So she's definitely the one that you want to follow. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Oh my gosh. Molly, do you want to plug your social media and then we can also put it in the notes? Molly Kirkham: Yeah, I'll be happy to. So I would say for mine, I do have a Facebook page. Yeah, it's just Molly Kirkham. There's two of them. So it's Molly Kirkham and it's the one that's having [00:34:30] me with the running. But I'd say in terms of social media in terms of legislative, the Arc of Colorado Facebook page, website, and the Arc of the United States page, I would always recommend. If you reach out to them, they can help you in many ways. So for social media, that's it. And then the last thing that I think Jeff might know this is in terms of speaking up and speaking out is to remember [00:35:00] to not take no as a solid answer. That's a step toward a yes. And for me, the most important thing to remember is to look at everyone as a person. And I think that's my main message in any of this, legislative, doctor, whatever, social media, is just remembering that this is a person that is going to be affected. I think that's my big takeaway. If people can look at each other as humans, that goes the farthest. Stephanie Flynt McEben: [00:35:30] Absolutely. Absolutely. And then Michelle, aren't you going to ask me your favorite question of the episode? Michelle Bishop: I was hoping Alden was just going to wrap us, but okay, Jack and Molly, we have this weird tradition on our podcast where Stephanie has gotten into the habit of telling a joke. And if you don't know this about Stephanie, she tells really terrible dad jokes. So Stephanie, do you have a joke for the people this time? Stephanie Flynt McEben: I actually don't. Michelle Bishop: What? There's no joke. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I know. The [00:36:00] thing is, I was going to try to make a joke about employment, but it just wasn't working. Michelle Bishop: Oh. Alden Blevins: My God. Stephanie. Michelle Bishop: Stephanie, actually, you got me with that one. I'm not going to lie. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I was honestly ready for your reaction to me not having a joke because I was like, I always have a joke. Michelle Bishop: You always ... Honestly, I don't know why I believed you when you said you didn't have one ready. And I think you got a chuckle out of Jack actually. Stephanie Flynt McEben: [00:36:30] Yay. Oh my gosh. We love our little jokester crew. Oh my gosh. Michelle Bishop: Thank you both for coming on today, for everything you taught us today. It was amazing. And for dealing with our terrible, terrible jokes. Alden, tell the people everything they need to know. Alden Blevins: Yes. Again, we're so grateful we've been able to collect and learn more from you both. This has been National Disability Radio, where we dive into tough topics and the elbow grease it takes [00:37:00] to make change happen. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation with us at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening. And until next time, let's keep working together to create a world where all people with disabilities can thrive. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Bye.

