Episode 7 of this season is a two-parter, as we highlight the challenges disabled folks, particularly Black folks, face in different spaces.

In part 1, we talk with Tabitha Woodruff and Travis Daluz-Cates of Disability Rights Ohio about the services it offers and the organization's policy work, including issues around racial issues and policing. They discuss the misconceptions around disability, how racial and cultural differences affect one's ability to get aid, how barriers affect these populations and much more.

In part 2, we speak with Chana Wiley and Angie Williams about their experiences with mental illness and policing. Wiley’s brother, Jaron Thomas, was killed by the Columbus Police Department in 2017 during a mental health crisis. Wiley walks us through who her brother was, the mental challenges he faced, what happened the day he was murdered, and the long, drawn-out fight to this day to get justice for her brother and prevent similar outcomes for others in crisis.

Angie Williams, chair of DRO’s PAIMI (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) Advisory Council, discusses her lived experience as someone who was arrested during a mental health crisis, and how the unfair charges and repercussions still affect her today.

Columbus Safety Collective: https://www.facebook.com/cbussafetycollective

Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality: https://www.ofuapolicebrutality.com

For more information on how you can get support for yourself or a loved one, contact Disability Rights Ohio at 1-800-282-9181