KPFA - Pushing Limits

Looking for work is tough for anyone, but for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the barriers can be even higher. This week on Pushing Limits, we take you inside the world of supported employment and the real impact it has on people’s lives. 

Dominick Trevethan and Josh Elwood sit down with Jason Shaw, Director of Supported Employment and Josh’s job coach at Clausen House in Oakland. Together, they talk about what Clausen House actually does, how job coaching works behind the scenes, and why meaningful employment can be life-changing with the help of Josh’s lived experience as a person with an IDD. 

What does it really take to help someone land — and keep — a job? What challenges still exist for people with IDD seeking employment? And what happens when the right support finally clicks? Tune in to find out.  

Plus, join us as we celebrate an anniversary of the popular phrase “Inspiration Porn” with excerpts from Stella Young’s famous TED talk explaining the term. 

This program is hosted by Dominick Trevethan. It was produced and edited by Josh Elwood, Adrienne Lauby, and Dominick Trevethan. Recording assistance provided by Denny Daughters. 

The post Clausen House & The Job Coach Connection – Pushing Limits – April 24, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

The disability community waits fearfully for the hammer to fall from the Big Beautiful Bill’s cuts to MediCal and other state services.

That hammer falls after the mid-term elections, and, as we wait, we’re dealing with a steady drip of bad news – from new cuts in the President’s proposed 2026-2027 budget, to the disability caused by the U.S. – Israeli war on Iran. 

And yet!  Disabled people aren’t just waiting around. There are many stories of resistance – like the community kitchen in Gaza run by deaf people.  Yes, we’re doing good work, helping each other, filing lawsuits and acting on the big stage of our lives.  

Listen in as Pushing Limits tells the stories.  

Hosted & Produced by Eddie Ytuarte and Adrienne Lauby. 

For a full program transcription, click here

Licensing:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

Deaf run kitchen in Gaza Photo provided by zeroproject.org

The post Disability in MAGA Land – Pushing Limits – April 17, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

What do Django Reinhardt, Black Sabbath, 211 services, and a fiery take on the military have in common? They’re all coming your way this Friday on Pushing Limits on KPFA. 

Host Eddie Ytuarte brings a fast-moving mix of current events, powerful music—from Django Reinhardt to Black Sabbath—and practical information about the 211 phone line and how it can help you access vital community resources. Plus, Eddie shares a candid message for young people with disabilities who may be considering joining the military while the Trump-Hegseth duo is trying to ruin the world. 

This program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte. 

For a full program transcription, click here

Minab school attack

USA Troops and Traumatic Brain Injuries

211

Django Reinhardt “Blue Rag”

Melody Gardo and Charlie Haden

Itzhak Perilman and Oscar Peterson  Misty – Itzhak Perlman & Oscar Peterson

Black Sabbath: ‘War Pigs’

The post Music, Resources & Real Talk – Pushing Limits – April 10, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

What if the reason we know so much about the Beatles isn’t just fandom… but neurodiversity? 

Tune in to Pushing Limits this Friday as we explore the Beatles through the eyes of people on the autism spectrum. Unlike most musical acts, there are dozens of books and countless YouTube videos documenting everything from flights the band took to specific song takes and tiny studio details. So we have to ask: do we know so much “trivial” information about the Beatles because people connected to the band were on the spectrum and preserved every little detail? 

Guiding our yellow submarine through the world of the Beatles and disability are Richard, a lifelong fan on the autism spectrum who lives in London, and Estevan Villegas, a college student with autism who attends the Think By the Bay program at Cal State East Bay. Plus, we’ll play a bunch of cool Beatles songs along the way. 

This episode of Pushing Limits is hosted by Jacob Lesner-Buxton, voiced by Talia Mariano and edited by Denny Daughters.

For a full program transcription, click here

The post Beatles On The Spectrum – Pushing Limits – April 3, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

What do you do when the hardest part of surviving a stroke isn’t the recovery—but navigating the bureaucratic systems in place meant to help you? 

Every year, thousands of Californians rely on IHSS and the Department of Rehabilitation to survive, work, and live independently—but what happens when the system meant to help becomes another barrier?

This week on Pushing Limits, we talk with magician Kevin The Cap, who survived a stroke and suddenly found himself navigating California’s disability services for the first time. From delayed and suspect support to meeting countless higher-ups, Kevin shares what it’s really like to depend on IHSS and DOR when the safety net doesn’t quite catch you. And just like magic, he offers practical solutions for how these programs could better serve the people who rely on them. 