On this episode of National Disability Radio, we sit down with award-winning recording artist, advocate, and author Lachi for a powerful conversation about disability pride, music, and unmasking. Lachi shares her journey, from navigating the music industry as a blind artist, to founding RAMPD, a coalition amplifying disability culture across the industry. We talk about what it means to say “I identify as blind,” move beyond the medical and social models of disability into a cultural model rooted in identity and joy, and remind listeners that no one can defeat someone who hasn't given up. From glam canes to Grammy stages, this episode is about claiming space, rejecting internalized ableism, and turning perceived flaws into flexes. Transcript: Alden Blevins: It’s Lachi? I feel very- Lachi: Lachi like Versace. Alden Blevins: Lachi like… Oh, I love that. Michelle Bishop: That is the best way to explain it. Lachi: I mean, but you know what I’m saying? Come on. Alden Blevins: Well, we’re really excited about having you today because we’re all music lovers in this group here. Michelle Bishop: Yes. Alden Blevins: We talk about music all the time. Michelle Bishop: So much. Lachi: Good, good, good, good, good, good, good. I’m in the right place. Michelle Bishop: Hi everyone. Welcome back to National Disability Radio, the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network. I am Michelle Bishop, 1/3 of your podcast hosting team. Stephanie Flynt McEben: And I’m Stephanie Flynt McEben, public policy analyst here at NDRN. Alden Blevins: I am Alden. I am a communication specialist at NDRN and I am so excited today, like I mentioned, we’re all lovers of music, so we got a guest that I’m really excited about. Lachi is an award-winning recording artist and a recording Academy Grammy’s national trustee. She’s also a disability advocate who’s been breaking barriers in the music industry and beyond. She’s the founder of RAMPD, which by the way, is such a fun play name. I really love that. And the author of the upcoming book, I Identify as Blind. So without further ado, Michelle, you’ve got some questions to kick us off, I think. Michelle Bishop: Yes. We’re so excited to have you with us. As Alden said, we are. We’re huge music lovers. I’m pretty sure we spend most of our meetings where we allegedly plan this podcast just talking about music. So you’re absolutely in the right place today, but to get us started, I mean, you’ve been open about the fact, and I’m just really interested in this as a disability rights podcast. You’ve been really open about the fact that it took you some time to really embrace your identity as a blind and disabled woman, especially in the industry that you’re in that often really rewards conformity. Can you tell us a little bit more about that journey for you, both as an artist and as someone navigating just the world with a disability? Lachi: Okay. Yeah, for sure. Hey, everybody. Lachi here, Lachi like Versace. I am a Black woman with cornrows, chilling here in New York in my studio. I also identify as blind, I identify as neurodivergent, and I identify as an Aries. So do with that what you will. Michelle Bishop: All the important points right there. Lachi: All the important points like name, age, sign. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, but I’m really glad to be here. And thank you for that question, and thank you for having me. So music has always been a very integral part of my life of growing up. Where other babies would kick in the womb, when she was pregnant with me, I was playing the piano in the womb. I don’t know how she got a piano in there, but she’s not a liar, so I’m going to take her word for it. When I was super-duper young, I didn’t really have a lot of friends, especially because of the fact that I had differences and this and that. And so I would take to music to, I guess, understand the world better and have the world understand me better. I just knew how to express myself through song and it just said the things I needed to say. It was the prayer I needed. And because of music, I started to find confidence in how to speak and how to behave and how to act. And as I got older, when I was growing up, disability was not necessarily a thing people talked about a lot in schools and teachers didn’t know what to do. My parents didn’t really know what to do. And so I would always just turn to music. It’s actually right now I’m working on a children’s album because I think that kids need to hear music that has to do with disability and neurodivergence, as well as their parents as they grow up. When I got into college, I started wanting to do music, but I studied business and finance because when I told my parents I wanted to do music, they were like, “That’s not how you spell doctor.” because they are Nigerian immigrants and everybody else in my family went to either med school and blah, blah, blah. And I was like, “No, I want to do music.” But I did get a day job after school, after college, and didn’t love it because this girl is not going to exist behind a desk. So I ended up going to South by Southwest and I got signed actually from playing the guitar at a hole in the wall spot that nobody was at, except for this A&R apparently. So we got signed to an imprint under EMI, which was a major label back then, and we started touring and music then became my life. Now today, why wouldn’t I pay my respects back to music? I mean, it’s because of music that I was able to really lean into who I am, my disability, my confidence, et cetera. So because of that, because of how much music has given to me in my life, I’m here using music to give back to other people with disabilities. Now, your question was essentially, how do you sit here and try to bring about change for disability in an industry that is not only about conformity, but also about like, “Hey, pick me to exploit.” is essentially what the music industry is. You’re raising your hand to be exploited and that’s what kind of authenticity is that? But at the end of the day, music is some of the truest forms of storytelling. And I think to myself, just the way that hip hop has amplified Black culture and the way that country music has amplified rural culture and the way that different global musics have represented different global cultures. I want to use music to amplify disability culture. I want to use music to amplify disability stories and feelings that are difficult to put words to, that are words of the soul, which is essentially what music is. And so I started going to studios and realizing things weren’t as accessible as they should be. I started speaking with organizations and realizing things weren’t as inclusive as they should be. And the response I kept getting was like, “Oh, well, there’s nobody with a disability in the music industry, so why would we make these measures?” And so I have made it my life’s goal through RAMPD, which by the way, the best thing we ever accomplished was our acronym, not us working with the Grammys to get sign language on the red carpet, not us getting these partnerships with title, Live Nation, Spotify. I mean, we’ve done so much, not just for artists, but also for professionals. And we’ve started to realize something really interesting with the work we’ve done with RAMPD. We are getting people joining our membership who are director level folks, who are label owners, who are like the big wigs that write the checks, and they’re like, “I’m neurodivergent. I’m actually hard of hearing. I have a TBI.” And so when I originally set out, they said, “We don’t do disability inclusion because nobody’s disabled.” That was three years ago. Now I’m like, not only are there neurodivergent and disabled music professionals out here, but we all are. So really to conclude, it’s just that everyone is navigating trying to make it out in this world, but everyone’s masking. Everyone feels that they have to change some part of themselves to be as close as they can to what success looks like, be as close as they can to what “beauty” looks like, what winning looks like. But really all it is internalized ableism. And I say, as soon as we drop that internalized ableism and we really start to sit in who we truly are and we start to recognize our perceived flaws as flexes, that’s when we truly start to win. And so that’s what we’re finding out with RAMPD, that people are like, “You know what? I’m tired of navigating this difficult industry with the added layer of having to mask.” And so that’s why I do what I do. Michelle Bishop: Yes. And honestly, as ridiculous as it sounds that they say to you, “Oh, there aren’t any people with disabilities.” When I tell you, we see that in everything that we do. I do voting work at NDRN and we’ll have elections officials tell us, “This polling place isn’t accessible, but there aren’t any people with disabilities that vote here.” And it’s like, “What? You realize we’re everywhere and we do all sorts of things.” Maybe the reason they think there’s no people with disabilities here is because they’re stuck outside and they can’t get in because you didn’t make it accessible, just a thought. But I mean, it sounds like coming up against all that is really, correct me if I’m wrong, helped you to develop that identity and that disability pride in the industry. When did you first say, “I identify as blind.” and what did that mean for you? Lachi: Well, so when I first came into really doing the disability thing, really leaning in, I wanted to find out more influencers or thought leaders and such with disabilities. I didn’t really know that many people. This is pre COVID, 2018, 2019, that kind of thing. And so I came across an influencer, her name is Molly Burke, and we’re great friends now, but I didn’t know her back then. I had just seen her tagline and it had said, “I’m Molly Burke and I’m a YouTuber who happens to be blind.” And for some reason I was like, “I don’t know if I love the happens to be blind thing.” I was like, “Well, I’m proud of being blind. Blindness is part of my identity. I don’t just happen to be a woman. I don’t just happen to be a Nigerian. I don’t just happen to be all of the things I am.” And so I would go to… I was touring… We’re always touring and every time I tour and do a show, I do a comedic open where I just introduce myself, I do a quick self-description, et cetera. And in my self-description, I would say, and I don’t just happen to be blind. My blindness is part of my identity, has given me all of the opportunities I have, and it’s really made me a deeper blah, blah, blah. It was just too long. So I had punched it up to be, “My name is Lachi like Versace. She, her, I’m a Black woman with cornrows and I identify as blind.” And the interesting thing about that is people took onto it. They were like, “Oh, that’s cool, nice and punchy.” But whenever I would say it in front of a large crowd or like I’ve said it on interviews or during commercials, I would get this weird, I don’t know, pushback of like, you can’t identify as blind. Blindness is an identity. It’s a medical condition. Or they’ll be like, “Do you read braille or not?” Or they’ll be like, “We don’t want people to think trans blindness is a thing where you just have a blind identity.” And then you can be like, “Well, I’m blind today, so that’s my identity.” And I thought that was really fun. I was like, “Look, everybody’s upset. They’re talking about blindness though.” So I really leaned all the way into it. And I have to say, I am super proud of my disability identity. Was it music that brought me there? I think in a sense and in a way, like today I have a few songs, you guys are music lovers, I have a few songs out that really talk about my disability pride. I think that a lot of the times as we navigate the world, masking our disability, masking our chronic condition, our difference or whatever, we end up overcompensating. We end up building up this really, really thick problem solving muscle or this really, really thick how to get around things muscle and we overcompensate. When we’re finally accommodated, when we finally get to a place where we’re accommodated or we have the tools we need, we’re coming in like bulk as hell. We’re coming in with problem solving muscles. We’re coming in with all of these things that we had to build up because of navigating the world differently, because of every day working through this very difficult maze that is living a life unaccommodated, then when we finally are accommodated, then we are killing it and crushing it. And how could you not be proud of that? How can that not give you a sense of pride? So the songs that I would love for you guys to check out that are mine is I have a song called Life on Hard, which has gone viral several times on Instagram. I’m known as an Instagram rapper, which is like, what? Hello, I do disability advocacy. Look at that stuff. But anyway, so I have a song called Life on Hard, which is essentially about just winning the game of life, playing it on the hardest setting out here while people are still trying to consult the manual. I have another song called Professional, which is oftentimes when I walk on the stage, people see the cane and they’re like, “Aw, she’s going to do a song for us. Is this from Make a Wish Foundation?” And then I bust out these raps or I hop on the piano and I go ape on this piano and then they’re like, “Oh, snap. What? Okay.” And I’m like, “Bro, I’m a professional artist. I’m not object for pity to make you feel good because you felt weird on a Monday and you didn’t feel like getting up for work, but it’s like, she could do it. So can I.” I’m like, “No, I can do it. You most likely probably just can’t.” So that’s what that song’s about. And then there’s The Bag, and The Bag is just essentially like, I’ve been told no so much like, “No, you can’t. No, you’re not good enough. No, we don’t want you.” And I’m like, “You know what? Yes, I am good enough and I deserve everything. So I’m going to throw everything I deserve in the bag, which is everything.” I don’t know. I would not be the person I am if I didn’t love all parts of myself. And that includes my disabilities, that includes my neurodivergences and all of the other wacky, weird body jazz that I bring with me everywhere I go. Michelle Bishop: Lachi, can we maybe, do you and I just FaceTime each other every morning and hype each other up? Stephanie Flynt McEben: I was literally about to say the same thing. I would like in on a true call. Michelle Bishop: I don’t know if you know. Actually, I want to say quickly, I know some of those songs actually from social media, but they’re real. They’re so real. So people haven’t heard music, go check it out. I don’t know if you know one of our co-hosts, Stephanie is blind. You’re speaking directly to her soul right now. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I literally just texted them in our podcast group text and I was like, she’s totally speaking to my soul RN, but of course I don’t want to interrupt anything. Michelle Bishop: No, I know you’re dying to talk to her about the book, Stephanie, and take it away. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah, no, absolutely, for sure. And as somebody who is blind and who also identifies as a blind person and definitely does not identify with the medical model of disability, clearly gotten to more of a social model. But yeah, in terms of going through that journey of accepting all of who you are and everything about yourself, for me, I mean, it took a minute, especially when you’re talking about your experiences as a child and I totally feel that. I was that girl playing the harmonica on the jungle gym by herself. Anyway, this is about you. This is not about me, but I’m just saying that I totally relate to you on a spiritual level. And given that, I would love to know, were there any particular moments when it came to writing the book that were particularly hard or healing? Because I mean, I think that we all know that it’s not always a linear journey. Some days are going to be harder than others. And so would love to get your perspective on that. And I think that our listeners would be interested. Lachi: Yeah, absolutely. The journey for me has been one of constantly unwrapping this amazing gift. I always try to use that as the visual, if you will, of you have this big present and you get to unwrap it and then you just keep getting something cooler inside and then you get to unwrap that and you get something cooler inside and you just keep unwrapping this beautiful gift that is yourself. But you don’t realize that when you first get the box, the amazing stuff that’s going on inside, and it takes time to get to it. So a lot of times growing up, I would kick myself in the butt of, I wish I had come to this when I was so much younger. I wish there were people out there when I was younger, role models that I could look up to when I was eight years old and pointing on the TV and saying like, “Okay, well, I mean, I understand that Ray Charles existed, but that’s not going to…” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Stevie Wonder is here, Ray Charles is here, but we need more of us. Hello. Lachi: We need more of us. Hello. Exactly. And so this time and place where I am right now is where I needed to be for this to work. So I can’t really kick myself in the butt of like, “I wish I had this. I wish I knew this so much earlier. I would’ve been so much further.” That kind of thing. You have to be where you got to be where you need to be. Even right now, this conversation we’re having right now is going to have been necessary for the next thing that is happening in our lives. And just the other day, I was hanging out with Queen Herby, who’s been one of my favorite more modern rappers. I just did a thing with Apl.de.ap. I have done some stuff with Black Caviar. Folks that I’ve looked up to, I’m having the opportunity to Snoop Dogg. I’m having the opportunity to work with these days because of the fact that I am here at the right time now. So when I was writing my book, we were peeling back all the layers. I’m a generally very positive and energetic, social butterfly type of person today. But it’s interesting, I wasn’t always this person and I had to unpack all the layers to get there. One of the biggest things that happens to me, so I’ve always been low vision. So I was born with relatively low vision and it stayed the same throughout my teens and early 20s. But one day I woke up and my sight was just gone. Boom. So the interesting thing is anybody listening would be like, “Oh my God, if I woke up and my sight was gone, I would just die or I would not know what to do. My life would be over.