Contra*

What has been the role of remote access before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for the disability community? In this mini-episode, Kelsie looks at Cripping Pandemic Learning, documents developed by Danielle E. Lorenz and Hannah Sullivan Facknitz to support access for disabled students to online learning. These documents highlight the collaboration and simplicity of access-knowledge sharing common to disability culture. 

For a full episode description, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Links:

Remote Access Archive

This episode, we hear from Katie Goldfinch, a white, nonbinary person and solidarity worker with Touretteshero. Katie gives us insight into the disability arts scene in the UK, how Touretteshero navigates the pandemic, and how they are working hard to share collective joy, education, creativity, and curiosity with kids and teachers remotely. 

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Themes: 

• Remote access, collaborative access, and education

• Creating joy and collaboration remotely

• Disabled kids and disability arts

• Play and performance 

Links: 

• Touretteshero website

• Remote Access Archive 
  

What has been the role of remote access before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for the disability community? In this mini-episode, Kelsie looks at Crips for E-sims for Gaza, an effort by Alice Wong, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna Samarasinha and Jane Shi to encourage disabled people and their allies to donate to get eSims to people in Gaza. Kelsie reflects on the relationship between mutual aid, remote access and the importance of doing something, however small.  

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Links:

Donate to Crips for Esims for Gaza

Remote Access Archive

This episode, we hear from Sky Cubacub, a Filipinx, non-binary disabled activist, designer and educator, who founded Rebirth Garments. They discuss their journey to gender-affirming fashion, fashion newsletters, and navigating social media. And, they share their current project with kids – at the intersection of education, performance, and interdependence that is rooted in community care and trust. 

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Themes: 

• Fashion, performance, and fashion shows

• Social media and remote community building

• Hybrid and remote performances

• Immunocompromised and remote community 

• Zoom participation and community building

• Youth education and disability justice 

• Non-gender confirming identity and fashion creation

Links: 

• Sky’s instagram

• Sky’s website,Rebirth Garments

• Remote Access Archive
  

What has been the role of remote access before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for the disability community? In this mini-episode, Kelsie looks at the Olmstead Quality of Life Survey and reflects on the limits of remote access.  

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Links:

Remote Access Archive

On this episode, we hear from moira williams, an Indigenous disabled artist. moira shares their experience with pre-pandemic and pandemic forms of remote access, especially as it pertains to joy, community-building, performance, nightlife and parties, visual protests and more. 

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Themes: 

• Joy as resistance

• Hybrid and remote parties and community building

• Movement in disability spaces and communities 

• Zoom participation and community building

• Indigenous communities and disability justice

• Land acknowledgement in remote digital settings

• Disability arts

• Crip nightlife / remote access parties 

Links: 

• moira williams website

• moira williams linkedin

• Disability Arts NYC

• Remote Access: Witches ‘N Glitches

• Remote Access Archive
  

What has been the role of remote access before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for the disability community? In this mini-episode, Kelsie shares a bit about Glitch Realm, a piece of digital art by Yo-Yo Lin and Kevin Gotkin, developed for one of the Remote Access parties and reflects on joy and access magic. 

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Links:

Remote Access Archive

On this episode of Contra*, Aimi talks to Susan Molloy, a white disabled woman and environmental illness activist. Susan is a resident of a remote, disability community outside of Snowflake, Arizona. Susan shares how she found her way to remote disability advocacy, the barriers to remote access faced by folks with environmental illnesses, and how she and others in her neighborhood advocate, innovate, and design living spaces that fit their needs. 

For a full episode transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com

Themes: 

• Remote access and navigating different sensitivities 

• Chemical sensitivities, electrical sensitivities, and electronics shielding

• Environmental Illness 

• Negotiating access and remote access pre-COVID

• Disability communities and collaborative access 

Links: 

• EI Wellspring 

• Remote Access Archive
  

What has been the role of remote access before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for the disability community? In this mini-episode, Kelsie looks at five documents sent to us by Communication First. Communication First works to advance the rights of people who cannot rely on speech. These documents highlight the need for some disabled people to have in person support, including in person support to participate in remote access.

Find the full epsiode transcript at criticaldesignlab.com.

Links:

Communication First

Remote Access Archive

This episode, we hear from Thomas Reid, who is a Black disabled and blind man, podcast producer extraordinaire, and host of Reid My Mind Radio. Thomas discusses audio description and access, especially in the film industry, Blackness and disability, accessibility and blindness, and cross-disability community as he has navigated becoming blind as an adult.

He also shares his reasons for hope in the audio description and narration industry, and how remote access has transformed his ability to connect with and grow his community. 

For a full transcript, visit criticaldesignlab.com.

Themes: 

Links: