Think Inclusive

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Colleen Tomko — Parent advocate, artist, and president of Kids Together, an all-volunteer nonprofit promoting inclusion. A Penn State graduate and Partners in Policymaking alum, Colleen has dedicated her life to ensuring that all children, including her son Shawn, have access to inclusive education and community life.

In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with Colleen Tomko about her lifelong advocacy for inclusive education and community belonging. From founding Kids Together to creating powerful advocacy cartoons, Colleen shares her personal journey, the systemic barriers families face, and why inclusion is a civil rights issue—not just an educational choice.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/colleen-tomko-kids-together/

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Adam Walker and Sanjay Parekh are the co-founders of https://togetherletters.com, a platform designed to help people stay connected without relying on social media. Both are seasoned entrepreneurs and podcasters—Adam co-hosts Tech Talk Y’all, and Sanjay brings years of experience in tech and community building. Together, they’re passionate about creating tools that foster authentic, private connections.

In this bonus episode, Tim talks with Adam Walker and Sanjay Parekh about Together Letters—a simple, email-based way to keep groups connected without the noise of social media. They share why they built it, how it works, and why it’s a game-changer for educators, teams, and anyone craving authentic connection.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/bonus-together-letters/

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Mirko Chardin is the Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer at Novak Education. He previously served as the founding Head of School at Putnam Avenue Upper School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He co‑authored Equity by Design: The Power and Promise of UDL with Dr. Katie Novak and facilitates learning on topics such as implicit bias, microaggressions, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), restorative practices, identity, and courageous conversations about race.

In this conversation, Mirko Chardin urges educators and leaders to reclaim the narrative around “equity” by grounding it in clear, shared definitions and everyday practice—what he calls “concept stabilization.” He argues that school is for kids, not adults, and that listening to learner voices and removing barriers must guide decisions at every level. The episode also explores UDL as a framework (not a bag of tips) for building cultures where all learners can become expert learners, supported by leadership that prioritizes humanity, reflection, and authentic impact.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/mirko-chardin-reclaiming-the-narrative-around-educational-equity/

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Dr. Kate de Bruin — inclusive education academic at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia). Her work focuses on evidence‑informed practices and policies that improve participation and learning for all students, with an emphasis on students with disabilities. She has taught in secondary and higher education, designs inclusive education coursework for Master’s programs, and serves on the academic advisory board of All Means All – The Australian Alliance for Inclusive Education.

Tim and Kate unpack how Australia’s highly decentralised education systems shape inclusion, why segregated “special schools” and units persist, and what accountability gaps mean for students with disabilities. They also dig into Kate’s classroom story—rallying a whole staff to create accessible texts and explicit writing supports—and the mindsets, coaching, and MTSS‑style approaches that help inclusion work in real classrooms.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/dr-kate-de-bruin-inclusive-education-in-australia/

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AZ Chapman is a writer, athlete, and disability advocate from California. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler, AZ has navigated life with determination and resilience. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Special Education from California State University East Bay. AZ is also a passionate Special Olympics competitor, having participated in events like swimming, track, basketball, soccer, bocce, bowling, and golf. Her new children’s book, Cerebral Palsy Party, introduces elementary school students to peers with CP in an accessible and engaging way.

In this episode, Tim Villegas interviews AZ Chapman about her debut children’s book Cerebral Palsy Party, which aims to educate young students about cerebral palsy and promote inclusion. AZ shares her personal journey through education, the challenges she faced in middle and high school, and her aspirations to become a special education teacher. The conversation also touches on the importance of kindness, accessibility, and advocacy for people with disabilities.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/az-chapman-cerebral-palsy-party/

Hi Friends. 

It’s Tim Villegas, and for this week, we are switching things up a bit with a feed drop. 

What’s a feed drop, you ask? Well, let me tell you. 

It’s where we share a podcast episode made by someone else that we think is great with you right here in our podcast feed. 

As Think Inclusive listeners, we know that building bridges is important to you, and that is why we think you are going to appreciate this episode. 

