AUCD Network Narratives

What do equity and employment mean in the realms of economic justice? This is the question that Jeiri seeks to answer in today’s episode. Guiding this conversation is Chisa O’Quinn from Wise, a supported employment training and technical assistance center in Washington state.

With over 18 years of experience working with people from diverse communities, Chisa is a supported employment strategist and facilitator who is dedicated to centering equity and belonging. In today’s episode, Chisa shares her style of advocacy, how she keeps motivated in this difficult line of work, and what she has done in the equity space thus far. She also shares how she aims for inclusivity of intersectionality when she’s challenging employment specialists, and why it’s so important for our culture to shift its mindset around topics of empowerment, inclusion, and belonging.

From discussions around the shift out of scarcity mindset to how Chisa aims to cultivate and create more opportunities for people within the employment realm, this episode is a deep dive into truly understanding the roles of equity and employment in the fight for economic justice.

Episode Resources: 

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resource Snapshot Guide

This episode is funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP75P00121C00057. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

Welcome to season 2 of AUCD Network Narratives - a show that aims to cover a lot of national disability issues while handing the mic over to people to share their stories. Your host, Jeiri Flores, is here to kick off the second season by introducing herself, sharing what her vision for the show is, and sharing her passion for advocacy.

In this short but sweet episode, Jeiri shares her background on how she got into advocacy work. She also shares what sustains her in this particular line of work, and why her family is a key piece that keeps her motivated and inspired. Finally, Jeiri shares what this podcast means to the community and her vision for what this podcast can achieve.

Whether you’re a new or returning listener, this episode is a great way to connect with our community and our mission to leave a slice of the world a better place. Tune in, get to know Jeiri, and let’s kick of season 2 together.


This episode is funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP75P00121C00057. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

Join Jeiri, as she thanks you for tuning in to Season 1 of the AUCD Network Narratives podcast. Jeiri reflects on what the 1st season has had in stores and what's to come in season 2.

AUCD Network has had the pleasure of hearing amazing stories from members and insights on ways we to work together to help advocate and educate the community at large.

View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast

This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

Representation is essential in advocacy work and the push for legislation. When it comes to autism and disability advocacy, listening, engaging, and understanding the experiences of people of color is crucial to changing the narrative. Elizabeth Morgan joins the show to help us understand the importance of connecting with stories of people of color with disabilities and their families.

Elizabeth is an Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership at the University of California, Sacramento, and program coordinator for the CED at the Mind Institute. Her area of research includes early childhood and early intervention services with a specific interest in underrepresented populations.

Jeiri and Elizabeth’s conversation explores the ways in which representation matters. Elizabeth explains the importance of bringing pieces of your identity as a person of color into the classroom and curriculum. She also takes us behind the scenes of her thesis, how she dug deep into the conversations surrounding disparities, and why she felt empowered as a Black mother with a learning disability to create an impact by simply being herself. 

Elizabeth also speaks truth to power, of the dangers of terms and labels. She sparks the conversation of why a careless approach to language can be a huge disservice to people of color and people of color with disabilities.

This is an important conversation that highlights the multifaceted nature of advocacy. Tune in as Elizabeth and Jeiri share the importance of highlighting Black and Brown voices, and why we should fight for systems that work for everyone.

View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast


This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

If you’re anything like Jeiri, you might not be familiar with the term “cultural broker”. That is why Jeiri is joined by Angela West. Angela is a multicultural specialist who serves families and professionals by educating them of the cultural impact on disability and connecting them to resources.

Today, Angela is introducing you to what being a cultural broker is like. She talks about her experience being an individual with physical disabilities and the challenges she faces as she bridges the gap between cultural backgrounds and disabilities in communities. Angela also opens up about the impact she’s noticed on communities from her work such as seeing families gain access to resources which change their lives.

From her favorite parts of being a cultural broker to the real-life impact that her work has, Angela, shares the important changes she’s set into motion, why she loves working with advocates, and her best advice for those looking at becoming or creating a cultural broker program at their UCEDD.

View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast

This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

George Gotto has experienced the network from many phases and positions. Today, he is the UCEDD Director of the University of Missouri Kansas City's Institute for Human Development in Kansas City, Missouri. He is trained as a medical anthropologist with an emphasis on community-based research and cross-cultural perspectives on health and discipline.

For most of George’s career, he has experienced several positions within the network as he worked as both a trainee and an employee in Arizona, Kansas, and Missouri before taking his role as director. In today’s episode, Jeiri is chatting with George all about his experience growing within the network.

Jeiri asks George about his top focus as a director from removing barriers from programs to increasing diversity within the network’s leadership. George shares the obstacles he faces in his pursuit of creating a more equitable process. He talks about the challenges that come with diversifying staff and how working closely with human resources made things easier.