Tune in this Friday—because this is one magic act where the disappearing trick is the support you were promised.  

This program is hosted, produced, and edited by Dominick Trevethan. Editing assistance provided by Denny Daughters.  

Check out Kevin’s website! 

Sign Kevin’s petition to improve IHSS! 

Sign Kevin’s petition to improve the Department of Rehabilitation! 

For a full program transcription, click here

The post When The Safety Net Disappears – Pushing Limits – March 27, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

Tell us again, how Linda McMahon got her job running the Education Department? And, how did she outlast Kristi Noem?

Listen this Friday, as we struggle to find nuggets of good news among the recent horrors unleashed on the disability community by the Trump administration. Shelley Berman joins co-host Eddie Ytuarte for the March 20 edition of the Pushing Limits Political Roundup.

From disabled people dead at the hands of ICE to set-backs for veterans and autistic people, we unwrap current events for you. All this, and Andrea Gibson’s poem, “MEGA Hat In the Chemo Room.” Don’t miss it!

For a full program transcription, click here

The post Political Wrap-Up – Pushing Limits – March 20, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

What does it mean to advocate for disability rights on a global stage—and how do different countries approach disability access and inclusion?

Join Pushing Limits this Friday as we talk with Saran Tugsjargal, a student at Rice University who identifies as neurodiverse. In high school, Saran made history as the first student commissioner on the California Advisory Commission on Special Education, where she advocated for policies that benefit students with disabilities. Today, she continues that work at Rice, serving on several disability advisory commissions and representing people with disabilities from the United States at international conferences around the world. 

In the second half of the show, we’ll air Part 2 of our interview with Andra Jones Klein. Having lived in both the United States and Canada, Andra shares her experiences navigating disability in two different healthcare and social systems. She’ll also discuss what it takes to create welcoming environments for people with chemical intolerance—and why awareness and small changes can make a big difference. 

This episode is hosted and edited by Denny Daughters and produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. 

 Saran Tugsjargal’s social media handles: 

For a full program transcription, click here

The post Voices for Access: From California to the World – Pushing Limits – March 13, 2026 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 27, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be afraid of the very foods that are supposed to nourish you because no matter what it is you eat, you get violently ill? To be told “You look healthy”, “Drink more water”, “Sounds like stress” by doctor after doctor so many times that you start to question your own sanity? To lose your job due to your inability to tell your new employer the reason why you’re sick all the time — an answer you yourself will not get for another three years?

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women, yet it remains widely misunderstood and severely under-researched. This week on Pushing Limits, we take a deep dive into the life of Jamie Zimmerman, who was only recently diagnosed but has been living with endometriosis symptoms for most of her life.

Join us as Jamie shares her journey to diagnosis, the challenges of being believed, and what living with endometriosis really looks like.

She is a disability advocate, a yoga teacher, Development Director at a nonprofit organization in Portland, Maine supporting, empowering, and amplifying the voices of immigrant women, but would likely most identify with the role of writer. Her essays, some of which are about her chronic illness journey, have been published in multiple journals. Jamie holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Oregon State University, a Master of Science in Applied Gerontology, and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.

This program was produced and hosted by Bonnie Elliott. Interview and recording assistance were provided by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. Editing was done by Denny Daughters and Dominick Trevethan.

For a full program transcription, click here

The post The Endo Game – Pushing Limits – February 13, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

In the midst of a national outcry against ICE tactics, an organization supporting people living with developmental disabilities is speaking out.

The response to tactics used by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including abuse against both immigrants and native-born residents, is growing larger and louder.

The ARC of California’s board of directors has joined in with a carefully written statement opposing harmful and discriminatory immigration enforcement practices. The statement cautions people with disabilities and their families about threats posed by ICE agents and calls for 6 immediate changes.

Pushing Limits welcomes The ARC-CA executive director, Jordan Lindsey, to discuss this statement and the need to prepare state residents against continued harassment by ICE agents. Yes, people with disabilities may be even more prone to abuse than those from the non-disabled community.

The ARC of California has three offices in the state to serve people with developmental disabilities.

This program is produced and hosted by Eddie Ytuarte.

For a full program transcription, click here

The post Disability Rights & ICE: The ARC Speaks Out – Pushing Limits – February 6, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.