Keith Jones Bio

In this episode, Keith Jones takes us on a journey through past and present experiences of ableism in education, as well as the intersection of being Black as well as disabled. Keith simultaneously honors educators while also speaking frankly with us and challenging us. What do we want to be? A brick wall? Or a launching pad? Finally, in this episode, you'll hear a clip from Krip Hop Nation's Emmy Award-Winning song, Rising Phoenix. Note: Adult language. 

Soul Touchin' Experiences

Krip Hop Nation

Rising Phoenix Song Video (Keith Jones begins at 1 min., 30 seconds) :) 

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Darlene Hanson's Bio

Kindred Communication

In this episode, Darlene takes us deep into the idea of the right to communication and what that means in terms of controversial AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) methods. She directs listeners to the understanding of communication as a right, and that prohibiting these strategies is, in effect, denying people their right to communication, which is an ADA violation.  Darlene distinguishes between the more commonly known strategies of facilitated communication, Rapid Prompting Method, and Spelling to Communicate. And she gives practical tips for how to engage with someone from a "presumption of competence" perspective. I personally LOVE this episode so much. I hope that it inspires many people toward inclusivity in communication!

Kindred Communication

Go Kindred App

Wellspring Guild - to learn more about facilitated communication

Halo Foundation - to learn more about Rapid Prompting Method & Soma Mukhoppadhyay

Growing Kids - to learn more about Spelling to Communicate & Elizabeth Vosseller

Movement Differences and Diversity in Autism... - Anne Donnellan & Martha Leary

Books Written by Non-Speaking Autistic People:

Anatomy of Autism by Diego Peña

I am Intelligent: From Heartbreak to Healing - A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Autism by Peyton and Dianne Goddard

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida

Films About Non-Speaking Autistic People Who Type:

Wretches & Jabberers

Deej

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Jillian Parramore has a B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences Liberal Studies, emphasizing Elementary Education and Bachelor's in Child Development with a credential.

Jillian has taught early childhood, elementary, middle school, and university level for the past ten years. For the past six years, Jillian has been training special education departments on inclusive education in school districts throughout Southern California. She also provides health education for her community through People First of California. She also volunteers for Beyond Awareness Celebration events in school districts. Jillian participated in TEDxChula Vista to discuss inclusion in society through her lived experience with Cerebral Palsy and living on the Autism spectrum. The video can be found here. Jillian and her partner live together with their three rescue dogs, including Starbuck, a 21-year-old chihuahua.

In this episode, Jillian Parramore shares about her life growing up as a child with multiple disabilities, and especially as a child who did not speak until the age of 10. She shares about the way that she was treated, and how this lonely experience of being spoken about, rather than spoken to, affected her concept of self. Jillian distinguishes about the differences between mainstreaming and inclusion, and shares direct messages of encouragement for educators, parents, and students, about how we must presume competence, and advocate for, facilitate, and respect alternative communication methods. 

Disability Rights California

Diana's Website

FREE RESOURCE - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Link to Dr. Sara Acevedo's Bio

Dr. Acevedo's Email Address: [email protected]

In this episode, Dr. Sara Acevedo gives us insight into the person-first and identity-first language debate, and explains how language perspectives are connected to historical context of perceptions of disability. She also dives into the difference between disability rights and disability justice. Finally, Dr. Acevedo leaves us with many resources, names of books, and individuals, disability activists, speaking and non-speaking, who have stories to tell and things to teach us. 

Gloria Anzaldua

Patricia Hill Collins

Simi Linton - Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity

Vic Finkelstein

Allison C. Carey, Pamela Block, Richard Scotch - Allies & Obstacles: Disability Activism and Parents of Children with Disabilities 

Sins Invalid

Leroy Moore

Patty Berne

Angela Davis

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Eli Clare

Mia Mingus

Alice Wong - Disability Visibility Project

Adam Wolfond

Hari Srinivasan

David James (DJ) Savarese

Emma Zurcher-Long

Diego Peña (Mentioned Post-Recording)

Correction of note: Dr. Acevedo corrected the comment that 504 protesters occupied the "federal building," and not the "capitol building."

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Clare Killy (she/her) is the Vice President of Digital Experiences at Aspire, a Chicagoland nonprofit focused on disability inclusion. She leads Aspire's DEI Consultation and Virtual Life Coaching teams and also hosts Aspire's Amplify Inclusion podcast. Clare is a licensed educator and child development specialist with experience as a teacher, advocate, inclusion consultant and program director.  In addition to her work at Aspire, Clare is Co-Chair of the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium and also serves as adjunct faculty at the Erikson Institute. Clare has experience working with individuals, families and providers in a variety of roles and across diverse environments.

