Enable: The Disability Podcast

In this episode of "Enable: The Disability Podcast," co-hosts Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert and Kurt Hower discuss the first times they felt seen on screen: For Geoff, it was Freddy Krueger's hard-of-hearing victim in "A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Final Nightmare." For Kurt, it was a heartwarming guest on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

The discussion includes other movies and TV series about disabilities, sometimes featuring actors who have disabilities themselves, and whether or not it's OK for non-disabled actors to play characters with disabilities. Titles include “CODA” with Oscar-winning actors Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, “The Theory of Everything” about Stephen Hawking, “Wicked” with wheelchair user Marissa Bode as Elphaba’s sister, “Forrest Gump” and "I Am Sam" depicting intellectual disabilities, “Rain Man” with Dustin Hoffman portraying autism spectrum disorder, and Disney’s “Out of My Mind” starring Phoebe-Rae Taylor, an actress with cerebral palsy.

Hollywood can do more, though, as a study published last year by the Geena Davis Institute found just 3.9% of characters had a disability in U.S. TV shows from 2016 to 2023. And only 1 in 5 characters with a disability were authentically cast by actors with a disability.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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Did you know there's a Museum of Disability History? Check it out!

Dr. Chris Rosa, president of the Museum of Disability History in New York, spoke with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about some of his favorite exhibits featuring famous people with disabilities, the development of assistive technology, and the importance of accessibility. Chris also spoke about his own experiences as a wheelchair user with muscular dystrophy, his additional work with the Henry Viscardi School, and how the museum's rich history began in Buffalo before finding its current home at the Viscardi Center on Long Island.

"It's a really unique, truly one-of-a-kind collection of artifacts that chart the arc of the experiences of Americans with disabilities throughout the course of American history," Chris says. "Maybe you learned that Harriet Tubman had a traumatic brain injury as a result from being injured by oppressors, or FDR was a president with polio, but that's it. And the Museum of Disability History puts people with disabilities back in those narratives and reflects on their experiences at each of these milestone moments that we all cherish as these singular American experiences throughout the arc of American history."

"As a person with a disability, I had never seen our our experiences as Americans with disabilities curated and the story told in any cohesive and meaningful way. But what really told me that this was something special was the reaction of the college students (visiting)... the way in which they were enthralled by what they saw, the time they took to engage with each of the exhibits. I saw them sitting and standing in groups, gesturing towards aspects of the collection, having really animated discussions. I said, now this is something special."

For more information about the museum, visit https://museumofdisabilityhistory.org

You can also visit the museum virtually via Bloomberg Connects at https://museumofdisabilityhistory.org/digital-guide/

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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Have you ever heard someone say "you don't look sick" or "you don't look like you have a disability?" It may be well-intentioned as a compliment, but it's not helpful language.

In this episode of "Enable: The Disability Podcast," co-hosts Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert and Kurt Hower discuss how so-called "invisible disabilities" are treated by others, how to be respectful and helpful, the spoon theory, and the unseen struggles of people with arthritis, autoimmune disorders, chronic illness, hearing loss, and other different abilities.

"People with autoimmune diseases, often they're in pain 24/7," Kurt said. "Psoriasis is one of those things people they tend to cover it up with their clothing. So it's not necessarily something that you can see. But what goes along with that is pain and inflammation. So we just need to be more aware that there are people out there that have disabilities that are dealing with chronic illness, and we just need to be more mindful of that."

Referenced in this episode - watch our previous interviews with:

"Blind & Bored" content creator Hannah Weymouth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x0q2M0BZ5Y

MS and chronic illness advocate Nicole Pedra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtonRypZdzA

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you face a disability with a sense of humor?

"Blind & Bored" content creator Hannah Weymouth speaks with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" co-hosts Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert and Kurt Hower about how she lost vision as an adult due to a retina disorder known as cone dystrophy. She also spoke about resources she use (including helpful apps and audio description on movies and TV shows), how she embraces her disability, and her superpower (but don't compare her to Daredevil).

"One of the main things that frustrates me is that a lot of sighted people don't think about the fact that we use all of our other senses and we're not that different. You know, we're all the same. It's just that we don't have this one aspect," she explained. "A lot of sighted people... think that blind people don't know anything that's going on around them. And that's just so the opposite."