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yep. Heard that a million times. Yes. Lachi: But for me, it was weird because I was already low vision, so I was going from level one to the underwater level or whatever. So it wasn’t like that life changing of a thing. I was already using screen readers or Zoom text. I was already doing stuff of that nature. So I wake up blind and I’m just like, “Okay, I guess this is it. This is the day that they told me was coming.” What had ended up happening was my corneas had erupted. And so I went to the doctor and he was like, “You’re going to become completely blind. You’re going to go from this much worse vision than you’ve had to complete blindness over the course of time.” So here you go, here’s a coupon. Bye.” or whatever. So I’m like, all right. So I had decided at that moment that I wanted to start a bucket list. So I was like, okay, what are all the things I’ve always wanted to do before completely going completely blind? So I was like, let me go skydiving, let me go spolunking, let me go meet with people, meet with celebrities and just do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do before I lose my vision. So I went out and I did it. This is still me doing it. This is still me doing it. And so I say that because to people who say if I ever went blind, I would just die. Well, when I went blind, it made me want to live. And that’s what opened me up into being this person that I am today. Stephanie Flynt McEben: That is amazing. I genuinely love that. Lachi: We talk about charity model and propping disabled folks up as tools of pity. We talk about medical model, which is really just waiting around for cure, making the cure the hero. We talk about social model, which is a really good place to live in the sense of things are impairing if they’re not accessible. Society is impairing if it’s not inclusive. But honestly, if I have all of the things, like if I have all my tools, if I have all that I need and if folks are inclusive, then I’m still blind, but I’m not impaired. But I like to go a little step further into what is the cultural model. And so the cultural model is it’s not just a discussion of what society should and shouldn’t do. It’s actually a celebration of what you gain as a person who identifies with their disability or their neurodivergence, the things they need to overcompensate because they’re navigating the world a little differently, leaning into that. So let’s say for instance, deaf culture, sign language, and the fact that folks can have complete discussions outside of what we’re talking about, there is so much deaf pride out in these streets, that is a celebration of culture that comes out of disability. And for me, let’s say for instance, I have ADHD and it powers my one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed OCD, which helps me carry out all those one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed general anxiety disorder, which gives me my empathy and my excitement. And then I am blind, which when I have the tools I need, it gives me drive. It keeps me determined, it keeps me focused, and it gives me my dope ass glam canes. There was a girl and her mom, and she came up to me after a show and she was like, “Oh my God, your music was great.” I was like, thank you. She’s like, “Mommy, can I get one of those canes?” And then her mom was like, “Ugh, well, you have to be blind.” And I’m like, “Yeah, girl, you better want to be me.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah. We drive sticks. Anyway, sorry. Lachi: Yes. You know what? I speak softly and I carry a big old stick. Thank you. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yes. Amen to that. Exactly. As somebody who considers themself a lifelong disability advocate, I never really thought about it in the sense of going beyond the social into the cultural. So thank you so, so much. We all learn something new every single day on this podcast, but I’d love to know a little bit more about, obviously you were very, very, very good at talking through these experiences in such a way that they are very relatable and easy to understand and that thing. So I’d love to pick your brain about the intended audience of your book. Who did you write it for? Other blind folks? Did you write it for, was it written for multiple audiences? Lachi: Yeah, honestly, I wrote it for the person who is masking. I wrote it for anyone who is tired of… Listen, let me put it like this. Let’s face it, disability is boring, a lot of the time it’s sad and it’s compliancy. We have to go the extra mile to make it fun because the actual truth of it is that the only reason it’s boring, sad, and compliancy is because society has kept it that way through its collective internalized ableism. And so my book is actually a humor book. It’s a pop culture book. It’s a comedy book. In fact, when we were talking to the publisher, it’s like, we should be putting this up against other comedic books, not necessarily disability books because it’s a book. I got so many jokes. I have dad jokes, they’re corny jokes, I have rap bars. I rap in a lot of the book just because I was like, “Hey, this rhymes.” I’m going to say it like a rap. We’re doing the audiobook right now, so I actually get to wrap it, which is really fun. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Oh, that is so cool. Oh my gosh. Lachi: Which is really, really fun. But really, honestly, what the book is what everything I do is it is using joy, soul, pop culture, jokes, humor, fashion, and just a really good time to celebrate disability, as well as community. So what you’ll find in this book is my story through my story, through historical deep dives, through interviews with some really, really cool popular figures and a really big deep dose of disability joy. And so a lot of folks who have disabilities, they will read this book and they’ll be energized. It’ll be like, “This is really great. I’m glad that I finally get to read a book that talks about disability in a positive way.” For blind specific folks, they might relate to a few of my stories because I talk about the day I woke up blind, I talk about when I went skydiving blind, I talk about just some of my interesting blind moments. But then I also talk about how I would go to red carpets and not know how to talk to anybody. So I’m in this amazing room with all these celebrities I can’t see and I’m just sitting on the wall. So I talk about some of the hard times too as well. But at the end of the day, really what the book is is an invitation in for somebody who feels a little different, a little awkward, has to mask, and just needed that invite in to talk about disability in a fun, joyful, celebratory way, to recognize that yes, that thing in you that’s different, that thing in you that society has told you you should view as a weakness and hide, you should be proud of. And I say this to people all the time. I say it in the industry, I say it to all my friends, I say it to anyone who will listen. I say it to my local barista and they come back and they say things like, “Oh my God, I’m so glad you said it that way. It turns out I have a titanium hip and I’ve never told anybody about that.” And that’s the vibe. The vibe is someone who was like, “I really needed this to be said to me this way, and now I am able to step all the way into my disability identity.” Alden Blevins: I love, especially what you said about joy. I feel like for me as an autistic person, my experience in the arts is that it is really a space where people who maybe don’t belong in other spaces or don’t feel like they belong in other spaces or are made to feel like they don’t belong in other spaces. I think that a lot of them really do find a safe space in music, in the arts, in theater. And I just wanted to ask, why do you think the music space is such a special one for you and why do you think it’s a place where other people with disabilities seem to flock together as well? Lachi: I mean, you hit the nail on the head. Counterculture, I mean, music often rewards counterculture. And then it eventually becomes mainstream and then we got to rebel against that. So music is a place where your soul can speak. And I think a lot of the times with disabilities, especially autism for me, I’m ADHD, OCD, a different neurodivergence situation, but a lot of the issue is communication. We don’t know how to say exactly what we need or whoever we’re talking to just doesn’t know how to hear what we’re saying. And so I think that what music does is it allows a soul to speak to a soul. A lot of the times music does this thing where you’ll be listening to a song and you’ll just be like, “That, that right there. That’s what I it me. That’s the thing I’m feeling.” type deal. Music has the ability to do that. And so for me, right now, this children’s album that I’m working on, the kids’ album, which is an album that is essentially R&B, pop, electronic, sort of the genres that I dance in for kids centered on disability and neurodivergence. Because what I want to do is be able to say, “Hey, I want you to point at that and say, that’s me.” And I think the easiest and quickest way to point at something and say, “That’s me also.” has been music. And so it’s why it’s been my strongest medium. Again, it’s not my only medium. I’m talking to folks through the book, I’m talking to folks through fashion, et cetera, et cetera. But again, music has been just the quickest, easiest point A to point B conversation easer, if you will, about disability. Another thing I also love to use is humor and comedy. So I make jokes all the time. They’re all bad. They’re all very not good jokes. I need to probably get a joke writer, but the fact that I’m having such a good time telling the jokes, I think I think is all that really matters. So I think both music and humor are just really, really great spaces for two people to get to relate to something that may be difficult to talk about. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yo, if you need a joke writer, I’m your girl. I actually do a joke every single episode of this podcast. Michelle Bishop: Her jokes are not better than yours, Lachi. Don’t hire her. Stephanie Flynt McEben: My jokes are pretty bad. They’re worse than dad’s jokes. They’re like granddad jokes. Alden Blevins: Yeah. Stephanie is the queen of the jokes on our podcast. She always brings one through. Didn’t know that you were working on a children’s music album, and I think that’s really interesting. I actually used to be a teacher, so children’s music is something that’s near and dear to my heart. So I just wanted to ask, what would you want to tell to younger people with disabilities, younger disabled creatives about claiming space and being able to tell their own stories? Lachi: Well, one thing that I heard from someone else, I don’t remember who it was. I think it was- Michelle Bishop: Jordan? Lachi: Yes, Jordan. He’s the one that said this. Michelle Bishop: I love him. Lachi: Yeah, he’s so funny. I met him at a… What did I meet him at? The Webby Awards or something. But anyway, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. And for some reason that hit me, and I don’t even think he was trying to say it that deep. He was just saying a joke or something. But I took that and it was like, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. So at the end of the day, you are really the only one who can end whatever you’re trying to get. Because as long as you are still going for it, it is still still there. It’s like a Schrodinger’s cat. It’s like as long as you’re still running for it, that opportunity is still there for you to have. The opportunity is never lost as long as you’re still going for it. And people can tell you, people can take your shoulders and tell you to go right. People can take your shoulders and tell you to go left. But until you take your own shoulders and go in the direction that your heart, your soul, your passion, your fire, desires, that is when you truly begin to live. And so I say personally, lean into that. I hear from a lot of younger, especially creators with disabilities. I mentor a lot of folks, tons and tons of folks. It’s one of the things I love to do the most. But what I love to tell folks is you are going to be the best you. And that you is going to include all of the different parts of who you are, but it is especially going to include you leaning in to the things that make you different and unique as unique selling points. Earlier I talked about how people try so hard to be the “definition of beauty”, definition of success, definition of whatever. Everyone’s trying to be this reference man. Everyone’s trying to be as close as they can to the reference man. And if I’m as close as I can to the reference man, then I’ll be successful or then I’ll get this job or then I’ll get this gig. But the truth of the matter is when we look at all of the people that are doing all of the big things, they’re “eccentric”. They’re “weird”. They did some big different idea that no one was thinking about and everybody fell into their trend. The further away you are from the reference man, that is when you start to win. That is when you’ll start to see success. That is when you’ll start to feel much better about yourself. That is when you can wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “I am fine.” When you are able to accept all of those different freckles of yourself that are as far away from the reference man as possible, because guess what? There is room outside of the barrel for everyone to win if they are all being their unique self and running their unique purpose. That’s what I would tell to young disabled creators. Michelle Bishop: That’s amazing. Almost feel like we should stop there, but I have so many follow-up questions. Lachi: Listen, I’m here to drop as many mics as they will let me keep breaking. Michelle Bishop: I was wondering how you see the conversation around disability and inclusion and evolving these days. And a lot of our listeners are people with disabilities or people who have other even multiple intersecting identities in which they experience barriers as well. What does allyship look like to you? Lachi: This is one of my favorite questions. So yes, we have folks with disabilities and we have folks who want to work with people with disabilities, want to help a friend with a disability, want to make sure they don’t say the wrong thing to a person with a disability, neurodivergence, chronic condition, mental health condition. That’s not an ally. Wanting to help a person with a disability is not an ally. To me, wanting to support someone with a disability, that’s an ally in the very basic definition of allyship. Here’s what I think an ally is. To answer the question, I got to do two things. One, talk about the disability umbrella. So the disability umbrella encompasses so many forms of disability. It is neurodivergence, which is ADHD, dyslexia, OCD. It is mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar. It is someone who learns a little differently. It is someone who has explosive situations like anger management. It is someone who has substance abuse disorder, maybe somebody who drinks too much or uses different substances. It is chronic back pain. You know what I’m saying? It is asthma. It is EDS. It’s POTS. It is long COVID. It is different complications that you gain after pregnancy. It is different complications that you gain as you age. It is different complications you gain through menopause. It is temporary. It is breaking your arm and wearing a cast. It is seasonal depression. There is nobody on this earth that is not within the disability umbrella. And I don’t mean that you’re going to grow into it. I don’t mean in the future. I mean right now. Whether you identify as a person with a disability or not, you have disability identity because you have experience in your body disability. And when you figure that out, then you’re an ally. Allyship is seeing yourself through the other person because you can’t look through someone else’s eyes unless you can see yourself in them. And you can’t see yourself in disability until you recognize the disability identity within yourself. All of a sudden, and I say this and people are like, “What? I say this, but I’ve seen this. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen people who did not associate themselves with any form of disability or anything and they’re just like, Oh, them. Oh, I’ll help them. We have a conversation and then we have a follow-up conversation and then we’re drinking and then all of a sudden they’re telling me all their disabilities and then they’re walking a little different when they encounter disability. It’s no longer a them thing. And so that’s what an ally is. People with disabilities are also allies. I am an ally to the deaf community because I recognize though I’m not deaf, I see the having to navigate the world differently in you of myself. So that’s how I define an ally. An ally is someone who understands their own disability identity and can see it in others. Michelle Bishop: Don’t mind me over here just taking notes. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Literally. Oh my gosh. Lachi, thank you so, so, so much for being with us and taking time. I know that your website, lachimusic.com is one of the places where folks can stay up to date on all of the latest and greatest things that you’re up to. Is there anything else in particular you would like to plug for our listeners? Lachi: Like you said, LACHI, L-A-C-H-I M-U-S-I-C. I’m on the internets everywhere. Instagram, Spotify, check out the old music. If you’re a creator, a music creator or professional with a disability, check us out at RAMPD, R-A-M-P-D.org. Or if you want to donate or if you want to partner with us over at RAMPD, please do. If you are a cane user, whether you’re a blind cane user or you use Mobility Cane, check out glamcanes.com, get your canes bejeweled. I Identify as Blind, our book is out on Penguin Random House, imprint called Tiny Reparations by Phoebe Robinson, who is also a comedian. So we’re out here all writing very funny books. So please check it out. And lastly, listen, try to find moments in your day of disability joy. And when you find that moment, take a picture of it or write it down so that you can go back to it and live for those moments. So thank you guys so much for having me on this podcast. It’s really been a blast getting to talk at you about all things I identify as blind. Alden Blevins: I love it. I was over here taking notes too because I just found so much of myself in what you were saying and so many things were poignant and empowering. I, as an autistic person, try to be an ally to other parts of the disability community myself. And that’s something where I’m always trying to put myself in the shoes of another person and what they might experience. So I think that’s really powerful. We were so grateful to be able to connect and learn more about you, Lachi. Lachi: Yes, yes, yes. So honored to be here, guys. Michelle Bishop: Before you head out, Lachi, do you want to hear one of Stephanie’s grandpa jokes? Lachi: I was going to say, I was like, “Let’s hear one of these granddad jokes.” Let me see. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Okay. This might be- Michelle Bishop: Okay, do it. Stephanie Flynt McEben: … a granddad joke. Okay. Where do spiders like to get their information? Lachi: The web? Michelle Bishop: That would be something to do with web. Stephanie Flynt McEben: But what kind of web? Lachi: Wow. Really? You are fired from being my comedy writer. You are fired to be my comedy writer. I was rooting for you too. I was like, let’s just… Please. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I wouldn’t even get to the punchline yet. Michelle Bishop: Worldwide web? Stephanie Flynt McEben: It is the worldwide web. Michelle Bishop: Oh. Stephanie Flynt McEben: It’s fine. It’s fine. My wife warned me not to tell that joke this month and I didn’t lose it. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh. I’m so glad you stuck around for that part. Lachi: As I live and breathe. Thank you guys so, so much. This has been so much fun and I will see who else I can tell that joke to. And go ahead and just to help you out, Stephanie, I’ll go ahead and embarrass myself by telling that joke to others. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Not my best work, but that is allyship. Yes. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh, Lachi, thank you so much. And everyone, please lachimusic.com. Check it out. Listen to the music, read the book. Alden Blevins: Speaking of the worldwide web, this has been National Disability Radio. We celebrate stories, leadership, and talent of people with disabilities. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation with us on that worldwide web at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening and until next time. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Bye.