In this episode, Clare elaborates on what it means to shift our mindset as it relates to foundational understandings of disability. She discusses how sustainability in terms of access and inclusion for disabled people is only possible when we have a strong foundational understanding of disability as normal and natural, and as a part of human diversity.

Aspire Chicago

Amplify Inclusion

Disability Lead

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Norman Kunc & Emma Van der Klift Bio

In this episode, Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift tell their stories as disabled people, and share the lessons they've learned about what it means to be disabled, and how by shifting paradigms of disability from a physiological understanding to a sociological understanding, their lives have been empowered. They offer gems of support to educators and parents alike as they unveil their transformative mindset.   

Broadreach Training

Being Realistic Isn't Realistic

Talk to Me: What Educators (and Others) Can Learn about De-Escalation from Hostage Negotiators

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Andy Imparato's Bio

In this episode, Diana chats with Andy Imparato, Executive Director of Disability Rights California, about educational equity and civil rights. During this robust conversation, Andy reflects the lesson he's learned that civil rights laws do not enforce themselves, and that parents and guardians are put in the position to be "private attorney generals" when educated about their children's rights. He advocates for teacher training for equitable, modern classrooms. He also asks administrators to operate from the core values that brought them into education in the first place. He encourages disabled students seek out people who view their disability as normal, and as an asset. Andy passionately shares the belief that "inequality is not inevitable" and with some imagination, coordination, and commitment, everyone in our communities can thrive.

Disability Rights California

Catherine Lhamon, Assistant Secretary, Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education

Taryn Williams, Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Leroy F. Moore, Jr. Bio

ABILITY Magazine Interview with Leroy Moore

In this episode, Diana chats with Leroy Moore about his personal journey that led to his passionate activism, and art, and his current role as a PhD student at UCLA, advocating and paving the way for Black Disability Studies. He shares the importance of Black disabled representation in all arenas, including education. 

Note: Many educators and parents have been schooled in "person-first" language. This episode will include references and language which are grounded in identity-first language and disability pride language. It is important for us to be respectful of different language preferences. I ask listeners to remain open-minded and learn from alternative perspectives. 

Porgy and Bess

The Fair Act (Law Leroy Mentioned)

Krip Hop 

Rising Pheonix Theme Song

Poor Press

Soul Touchin' Experiences

Black Kripple Delivers Poetry and Lyrics

Black Disabled Art History 101

Black Disabled Ancestors

Krip Hop Graphic Novel 

Black Disabled Man with a Big Mouth and a High IQ

For You: Black Disabled Young Men

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Johnson Fellows Program https://www.sandiego.edu/soles/learning-and-teaching/johnson-education-fellows.php Teacher Leaders for Inclusion https://www.lead4inclusion.com/ Teachers for Inclusion Learning about Disability Culture https://www.facebook.com/groups/201578786622476

Jonathan Mooney is a widely sought after speaker whose work has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, HBO, NPR, ABC News, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. See Jonathan's full bio here on his website,  www.JonathanMooney.com.

In this episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Jonathan Mooney speaks with Diana about our historical and current dehumanizing perceptions of people with atypical brains and bodies, and the consequences of those beliefs. He discusses the importance of reconceptualizing disability, taking it from "different as deficient," to different as a normal part of diversity. He gives multiple examples of the manifestations of institutional ableism, and what is possible when we understand our power in becoming part of the solution. 

The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal 

Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines

Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Beyond Awareness Tote Bag 

Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie

Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Suzanne Stolz, Ed.D. serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of San Diego. A former high school English teacher, administrator, and leader of disability programs, she has expertise in online instruction, curriculum design, mentoring, school culture, Universal Design for Learning, and disability studies in education. Her research, related to conceptions of disability and disability pedagogy, often includes reflection about her experience as a disabled student. She has created disability curriculum for high school students, for out-of-school time programs, and for disability mentoring. She advises a student organization, Alliance of Disability Advocates, and also has served on the board of the Society for Disability Studies. Suzanne is especially passionate about working with preservice and inservice teachers to rethink their conceptions of disability and create inclusive school communities. Annually, she leads a fellowship program for general education teachers who want to become leaders of inclusion at their school sites.

In this episode, Suzanne distinguishes between Disability Studies in Education and Special Education, and shares why it's important that we educate ourselves with a Disability Studies lens.

Johnson Fellows Program 

Teacher Leaders for Inclusion

Teachers for Inclusion Learning about Disability Culture

National Endowment for the Humanities

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Johnson Fellows Program https://www.sandiego.edu/soles/learning-and-teaching/johnson-education-fellows.php Teacher Leaders for Inclusion https://www.lead4inclusion.com/ Teachers for Inclusion Learning about Disability Culture https://www.facebook.com/groups/201578786622476