Disability Garrison Disability Garrison

Many families enter guardianship arrangements because they don't know of other options. Guardianship can be unnecessarily restrictive. It can also be difficult, expensive, and time consuming to reverse. Join Michael and Holly as they hear from Ashley Mathy, a self-advocate from Wisconsin. Ashley gives her account of her experience being under guardianship. They then talk with Dr. Allison Hall, Senior Research Associate/Project Manager at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Allison provides insight into why families should consider supported decision-making.

Society has taught us, intentionally or not, that we should be “normal.” That our value is dependent on our contributions to the world around us. This perspective often makes the term “disability” alienating and disempowering. Join Holly and Michael as they talk with Andy Imparato, CEO of Disability Rights California. They discuss the importance of having a positive disability identity. Also, Holly speaks about her disability identity for the first time.

When Maggie Carmichael started going to preschool, she was excited to play with her new friends. But the school’s playground was not accessible to her. So every day at recess, Maggie would be taken out of her wheelchair and placed in the wood chips to play on her own. She would come home from school covered in splinters. Her mom, Holly, decided to work for change in their small town.
Across the country, Julie Kenerson heard that her local playground was going to be updated. She remembered taking her sons, Lukas and Jake, to various parks to play. Jake was in a wheelchair, and Julie struggled to find playgrounds where both boys could play together. Even after Jake’s passing in 2019, Julie never forgot how heartbreaking it was for Jake to not be able to participate.
Join Michael as he talks with co-host Holly Carmichael, and special guest Julie Kenerson. They discuss Holly’s experience designing and building the first inclusive playground in her area. Julie recalls what it was like telling her city officials that “ADA Compliant” wasn’t good enough. And they discuss how inclusive playgrounds benefit everyone.
For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, and to join in on our Fair Play for All campaign, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

The creation of this first Center for Independent Living in the early 1970s started a national movement. It was the birth of a new way of seeing disability called the community model. Community model focuses on the individual with a disability as the solution and not the problem. As opposed to medical model, which focuses on the physical or mental problem that needs to be “fixed.” But many people don’t know this philosophy. All too often, people with disabilities are still seen as the problem.
Join Holly and Michael as they talk with Karen Tamley, CEO of Access Living. Karen discusses the services that Centers for Independent Living provide. She also talks about the philosophy of Independent Living.
 
For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Join Michael and Holly as they talk with Andy Imparato, Executive Director of Disability Rights California. Andy discusses healthcare resource rationing in the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they go over ideas on how to address disparities in their communities.
 
For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.

Self-Determination is a model of care that empowers a person to be involved in their own life decisions. But self-determination isn’t accessible to all who need it. Join Michael and Holly as they talk with Judy Mark, President of Disability Voices United (DVU). They cover the basics of self-determination. Judy also discusses what led her to co-found DVU. Finally, they discuss the progress that has been made in California.
 
For the resources and links mentioned in this episode, please visit us at disabilitygarrison.org.