Disability Garrison

Many families enter guardianship arrangements because they don't know of other options. Guardianship can be unnecessarily restrictive. It can also be difficult, expensive, and time consuming to reverse. Join Michael and Holly as they hear from Ashley Mathy, a self-advocate from Wisconsin. Ashley gives her account of her experience being under guardianship. They then talk with Dr. Allison Hall, Senior Research Associate/Project Manager at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Allison provides insight into why families should consider supported decision-making.

Society has taught us, intentionally or not, that we should be “normal.” That our value is dependent on our contributions to the world around us. This perspective often makes the term “disability” alienating and disempowering. Join Holly and Michael as they talk with Andy Imparato, CEO of Disability Rights California. They discuss the importance of having a positive disability identity. Also, Holly speaks about her disability identity for the first time.

When Maggie Carmichael started going to preschool, she was excited to play with her new friends. But the school’s playground was not accessible to her. So every day at recess, Maggie would be taken out of her wheelchair and placed in the wood chips to play on her own. She would come home from school covered in splinters. Her mom, Holly, decided to work for change in their small town. Across the country, Julie Kenerson heard that her local playground was going to be updated. She remembered taking her sons, Lukas and Jake, to various parks to play. Jake was in a wheelchair, and Julie struggled to find playgrounds where both boys could play together. Even after Jake’s passing in 2019, Julie never forgot how heartbreaking it was for Jake to not be able to participate. Join Michael as he talks with co-host Holly Carmichael, and special guest Julie Kenerson. They discuss Holly’s experience designing and building the first inclusive playground in her area. Julie recalls what it was like telling her city officials that “ADA Compliant” wasn’t good enough. And they discuss how inclusive playgrounds benefit everyone. For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, and to join in on our Fair Play for All campaign, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

The creation of this first Center for Independent Living in the early 1970s started a national movement. It was the birth of a new way of seeing disability called the community model. Community model focuses on the individual with a disability as the solution and not the problem. As opposed to medical model, which focuses on the physical or mental problem that needs to be “fixed.” But many people don’t know this philosophy. All too often, people with disabilities are still seen as the problem. Join Holly and Michael as they talk with Karen Tamley, CEO of Access Living. Karen discusses the services that Centers for Independent Living provide. She also talks about the philosophy of Independent Living.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Join Michael and Holly as they talk with Andy Imparato, Executive Director of Disability Rights California. Andy discusses healthcare resource rationing in the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they go over ideas on how to address disparities in their communities.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Self-Determination is a model of care that empowers a person to be involved in their own life decisions. But self-determination isn’t accessible to all who need it. Join Michael and Holly as they talk with Judy Mark, President of Disability Voices United (DVU). They cover the basics of self-determination. Judy also discusses what led her to co-found DVU. Finally, they discuss the progress that has been made in California.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

The ADA changed the lives of millions of Americans. But, even more than 30 years after being passed, many people do not fully understand or comply with the law. There is work still to be done.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

When faced with hardships, Tony Coelho found purpose through helping others. Join Michael and Holly in this discussion with Tony about the darkest time of his life. They also talk about how it all led to him authoring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.  

Being diagnosed with epilepsy changed everything for Tony Coelho. He learned to find his voice, and became a voice for others in the process. Tune in to hear him tell Holly and Michael about the time he went off-script when meeting the Pope.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Tony Coelho, father of the ADA, talks about his upbringing and experience with epilepsy. From cattle farms to witch doctors, hear how his childhood adventures helped shape civil rights in the United States.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act was intended to encourage companies to hire disabled veterans returning from war. But 14(c) has become a way for companies to pay employees with disabilities less than minimum wage. In this episode, Michael and Holly discuss subminimum wage with Serena Lowe and Sunny Cefaratti. Sunny gives her personal account of the eight years she spent in a sheltered workshop making less than minimum wage. Serena talks about what is being done to eliminate this practice.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

People should be able to receive care from the ones who know them best - and those caregivers should be paid for the work they do. Join Michael and Holly as they talk with Melissa Schlemmer, blogger for thespecialmom.com and caregiver to her son, Christopher. Together they’ll discuss what being the caregiver for someone with a disability entails. And they will also talk about the many people who provide care for a loved one but are unable to be paid for it.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Language is important, and how you talk to and about a person with a disability matters. Join Holly and Michael as they talk with Liz Weintraub, Senior Advocacy Specialist with AUCD. Together they’ll discuss hurtful, outdated, and improper language they’ve heard in their everyday lives. And they’ll give words or phrases they’d rather hear instead.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

What do you do when your child will die without an organ transplant, but the hospital decides they are ineligible due to their disability? Michael and Holly talk with Crystal Gallagher, mother of a child with a disability, about being denied a transplant. They discuss how discrimination in transplants is still legal in many states, and offer solutions to change this practice.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

“If I need help going to the bathroom, and I can’t get it, it’s just like there is no bathroom.” Judy Heumann joins Michael and Holly to discuss personal assistance services. In this episode, you'll get the history of the independent living movement from someone who helped shape it. You'll also learn how in-home care is different from nursing homes and adult foster care. Listen in as Judy offers insight and advice for future generations of advocates.   For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Welcome to the Disability Garrison podcast! Meet our hosts, Holly Carmichael and Michael Murray, and hear a quick overview of how the show works. You’ll also learn why the idea of a garrison is a powerful analogy to the disability rights movement. Finally, Michael and Holly will share their goals for the Disability Garrison and talk about how they’re excited to connect with you–and other powerful advocates–through this podcast.   Please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.