Today we offer you a special bonus episode that requires your attention. We speak with Julie Payne Neward and Marisol Rubio who have proposed to very important legal resolution for legislative consideration including 1) For increasing Caregiver support and 2) Exposing disability sexual assault history within state and federal funded organizations by means of releases 10 years of secret settlement lawsuit details.

SIGN CAREGIVER RESOLUTION HERE

SIGN SECRET SETTLEMENT TRANSPARENCY RESOLUTION HERE

LEARN MORE or to sign as an elected official or political leader at www.marisolandjulieadvocate.com

We’re celebrating Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day this week on March 25th, and we’re so excited to share that occasion this week with Nicole La Ha Zwiercan. Nicole is Mrs. USA Universe 2018, a parent advocate to her daughter with Cerebral Palsy, blogger at Its Simple to Be Kind and more.

In this episode, Ileana De Sosa and Nicole share a conversation about life and mind transition once becoming a parent to a child with Cerebral Palsy, how they celebrate when grocery stores and parks provide proper equipment, and they discuss how every space needs efforts for inclusion and advocacy & much more.

**Thank you to our sponsor for this episode, Hertog Education Law at http://www.makeschoolwork.com. Schedule your free consultation if you live in CA. You can also reach out to Allison directly via phone at 213-290-3137**

NICOLE ON INSTAGRAM

ITS SIMPLE TO BE KIND BLOG

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

Welcome to our first branded content episode, paid for and presented by Miniland Educational. 

These episodes are curated and designed by the brand to bring you a conversational experience to hear about their company and products. We invite you to check out what our sponsors are all about, as they keep our show on the airwaves! 

Check out Miniland Dolls and their other products at https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/C24D59BB-8CB8-46ED-A7D6-6DD6CA840EC4.

Learn more about sponsoring Advocate Like a Mother Podcast and creating your own branded episode like this one at: www.advocatelikeamother.org/sponsor

As we approach World Down Syndrome Day at the end of this week (3/21/21), we are joined by the first woman with Down Syndrome to complete the Austin Half Marathon, Kayleigh Williamson and her mother Sandy. Since then, Kayleigh has completed many half marathons and will attempt her first full marathon this year. She is also the author of the children’s book, It’s cool to be me.

In our conversation we discuss her health and life before becoming a running athlete, the people in her life that continue to motivate her toward her goals, and Sandy offers advise for parents supporting and raising their person with Down Syndrome.

Children’s toys and products made for a more open, inclusive and diverse world.

Buy now on Amazon!

KAYLEIGH ON INSTAGRAM

ITS COOL TO BE ME BOOK

ITS COOL TO BE ME FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

Today on the show Marine wife and mother, Valli Gideons. Valli Gideons is the author of the children’s book, Now Hear This and writer at MyBattleCall.com and parent to two deaf teenagers. Valli spends her time writing about navigating through the fog of raising kids with cochlear implants and other things from the heart.

We chat about her diagnosis story and experience as a hearing parent to deaf kids, the home dynamics of raising children with cochlear implants, and she offers me (Andy) advise on how to emotional engage language as a parent to a child who is not deaf, but on a lifelong journey to overcoming her speech delay.

**Thank you to our sponsor for this episode, Hertog Education Law at http://www.makeschoolwork.com. Schedule your free consultation if you live in CA. You can also reach out to Allison directly via phone at 213-290-3137**

MY BATTLE CALL

VALLI ON FACEBOOK

BOOKS AND RESOURCES

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

Today we are joined by our friend, Megan DeJarnett.  Megan is the founder of No Such Thing, a company with a mission to help others redefine purpose by removing defining labels. As an author, she is currently producing a series of children’s books including No Such Thing as Normal.

Megan was diagnosed at the age of 2 with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).  With a tremendous faith in God and the love and support of her family, Megan lives life determined to experience life to the fullest and choose joy over despair.

In addition to being an author, Megan is a speaker, a wife, a mother and was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee.

**Thank you to our sponsor for this episode, Hertog Education Law at http://www.makeschoolwork.com. Schedule your free consultation if you live in CA.**

NO SUCH THING WEBSITE

MEGAN ON INSTAGRAM

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

We are excited to release our first Guest Hosted Episode! In this episode, our hosts will take a back seat and pass the mic to one of our beloved members of the Down Syndrome community.

On today’s show Liz Plachta, founder of Ruby’s Rainbow, interviews Kelle Hampton, author of New York Time bestseller Bloom: Finding Beauty In the Unexpected  and fellow Vice President of Ruby’s Rainbow.  They share the touching stories of their experiences on the road together, the transition from surviving as a parent to a child with a disability to advocating in their everyday lives, and they discuss profound simple realities of the small steps they took toward making a difference in their lives, that then effected others in positive and beautiful ways.

Want to become a Guest Host? Sign Up Here

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

RUBY’S RAINBOW

KELLE HAMPTON OFFICIAL

LIZ INSTAGRAM

KELLE INSTAGRAM

Our friend Tameka Diaz spends some time with us on the show sharing about her experiences with grief and how important it is to develop a self care regiment. She goes into detail about a never before shared experience in her own life that stopped her in her tracks before things could have gone terribly wrong. Tameka’s conversation is filled with grace and space for those who've hit rock bottom and need that empathy to cry, scream, and shout out the hurt. And, there’s hope on the other side.

Tameka Diaz is a mother to three girls: Luna, Evely and Skye. At birth Evely was diagnosed with bilateral anophthalmia meaning she was born with no eyes. Evely also has an undiagnosed genetic condition.

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OFFICIAL WEBSITE

TAMEKA ON INSTAGRAM

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

PATREON | Patreon.com/advocatelikeamother

Today on the show, Sarah Dhooge shares with us about her experience as an SLP and her unique approach to her clients, industry in B.C., and how it effects her day to day life with her 3 boys. Sarah is a paediatric Speech-Language Pathologist who specializes in naturalistic developmental interventions to help support the communication development of children with speech and language delays. Currently living in the Okanagan Valley with her Craft Beer enthusiast husband, Sarah is a mother to three {wild} boys and a retired-therapy dog named Bear.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

SARAH ON INSTAGRAM

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

PATREON | Patreon.com/advocatelikeamother

Amy Webb joins the podcast today and spends some time sharing her journey toward speaking up for inclusion for her daughter "Lamp" (Not her real name) who was born with a condition called microgastria and limb reduction complex. In addition, we revisit some blog content she previously wrote as a way to look at what's changed in her life and how we can observe that as a mirror to see our own prejudice and we talk about the practice of anti-ableism by looking at the work accomplished in advocating against racism.

INSTAGRAM | @advocatelikeamother

TWITTER | @advocatelikeamom

EMAIL | [email protected]

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

AMY ON INSTAGRAM