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What happens when accessibility stops being an afterthought and becomes the starting line? That question drives our conversation with journalist, podcast host, and disability rights advocate Laszlo Jacksai, whose work blends reporting, storytelling, and community care to challenge the subtle and not-so-subtle ways ableism shows up in daily life.

We trace Laszlo’s path from launching Friends With Wheels to writing Disabled and Proud, and hear how authenticity—over algorithms—shaped his creative voice. He breaks down the difference between support and spectacle, explains why “you’re an inspiration” can land as a burden, and shares candid stories about accommodations that exist on paper but fail in practice. From IEPs and speech-to-text to seating at a crowded restaurant, he shows how small design choices add up to either friction or freedom.

Laszlo also maps the power of community, highlighting the DO-IT Program at the University of Washington and the value of peer networks that turn isolation into belonging. We talk practical allyship—ask before helping, learn the language of disability justice, build feedback loops at school and work—and we look at simple tools that rebuild energy and confidence, like guided meditations and self-hypnosis apps. His view of resilience is refreshingly human: not a quick bounce-back, but a steady commitment to keep showing up, try new strategies, and trust yourself through the next curveball.

If you care about disability advocacy, accessibility, inclusive education, and mental health, this conversation offers clear steps and real stories you can act on today. Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who’s designing a space, leading a classroom, or rethinking how they offer help. If the show resonates, follow, rate, and leave a review—then tell us: what’s one accessibility change you’ll champion this week?

Listen to Friends with Wheels here! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-with-wheels/id1623717823

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