In honor of International Women’s Day, join us in celebrating disabled women who are changing the media landscape, one story, one role, and one accessible set at a time. In this episode, we sit down with Jillian Mercado and Agnes McConlogue Ferro to talk about what it really means to be a disabled woman in media. From breaking stereotypes and navigating tokenism to advocating for accessibility on and off set, this conversation celebrates accessibility wins, allyship, and what true inclusion actually looks like.

Links Mentioned:

• Lolo Spencer: https://www.lolospencer.com

• Marissa Bode: https://gomag.com/article/marissa-bode-is-unlimited/

• Inclusion Done Right! Conference: https://healthprofessions.stonybrookmedicine.edu/cce/IDR26

• National Dance Institute’s DREAM Project: https://www.nationaldance.org/en/childrens-programs/the-ndi-dream-project

Connect with Jillian Mercado

Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Agnes McConlogue Ferro

LinkedIn

Connect with Kelly Berger

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

Connect with Avery Roberts

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

Intro/Outro Music Created by Andy Rusch

Image Description: Avery, Kelly, Jillian, and Agnes engage in a virtual conversation. Kelly, on the top left, is a woman with light skin, brown hair, a nose ring, and white earbuds. She is wearing a bright pink, long-sleeved shirt and is positioned in front of a blurred wall with some decor. Avery, on the bottom right, is a woman with light skin, long brown hair, and white earbuds. She is wearing a dark top and is positioned in front of a plain background that hints at a window. Jillian, on the bottom left, is a woman with light skin and long black hair. She is wearing a light-colored top, positioned next to a mirrored closet door reflecting parts of the room, including a bookshelf filled with books and decorative items. Agnes, on the top right, has light skin and wavy blonde-brown hair. She is wearing a dark top, positioned in front of a wooden door and a white wall with some decorative items visible.