The Politics of Disability

In part one of the second interview for The Politics of Disability Pride series, Mary sits down with Season 5, All Stars 2 contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race, Detox.
The two discuss what it will take to bridge the gap between the LGBTQIA+ community and the disabled/chronically ill community, advocacy, anti-trans legislation, and more.
Episode content warning: Mentions of ableism, mild adult language

The Politics of Disability was named Best Interview Podcast at the Astoria Film Festival in both October 2022 and again in June 2023.

Content warning: Mentions of racism, ableism, suicidal ideation
In part 2 of their conversation, Mary and Emee discuss growing up in Middle Eastern families, not being "American enough," Emee's style, COVID and mental health.
Emee is a disabled fiction and non-fiction writer, vintage jewelry maker, and business owner. She has thirteen chronic illnesses and is neurodivergent. She aims to build a life that is a culmination of all she loves while refusing to sacrifice any part of her cultures, her writing, her disabled pride, or her affinity for vintage fashion. She navigates life with a peculiar sense of humor, a cane, and desserts.
You can follow Emee on social media here and here.

The Politics of Disability was named Best Interview Podcast at the Astoria Film Festival in both October 2022 and again in June 2023.

Content warning: Mentions of children's death
In part 1 of this very special bonus episode, Mary speaks with friend, former colleague at Neighborhood Access, and fellow advocate Dom Kelly.
Dom Kelly is currently the Georgia Fundraising Director and the Director of Disability Engagement & Accessibility for Stacey Abrams’ campaign for Governor of Georgia.
Previously, he was Senior Fundraising Manager at Fair Fight Action, the voting rights organization founded by Stacey Abrams, where he also created and led the organization’s Disability Council composed of prominent disability advocates and policy experts from across the country.
Dom is one of a set of triplets with Cerebral Palsy and has been a disability advocate since he was four years old. Starting when he was a young teenager, Dom and his brothers toured around the world with their rock band, touring and collaborating with artists like Indigo Girls, Joan Baez, The Bangles, and more and releasing 6 records over 15+ years.
He is now retired from music, but with a decade of experience in digital and editorial strategy, he has devoted his life to progressive politics, policy, and advocacy. He received a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice where he also received the Excellence in Social Impact award.
Additionally, he holds a bachelor’s degree in music production, a master’s degree in journalism, an executive certificate in social impact strategy, and a graduate certificate in interdisciplinary disability studies.
Dom currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Catie, their dog Vivi, and their cat Pippi Longstocking.
Mary and Dom discuss the lack of research in adults with Cerebral Palsy, voter suppression, particularly pertaining to disabled voters, and the myth surrounding those with intellectual disabilities when it comes to voting.

The Politics of Disability was named Best Interview Podcast at the Astoria Film Festival in both October 2022 and again in June 2023.

In celebration of both Black History Month in February and Women's History Month in March, Mary put together this conversation series.
During the final interview of the series, Mary talks with Keri Gray of the Keri Gray Group and the NAMED Advocates.
The two discuss the gap between social justice and Disability Justice, how to close the gap, Black Disabled Lives Matter, and what it's like to live at the intersection of being Black and disabled.
Keri Gray is a cancer survivor, entrepreneur, speaker, and facilitator. She is the CEO of the Keri Gray Consulting Group, LLC, where they strive to create professional communities of understanding through disability and racial justice education. She is also founder of the National Alliance of Melanin Disabled Advocates, which creates spaces for disabled leaders of color and BIPOC allies to gather, learn, connect, and grow around racial and disability justice. Keri’s work has been featured in Teen Vogue, the New York Times, People Magazine, Time Magazine, PBS NewsHour, Madamenoire, and the Diet Coke campaign #Unlabeled.

You can follow Keri on social media here and NAMED Advocates here.

The Politics of Disability was named Best Interview Podcast at the Astoria Film Festival in both October 2022 and again in June 2023.

Content warning: Mild cursing, mentions of harassment by law enforcement

The Disabled Student Union at UCLA (DSU) provides a safe and inclusive place for disabled, neurodivergent, and ill people to feel accepted. Its purpose is to empower students through advocacy, education, and pride, build relationships with the administration and wider community, remove access barriers on campus, and advocate for disability rights.
As of February 14th, 2022, when this episode was recorded, the Disabled Student Union was on day 14 of their protest/sit-in.
They are protesting the administration's refusal to commit to a hybrid program, despite the fact that disabled and chronically ill students are still disproportionately affected by COVID.
Co-founder of the UCLA Disabled Student Union, Quinn O'Connor (she/they)
and member, Christopher Ikonomou (he/xe) share their reasons for protesting and what they and other protestors have experienced during the sit-in.
Follow DSU on social media: @dsuucla (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook)
Note regarding sound quality: This interview was done via Zoom. Quinn and Christopher were outside of where the sit-in is happening and the connection was poor at a couple points. Please reference the transcript (found here) for clarification.

The Politics of Disability was named Best Interview Podcast at the Astoria Film Festival in both October 2022 and again in June 2023.