On this episode of National Disability Radio, we sit down with award-winning recording artist, advocate, and author Lachi for a powerful conversation about disability pride, music, and unmasking. Lachi shares her journey, from navigating the music industry as a blind artist, to founding RAMPD, a coalition amplifying disability culture across the industry. We talk about what it means to say “I identify as blind,” move beyond the medical and social models of disability into a cultural model rooted in identity and joy, and remind listeners that no one can defeat someone who hasn't given up. From glam canes to Grammy stages, this episode is about claiming space, rejecting internalized ableism, and turning perceived flaws into flexes. Transcript: Alden Blevins: It’s Lachi? I feel very- Lachi: Lachi like Versace. Alden Blevins: Lachi like… Oh, I love that. Michelle Bishop: That is the best way to explain it. Lachi: I mean, but you know what I’m saying? Come on. Alden Blevins: Well, we’re really excited about having you today because we’re all music lovers in this group here. Michelle Bishop: Yes. Alden Blevins: We talk about music all the time. Michelle Bishop: So much. Lachi: Good, good, good, good, good, good, good. I’m in the right place. Michelle Bishop: Hi everyone. Welcome back to National Disability Radio, the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network. I am Michelle Bishop, 1/3 of your podcast hosting team. Stephanie Flynt McEben: And I’m Stephanie Flynt McEben, public policy analyst here at NDRN. Alden Blevins: I am Alden. I am a communication specialist at NDRN and I am so excited today, like I mentioned, we’re all lovers of music, so we got a guest that I’m really excited about. Lachi is an award-winning recording artist and a recording Academy Grammy’s national trustee. She’s also a disability advocate who’s been breaking barriers in the music industry and beyond. She’s the founder of RAMPD, which by the way, is such a fun play name. I really love that. And the author of the upcoming book, I Identify as Blind. So without further ado, Michelle, you’ve got some questions to kick us off, I think. Michelle Bishop: Yes. We’re so excited to have you with us. As Alden said, we are. We’re huge music lovers. I’m pretty sure we spend most of our meetings where we allegedly plan this podcast just talking about music. So you’re absolutely in the right place today, but to get us started, I mean, you’ve been open about the fact, and I’m just really interested in this as a disability rights podcast. You’ve been really open about the fact that it took you some time to really embrace your identity as a blind and disabled woman, especially in the industry that you’re in that often really rewards conformity. Can you tell us a little bit more about that journey for you, both as an artist and as someone navigating just the world with a disability? Lachi: Okay. Yeah, for sure. Hey, everybody. Lachi here, Lachi like Versace. I am a Black woman with cornrows, chilling here in New York in my studio. I also identify as blind, I identify as neurodivergent, and I identify as an Aries. So do with that what you will. Michelle Bishop: All the important points right there. Lachi: All the important points like name, age, sign. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, but I’m really glad to be here. And thank you for that question, and thank you for having me. So music has always been a very integral part of my life of growing up. Where other babies would kick in the womb, when she was pregnant with me, I was playing the piano in the womb. I don’t know how she got a piano in there, but she’s not a liar, so I’m going to take her word for it. When I was super-duper young, I didn’t really have a lot of friends, especially because of the fact that I had differences and this and that. And so I would take to music to, I guess, understand the world better and have the world understand me better. I just knew how to express myself through song and it just said the things I needed to say. It was the prayer I needed. And because of music, I started to find confidence in how to speak and how to behave and how to act. And as I got older, when I was growing up, disability was not necessarily a thing people talked about a lot in schools and teachers didn’t know what to do. My parents didn’t really know what to do. And so I would always just turn to music. It’s actually right now I’m working on a children’s album because I think that kids need to hear music that has to do with disability and neurodivergence, as well as their parents as they grow up. When I got into college, I started wanting to do music, but I studied business and finance because when I told my parents I wanted to do music, they were like, “That’s not how you spell doctor.” because they are Nigerian immigrants and everybody else in my family went to either med school and blah, blah, blah. And I was like, “No, I want to do music.” But I did get a day job after school, after college, and didn’t love it because this girl is not going to exist behind a desk. So I ended up going to South by Southwest and I got signed actually from playing the guitar at a hole in the wall spot that nobody was at, except for this A&R apparently. So we got signed to an imprint under EMI, which was a major label back then, and we started touring and music then became my life. Now today, why wouldn’t I pay my respects back to music? I mean, it’s because of music that I was able to really lean into who I am, my disability, my confidence, et cetera. So because of that, because of how much music has given to me in my life, I’m here using music to give back to other people with disabilities. Now, your question was essentially, how do you sit here and try to bring about change for disability in an industry that is not only about conformity, but also about like, “Hey, pick me to exploit.” is essentially what the music industry is. You’re raising your hand to be exploited and that’s what kind of authenticity is that? But at the end of the day, music is some of the truest forms of storytelling. And I think to myself, just the way that hip hop has amplified Black culture and the way that country music has amplified rural culture and the way that different global musics have represented different global cultures. I want to use music to amplify disability culture. I want to use music to amplify disability stories and feelings that are difficult to put words to, that are words of the soul, which is essentially what music is. And so I started going to studios and realizing things weren’t as accessible as they should be. I started speaking with organizations and realizing things weren’t as inclusive as they should be. And the response I kept getting was like, “Oh, well, there’s nobody with a disability in the music industry, so why would we make these measures?” And so I have made it my life’s goal through RAMPD, which by the way, the best thing we ever accomplished was our acronym, not us working with the Grammys to get sign language on the red carpet, not us getting these partnerships with title, Live Nation, Spotify. I mean, we’ve done so much, not just for artists, but also for professionals. And we’ve started to realize something really interesting with the work we’ve done with RAMPD. We are getting people joining our membership who are director level folks, who are label owners, who are like the big wigs that write the checks, and they’re like, “I’m neurodivergent. I’m actually hard of hearing. I have a TBI.” And so when I originally set out, they said, “We don’t do disability inclusion because nobody’s disabled.” That was three years ago. Now I’m like, not only are there neurodivergent and disabled music professionals out here, but we all are. So really to conclude, it’s just that everyone is navigating trying to make it out in this world, but everyone’s masking. Everyone feels that they have to change some part of themselves to be as close as they can to what success looks like, be as close as they can to what “beauty” looks like, what winning looks like. But really all it is internalized ableism. And I say, as soon as we drop that internalized ableism and we really start to sit in who we truly are and we start to recognize our perceived flaws as flexes, that’s when we truly start to win. And so that’s what we’re finding out with RAMPD, that people are like, “You know what? I’m tired of navigating this difficult industry with the added layer of having to mask.” And so that’s why I do what I do. Michelle Bishop: Yes. And honestly, as ridiculous as it sounds that they say to you, “Oh, there aren’t any people with disabilities.” When I tell you, we see that in everything that we do. I do voting work at NDRN and we’ll have elections officials tell us, “This polling place isn’t accessible, but there aren’t any people with disabilities that vote here.” And it’s like, “What? You realize we’re everywhere and we do all sorts of things.” Maybe the reason they think there’s no people with disabilities here is because they’re stuck outside and they can’t get in because you didn’t make it accessible, just a thought. But I mean, it sounds like coming up against all that is really, correct me if I’m wrong, helped you to develop that identity and that disability pride in the industry. When did you first say, “I identify as blind.” and what did that mean for you? Lachi: Well, so when I first came into really doing the disability thing, really leaning in, I wanted to find out more influencers or thought leaders and such with disabilities. I didn’t really know that many people. This is pre COVID, 2018, 2019, that kind of thing. And so I came across an influencer, her name is Molly Burke, and we’re great friends now, but I didn’t know her back then. I had just seen her tagline and it had said, “I’m Molly Burke and I’m a YouTuber who happens to be blind.” And for some reason I was like, “I don’t know if I love the happens to be blind thing.” I was like, “Well, I’m proud of being blind. Blindness is part of my identity. I don’t just happen to be a woman. I don’t just happen to be a Nigerian. I don’t just happen to be all of the things I am.” And so I would go to… I was touring… We’re always touring and every time I tour and do a show, I do a comedic open where I just introduce myself, I do a quick self-description, et cetera. And in my self-description, I would say, and I don’t just happen to be blind. My blindness is part of my identity, has given me all of the opportunities I have, and it’s really made me a deeper blah, blah, blah. It was just too long. So I had punched it up to be, “My name is Lachi like Versace. She, her, I’m a Black woman with cornrows and I identify as blind.” And the interesting thing about that is people took onto it. They were like, “Oh, that’s cool, nice and punchy.” But whenever I would say it in front of a large crowd or like I’ve said it on interviews or during commercials, I would get this weird, I don’t know, pushback of like, you can’t identify as blind. Blindness is an identity. It’s a medical condition. Or they’ll be like, “Do you read braille or not?” Or they’ll be like, “We don’t want people to think trans blindness is a thing where you just have a blind identity.” And then you can be like, “Well, I’m blind today, so that’s my identity.” And I thought that was really fun. I was like, “Look, everybody’s upset. They’re talking about blindness though.” So I really leaned all the way into it. And I have to say, I am super proud of my disability identity. Was it music that brought me there? I think in a sense and in a way, like today I have a few songs, you guys are music lovers, I have a few songs out that really talk about my disability pride. I think that a lot of the times as we navigate the world, masking our disability, masking our chronic condition, our difference or whatever, we end up overcompensating. We end up building up this really, really thick problem solving muscle or this really, really thick how to get around things muscle and we overcompensate. When we’re finally accommodated, when we finally get to a place where we’re accommodated or we have the tools we need, we’re coming in like bulk as hell. We’re coming in with problem solving muscles. We’re coming in with all of these things that we had to build up because of navigating the world differently, because of every day working through this very difficult maze that is living a life unaccommodated, then when we finally are accommodated, then we are killing it and crushing it. And how could you not be proud of that? How can that not give you a sense of pride? So the songs that I would love for you guys to check out that are mine is I have a song called Life on Hard, which has gone viral several times on Instagram. I’m known as an Instagram rapper, which is like, what? Hello, I do disability advocacy. Look at that stuff. But anyway, so I have a song called Life on Hard, which is essentially about just winning the game of life, playing it on the hardest setting out here while people are still trying to consult the manual. I have another song called Professional, which is oftentimes when I walk on the stage, people see the cane and they’re like, “Aw, she’s going to do a song for us. Is this from Make a Wish Foundation?” And then I bust out these raps or I hop on the piano and I go ape on this piano and then they’re like, “Oh, snap. What? Okay.” And I’m like, “Bro, I’m a professional artist. I’m not object for pity to make you feel good because you felt weird on a Monday and you didn’t feel like getting up for work, but it’s like, she could do it. So can I.” I’m like, “No, I can do it. You most likely probably just can’t.” So that’s what that song’s about. And then there’s The Bag, and The Bag is just essentially like, I’ve been told no so much like, “No, you can’t. No, you’re not good enough. No, we don’t want you.” And I’m like, “You know what? Yes, I am good enough and I deserve everything. So I’m going to throw everything I deserve in the bag, which is everything.” I don’t know. I would not be the person I am if I didn’t love all parts of myself. And that includes my disabilities, that includes my neurodivergences and all of the other wacky, weird body jazz that I bring with me everywhere I go. Michelle Bishop: Lachi, can we maybe, do you and I just FaceTime each other every morning and hype each other up? Stephanie Flynt McEben: I was literally about to say the same thing. I would like in on a true call. Michelle Bishop: I don’t know if you know. Actually, I want to say quickly, I know some of those songs actually from social media, but they’re real. They’re so real. So people haven’t heard music, go check it out. I don’t know if you know one of our co-hosts, Stephanie is blind. You’re speaking directly to her soul right now. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I literally just texted them in our podcast group text and I was like, she’s totally speaking to my soul RN, but of course I don’t want to interrupt anything. Michelle Bishop: No, I know you’re dying to talk to her about the book, Stephanie, and take it away. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah, no, absolutely, for sure. And as somebody who is blind and who also identifies as a blind person and definitely does not identify with the medical model of disability, clearly gotten to more of a social model. But yeah, in terms of going through that journey of accepting all of who you are and everything about yourself, for me, I mean, it took a minute, especially when you’re talking about your experiences as a child and I totally feel that. I was that girl playing the harmonica on the jungle gym by herself. Anyway, this is about you. This is not about me, but I’m just saying that I totally relate to you on a spiritual level. And given that, I would love to know, were there any particular moments when it came to writing the book that were particularly hard or healing? Because I mean, I think that we all know that it’s not always a linear journey. Some days are going to be harder than others. And so would love to get your perspective on that. And I think that our listeners would be interested. Lachi: Yeah, absolutely. The journey for me has been one of constantly unwrapping this amazing gift. I always try to use that as the visual, if you will, of you have this big present and you get to unwrap it and then you just keep getting something cooler inside and then you get to unwrap that and you get something cooler inside and you just keep unwrapping this beautiful gift that is yourself. But you don’t realize that when you first get the box, the amazing stuff that’s going on inside, and it takes time to get to it. So a lot of times growing up, I would kick myself in the butt of, I wish I had come to this when I was so much younger. I wish there were people out there when I was younger, role models that I could look up to when I was eight years old and pointing on the TV and saying like, “Okay, well, I mean, I understand that Ray Charles existed, but that’s not going to…” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Stevie Wonder is here, Ray Charles is here, but we need more of us. Hello. Lachi: We need more of us. Hello. Exactly. And so this time and place where I am right now is where I needed to be for this to work. So I can’t really kick myself in the butt of like, “I wish I had this. I wish I knew this so much earlier. I would’ve been so much further.” That kind of thing. You have to be where you got to be where you need to be. Even right now, this conversation we’re having right now is going to have been necessary for the next thing that is happening in our lives. And just the other day, I was hanging out with Queen Herby, who’s been one of my favorite more modern rappers. I just did a thing with Apl.de.ap. I have done some stuff with Black Caviar. Folks that I’ve looked up to, I’m having the opportunity to Snoop Dogg. I’m having the opportunity to work with these days because of the fact that I am here at the right time now. So when I was writing my book, we were peeling back all the layers. I’m a generally very positive and energetic, social butterfly type of person today. But it’s interesting, I wasn’t always this person and I had to unpack all the layers to get there. One of the biggest things that happens to me, so I’ve always been low vision. So I was born with relatively low vision and it stayed the same throughout my teens and early 20s. But one day I woke up and my sight was just gone. Boom. So the interesting thing is anybody listening would be like, “Oh my God, if I woke up and my sight was gone, I would just die or I would not know what to do. My life would be over.