This week we are featuring the Democracy Works podcast, and in this episode, they are talking about civics education in the US. Chris Beem, Candis Watts Smith and Jenna Spinelle discuss the importance of civic learning with Emma Humphreys of iCivics and Ashley Berner of Johns Hopkins. They think that civics education is important because it teaches students about how government works and how they can participate in decision-making. They also believe that schools should teach controversial topics and provide students with the skills to handle them.  

The episode also discusses the knowledge and skills needed for civic learning, such as history, political theory, economics, and geography. Emma and Ashley suggest that schools need more resources and flexibility to teach civic learning effectively. 

And now, please enjoy the Democracy Works Podcast.

Episode show notes + transcript: https://www.democracyworkspodcast.com/civic-learning-week/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Tim Villegas from the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education connects with Simone Morris and Julie Kratz, hosts of the Inclusion School podcast, to explore the intersection of inclusive schools and the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) space. They discuss the importance of DEI initiatives in schools, strategies for allyship with marginalized groups, and the significance of addressing racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism with children. They delve into the societal and educational challenges of promoting inclusion and belonging, with insights into disability and diversity awareness in educational settings.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/julie-kratz-and-simone-morris-inclusion-school/

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Gage Robinson is a 19-year-old college student at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minnesota. He’s a passionate self-advocate who fought for his right to inclusive education and now shares his story to inspire others. Gage runs a nonprofit called Gage Gives Back, where he educates about traumatic brain injury and shaken baby syndrome, and supports organizations that helped him succeed. He’s also a public speaker who has presented at regional, national, and international conferences.

In this episode, Gage Robinson shares his journey from being segregated in a self-contained classroom to advocating for his right to attend college alongside his peers. We talk about his due process battle with his school district, his testimony at the Minnesota State Legislature, and what inclusive higher education looks like for him today.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/gage-robinson-a-self-advocacy-story-2/

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Carolyn Kiel is a corporate instructional designer and the host of Beyond 6 Seconds, a podcast that spotlights neurodivergent and disabled entrepreneurs, creators, and advocates. She’s a late‑identified autistic adult who uses her platform to share first‑person stories that challenge stereotypes and expand understanding.

In this conversation, Tim talks with Carolyn about why she started Beyond 6 Seconds, how the show’s name pushes back on snap judgments, and what led her to focus the podcast on neurodiversity. Carolyn shares her journey to a late autism diagnosis, the relief of having language for lifelong experiences, and the habits that help her regulate and work (yes to stim and fidget tools). Together, they dig into what inclusion really looks like: listening first, trusting people’s lived experience, and offering practical accommodations without gatekeeping. For educators, Carolyn’s core message is simple—learn from neurodivergent adults and presume competence, especially for nonspeaking students who may need different communication supports. Listeners will leave with concrete ways to shift classroom mindsets and amplify authentic neurodivergent voices.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/carolyn-kiel-beyond-six-seconds-2/

On to today’s episode. I’m going to replay an interview I did with Julia Bascom, the executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. This interview is from 2017. Wow. That is almost six years ago.  

Here's what I cover with Julia Bascom in this episode: 

1. The importance of self-advocacy for autistic people and how it can help create a more inclusive society. 

2. The challenges of autistic people having to advocate for themselves, and how they are often left out of conversations that involve the disability community. 

3. The need for allies to step up and support autistic people, to create understanding and acceptance. 

Thanks for listening, and if you haven't already, please give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-List

Otter.ai Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/jf_oqTJZD4odonI027ZJbwtCJwk

PDF Transcript: https://3bd6e695-b492-4878-afa9-f79d8b09e0c4.usrfiles.com/ugd/3bd6e6_831ee827380e4e96824b92e32a713402.pdf

Cover Art Image Description: black background; think inclusive logo in the top left; rainbow-colored waves overlayed a white line drawing of headphones; MCIE logo in the bottom right

Credits

Think Inclusive is written, edited, and sound designed by Tim Villegas and is produced by MCIE.

Original music by Miles Kredich.

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Thank you to our sponsor, TogetherLetters.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.