Critical Conversations: Womanhood, Disability

What does it mean to watch your child navigate a world that wasn't built for them — and to grieve the milestones you imagined while celebrating the ones that actually came?In this Mother's Day episode, I sit down with my friend, transformative storyteller and Pepperdine University scholar Dr. Jasmine Gray, and her mom, Janice Gray, for a conversation that is raw, tender, funny, and deeply real.Janice shares what it was like to raise Jasmine before anyone put a name to what she was experiencing — the late diagnosis, the confusion, the grief of not having the language to understand her own daughter. She talks about the moments that broke her heart: Jasmine not going to prom. Dating coming later than expected. And the word that took so long to arrive — disability — and what it meant when it finally did.This episode is for every Black mother who has ever had to fight for her child in a system that wasn't designed to see them. It's for the daughters who became who they are because their mamas never stopped believing. And it's for anyone who has had to unlearn what they thought their child's life was supposed to look like.This one is special. I hope you feel it.Topics covered:• Late diagnosis in Black children and the racial gaps in identification• Cultural silence around disability in Black families• A mother's grief — prom, dating, and the milestones that looked different• The moment "disability" became a word Janice could hold• Advocacy, adjusting expectations, and radical love

In this episode, Rasheera sits down with Dr. Kris for a candid conversation about Black maternal health, what it really means to advocate for yourself in medical spaces, and why shared decision making isn't a luxury it's a right. From navigating a system that too often ignores Black women's voices to the power of taking up space unapologetically, this episode is for every Black woman who has ever felt unseen in a healthcare setting.

Inn honor of Women’s History Month, this episode of Critical Conversations: Womanhood & Disability explores what leadership looks like when disabled women are not just included but leading.

Host Rasheera Dopson sits down with Stephanie Woodward Executive Director of the Disability EmpowHer Network to talk about the power of disabled women building community, shifting narratives, and creating spaces where leadership is redefined.

Together, they discuss:

• The importance of disabled women in leadership

• How disabled women are shaping the future

Women’s history is not just something we celebrate it’s something we continue to write.

In this Valentine's Day episode, host Rasheera Dopson opens with an original poem, "An Ode to Disabled Girls on Valentine's Day: Chosen, Always," before diving into an honest conversation about desirability, otherness, and self-worth. For disabled women who've been told they're not the first choice, this episode explores the quiet shame of social otherness and the powerful act of stepping out from invisibility. Rasheera discusses how disabled women are forced to deconstruct social categories as a means of survival—decentering men, prioritizing healthy relationships, and cultivating sisterhood. This isn't about begging for crumbs. It's about recognizing we are the bakery. A conversation about forging our own systems of freedom and desirability, where we place ourselves at the center as the first choice, always.

You don’t have to “look” disabled to be disabled.
This podcast reclaims our stories, redefines disability, and resists the erasure of people living at the margins.
Hosted by disability advocate and storyteller Rasheera Dopson, You Don’t Look Disabled breaks the silence around invisible conditions, medical gaslighting, and the politics of being believed

s a podcast that explores the power of storytelling in healthcare. Through conversations, reflections, and real-life narratives, we dive into how writing becomes a transformative tool — for patients, providers, and advocates alike. Rooted in the practice of Narrative Medicine, this podcast uplifts the voices often unheard in clinical spaces, centering lived experience as vital data. Whether you're a healthcare worker, a writer, a patient, or somewhere in between, this space invites you to consider how language, memory, and storytelling shape our understanding of illness, identity, and care.

In this raw and honest episode, we’re talking about what it means to still rise—even when your body aches, your mind feels heavy, and the world doesn’t always understand. From the daily realities of chronic illness to the quiet battles with depression, we unpack the power of showing up authentically, honoring your limits, and finding moments of joy in the mess.

“Softness & Strength: Redefining Black Womanhood Beyond Independence”

For generations, Black women have been praised for their strength, resilience, and ability to carry it all—but at what cost? In this episode, we’re unpacking theStrong Black Woman trope, how hyper-independence impacts our mental health and relationships, and whysoftness, vulnerability, and community are forms of radical resistance. Join me as we explore what it means to release the pressure, embrace support, and redefine strengthon our own terms.

🎧 Tune in and let’s talk about the power ofbeing held, not just holding it all together. 💜 #SoftnessIsStrength #BlackWomanhood #BreakingTheTrope

The political war on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is more than a policy debate—it’s about real lives and real consequences. In this episode of Womanhood and Disability, I unpack the national pushback against DEI through my lens as a Black disabled woman. What happens when inclusion is labeled as 'divisive'? How do these policy rollbacks impact access, representation, and equity for marginalized communities? I share personal experiences, break down the intersectionality of race and disability in this conversation, and explore what’s at stake for our future. Tune in as we go beyond the rhetoric and get to the heart of why DEI matters now more than ever

In this episode, we unpack the complex relationship between disability and imposter syndrome, exploring how societal expectations, ableism, and internalized doubt intersect to create feelings of inadequacy.