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yep. Heard that a million times. Yes. Lachi: But for me, it was weird because I was already low vision, so I was going from level one to the underwater level or whatever. So it wasn’t like that life changing of a thing. I was already using screen readers or Zoom text. I was already doing stuff of that nature. So I wake up blind and I’m just like, “Okay, I guess this is it. This is the day that they told me was coming.” What had ended up happening was my corneas had erupted. And so I went to the doctor and he was like, “You’re going to become completely blind. You’re going to go from this much worse vision than you’ve had to complete blindness over the course of time.” So here you go, here’s a coupon. Bye.” or whatever. So I’m like, all right. So I had decided at that moment that I wanted to start a bucket list. So I was like, okay, what are all the things I’ve always wanted to do before completely going completely blind? So I was like, let me go skydiving, let me go spolunking, let me go meet with people, meet with celebrities and just do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do before I lose my vision. So I went out and I did it. This is still me doing it. This is still me doing it. And so I say that because to people who say if I ever went blind, I would just die. Well, when I went blind, it made me want to live. And that’s what opened me up into being this person that I am today. Stephanie Flynt McEben: That is amazing. I genuinely love that. Lachi: We talk about charity model and propping disabled folks up as tools of pity. We talk about medical model, which is really just waiting around for cure, making the cure the hero. We talk about social model, which is a really good place to live in the sense of things are impairing if they’re not accessible. Society is impairing if it’s not inclusive. But honestly, if I have all of the things, like if I have all my tools, if I have all that I need and if folks are inclusive, then I’m still blind, but I’m not impaired. But I like to go a little step further into what is the cultural model. And so the cultural model is it’s not just a discussion of what society should and shouldn’t do. It’s actually a celebration of what you gain as a person who identifies with their disability or their neurodivergence, the things they need to overcompensate because they’re navigating the world a little differently, leaning into that. So let’s say for instance, deaf culture, sign language, and the fact that folks can have complete discussions outside of what we’re talking about, there is so much deaf pride out in these streets, that is a celebration of culture that comes out of disability. And for me, let’s say for instance, I have ADHD and it powers my one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed OCD, which helps me carry out all those one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed general anxiety disorder, which gives me my empathy and my excitement. And then I am blind, which when I have the tools I need, it gives me drive. It keeps me determined, it keeps me focused, and it gives me my dope ass glam canes. There was a girl and her mom, and she came up to me after a show and she was like, “Oh my God, your music was great.” I was like, thank you. She’s like, “Mommy, can I get one of those canes?” And then her mom was like, “Ugh, well, you have to be blind.” And I’m like, “Yeah, girl, you better want to be me.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah. We drive sticks. Anyway, sorry. Lachi: Yes. You know what? I speak softly and I carry a big old stick. Thank you. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yes. Amen to that. Exactly. As somebody who considers themself a lifelong disability advocate, I never really thought about it in the sense of going beyond the social into the cultural. So thank you so, so much. We all learn something new every single day on this podcast, but I’d love to know a little bit more about, obviously you were very, very, very good at talking through these experiences in such a way that they are very relatable and easy to understand and that thing. So I’d love to pick your brain about the intended audience of your book. Who did you write it for? Other blind folks? Did you write it for, was it written for multiple audiences? Lachi: Yeah, honestly, I wrote it for the person who is masking. I wrote it for anyone who is tired of… Listen, let me put it like this. Let’s face it, disability is boring, a lot of the time it’s sad and it’s compliancy. We have to go the extra mile to make it fun because the actual truth of it is that the only reason it’s boring, sad, and compliancy is because society has kept it that way through its collective internalized ableism. And so my book is actually a humor book. It’s a pop culture book. It’s a comedy book. In fact, when we were talking to the publisher, it’s like, we should be putting this up against other comedic books, not necessarily disability books because it’s a book. I got so many jokes. I have dad jokes, they’re corny jokes, I have rap bars. I rap in a lot of the book just because I was like, “Hey, this rhymes.” I’m going to say it like a rap. We’re doing the audiobook right now, so I actually get to wrap it, which is really fun. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Oh, that is so cool. Oh my gosh. Lachi: Which is really, really fun. But really, honestly, what the book is what everything I do is it is using joy, soul, pop culture, jokes, humor, fashion, and just a really good time to celebrate disability, as well as community. So what you’ll find in this book is my story through my story, through historical deep dives, through interviews with some really, really cool popular figures and a really big deep dose of disability joy. And so a lot of folks who have disabilities, they will read this book and they’ll be energized. It’ll be like, “This is really great. I’m glad that I finally get to read a book that talks about disability in a positive way.” For blind specific folks, they might relate to a few of my stories because I talk about the day I woke up blind, I talk about when I went skydiving blind, I talk about just some of my interesting blind moments. But then I also talk about how I would go to red carpets and not know how to talk to anybody. So I’m in this amazing room with all these celebrities I can’t see and I’m just sitting on the wall. So I talk about some of the hard times too as well. But at the end of the day, really what the book is is an invitation in for somebody who feels a little different, a little awkward, has to mask, and just needed that invite in to talk about disability in a fun, joyful, celebratory way, to recognize that yes, that thing in you that’s different, that thing in you that society has told you you should view as a weakness and hide, you should be proud of. And I say this to people all the time. I say it in the industry, I say it to all my friends, I say it to anyone who will listen. I say it to my local barista and they come back and they say things like, “Oh my God, I’m so glad you said it that way. It turns out I have a titanium hip and I’ve never told anybody about that.” And that’s the vibe. The vibe is someone who was like, “I really needed this to be said to me this way, and now I am able to step all the way into my disability identity.” Alden Blevins: I love, especially what you said about joy. I feel like for me as an autistic person, my experience in the arts is that it is really a space where people who maybe don’t belong in other spaces or don’t feel like they belong in other spaces or are made to feel like they don’t belong in other spaces. I think that a lot of them really do find a safe space in music, in the arts, in theater. And I just wanted to ask, why do you think the music space is such a special one for you and why do you think it’s a place where other people with disabilities seem to flock together as well? Lachi: I mean, you hit the nail on the head. Counterculture, I mean, music often rewards counterculture. And then it eventually becomes mainstream and then we got to rebel against that. So music is a place where your soul can speak. And I think a lot of the times with disabilities, especially autism for me, I’m ADHD, OCD, a different neurodivergence situation, but a lot of the issue is communication. We don’t know how to say exactly what we need or whoever we’re talking to just doesn’t know how to hear what we’re saying. And so I think that what music does is it allows a soul to speak to a soul. A lot of the times music does this thing where you’ll be listening to a song and you’ll just be like, “That, that right there. That’s what I it me. That’s the thing I’m feeling.” type deal. Music has the ability to do that. And so for me, right now, this children’s album that I’m working on, the kids’ album, which is an album that is essentially R&B, pop, electronic, sort of the genres that I dance in for kids centered on disability and neurodivergence. Because what I want to do is be able to say, “Hey, I want you to point at that and say, that’s me.” And I think the easiest and quickest way to point at something and say, “That’s me also.” has been music. And so it’s why it’s been my strongest medium. Again, it’s not my only medium. I’m talking to folks through the book, I’m talking to folks through fashion, et cetera, et cetera. But again, music has been just the quickest, easiest point A to point B conversation easer, if you will, about disability. Another thing I also love to use is humor and comedy. So I make jokes all the time. They’re all bad. They’re all very not good jokes. I need to probably get a joke writer, but the fact that I’m having such a good time telling the jokes, I think I think is all that really matters. So I think both music and humor are just really, really great spaces for two people to get to relate to something that may be difficult to talk about. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yo, if you need a joke writer, I’m your girl. I actually do a joke every single episode of this podcast. Michelle Bishop: Her jokes are not better than yours, Lachi. Don’t hire her. Stephanie Flynt McEben: My jokes are pretty bad. They’re worse than dad’s jokes. They’re like granddad jokes. Alden Blevins: Yeah. Stephanie is the queen of the jokes on our podcast. She always brings one through. Didn’t know that you were working on a children’s music album, and I think that’s really interesting. I actually used to be a teacher, so children’s music is something that’s near and dear to my heart. So I just wanted to ask, what would you want to tell to younger people with disabilities, younger disabled creatives about claiming space and being able to tell their own stories? Lachi: Well, one thing that I heard from someone else, I don’t remember who it was. I think it was- Michelle Bishop: Jordan? Lachi: Yes, Jordan. He’s the one that said this. Michelle Bishop: I love him. Lachi: Yeah, he’s so funny. I met him at a… What did I meet him at? The Webby Awards or something. But anyway, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. And for some reason that hit me, and I don’t even think he was trying to say it that deep. He was just saying a joke or something. But I took that and it was like, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. So at the end of the day, you are really the only one who can end whatever you’re trying to get. Because as long as you are still going for it, it is still still there. It’s like a Schrodinger’s cat. It’s like as long as you’re still running for it, that opportunity is still there for you to have. The opportunity is never lost as long as you’re still going for it. And people can tell you, people can take your shoulders and tell you to go right. People can take your shoulders and tell you to go left. But until you take your own shoulders and go in the direction that your heart, your soul, your passion, your fire, desires, that is when you truly begin to live. And so I say personally, lean into that. I hear from a lot of younger, especially creators with disabilities. I mentor a lot of folks, tons and tons of folks. It’s one of the things I love to do the most. But what I love to tell folks is you are going to be the best you. And that you is going to include all of the different parts of who you are, but it is especially going to include you leaning in to the things that make you different and unique as unique selling points. Earlier I talked about how people try so hard to be the “definition of beauty”, definition of success, definition of whatever. Everyone’s trying to be this reference man. Everyone’s trying to be as close as they can to the reference man. And if I’m as close as I can to the reference man, then I’ll be successful or then I’ll get this job or then I’ll get this gig. But the truth of the matter is when we look at all of the people that are doing all of the big things, they’re “eccentric”. They’re “weird”. They did some big different idea that no one was thinking about and everybody fell into their trend. The further away you are from the reference man, that is when you start to win. That is when you’ll start to see success. That is when you’ll start to feel much better about yourself. That is when you can wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “I am fine.” When you are able to accept all of those different freckles of yourself that are as far away from the reference man as possible, because guess what? There is room outside of the barrel for everyone to win if they are all being their unique self and running their unique purpose. That’s what I would tell to young disabled creators. Michelle Bishop: That’s amazing. Almost feel like we should stop there, but I have so many follow-up questions. Lachi: Listen, I’m here to drop as many mics as they will let me keep breaking. Michelle Bishop: I was wondering how you see the conversation around disability and inclusion and evolving these days. And a lot of our listeners are people with disabilities or people who have other even multiple intersecting identities in which they experience barriers as well. What does allyship look like to you? Lachi: This is one of my favorite questions. So yes, we have folks with disabilities and we have folks who want to work with people with disabilities, want to help a friend with a disability, want to make sure they don’t say the wrong thing to a person with a disability, neurodivergence, chronic condition, mental health condition. That’s not an ally. Wanting to help a person with a disability is not an ally. To me, wanting to support someone with a disability, that’s an ally in the very basic definition of allyship. Here’s what I think an ally is. To answer the question, I got to do two things. One, talk about the disability umbrella. So the disability umbrella encompasses so many forms of disability. It is neurodivergence, which is ADHD, dyslexia, OCD. It is mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar. It is someone who learns a little differently. It is someone who has explosive situations like anger management. It is someone who has substance abuse disorder, maybe somebody who drinks too much or uses different substances. It is chronic back pain. You know what I’m saying? It is asthma. It is EDS. It’s POTS. It is long COVID. It is different complications that you gain after pregnancy. It is different complications that you gain as you age. It is different complications you gain through menopause. It is temporary. It is breaking your arm and wearing a cast. It is seasonal depression. There is nobody on this earth that is not within the disability umbrella. And I don’t mean that you’re going to grow into it. I don’t mean in the future. I mean right now. Whether you identify as a person with a disability or not, you have disability identity because you have experience in your body disability. And when you figure that out, then you’re an ally. Allyship is seeing yourself through the other person because you can’t look through someone else’s eyes unless you can see yourself in them. And you can’t see yourself in disability until you recognize the disability identity within yourself. All of a sudden, and I say this and people are like, “What? I say this, but I’ve seen this. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen people who did not associate themselves with any form of disability or anything and they’re just like, Oh, them. Oh, I’ll help them. We have a conversation and then we have a follow-up conversation and then we’re drinking and then all of a sudden they’re telling me all their disabilities and then they’re walking a little different when they encounter disability. It’s no longer a them thing. And so that’s what an ally is. People with disabilities are also allies. I am an ally to the deaf community because I recognize though I’m not deaf, I see the having to navigate the world differently in you of myself. So that’s how I define an ally. An ally is someone who understands their own disability identity and can see it in others. Michelle Bishop: Don’t mind me over here just taking notes. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Literally. Oh my gosh. Lachi, thank you so, so, so much for being with us and taking time. I know that your website, lachimusic.com is one of the places where folks can stay up to date on all of the latest and greatest things that you’re up to. Is there anything else in particular you would like to plug for our listeners? Lachi: Like you said, LACHI, L-A-C-H-I M-U-S-I-C. I’m on the internets everywhere. Instagram, Spotify, check out the old music. If you’re a creator, a music creator or professional with a disability, check us out at RAMPD, R-A-M-P-D.org. Or if you want to donate or if you want to partner with us over at RAMPD, please do. If you are a cane user, whether you’re a blind cane user or you use Mobility Cane, check out glamcanes.com, get your canes bejeweled. I Identify as Blind, our book is out on Penguin Random House, imprint called Tiny Reparations by Phoebe Robinson, who is also a comedian. So we’re out here all writing very funny books. So please check it out. And lastly, listen, try to find moments in your day of disability joy. And when you find that moment, take a picture of it or write it down so that you can go back to it and live for those moments. So thank you guys so much for having me on this podcast. It’s really been a blast getting to talk at you about all things I identify as blind. Alden Blevins: I love it. I was over here taking notes too because I just found so much of myself in what you were saying and so many things were poignant and empowering. I, as an autistic person, try to be an ally to other parts of the disability community myself. And that’s something where I’m always trying to put myself in the shoes of another person and what they might experience. So I think that’s really powerful. We were so grateful to be able to connect and learn more about you, Lachi. Lachi: Yes, yes, yes. So honored to be here, guys. Michelle Bishop: Before you head out, Lachi, do you want to hear one of Stephanie’s grandpa jokes? Lachi: I was going to say, I was like, “Let’s hear one of these granddad jokes.” Let me see. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Okay. This might be- Michelle Bishop: Okay, do it. Stephanie Flynt McEben: … a granddad joke. Okay. Where do spiders like to get their information? Lachi: The web? Michelle Bishop: That would be something to do with web. Stephanie Flynt McEben: But what kind of web? Lachi: Wow. Really? You are fired from being my comedy writer. You are fired to be my comedy writer. I was rooting for you too. I was like, let’s just… Please. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I wouldn’t even get to the punchline yet. Michelle Bishop: Worldwide web? Stephanie Flynt McEben: It is the worldwide web. Michelle Bishop: Oh. Stephanie Flynt McEben: It’s fine. It’s fine. My wife warned me not to tell that joke this month and I didn’t lose it. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh. I’m so glad you stuck around for that part. Lachi: As I live and breathe. Thank you guys so, so much. This has been so much fun and I will see who else I can tell that joke to. And go ahead and just to help you out, Stephanie, I’ll go ahead and embarrass myself by telling that joke to others. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Not my best work, but that is allyship. Yes. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh, Lachi, thank you so much. And everyone, please lachimusic.com. Check it out. Listen to the music, read the book. Alden Blevins: Speaking of the worldwide web, this has been National Disability Radio. We celebrate stories, leadership, and talent of people with disabilities. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation with us on that worldwide web at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening and until next time. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Bye.

 Choosing You First – with Michelle Bishop Guest: Michelle Bishop – Master Certified Life Coach, Podcast Host, and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author of Choose You First Guest Links:

This month's Altitude shines a light on aviation's most pressing challenge - reducing its environmental impact. The panel has a fascinating discussion looking at the role of air traffic management, including whether sustainability can truly be compatible with growing demand, and why Air Navigation Service Providers cannot afford to wait until 2050 to take action.  Join our host Rachel Gardner-Poole alongside Michelle Bishop, CANSO's Director of Programmes, Roni Friel, Head of Network Operations Delivery for NATS and Magdalena Wos, ATM Environmental Expert at skyes for a thought-provoking and inspiring debate. You can also watch an on demand version of the livestream on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NatsAero

Sportsday hosts Mat Rogers and Michelle Bishop talking Mark Nawaqanitawase, Josh Hannay and the Raiders chance with Fletch and Webby 00:00 Fletch's Supercars knowledge 01:20 Where did you have the Raiders at the start of the year? 03:20 Is Satts going to save the Titans? 04:45 Excitement on the Gold Coast for Josh Hannay 06:25 Form of Mark Nawaqanitawase 09:45 Who slots into 8th position? 11:45 Who does Fletch go for? Chooks or Bunnies? 13:40 Teams banning food and drinks during the season Listen to The Run Home with Joel and Fletch live every weekday: 3pm AEST on SEN 1170 AM Sydney and SEN 693 AM Brisbane Listen Online: https://www.sen.com.au/listen   Subscribe to The Run Home YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@JoelandFletchSEN   Follow us on Social Media! TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@joelfletchsen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelfletchsen X:      https://x.com/joelfletchsen *Timecodes approximate* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The decider is here and we have all the full preview, news and predictions in the lead up to kick off for State of Origin game three. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This four way, turned into a five way as Gary joined Joel, Fletch, Satts and Bish to talk the most influential names in Rugby League today. But who is Brad Dobbin? 00:00 Most influential people in the NRL 04:00 Jackie O and Adam Muir in a relationship 06:00 Queensland Maroons coach 10:00 Five-way with Gary from Newtown Listen to The Run Home with Joel and Fletch live every weekday: 3pm AEST on SEN 1170 AM Sydney and SEN 693 AM Brisbane Listen Online: https://www.sen.com.au/listen   Subscribe to The Run Home YouTube Channel ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@JoelandFletchSEN⁠   Follow us on Social Media! TikTok⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@joelfletchsen⁠ Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/joelfletchsen⁠ X:      ⁠https://x.com/joelfletchsen⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when life as you know it shatters, and you realize you've spent decades living for everyone but yourself?Michelle Bishop shares her journey of rediscovery after the tragic loss of her husband. From shedding emotional weight to healing from breast cancer and long-haul COVID, Michelle shares how choosing herself first transformed not only her health but her entire life. Michelle is the author of the inspirational book, "Choose You First"—a guide to embracing your true self, setting healthy boundaries, and reclaiming your joy.✨ Top 3 Takeaways:(1) Self-Care Is Not Selfish—It's Essential. Michelle explains how putting herself first—after decades of people-pleasing—unlocked her capacity to truly support others from a place of fullness.(2) Healing Begins on the Inside. Her physical transformation (including a 112-pound weight loss and remission from serious illness) was sparked by letting go of emotional baggage and embracing holistic self-care.(3) Fear Is the Greatest Block to Empowerment. Michelle encourages listeners to face fear, acknowledge it, and let it go—because the worst-case scenario often leads to the best-case growth.

Julian King and Michelle Bishop countdown to State of Origin Game 2 in Perth! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manly Sea Eagles and NSW Blues legend Steve 'Beaver' Menzies stops by to talk his Origin career and Game 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The former Queensland Maroons hooker joins the show to talk about being an assistant with the Maroons U19s side and how Queensland bounce back in game two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever been called "selfish" for setting a boundary, asking for space, or putting yourself first—and then spiraled into wondering if you're the narcissist?This episode helps you untangle the guilt from the growth—so you can stop confusing healthy self-focus with toxic behavior.In this episode you will:Learn the key differences between selfishness and narcissism so you can stop second-guessing yourselfLearn how to rediscover your needs and identity after years of focusing on others firstDiscover how to make small shifts that build your confidence and momentum needed for bigger changesPress play now to start embracing the version of “selfish” that actually saves your sanity—and your future.MENTIONED:

Discover how Michelle Bishop transformed personal adversity into self-love and unshakable confidence. In this inspiring conversation, we explore mindset shifts, emotional healing, and practical steps to boost self-esteem and embrace your worth.You can find more from Michelle here:https://bishoplife.com/chooseyoufirst/

Michelle Bishop is a life coach and the author of Choose You First where she shares her story of overcoming challenges in her personal life. In this episode she and Laura discuss the importance of self-healing as a first step before you can be a source of healing to those around you. Learn more about Michelle and join the community at www.michellebishoplife.com.For more information about Laura and her work you can go to her website www.healingpowers.net or find her on X @thatlaurapowers, on Facebook at @realhealingpowers and @mllelaura, and on Instagram, TikTok and Insight Timer @laurapowers44.

SUMMARY: In this episode of The Naked Wealth Podcast, host Jennifer Aube welcomes Medicare agent Michelle Bishop to break down the complexities of Medicare and debunk common misconceptions. Michelle shares her journey into the industry, driven by a passion for helping others navigate the healthcare system with clarity and integrity. They discuss important Medicare enrollment timelines, penalties, coverage options, and how to make informed decisions that align with your financial and health needs. Michelle also touches on her broader mission of service, stewardship, and the importance of meeting people where they are in their healthcare journey. KEY INSIGHTS: Michelle's Journey into Medicare: A family business led her to find her passion in educating and assisting people in making informed healthcare decisions. Common Medicare Misconceptions: Many confuse Medicare with Medicaid, believe eligibility is income-based, or are unaware of potential penalties for late enrollment. Enrollment Windows & Penalties: Medicare has a strict seven-month enrollment window around an individual's 65th birthday. Delaying enrollment without creditable coverage can lead to lifelong penalties. Choosing the Right Coverage: Understanding the differences between Medicare Parts A, B, C, D, and F is crucial. The right choice depends on individual health needs, preferred doctors, and prescription drug coverage. Impact of Employer Coverage: Individuals with employer-sponsored insurance may delay Medicare enrollment, but cost comparisons are essential to making the best decision. Recent Medicare Changes: The Part B premium increased slightly in 2024, and the elimination of the 'donut hole' significantly reduced out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. The Importance of Trusted Guidance: Working with a knowledgeable Medicare agent ensures personalized, accurate advice, preventing costly mistakes. Michelle's Approach to Service: Integrity and client well-being come first—helping clients make the best decisions rather than simply making a sale. If you or a loved one is within five years of Medicare eligibility, don't let the process overwhelm you. Reach out to Michelle Bishop via Facebook at Bishop Insurance or visit her website at BishopSure.com for expert guidance. You can also contact Jennifer Aube's office at 978-874-3253 to discuss your full retirement planning picture. Take charge of your Medicare decisions with confidence and clarity!

As promised, here is the link to view the interview that the Nightcap Team (Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson) had with DaMichael Jenkins, a Black man who was racially profiled in a suburban neighborhood in Ohio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF9B_um6oaUMichelle Bishop, the "Karen" in the story, has denied racism. What are the root causes of "profiling"? How do we stop it? Listen and learn.

Trying to vote when your disabled can present a series of obstacles but technology can help, even if integrating technology into our election system has its risks. Back in 2020, several states changed their voting rules with more mail-in, early, and remote voting options which increased turnout among disabled voters. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams recently spoke with Michelle Bishop, voter access and engagement manager at the National Disability Rights Network, about finding the right balance of tech integration into our elections in order to empower more disabled voters in the U.S.

Trying to vote when your disabled can present a series of obstacles but technology can help, even if integrating technology into our election system has its risks. Back in 2020, several states changed their voting rules with more mail-in, early, and remote voting options which increased turnout among disabled voters. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams recently spoke with Michelle Bishop, voter access and engagement manager at the National Disability Rights Network, about finding the right balance of tech integration into our elections in order to empower more disabled voters in the U.S.

Trying to vote when your disabled can present a series of obstacles but technology can help, even if integrating technology into our election system has its risks. Back in 2020, several states changed their voting rules with more mail-in, early, and remote voting options which increased turnout among disabled voters. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams recently spoke with Michelle Bishop, voter access and engagement manager at the National Disability Rights Network, about finding the right balance of tech integration into our elections in order to empower more disabled voters in the U.S.

In this episode of You First, hosts Maddie and Keith dive into disability voting rights and the upcoming 2024 election with experts Michelle Bishop, Monica Wiley, and Jack Rosen from the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). The discussion explores voting accessibility, challenges faced by disabled voters, and new support resources in Florida. Emphasis is placed on the importance of local elections, the power of the disability vote, and the critical need for inclusivity and accessibility from the start. The conversation also highlights the politicization of disability in elections and the necessity of advocacy and allyship for voting rights. The episode concludes with an insight into an upcoming documentary on these vital issues. Relevant Links Voting Rights Hotline: Call 877-352-7337 if you have an issue with voting or registering to vote due to a disability. Election Protection Hotline English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) Spanish/English 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) Asian Languages/English 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) Arabic/English 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) Website: https://866ourvote.org National Association of the Deaf's ASL Voter Assistance Hotline 301-818-VOTE (301-818-8683) Website: https://www.nad.org/2018/09/28/asl-voter-assistance-hotline-available Disability Rights Florida's voting resources Main website: https://DisabilityRightsFlorida.org/voting Know Your Rights Fact Sheet: Making a Voting Access Complaint: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/publications/publication_info/HAVA_complaint Know Your Rights Fact Sheet: Supervised Facility Voting: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/publications/publication_info/fact_sheet_supervised_facility_voting Your Disability Voting Rights Brochure: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/publications/publication_info/voting_brochure Voting Machine Explainer Videos: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/disability-topics/disability_topic_info/voting_explainer_videos Know what's on your ballot: https://www.vote411.org/ballot Florida's Rev Up chapter ‘Access the Vote Florida': https://www.accessthevote.org Find your P&A: https://www.ndrn.org/about/ndrn-member-agencies Rutger's Disability Vote Research: https://smlr.rutgers.edu/faculty-research-engagement/program-disability-research/voter-turnout-and-voting-accessibility Accessing Democracy Documentary Virtual Premier: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuc-ugqzksGNBHggVvDOiyio-S29EWgca5#/registration Accessing Democracy Trailer: https://youtu.be/j74zs8N8OLs #CripTheVote and Voting Advocacy - with Andrew Pulrang and Gregg Beratan: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast/story/episode_66  

This is an excerpt from the full episode "Closing the Voting Turnout Gap (Barbershop)"Michael is joined by Louis Reed, Michelle Bishop and Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat for a discussion on how to close the turnout gap for formerly incarcerated citizens, people with disabilities and overseas Americans and the obstacles that stand between them and the ballot box.If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Check out US Vote Foundation for more information: https://www.usvotefoundation.org/Voting Rights Restoration Guide - https://www.usvotefoundation.org/voting-rights-restoration- Voters with Disabilities Guide - https://www.usvotefoundation.org/disabled-voter-guide- Overseas Vote - https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/- You're Eligible Situations - https://www.us.vote/yesFollow Louis: @LouislReedFollow Michelle: @MichelleVotesFollow Michael @MichaelSteeleFollow the podcast @steele_podcast 

Michael is joined by Louis Reed, Michelle Bishop and Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat for a discussion on how to close the turnout gap for formerly incarcerated citizens, people with disabilities and overseas Americans and the obstacles that stand between them and the ballot box.If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Check out US Vote Foundation for more information: https://www.usvotefoundation.org/Follow Louis: @LouislReedFollow Michelle: @MichelleVotesFollow Michael @MichaelSteeleFollow the podcast @steele_podcast 

Joel Caine & Michelle Bishop bring you an extended Friday show with plenty of focus on the weekend's action and more out of the State of Origin Men's and Women's games over the last two nights. Then Dean Watling and Brett Phillips give an update from racing and Roland Garros before a terrific chat with Matt Nable ahead of the MND Big Freeze this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 20 of the “Aerospace Ambition Podcast” featuring Michelle Bishop from CANSO is out!Talking Points• What is the role of CANSO & how does it contribute to sustainable aviation?• On which ATM technologies is the potential of 10% emission reduction in aviation based?• How does & will AI be integrated into highly safety-critical ATM systems?• Should tactical contrail management be airline-led or ANSP-led?• Which problems need to be overcome & which level of certainty is sufficient?• Will industry action on mitigating warming contrails be operationally wide-spread in the next 5 years?• How are military conflicts such as the Ukraine War affect air traffic management?GuestMichelle Bishop works for CANSO — the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, which represents 94 ANSPs (Air Navigation Service Provider) globally. As the overseer of CANSO's global programmes, Michelle plays a pivotal role in leading the strategy for Air Traffic Management. She spearheads the efforts of over 20 international workgroups, dedicated to identifying and fostering the adoption of best practices across the globe. Additionally, Michelle is responsible for industry relations with other aviation stakeholders and for CANSO's activities at ICAO as the voice of ATM.Resources• https://canso.org/Linkedin Profiles• Michelle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-bishop-a3847838/• Marius: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariuswedemeyer/

Joel and Michelle Bishop kick off the show - talking the fallout from Jason Demetriou's sacking at Souths yesterday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel and Michelle kick off the show with a hard look at how it all went so wrong at the Rabbitohs before talking about who the best fit is to take over. Max Rushden stops by to talk diets, meeting new people in your 40s and the Champions League overnight before an in-depth look at Round 9 in the NRL coming up this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Bishop and James Magnussen get stuck into the concerns of the kick off after a bad injury for the Dragons after 4 seconds of the game yesterday. We take your calls on how the issue could be fixed. Michelle and Missile get stuck into the three massive ANZAC day games with big wins for the Roosters and Storm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Bishop and James Magnussen get stuck into the concerns of the kick off after a bad injury for the Dragons after 4 seconds of the game yesterday. We take your calls on how the issue could be fixed. Michelle and Missile get stuck into the three massive ANZAC day games with big wins for the Roosters and Storm. Canberra Raiders Morgan Smithies joins Michelle and Missile to chat about his big move to Australia, his old club Wigan and playing under Ricky Stuart. Deano is back for his best horses of the weekend and give us an update on his dating life. Scott Sattler joins the Run Home with Missile and Michelle to review the ANZAC day games! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel and Michelle review the Broncos victory against Bunnies and are asking the questions surrounding Latrell Mitchell and his future at fullback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday's edition of the Run Home with Joel Caine and Michelle Bishop. On the menu Thursday night footy review NRL news update Channel 7's Racing Expert Jason Richardson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Run Home, Joel and Michelle review the Raiders big win over the Knights as sticky ambushed Newcastle up at McDonald Jones Stadium. Michelle Bishop speaks on the Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam situation and how Anthony Mundine see's the discussions. We also have a Sportsbet Market Update with Sean Ormerod. Former Raider, Panther and Wests Tigers Blake Austin joins Joel and Michelle on the Run Home with Joel and Fletch to chat life up on the Central Coast, making his first grade debut, giving the fans a lift to the game, working with Michelle at the Panthers, his career highlights, young footy coaching, living overseas, the Blake Flake, and who he supports? They preview tonight's NRL games of the Warriors vs Sharks and Storm vs Panthers. SEN Track Analyst Dean Watling gives his tips for the weekend from Flemington and Randwick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Run Home, Joel and Michelle review the Raiders big win over the Knights as sticky ambushed Newcastle up at McDonald Jones Stadium. Michelle Bishop speaks on the Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam situation and how Anthony Mundine see's the discussions. We also have a Sportsbet Market Update with Sean Ormerod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Bishop is back on deck with Joel Caine. First up the team are talking through the famous NRL flight that embarked yesterday with our Bearshead, the team are joined by SENZ hosts Kirstie Stanway and Stephen Donald, Sean Ormerod from Sportsbet swings by for a market update. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out all the best bits from Wednesday's Run Home with Joel Caine and Michelle Bishop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Thursday show on the Run Home Michelle Bishop was again alongside Joel Caine as the pair edged toward Las Vegas. SENZ's hosts Kirstie Stanway and Stephen 'Beaver' Donald Sean Ormerod from Sportsbet What is wrong with grassroots footy with Michelle Bishop Joel Caine's top 8 for 2024 Jacob Kiraz from the Canterbury Bulldogs SEN Cricket's Bharat Sundaresan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Busy middle our with the NRL news update leading the conversation. Expansion in the NRL Luke Keary re-signs Where are we at with Grassroots Footy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Full Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Upcoming Match Against The Cowboys, Replacement For Wighton, Building Combinations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing Up In Tasmania, The Ironman Community, Missing Out On Crucial Points Last Year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy Smith dives into some of the big issues in the world of Rugby League on Tuesday with the game's grassroots struggling as the big show moves out to Vegas. Michelle Bishop joins the show to break down that battle. Plus, Jarrod Warea-Hargreaves announces this year will be his last with the Roosters' Jared Waerea-Hargreaves announcing 2024 will be his last in tricolours and there's plenty more making news. Zoe Samios joins the show from Australian Financial Review to chat the Melbourne Cup's new broadcast deal and South Island Bid Chief Tony Kidd on New Zealand's push for a 2nd NRL club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joins Jimmy with the ARLC and QRL/NSWRL locked in court over funding as the AFL announce $1 Billion investment in grassroots throughout Queensland in New South Wales over the next 10 years. Is the threat real or will it take something more generational to change attitudes? How can the NRL respond? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joins Jimmy to wrap up the Broncos off-field drama with Patrick Carrigan and Adam Reynolds both expected to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Latest On Volkman, Xerri In Bulldogs Colours, Heeney To Step Up For The Swans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy is joined by Michelle Bishop to chat through all the big headlines in the world of sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wednesday's show was a busy one with Jimmy Smith, chats with Aussie boxer Harry Garside, SEN sports reporter Michelle Bishop and English golfer Eddie Pepperell . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voting at a polling place on Election Day may be easy for some, but many voters  face significant challenges. Transportation, work schedules, and the location of polling places can make it tough for voters with families, jobs, a disability, and more to vote in person.During the 2020 presidential election, when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full force, many states expanded vote-by-mail access to protect voters from getting sick. There were also drive-thru voting and ballot drop-boxes, which  opened many voters' eyes to how accessible voting could be.In this episode we look at how vote-by-mail works, why it's secure and accurate and how it helps more voters make their voice heard.Host and Guests:Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at CLC, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.Reynaldo (Rey) Valenzuela has been working in the field of elections for over 32 years. He currently serves as the Director of Mail-In Voting and Election Services for Maricopa County, Arizona that presently serves over 2.4 million registered voters. He supports the administration of several election processes to include the candidate/campaign filing division, customer service division, early voting department, and shared oversight of the tabulation process. Rey serves or has served on various election related panels for various organizations to include as a local election official representative for Arizona on the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) or as a deputy member of the Election Officials of Arizona (EOA) Association. He also served for 15 years as one of the two Representatives from Arizona on the Election Assistance Commission Standards Board.Jonathan Diaz is Senior Legal Counsel for Voting Rights at Campaign Legal Center. He litigates voting rights cases on behalf of voters across the United States, and works to advance laws and policies that expand the freedom to vote for all Americans. Before joining CLC, Jonathan was a litigation associate in the New York office of Jenner & Block LLP, where he litigated a variety of civil and criminal matters. He represents voting rights plaintiffs and amici in numerous cases, including Raysor v. Lee, VoteAmerica v. Raffensperger, Thompson v. Alabama and Brnovich v. DNC. Jonathan also participates on behalf of CLC on a number of democracy reform coalitions, coordinating CLC's work with partner organizations at the national, state and local levels. He also frequently provides commentary on voting rights and election law issues in the media; he has been quoted in publications including the New York Times, the Miami Herald and ProPublica, and has appeared on Univision, NPR and CNN, where he was an election law analyst for the 2020 election cycle.Michelle Bishop leads a team to support NDRN's national network on voting rights and voter engagement for people with disabilities. She also works in coalition with the civil rights community in Washington, DC to ensure strong federal policy regarding voting rights and election administration from a voter-centric and intersectional perspective. Michelle loves democracy so much that she registered to vote on her 18th birthday, even though it wasn't an election year. It is ill-advised to get her started talking about the historical significance of the first peaceful transfer of the US presidency or the intricacies of the Electoral Count Act. Disabled herself, Michelle comes to NDRN with over 15 years experience in the disability vote.Links:Here's Why You Should Have the Freedom To Vote By Mail (Campaign Legal Center)Demystifying Vote-by-Mail for All Americans (Campaign Legal Center)Combatting State-Level Bills Restricting The Freedom To Vote (Campaign Legal Center)Voter Participation Nonprofits Are Crucial for Democracy. We Must Protect Their Work. (Campaign Legal Center)About CLC:Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization which advances democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every American's right to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic process. You can visit us on the web at campaignlegalcenter.org.

There are still a lot of barriers to voting, and when we're thinking about access to voting, it should be easier for every voter to cast a ballot.  According to the CDC, about 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. live with some type of disability: nearly 61 million people. When it comes time to cast their ballots, voters with disabilities can face a number of challenges at the polls. For in-person voters in the 2016 election, the Government Accountability Office found that less than half of polling places were accessible from parking to the voting booth. Accessibility increased in 2020, and people with disabilities made large gains in the historic voter turnout surge of 2020. Expanded access to mail-in ballots pushed disability turnout to 17.7 million in 2020, up from 16 million in 2016, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. We spoke with Michelle Bishop, Voter Access & Engagement Manager at the National Disability Rights Network, and Michelle explained how the steps taken during the 2020 presidential election and against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, lowered some of those barriers and helped make it safer to cast a ballot for all voters,  including voters who have a disability.

The culinary influence of the Transatlantic Slave crossing is evident throughout the American South. In the Costa Chica area of Oaxaca, Mexico, the heritage is equally rich but not often recognized or discussed, says food writer Bill Esparza. Michelle Bishop of Harlem Needle Arts describes the work behind The Legacy Quilt, on display in the “African/American: Making the Nation's Table” exhibit at the Museum of Food and Drink. Lauren Ko is designing pies that are made for Instagram. Lucy Haro, a grant recipient from Re:Her, is serving Peruvian soul food at Qusqo Bistro. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison reviews Yangban Society in the Arts District. Tomatoes are ripe at the farmer's market.