KPFA - Pushing Limits

Denny Daughters interviews people from The Braille And Talking Book Library in Sacramento, Director Mike Marlin and Technology Specialist Morgan Pershing.

The Braille And Talking Book Library is part of a larger national network of libraries called The National Library Service For The Blind And Print Disabled, NLS for short.

Denny discusses how people can sign up for services, how these libraries are different from commercial audio book companies, some of the devices you can borrow, the Marrakesh Treaty, and more.

Braille and Talking Book Library in Sacramento: btbl.ca.gov

To reach Mike Marlin and/or Morgan Pershing call: (800) 952-5666, (916) 654-0640

Mike’s email is: [email protected]; Morgan’s email is: [email protected]

The National Library Service website is: l

oc.gov/nls

The bard website to download books is nlsbard.loc.gov

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

Photo Credits:

, photo by Joe Wolf, license CC BY-ND 2.0 Deed

The post “The Braille & Talking Book Library” – Pushing Limits – March 15, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

This week’s show is preempted by special fund drive programming.

The post Special Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode is preempted by special KPFA Winter Fund Drive programming.

The post Special KPFA Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode is preempted by special KPFA Winter Fund Drive programming.

The post Special KPFA Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public.

The post Pushing Limits – February 16, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm.

The post Pushing Limits – February 9, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Philosophy is about knowledge, truth, right and wrong, religion, the meaning of life and disability.   Yep, when Adam Cureton speaks, disability fits right into that list of basics.

In this program Cureton brings an overview of the field of Disability Philosophy to Pushing Limits listeners.  He’ll talk about “coming out” as a person with a disability and his work prompting the social model of disability in society.

Adam Cureton is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee and has written & edited four books, including The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Disability.

Take a look at Adam Cureton’s webpage, his Ted Talk and his article about the difference between social and medical model of disability.

We return for more conversation with Denver City Councilman Chris Hinds about the unique challenges of being Colorado’s first elected official with a physical disability.

We began this program with audio from a great presentation about the social model of disability which you can find (and watch) here.  It’s from a course at the Disability Advocacy Resource Unit in Melbourne, Australia.   We appreciate their solidarity.

This program was produced and interviews were done by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Editing and voicing by Denny Daughters.

The post Philosophy, Politics & Disability – Pushing Limits – February 2, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

How does the ongoing attack on Palestine relate to disability communities and disability justice?

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Register here.

Events Coordinator Shaina Ghuraya talks about the upcoming online Palestine Teach-in on Feburary 5. and other ongoing work at the Paul Longmore Institute at S.F. State.

Our guest, Shaina Ghuraya jokes that she’s a triple threat – she’s female, South Asian, and a wheelchair-user. She’s written on two Netflix animated series and is a 2021 fellow of the Sundance Institute’s Accessible Futures Initiative. She loves creating bold stories about scheming women disrupting the status quo (like herself), and is an activist who supports the teachings of Disability Justice. Her films surrounding topics of disability have screened at Slamdance, Superfest, and Hollyshorts. Originally from Elk Grove in Northern California, Shaina attended USC and majored in Film and TV Production where, after graduating, she was featured in Forbes. Learn more here: www.shainaghuraya.com

Eddie Ytuarte produced and hosts.

Sawsan Zakaria (she/her) is an actress/advocate who also works at the Autism Society as the Operations Lead. She assists with all operational and admin tasks to efficiently teach people with and without disabilities within the community to navigate state services to receive proper care to live independently. Sawsan has also made a name for herself in the commercial space, representing people with disabilities being featured in Disney, Sephora, and GoRV commercials. Sawsan is Palestinian and grew up in a Muslim household in Chicago, however currently lives in Los Angeles advocating for people with disabilities in the media.

Marina Salman (she/her) is the SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) Case Manager in the Community Reintegration Department at Access Living. In 2018, Marina completed a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Her current research and advocacy work includes addressing disability and ableism in the healthcare and justice system, as well as incorporating Independent Living philosophy in all aspects of life. Marina is of Middle Eastern descent, enjoys working out at the gym, and is an advent Chicago Bears fan.

Allie Cannington (they/she) Allie Cannington (they/she) is a white, jewish, queer, disabled activist and organizer. For over 15 years, they have organized people with disabilities on local, state, and national levels for over ten years – centering on people with disabilities who live at the margins, including LGBTQIA, Black, Indigenous, people of color, low/no income, and youth with disabilities. Currently, Allie lives in Denver, Colorado and is an active member of Jewish Voice for Peace Denver/Boulder chapter.

The post Disability & Palestine Teach In, Longmore Institue – Pushing Limits – January 26, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Wendy Patrice Williams is on a mission – a mission to save others from the severe symptoms of trauma from infant surgery without anesthetic.   Wendy underwent infant surgery for pyloric stenosis when she was 26 days old.  The surgery was called a success but its after-affects included decades of suicidal depression and extreme anxiety.

Wendy’s book, Autobiography of a Sea Creature: Healing the Trauma of Infant Surgery, chronicles the steps she took to learn why she was hurting and to find ways to reclaim joy.  And it’s being offered for free at the publisher’s website.

She discovered that, before 1986, infant surgeries were routinely done without anesthesia to prevent harm to a fragile infant from the powerful drugs.  It was thought that an infant’s nervous system was not developed enough to feel pain.  Also, it was common to give a paralytic so the baby would be completely still as the surgeon did their delicate cutting work.

Neither Wendy nor her parents were told anything about possible emotional consequences.

Many of us in the disability community have undergone infant surgery, often more than one.  Today, we introduce you to Wendy Patrice Williams’ research and healing work in the hope that, if it resonates with you, you can find a road to healing.

Since 2009, Ms Williams has written a blog, Healing Infant Trauma and, through it, met and supported others who have undergone surgeries without anesthetic.  One of them, Roey Shmool produced a film called, Cutdown: Infant Surgery without Anesthesia.

Wendy’s blog includes posts about coping with and healing from PTSD and reviews of articles and books about trauma.

Surviving Infant Surgery, a blog by Fred Vanderbom, also includes posts more specifically about infant surgery for pyloric stenosis or stomach blockage.

Dr. Liza Morton, a woman born with congenital heart disease, writes about the need to add Medical Trauma to the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) tool.  You can find her article at https://www.traumascience.org/newsletters.  Scroll down to: “Medical Trauma-The Forgotten Adverse Childhood Experience” by Dr. Liza Morton.

For general help for PTSD and Trauma response, Wendy recommends:  Help for Trauma, where you can watch videos about the Instinctual Trauma Response and find a therapist.

She also recommends body-based psychological therapies:

Infant trauma is pre-verbal trauma and, as Wendy Patrice Williams discovered, often requires non-verbal, somatic treatments.  Through friendship, community resources, therapy, art and an important year in the California Synanon community, Wendy has greatly reduced her PTSD symptoms.  Now, she is helping others to find a path through theirs.

Autobiography of a Sea Creature – Healing the Trauma of Infant Surgery

The post The Trauma of Infant Surgery – Pushing Limits – January 19, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

(Due to technical problems, this program is a rerun of the previous week.)

‘Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services‘ is a long title, but an important one.  Vance Taylor, diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of seven, tells us how his lived experience as a person with a disability molded him for this extremely rare position that gives him access to the ear of the governor.

Join us as Vance Taylor explains the intricacies of his job, which include visiting actual areas impacted by disasters and assessing the accessibility of the systems in place to keep impacted individuals safe. Additionally, he details the need for more disability representation in government across the country.

Most importantly, listen in as he reminds us that our ability to recover from disasters is just as imperative as preparing for them.

Produced and Hosted by Bonnie Elliot, with production assistance and audio editing by Dominick Trevethan.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Vance was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child and uses a power wheelchair. He has worked in Washington, D.C. as an advisor for two different members of Congress, directed security policy at a national water association, and been a principal at a top-ranked homeland security and emergency management consulting firm.

Vance is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocate for individuals with disabilities.

Interview by Bonnie Elliot,  Editing and hosting by Dominick Trevethan

The post Emergency Preparedness – Pushing Limits – January 12, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.