KPFA - Pushing Limits

Well, let me tell you something, brothers and sisters! This Friday at 2:30, talk about disability and wrestling will be running wild on Pushing Limits!

Many might not associate pro wrestling with disability, but our guests, Daniel Broz and Alexander Sing, will shed light on how disability has been portrayed in pro wrestling over the years. From matches involving little people and wrestlers discussing their mental health to partnerships with the Special Olympics, wrestling is one of the few forms of popular entertainment where disability is prominently featured. Join us as we dive into these stories and explore the intersection of wrestling and disability.

Whether you’re a die-hard wrestling fan or new to the ring, this episode promises to be a knockout! So, grab your popcorn and drinks because we are ready to rumble!

This program is hosted by Jacob Stanton, produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, and edited by Denny Daughters.

The post Disability Smackdown – Pushing Limits – August 2, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Are you ready to dive into some of the most crucial legal battles impacting the disability community today? On this week’s program we welcome back Michelle Uzeta, a staff attorney from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, to break down landmark cases that could reshape the landscape of disability rights in America.

In Grants Pass, the United States Supreme Court ruled that fining and jailing people experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go is not unconstitutional. Accordingly, she will be updating us on Guthrey v. Alta California Regional Center, a ruling that will decide whether regional centers and their vendors are subject to the anti-discrimination provisions of the ADA.

This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte.

The post Disability & Law – Pushing Limits – July 26, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Our expert, Connie Arnold has worked to improve In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for over 35 years and she uses IHSS attendants for her own independence. She’s agreed to come answer your questions about this ubiquitous state program – the one many of us depend upon, appreciate, and want to dropkick to hell.

Send your questions before the show, or call us when we’re on the air at 510-848-4425 or 800-958-9008…

In short, if you have any questions about any part of this $24 billion dollar a year social service, this radio program is for you.

Connie Arnold graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare and from Sonoma State University with a Master’s degree in Health Services & Public Administration Policy. She routinely, some say obsessively, attends state meetings, reads legal and policy documents, and tells the unvarnished truth.

Adrienne Lauby produced this program. She and Shelley Berman will host.

The post In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Call-In appeared first on KPFA.

What comes to mind when you think of mental health? Therapy? Trauma? Disability? If you happen to think of all three than this program is for you.

According to the CDC, “Adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost 5 times as often as adults without disabilities”. Who better suited to help disabled individuals navigate those unique challenges than those who also share them?

On this episode of Pushing Limits, we will be talking to two mental health professionals who have disabilities. Kit Mcmillion is a peer support specialist who uses her lived experiences with mental health challenges to assist others. We will also talk to Jennifer Lincoln, a trauma therapist with cerebral palsy and spinal stenosis. Additionally, Pushing Limits collective member Shelley Berman will provide a commentary on mental illness related to her family.

This episode is hosted by Bonnie Elliot and produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton with editing from Denny Daughters.

The post Social Workers With Disabilities – Pushing Limits – July 12, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

For a disabled person who needs a ride, paratransit sounds great. You call them up, someone comes in a wheelchair accessible van and away you go!

But, the reality is not that simple!

Despite the fact that more vehicles are used for paratransit than any other type of public transportation, a plethora of issues plague paratransit services. What happens when your paratransit pickup is late and you’re late for the meeting? What happens if your driver drastically exceeds the speed limit? And, why are so many of the vans so poorly maintained?

According to a bus service in Rochester N.Y., “paratransit is a shared ride public service intended to serve as a safety net.”  It’s for “individuals who, because of their disabilities, are unable to ride the ADA compliant RTS {Regional Transit Services] fixed-route bus for some or all their travel”. But, is the safety net really that safe?

Nearly 70 thousand vehicles were available for typical peak paratransit services in the U.S. in 2013 – more than all the buses and trains combined. So, why isn’t paratransit a shining star in the lives of people with disabilities?

Helping us navigate all these complexities and more is disability advocate Christine Fitzgerald. More specifically, she is the community advocate for Silicon Valley’s Independent Living Center. As a member serving on the Committee for Transportation and Mobility Access, she works at the local, state, and governmental levels to ensure that people with disabilities have their access and transportation needs met.

This program was hosted and produced by Dominick Trevethan with editing from Denny Daughters.

Silicon Valley Independent Living Center

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Paratransit

What is Paratransit?

The post Paratransit Problems – Pushing Limits – July 5, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

On a progressive college or university campus, we might assume students with disabilities are well served. But, around the county, we often hear a different story. In this program we look to a disabled leader of a local center for answers: What is the role of a campus disability resource center? How can they improve their services? How dedicated are institutions of higher learning to success for a quarter of their students?

Students with disabilities in educational settings have unique and individualized needs that must be addressed to ensure their academic success. These accommodations are crucial for enabling students to thrive in their studies alongside their non-disabled peers. As courses evolve to become universally accessible to all students, the reliance on specific accommodations will diminish. Additionally, it is essential to recognize the importance of disability advocacy and awareness both within the campus community and in broader society when considering the current state of disability. So, how dedicated are institutions of higher learning to a quarter of the demographic?

Offering her insights from the institution side today is Kimberly Starke, Dean of the Disabled Resources Department at Santa Rosa Junior College. Prior to overseeing this department, Kimberly worked with students as a Speech-Language Pathologist and has over 16 years of experience working with the disability community.

This program was hosted and produced by Jacob Stanton with editing assistance from Denny Daughters.

The post Disabled Student Services – Pushing Limits – June 28, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

The war in Gaza has captured the attention of much of the world, and unfortunately, it seems there is no end in sight.  The Pushing Limits gang realizes that these catastrophic events occurring most heavily impact the disability community – and worse yet, are creating new disabilities with each passing hour.

On today’s program, we invite you to join us for true, real-time stories of people with disabilities trying to survive an ongoing genocide as we host Elizabeth Johnson Sellers from the international organization, Humanity and Inclusion to discuss what is happening to the disability community in Gaza.  Elizabeth holds a B.S. from Murray State University, where her studies focused on journalism and marketing.

This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte.

Humanity & Inclusion and its partners in Gaza have provided aid to more than 3,500 people since October 7.  They focus on people with disabilities. Their office, located in the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, was destroyed in an Israeli bombing strike on January 31. Here’s more about the destruction of their office. No warning given!

For more information on Humanity and Inclusion, check them out here.

The post Disability in Gaza – Pushing Limits – June 21, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Why should blind children learn to read braille? Given the amazing rise of audio books and audio screen readers, is braille a technology of the past?

Our guest Mike Tanner answers these questions with a resounding “No” and, in this week’s program, makes the case for braille literacy.

Most people gain literacy as children, which means parents have a strong role to play in researching their children’s needs and advocating for them with their school district.

But, braille isn’t a total solution. Mike talks about the cost of hard copy braille and explains why it is so expensive. He reminds us that one way to negotiate these problems is to use the many resources of the National Library Service For The Blind And Print Disabled.

What does the future of braille technology hold? Find out this week on Pushing Limits, KPFA’s program by and about people with disabilities.

Mike Tanner teaches visually impaired students in Southern California. He holds a BA degree in mathematics and a Masters Degree in Special Education.

This program was hosted, edited and produced by Denny Daughters.

The post Braille Today – Pushing Limits – June 14, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

What is a disability advocate? How does advocacy look in this day and age with the role that media and smartphones play? How does someone advocate effectively while simultaneously negotiating and managing their own unique identities? On Friday’s program of Pushing Limits, we answer all these questions and more as we take a deep dive into what it means to be a disability advocate.

Joining us is Sophia Lee-Park, a disability justice advocate and accessibility educator. Sophia earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from UCSB and recently graduated from USC with a master’s degree in post secondary affairs and schooling administration. Pulling from her experiences as a person with a physical and a developmental disability, Sophia shares her thoughts on the topic of advocacy.

This program was produced and edited by Dominick Trevethan with help from Denny Daughters. Additionally, this program originally aired in a longer form on the podcast, The Disability Myth. 

The post Disability Advocacy: A Deep Dive – Pushing Limits – June 7, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

It is the height of California’s annual budget wrangle, and Governor Newsom is planning severe cuts to programs we depend on. These programs include In Home Supportive Services, CalFresh, nutrition support, housing & homeless assistance, and others. It’s pretty dire.

We have until June 15, just two more weeks, to let our Sacramento representatives know how we want tax payer money spent. Scroll down for something you can do TODAY.

We bring a panel of experts from San Francisco’s HomeBridge: Erin Saberi, public policy and communications consultant, Amber Harris, senior director of talent and people, and Meaghan Shanahan, senior director of programs.  Home Bridge trains and provides care givers and attendants for elderly and disabled people throughout the bay area.

There is a crisis in attendant care in California. These folks know just how bad it is and how these budget discussions will either help  – or make it worse.

Some context: California has had a fat purse for several years but, this year, the purse is skinny with a $27.6 billion dollar shortfall.

As usual, one thing that isn’t being cut is California’s prison system. It’s being tinkered with but it’s actually getting an overall increase!

Our community is not taking these cuts lying down. Since the draft budget came out in January, lobbyists, non-profits and many disabled people have been in Sacramento to testify at hearings and hold rallies.  There’s just enough time, just enough momentum to turn the tide and save ourselves from some of the worst consequences.

One more thing:  There’s an inevitable level of competition in the budget fight. It’s tricky to lobby for any particu

lar program.  For instance, if you argue for expanding IHSS caregivers you might find yourself arguing against houses for homeless people. You argue for Developmental Disability increases and find yourself arguing against help for abused elders.

We salute two organizations who’ve made long term coalitions to take some sting out of the competition.  The California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports has over 60

organizational members and CURB, Californians United for a Responsible Budget, brings more than 80 organizations together. They help make the best of a tough situation.

Governor Newson is trying to cut critical services for undocumented people, people with disabilities, and older adults. Join us to fight back!

Governor Newsom: Hands Off Our Home Care!

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HERE’S WHAT TO SAY:

My name is ___________ and I am a (senior, immigrant, person with a disability).  I am very concerned about the incredibly harsh cuts proposed in the Governor’s proposed May Revised Budget.  The elimination of the IHSS benefit for undocumented Californians on Medi-Cal is extremely harmful, and sends a message that California is turning its back on immigrant, older adult and disabled communities – and will surely end up with more expensive institutional care.

The other cuts to food security, developmental disability, housing and homeless programs, APS, and other Older Adult Act programs will take us backwards. California enacted a Master Plan on Aging that looks to expand programs and services to address our state’s aging population.  Let’s look to the rainy day fund and other sources to move us forward, and protect our most vulnerable populations.  Thank you.

WHO TO CONTACT: Please call and/or email these members:

Assembly Budget Chair – Assm. Jesse Gabriel: 916-319-2046/ [email protected]

Assembly Speaker – Assm. Robert Rivas: 916-319-2029/ https://speaker.asmdc.org

Senate Budget Chair – Senator Scott Wiener: 916-651-4011/[email protected]

(Leg. Director) Senate Pro Tem – Senator Mike McGuire: 916-651-4002/ https://sd02.senate.ca.gove/contact

(Thanks to our friends at CARA for this information.)

This program produced by Adrienne Lauby and Jacob Lesner-Buxton.  Hosted by Adrienne Lauby.

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HomeBridge

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