South Orange Village: Our Voices with Mayor Sheena Collum

In this podcast episode of Inclusion, Individuality, and Independence: People with Disabilities in the Black Family, we speak to Dr. Ahadi Bugg-Levine and her mother Mrs. Jacqueline Murphy.  Ahadi Bugg-Levine is currently Board President for JESPY House and part of our Black History Month Planning Committee.  We were excited to ask Ahadi and her mother to share the memories of Tiamoya "Tia" Bugg their sister and daughter, respectively.

In this two-part episode, Brandon Hayes, interviews Aliyah, Arthur, and Myles as they provide a first-hand account on navigating through school, sports, and COVID while not allowing their disability to stop them from getting ahead. Ms. Dawn (Aliyah's Mom) and Ms. Nedra (Myles Mom) discuss what methods they use to ensure that their child is included and has a sense of normalcy in places where they might not feel included.  In part 2 of this episode, Dr. Ahadi Bugg Levine, Board President of Jespy House provides a glimpse into her life with her sister Tia while her mom provides parents with ways to cope when their child does not get the support and assistance that one would expect in a school.  Over and over the theme of this podcast is inclusion and having a sense of belonging and understanding about every child in a school system. 

Aliyah & Dawn

Aliyah has been a client at JESPY House* in South Orange for over two years. Aliyah enjoys participating in a variety of JESPY activities and embraces her independence. She loves music and dancing. She likes going to the mall with her boyfriend. She enjoys socializing with her friends. Dawn is Aliyah's mother. 

Arthur 

Arthur has been a client at JESPY House* in South Orange for three-and-a-half years.  Arthur is a lot of fun. He loves to tell jokes and make others laugh. He excels at supporting the growth of his peers. He enjoys sports - especially basketball. He likes exploring South Orange, taking walks with his girlfriend, going out to eat, and hanging out with his friends. He also enjoys going to the local malls.  

Myles & Nedra

Myles is currently a senior at Columbia High School in Maplewood. He enjoys going to CHS football games where he roots for the Cougars! He will be part of the graduating class of 2021. He loves the NY Giants. He has cerebral palsy. Myles and his family have been residents of Maplewood for almost 14 years. Nedra is Myles's mother. 

Ahadi Bugg-Levine & Jacqueline Murphy

Ahadi Bugg-Levine and Jacqueline Murphy were excited to join this podcast to remember Tiamoya "Tia" Bugg their sister and daughter, respectively. Tia loved living in South Orange. She enjoyed walking around downtown and was a regular at her favorites spots such as Dunkin Donuts, the Village Diner, Rite Aid (now Walgreens), and Eden Gourmet (now Ashley Market). She loved books, music, and dancing, and talking about politics.  Before moving to South Orange, she grew up in Maplewood. Her family has lived in SOMa for almost 45 years. She had epilepsy and learning and developmental disabilities. Tia had a nocturnal seizure and passed away in 2010. 

*JESPY House is a nonprofit organization that helps adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to live independently in South Orange.

Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey is the Deputy Speaker of the General Assembly for the State of New Jersey. Mila represents the 27th Legislative District, which includes South Orange and Maplewood. She is a strong champion of education, housing and community development, health, and disability rights issues. Ms. Terry Brewin is an artist and teacher of art at Science Park High School, a magnet public high school, located in Newark, New Jersey. Mr. Chris Oden is an independent producer in Brooklyn, New York.

In this podcast, Mila, Terry, and Chris come together to celebrate the life of their brother Chester W. Oden, III (or, as he preferred to be called, “Moose”). Moose grew up in a loving family with his parents and ten brothers and sisters. Although he lived in South Orange for only three years, he became a fixture in the community. He loved watching soccer, baseball, and basketball games in the parks. He loved to swim at the South Orange pool and feed the ducks at Cameron Field. He worked at the Occupational Center in Orange. He lived a full and productive life. Moose passed away at the age of 31 in 1989.

Assemblywoman Mila Jasey shared photos of Moose and her family through the years. 

The trailer for our weekly podcast will feature conversations with members of our local and nearby communities. For 2021, Our Voices focuses on this year's theme for Black History Month - The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity. This podcast will highlight black families who practice Judaism, black LGBTQ+ families, and black people with disabilities and their families.