As "Blind & Bored," Hannah shares videos on social media featuring funny skits, jokes and satire based on her own life experiences. Follow her on the following platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blindbored 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17oA1rPDUx/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@blindandbored 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blindnbored 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Desirie Skeete speaks with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" co-hosts Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert and Kurt Hower about IEPs, behavior consulting, ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, and how her own child's speech struggles inspired her work.

"During the IEP meeting, you're going through the behavioral needs for the child... at the top of that IEP, you're going to see the services that the school district is giving you. You must make sure that those services is all that you need. Sometimes you're getting a one-to-one in school. Do you need a one-to-one at home? And if so, ask that question. Are you getting ABA, parent training, speech, occupational therapy?" Dr. Skeete says. "And if you don't see the services that you need, you should be asking why. And not only why, you should be asking about the data that supports the reason as to why or why not, why you're not getting what you need."

Dr. Skeete is a behavior consultant and mental health advocate who founded NESS Cares and NESS Behavioral Consulting. For more information, visit https://www.nessbehaviorconsulting.com/ 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Diagnosing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) requires a clinical diagnosis. You can suffer from it, you can have it. We will know you've got it. But until you truly seek help and drill down to what you really are struggling with, PTSD can come from normal things," Migala explained. "And that can be any one singular traumatic incident that you went through... Now you compound that to a military-related service, whether it be incoming fire, whether it be mortar rounds, whether it be just something impactful, a car bomb, a vehicle-borne IED, all of these things create a response within ourselves that becomes a fight or flight. And it reverts us back to the very basic nature of, my gosh, I'm back in this instance. It's creating that same anxiety inside of me. My response is the same. My heart rate is the same, cold panic, sweats, anger, anxiety, reluctance to engage."

"PTSD (in the most non-clinical person nutshell) is the response to traumatic events that we carry with us that unfortunately, in many instances, we have not been dealing with properly," he continued. "And there are resources that we have that we can use and tap into as veterans when we leave the military that are truly impactful for us and our family members."

Migala also shared information on how to TAP in for help -- as in the U.S. Army Transition Assistance Program (TAP) -- plus additional resources to help vets: 

https://va.gov (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) 

https://maketheconnection.net (Make the Connection) 

https://mentalhealth.va.gov (Mental Health Services at the VA) 

https://veteransoutreachofpa.org (Veterans Outreach of PA) 

https://hiringourheroes.org (Hiring Our Heroes) 

https://skillbridge.mil (Skillbridge at Dept of War) 

https://orhusa.org (Operation Restore Hope)

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Growing up, I never told people that I had cerebral palsy. I would make up all kinds of crazy stories about it. And my thinking was that it's nobody's business," Ryan explains. "So I would make up crazy stories like I got in a helicopter crash or I got in a fight... and I started to realize that you're doing a disservice to yourself."

Ryan Minic is a content creator and e-commerce entrepreneur based in California. For more information, visit https://www.ryanminic.com/ or watch his videos on YouTube:  @ryanminic.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is ankylosing spondylitis and how can it lead to hip replacement surgery? "Enable: The Disability Podcast" co-hosts Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert and Kurt Hower talk about Kurt's recent procedure related to AS that aims to improve his quality of life, including simple tasks like walking, driving and getting dressed. We also discuss whether his new hip will set off metal detectors, how soon he can dance like Elvis or Shakira, and what the surgery was actually like.

Kurt Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine, and encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Human augmentation is the ability to extend human capacity beyond biological limits. So some of the helpful examples that I like to think about is the way that a prosthetic or a spacesuit is a type of technology that transforms what we can do," said Viktoria, who underwent a below-the-knee amputation of her left leg at age 20 after a severe birth injury and multiple surgeries.

"For the first time in history, we're able to manipulate our biological destiny," she added. "In my earlier life, back in Latvia, there was still an echo of eugenics, which is really the primary way of how we think about when we think about augmenting biology. But the big shift that's happening now is that the power is going back to the people and individuals all around the world are thinking about what are the ways that they're going to address their physical and mental capacity. And it's much more than just a physical shift as well, you know, because this is a way where sci-fi reality is kind of becoming real."

For more about Viktoria Modesta, visit https://viktoriamodesta.com/ or follow @viktoriamodesta on social media.

Learn more about Evermay at https://evermay.org/ 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of "Enable: The Disability Podcast," Spann shares how his service dog Finn helped him with everything from opening doors to doing laundry, as well as a very good reason why others shouldn't pet service dogs.

For more about Spann and his public speaking, visit https://www.spannsworld.com/ 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices