Disability Matters

As part of ADA Month, Joyce welcomes Senator Tom Harkin to the show. Senator Harkin will reflect on the significance of the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. Senator Harkin will also share his thoughts on the work that still needs done to advance the lives of Americans with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to the show. Tony discusses his experiences living with epilepsy and work to pass the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act throughout his career in the U.S. House of Representatives and as an on-going advocate for the disability community. He shares his pride in the achievement of getting both passed and his continued passion for helping people with disabilities live productive lives.

Joyce welcomes I. King Jordan, past President of Gallaudet University to the show. President Jordan made history in 1988 when he became the first deaf President of Gallaudet University. He will discuss his long tenure in this position and the groundbreaking way he achieved it. He will also discuss what the ADA means to all people with disabilities, including individuals who are deaf.

As part of ADA Month, Joyce welcomes Senator Tom Harkin to the show. Senator Harkin will reflect on the significance of the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. Senator Harkin will also share his thoughts on the work that still needs done to advance the lives of Americans with disabilities.

As we kick off ADA Month, Joyce welcomes Maria Town, President, and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) to the show. The AAPD is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As a national cross-disability rights organization, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the over 61 million Americans with disabilities by promoting equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation. Ms. Town will reflect on the passage of the ADA into law on July 26, 1990, and the work the AAPD is doing to advance the lives of Americans with disabilities in the spirit of the ADA.

Joyce welcomes Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD, Carlow University's President, to the show. Dr. Humphrey will share the future she has in mind for the university under her leadership.

Joyce welcomes co-founder of iDisability™, Andrew (Andy) Houghton, along with Sherry Lapaglia, project manager and content developer. Launched at the 2016 Disability:IN conference, iDisability™ educates organizations and ensures employees have the foundations required to: effectively communicate with, interview, hire, accommodate, and engage people with disabilities in the workforce; build and implement an effective and measurable strategic approach to disability inclusion across the enterprise; and remain abreast of emerging and evolving strategies for disability inclusion and engagement. The eLearning solution offers enterprise-wide access to disability diversity, equity, and inclusion expertise.

In recognition of Pride Month, Joyce welcomes to the show, Katherine Pèrez, Jason Mida, and Asher Jordan. All members of the Bender Leadership Academy's #NotAshamed Campaign, which kicks off this month. The #NotAshamed Campaign is part of the Mary Brougher Mental Health Initiative. #NotAshamed celebrates the lived experiences of those living with mental health disabilities and intersectionality of mental health across all diverse groups, while working to address and end stigma. As many know, Bender Consulting lost its President, Mary Brougher, to a tragic hiking accident in August of last year. This campaign was a passion of hers and carries on the work she began as a founding Board member at the Bender Leadership Academy. Joyce's guests will discuss what it means to them to be involved in this cause.

Joyce welcomes back Dr. Sharrelle Barber, ScD, MPH to the show. Dr. Barber currently serves as the Director of The Ubuntu Center on Racism, Global Movements, and Population Health Equity at Drexel University. Launched on November 11, 2021, the Ubuntu Center's mission is to unite diverse partners to generate and translate evidence, accelerate antiracism solutions, and transform the health of communities locally, nationally, and globally. Dr. Barber will discuss this mission in depth and its impact on racism, global movements, and population health equity.

Joyce welcomes Emily Ladau, Disability Rights Activist, Communications Consultant, and Author to the show. Ms. Ladau will be discussing her advocacy work and her latest book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.