"Who were you before society told you who to be?"

This is the question that Steven McCoy, the founder of Spoken Heroes and the world's first Black DeafBlind journalist, is asking. So, join us today as we wrestle with that question. Plus, why believing in your true worth can make all the difference in life, especially when life feels hard. Why we should never make assumptions about people, and how we can help bridge the gap between communities so that we can all work together – literally. 

Content Warning: In today’s episode we do talk about some heavy things such as suicidal ideation. So, if this is a sensitive subject for you, please be advised before you listen. 

 Closed Captioning: Today's episode is available in video format with closed captioning here.

Steven McCoy bio:

Steven McCoy is the founder and President of Spoken Heroes. Making history as the World’s First Black DeafBlind Journalist, Steven has inspired many with his achievements. His impressive list of accomplishments includes serving as the Board of Director for the Usher Syndrome Coalition and on the Leadership Board for Foundation Fighting Blindness, the DeafBlind Facilitator for The National Federation for The Blind of New Jersey. Steven served as a fellow in a fellowship at Disability Belongs in Entertainment and News Media and Writing Pad for TV Comedy 101 where he was coached by Todd Waldman on television script development. He also was a Script Writer for BET’s “106th & Park”. Steven became a Host for Radio Disney and became a Disney Alumni Inductee, he was honored as one of 2022’s AT&T’s “Black Future Maker.” He is a Representative for the State of New Jersey Rehabilitation Council and holds an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Certificate from New York State. Steven has been recognized with the Oklahoma State Award by the Oklahoma State Rehabilitation Council, the Excellence Award by the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association, and the “Take the Lead” award by the National Association of Black Journalists. Steven consulted on various animation films and gaming projects to implement inclusion. Steven made the Forbes Founder’s “40 Under 40” List. Through his work at Spoken Heroes and the production of the “Sessions with Steven” podcast, produced under his media company Spoken Entertainment, Steven continues to make a positive impact in the community and hopes to leave a legacy through Spoken Heroes.

Learn more: Spokenheroes.org

A quick note on disability terms:

Before you listen, I wanted to talk to you about something important about our podcast, and that is how we will be referring to disability during our discussions. We want you to know that at Wonderful Works Ministry, we know that words matter. We will strive to use preferred language regarding disability. But we also understand that preferred terms change over time and also can be subjective and vary from person to person, even among those with a shared diagnosis. With this in mind, we ask that you understand that we, here at Wonderful Works, and our guests may use a variety of terms on this show and in our resources. Please know that we will always approach language with inclusion, dignity and respect, and we hope you will too. Thank for listening!

One more quick note:

The views and opinions expressed in our show are those of our guests and do not necessarily reflect those of Wonderful Works Ministry. Wonderful Works Ministry does not provide medical, legal, or therapeutic advice or services. Rather, we provide general information regarding disability ministry. The information provided in our content does not replace the advice of medical, legal, or educational professionals. Wonderful Works Ministry is not responsible for any information or services provided by third parties. It is recommended that you use independent judgement when considering any resource associated with serving those who have been impacted by disability. Thank you.