If you’re interested in growing within the network, this episode with George is for you. Tune in as George shares his story, what motivates him, how he fell in love with community-based research and the impact that comes from it, and his advice for youths who are working towards being more active.

View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast

This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

When it comes to creating a  self-advocacy curriculum, teamwork really does make the dream work. It takes a deep and patient understanding of the history and culture of the many walks of life. Jairo Arana joins the AUCD Network Narratives podcast today to share his advice on how we can improve self-advocacy curriculums within our programs.

Jairo’s journey in self-advocacy began after being diagnosed late in life with autism and taking a three-day intensive pipeline leadership training program. This sparked his self-advocacy journey which eventually led him to become the full-time clinical program coordinator at the Mailman Center for Child Development. 

In this episode, Jairo shares his personal story of self-advocacy, leadership, and impact. He opens up about his creative passion for telling stories and the arts. He talks about the importance of seeing diversity and inclusion in his favorite shows and how this has impacted the stories he wants to tell. Jairo takes you behind the scenes of his leadership program and how finding his mentor impacted his work and self-advocacy journey. 

Listen to Jairo’s story as he shares important stories about self-advocacy, his journey through his late diagnosis, what he would tell his younger self today, and why learning the history, understanding the culture, and teamwork is the way to a more empathetic and inclusive future.

View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast


This episode was funded partially by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

This podcast episode is provided in partial fulfillment of tasks outlined in a cooperative agreement (#UA5MC11068) between AUCD and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of MCHB, the Health Resources Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or the U.S. Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

Did you know that there isn’t a word for “disability” across indigenous languages? Instead, there are different terminologies used amongst indigenous communities. If you’re wondering what inclusivity and advocacy for disabilities in Indigenous cultures look like, this episode is for you.

Today, Jeiri sits down with Jim Warne, who is the Director of Community Engagement and Diversity at the University of South Dakota’s Center for Disabilities Oyate’ Circle. The Oyate’ Circle addresses indigenous disability issues for South Dakota’s tribal nations. He is also President of Warrior Society Development, LLC., a consultant with the University of Arizona, and an Emmy nominated filmmaker.

In their conversation, Jim shares his motivation and his why behind the Oyate’ Circle and the work that they do. He also talks about the early stages of setting parameters of ADA and the growing pains that came with it. Jim shares what disability and disability advocacy looks like within indigenous communities, and how he has found the strength to pave the way for future generations to come. Tune in as Jim and Jeiri share personal stories about their advocacy,  families, and the legacy they hope to leave behind.

View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast

This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

When it comes to creating change within our network and communities, it is important to make sure that our resources are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Maribel Hernandez does just that in her important role at the Mind Institute. She was born in Mexico and moved to the United States 26 years ago. Today, she’s a proud mother of 2 sons ages 19 and 21, who are both autistic young adults.

In this thoughtful conversation, Jeiri and Maribel discuss the hardest thing Maribel had to learn when she first adapted to this world of service and the new language that came with it. Maribel shares the value and comfort she found in her support group, especially as a Hispanic woman. Together, they discuss a dream situation in which families and individuals will have access to information in a careful step-by-step process after receiving a diagnosis, so they can avoid the anxiety and confusion that Googling can bring.

Maribel also shares her experience as a mom and how she empowers her sons to be fully themselves and while finding happiness. She shares ways in which she encourages, celebrates, and supports her sons so they will feel happy and confident. Finally, Maribel shares what fun looks like from her community to her home, especially during the difficult times of the pandemic.

This is a heartfelt and thoughtful episode where Maribel shares her knowledge and experience. Tune in and gain an inside look at how she supports her family, community, as well as the legacy she wants to leave for generations to come.


View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast


This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, the US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.

One of the most important tools to add to your toolbelt as an advocate or a researcher is the power of storytelling. Sharing stories of lived experiences is a powerful tool that can evoke empathy, compassion, and an understanding of different walks of life.

Today, Jeiri is joined by Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, an educator, writer, public speaker, parent, global advocate, a professional and disabled non-binary woman of color, and daughter of immigrants. They are also a member of the Autistic Researcher Review Board for the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) project. She is passionate about human rights, justice, and inclusion with her vast advocacy work related to HIV awareness, gender disability, racial equity, and more. 

Morénike joins the show today to share their expertise on storytelling, especially when it comes to including lived experiences in research and writing. They share their knowledge on researching and how new researchers can frame their process. Jeiri and Morénike both tell their stories of being a young advocate as a bilingual person of color. They have an important discussion on the need for respectful, affirming, and accurate language and the difference between person-first language versus identity-first language. 

This is an eye-opening conversation about the immersive power of storytelling and how stories fuel change within advocacy and research. Tune in and get ready to be inspired.


View all episodes and transcripts at http://www.aucd.org/podcast

This episode was funded by the Administration for Community Living through technical assistance contract # HHSP233201600066C. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Administration on Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US Government.

Produced by Adode Media; a full-service podcast production agency.