Incluse This‪!‬ Sarah Kirwan

The Incluse This! podcast has forever changed me, and that’s the point. As my dear friend, colleague, and guest this week so eloquently put it, “One of the main ways this journey has impacted me is that I’ve learned that I absolutely have internalized ableism. I think – there’s productivity and there are timelines, and we have to stick to that. And you kindly remind me what it’s like to experience your disability. It has helped me shift the way I understand how we can get things done in a more collective way, that’s less about this sense of productivity that requires an able body and an able mind.” She goes on to say, “ I’ve learned about the different perspectives that are in different disability communities within the larger community, and how those don’t always align with the people who might be the most vocal advocates in the disability community.” We hope you’ve enjoyed the journey as much as we have! Until next season…take care and be well.

We celebrate Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month for 31-days each year; however, close to one million people in the United States are living with the effects of this chronic and debilitating disease each day, including our host and her husband. This week’s episode is a candid conversation between two fellow MS Warriors, who are also married, and there’s no topic off-the-table. Although the diagnosis is the same, everyone experiences MS in very different ways, and this week we discuss personal journeys through diagnosis, dating, marriage, pregnancy, self-help groups, advance directives, and much more. Don’t miss this special episode! #MSAwarenessMonth2021

March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, and we're celebrating with my very dear friend and fellow MS Warrior, Dawnia Marie. We talk about everything from the pros and cons of self-help groups, to our relationships with providers and celebrating our diagnoses. MS is a debilitating disease, but it doesn't dim our light. And my friend Dawnia Marie, a true representation of Brightside 365, is an amazing example and reminder for all of us to - keep living! #DisabilityPride

I’m thrilled to have my very dear friend and colleague, Dr. Molly Bloom, back on the show to explore our relationships with medical providers, in the context of inaccessible structures. How do we, even momentarily, balance the power differential? Our medical records impact our ability to receive services, so why aren't they easily accessible and amendable? When immune compromised people are dying of COVID at the same rate as those aged 75+, why are we deprioritized? If getting the best care comes only because we've advocated for ourselves, have we made advocacy the thing that determines our best care? We are pondering these questions and more this week, so don't miss out!

Stephanie Keeney-Parks joins us this week to discuss all things Autism. As a scholar, academic, and researcher, and mother of a son diagnosed with Autism, she shares her unique perspective and insights with listeners. We talk about the multiple layers of oppression that children of color face in this country, and what it means to have joy despite all of those barriers. Don’t miss this incredible conversation and learning opportunity!

Our guest this week is disability advocate and postgraduate researcher, Alannah Murray. She brings insights and experiences from Ireland to our conversation about uplifting the voices of disabled women around the world. We explore the relationship between feminism and disability. And discuss reproductive health rights and social inclusion of disabled people, the inclusion of disabled people in LGBTQ+ spaces, and much more!