Down to the Struts

Qudsiya Naqui

A podcast about disability and design, where we uncover the building blocks for a more inclusive world.

  1. Arts & Media Mini Series - Recast of Accessing The News with Sean Collins

    2h ago

    Arts & Media Mini Series - Recast of Accessing The News with Sean Collins

    It’s Disability Pride Month, and we’re continuing our trip down memory lane with a brand new mini series featuring past podcast conversations with leaders who have reshaped arts and media through the lens of disability. The Trump administration continues to threaten the erasure of disabled people from American society, most recently by calling into question a decades-old Supreme Court precedent in the case Olmstead v. L.C. that enshrined a right to community integration for disabled people under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Now, more than ever, we need to lift up disability culture and tell disabled stories through every form of media possible. We also must ensure that media is accessible to disabled people because the ability to share our stories in our own voices is more important than ever. As we continue the struggle to protect our right to live and thrive in this world, this season, we’re uplifting the journalists, podcasters, musicians, and artists who, every day, ensure that accessibility, disability culture, and disability stories are front and center. We’ll begin with one of our earliest podcast guests, Sean Collins, to  learn about why image descriptions in news articles are essential to accessing the news. We hope you enjoy revisiting these episodes with us! And stay tuned for a very special brand new episode to close out this mini series! -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    27 min
  2. Mother's Day Feed Drop: Qudsiya Naqui On Babies Down Bottles Up!

    May 10

    Mother's Day Feed Drop: Qudsiya Naqui On Babies Down Bottles Up!

    Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! We have a very special episode on Qudsiya’s first mother’s day as a mom. Down to the Struts collaborated with the ladies of Babies Down, Bottles Up, a podcast about blind parenting featured in our feed last week. Qudsiya, Josselyn, Kisha, and Terrin had a fascinating conversation over their favorite beverages about how the law treats disabled parents, and what blind parents need to know about navigating the family regulation system. The BDBU team shared their own stories of encounters with CPS, the pressures of trying to prove you are a competent disabled parent, and the importance of fiercely protecting their dignity and autonomy in a system designed to police disabled parents because of ableist assumptions that they are not worthy of birthing and caring for children. Qudsiya, Josselyn, Terrin, and Kisha also shared important tips and resources for blind parents navigating family regulation. And, in true BDBU fashion, even as they discussed this serious topic, they managed to have some fun.   Check out the original BDBU episode page for more information and resources. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    47 min
  3. Feed Drop Mini Series: Featuring "Babies Down, Bottles Up," An Unfiltered Podcast About 3 Blind Moms

    May 5

    Feed Drop Mini Series: Featuring "Babies Down, Bottles Up," An Unfiltered Podcast About 3 Blind Moms

    We’re back with the final installment of our mini series featuring some fabulous disability podcasts that the team has been enjoying lately. Here at Down to the Struts, we explore disability, design, and intersectionality, including the multitude of identities each of us holds and how they shape—and are shaped by—the world around us. A new identity for Qudsiya showed up when she became a parent with a disability. She wanted to learn from the many disabled parents who’ve come before her, so she went in search of them. She was delighted when she found the ladies of Babies Down, Bottles Up, a podcast featuring blind moms, bold stories, and a splash of wine. Hosts Terrin, Josselyn, and Kisha know how to have a great time while getting real about life as blind parents. Today, we’re sharing one of Qudsiya’s favorite BDBU episodes, “Canes, Trains, and Planes,” which offers practical advice for traveling with children while blind. The BDBU team and Down to the Struts are also cooking up a special surprise for our listeners, so stay tuned for that in the coming weeks. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to Babies Down, Bottles Up wherever you love to listen, check out the original episode page for Canes, Trains, and Planes, and, if you’re a blind parent, download the BDBU blind parenting toolkit for some fantastic and simple tools to guide you through the many phases and facets of parenting. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 1m
  4. Feed Drop Mini Series: Featuring "Proud Stutter" The Podcast

    Apr 28

    Feed Drop Mini Series: Featuring "Proud Stutter" The Podcast

    We’re back with the second installment of our mini series featuring a small selection of other must-listen disability podcasts. This week, we’re exploring a new aspect of disability culture from our friends at Proud stutter. Proud Stutter is a podcast about changing how we understand and talk about stuttering. In this episode, host Maya Chupkov chats with Ina Lalich, a San Francisco-raised, multilingual woman who stutters. Maya and Ina talk about language (Ina speaks English, Serbo-Croatian, and French), identity, and learning to take up space. Ina frames stuttering as a tool that enhances creativity, builds empathy, and brings precision to how we communicate. Stigma towards those who stutter is an example of how ableism undergirds what we as a society view as quote normal, and guides how we treat those whose voice or way of being deviates from that normal. Proud Stutter is doing powerful work to open our minds to all the different ways there are to voice. Be sure to take a listen, and to follow Proud Stutter on your favorite podcast app. Check out the original episode page for more information about the show. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    34 min
  5. Feed Drop Mini Series: Featuring "Crip Crap: The Podcast"

    Apr 21

    Feed Drop Mini Series: Featuring "Crip Crap: The Podcast"

    We’re back in your feeds for another mini series. This time, we’ll be featuring three other disability podcasts that are must-listens. First up is Crip Crap. Crip Crap was established in late 2021 as a container for producing and advancing disability media. It was created by Kennedy Healy, a white, fat, queer crip Writer and media maker, and Justin Cooper, a Black visual artist and disability advocate who became an ancestor in July 2024. Together, Justin and Kennedy have created a rich repository of conversations about representations of disability in media and in media making. We’re thrilled to share one of them in our feed today. It’s entitled “Access and Acting” with actress Terri Lynne Hudson. Kennedy, Justin, and Terri talk about access and representation, and the state of the entertainment and theater industries for disabled talent in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you enjoy, and be sure to subscribe to Crip Crap on your favorite podcast app. Check out the original episode page for transcripts and more information about the show. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    51 min
  6. Immigration Mini Series Finale - "Unseen: Life As A Disabled Immigrant" Podcast with Qudsiya Naqui & Conchita Hernandez

    Mar 31

    Immigration Mini Series Finale - "Unseen: Life As A Disabled Immigrant" Podcast with Qudsiya Naqui & Conchita Hernandez

    We’re wrapping up our Immigration Mini Series with some brand new content, brought to you by our friends from Unseen. In January 2026, Qudsiya joined forces once more With Unseen’s impact campaign to conduct a know your rights presentation specifically for disabled immigrants, so they can understand and assert their rights during encounters with ICE. This episode of the Unseen podcast includes vital information about how to disclose a disability, seek accommodations, and how to develop a safety plan if you are a disabled immigrant, the family member or loved one of a disabled immigrant, or an ally who wants to support this community as they face this administration’s draconian and unceasing assault on immigrants. We urge you to listen and share this information with others in your community to ensure our collective safety.   Check out the Unseen immersive podcast and visit the film’s website for more information about how to bring Unseen to your community. The impact campaign has also created this repository of resources for disabled and undocumented immigrants and their allies. If you want to learn more about the film’s origin story and the creation of the impact campaign, tune in to Qudsiya’s conversation with the film’s co-creators, Set Hernandez and Pedro, which we also rebroadcast for this mini series. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 11m
  7. Immigration Mini Series - Recast of "We Are Not Okay...And We Will Keep Resisting" by Conchita Hernandez Legorreta

    Mar 17

    Immigration Mini Series - Recast of "We Are Not Okay...And We Will Keep Resisting" by Conchita Hernandez Legorreta

    The targeting and exclusion of disabled immigrants in the U.S. is not new. It is a centuries old system rooted in ableism, racism, xenophobia, and eugenics. In honor of disability pride month during July of 2025, we broadcast this powerful audio essay by disability activist and blind educator, Conchita Hernandez Legorreta, about how disability and immigration affected her and her family’s lives. Much like immigrant families today, growing up in the 1990s in California, Conchita’s undocumented family lived in constant fear of la migra, with layered implications for her ability to access the services and support she needed as a blind child. Conchita’s essay beautifully articulates the consequences for all of us of ignoring the challenges of disabled immigrants, and the strength of community in the face of violence and surveillance. For more about Conchita, and to access the text version of this essay, visit the original episode page. You can also check out Conchita Consulting to learn more about the services she provides for blind Spanish-speaking families and much more. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    15 min
  8. Immigration Mini Series - Recast of "Understanding What Is Unseen" with Set Hernandez and Pedro

    Mar 10

    Immigration Mini Series - Recast of "Understanding What Is Unseen" with Set Hernandez and Pedro

    In this fourth installment of our Immigration Mini Series, we’re revisiting Qudsiya’s conversation with Set Hernandez, creator of the award winning documentary film "unseen," and the film’s protagonist, Pedro. Despite the headlines about mass deportation and ICE’s draconian enforcement practices, and the many conversations among advocates and policymakers about the need to reform our broken immigration system, the stories and lived experiences of undocumented people, and particularly those with disabilities, are almost always relegated to the shadows. Unseen is groundbreaking as a film because it seeks to change this reality by centering the perspective of disabled immigrants. Through Pedro’s story, and the many hands of the undocumented, disabled, and LGBTQ team that brought the film to life, "unseen" is a powerful example of how storytelling and cultural work like films and, yes, even podcasts can inspire hope and compel action simply by allowing people to see themselves and their experiences in the stories of others. Exposing ourselves to these stories is more important than ever so we can remember that we are not alone For more about Set, Pedro, and "unseen," check out the original episode page. You can also find more information and resources on immigration and disability, plus all the ways you can watch and share "unseen" by visiting the film’s website. -- Let us know what you think with a comment or review! Visit our website⁠ ⁠for⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Qudsiya's Substack, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Getting Down To It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the team behind the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with a donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    27 min

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4.9
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

A podcast about disability and design, where we uncover the building blocks for a more inclusive world.

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