ANCOR Links

Advocacy, like anything else, evolves, and we have to evolve along with it. That's why ANCOR and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) partnered to develop the Case for Inclusion report. Now, the Case for Inclusion , which used to be an annual report, is a two-pronged report—the Data Snapshot and Policy Blueprint. To discuss the switch, the latest Data Snapshot, and tips for using the reports in Federal...

In this episode, André welcomes coworkers turned cohosts, Lauren Middleberg & Alli Strong-Martin for a revised version of Show & Tell! The task was to each bring a show to spotlight and discuss that featured disability in some way. ***There are light storyline spoilers*** for Atypical , Special , and The Pitt . And a full spoiler for who won gold in the Women's Monobob event at the Win...

The ANCOR Foundation launched the Leadership Academy on May 1, 2017 to nurture emerging leaders who are building their careers in services and supports for people with disabilities. Over the course of two years, the Foundation provides training and mentoring opportunities to support mid-career professionals in cultivating their areas of expertise and thought-leadership to build influence and reput...

Ever wonder how disability services work in other cultures, societies and/or countries? The ANCOR Global Council was created to explore just that, and to create opportunities for members to learn from intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) service delivery systems beyond the 50 states. In this episode, ANCOR CEO, Barbara Merrill, and G.N. Janes, CEO of Valley Community Services, share th...

Welcome to Season 3 of ANCOR Links! There's a lot of talk about Medicaid these days, so we decided to resurrect the premise of a quirky show, and bust some Medicaid myths! Donna Martin, VP of State Partnerships & Innovation, and Tom Rice, Director of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, sat down with Tricia DePalatis, Membership Coordinator, to discuss ten myths about the Medicaid program. Joi...

In this episode Alli Strong-Martin & Tricia DePalatis join host André Floyd for a fun discussion about disability representation on television through three shows that we're watching. We discuss a recent(ish) Nielsen report that shows how little disability representation is actually on screen, then get into three shows that run the gamut of good and/or bad representation. We try to be spoi...

In this episode we're celebrating Disability Pride Month! First, Alli and André provide some history on Disability Pride Month and discuss the importance of having dedicated spaces to honor historically marginalized identities. Then, we welcome Olivia Fadul , a licensed counselor, disabled researcher, and doctoral student at the University of New Mexico. Olivia shares her personal journey of n...

In this episode we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Olmstead Decision. First, with Lydia Dawson, ANCOR VP of Government Relations, we explain the decision and its importance. Then we welcome Ira Burnim, a lawyer from The Bazelon Center who worked on the case in the leadup to the Supreme Court's 1999 decision. Ira details the decades of cases prior, coalitions built, strategies deployed, a...

We all know and can relate to the sensation of burnout. While the same concept exists in the field of human services, compassion fatigue is another serious possibility. For this episode we setup a voicemail line for people involved in the day-to-day work of supporting people with disabilities to have them define compassion fatigue, and tell us how they aim to lessen it, and burnout. Their comments...

You may be wondering just what on Earth does American Ninja Warrior have to do with disability and inclusion? Well, you came to the right podcast! Gabrielle Sedor, ANCOR COO & Foundation Director, sat down with Nick (aka Ninja Nick) from AHRC, plus Lee & Diane, to discuss 'American Ninja Warrior', direct support professionals, person-centered supports, and more! This podcast is pro...

In this episode, Andre' is joined by coworkers Sean Luechtefeld and Alli Strong-Martin to discuss the viral 'Assume That I Can' video released by CoorDown. We peel through the layers of the video, discuss our favorite parts, and expand the conversation about what it means to shift assumptions, and how it can directly improve the fullness and quality of life for people with disabilities...

Recently, ANCOR & UCP released the Case for Inclusion 2024. This report examines how well state programs are supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. New data and analysis revealed that improvements had been made, but are currently tenuous, as they were largely the result of temporary pandemic-era funding. So we spoke with Erica Smith Buchanan, executive director at...

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! This episode is a thorough discussion between Alli Strong-Martin & Sasha Sencer about the purpose of, and history behind, the month, why it's necessary, and what to do after awareness has been raised. This podcast is produced by ANCOR, the leading voice in Washington, DC, for providers of services for people with disabilities. To learn m...

Sex? Relationships? Consent? Bodily autonomy? These are important topics for everyone to know about and discuss, but have remained sort of taboo around people with disabilities. Erica Thomas wants to change that. She developed a program she calls 'My Body, My Choice' and it is all about giving information to people with disabilities so they can be empowered everywhere from the doctor's...

Housing is a problem that affects everyone. The cost of renting is high, and the housing market is out of control just about everywhere. However, barriers to housing for people with disabilities can be magnified almost exponentially. In this episode we continue our Economic Equity series with and interview with Alison Barkoff, who currently performs the duties of Administrator and Assistant Secret...

January is Poverty Awareness Month, which is a month-long initiative to raise awareness about the growth of poverty in the United States. In addition to all the barriers of ableism, did you know that many people with disabilities have restrictions on how much they can earn? In this episode we look at the disproportionate rate of poverty among people with disabilities. We examine the numbers from t...

It's our 2023 Disability-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide! It's giving season so we thought we'd compile a broad range of business and organizations that offer fun, useful, or just plain delicious items that also directly come from and/or support people with disabilities. From cookies to crazy socks to hoodies to kettle corn to funny dog bowls, there's so much in this gift guide, so giv...

This episode is all about self-advocacy in the podcast space. We've all heard someone say that the last thing we all need is another podcast, but we respectfully disagree! We discuss why the self-advocacy of people with disabilities is vitally important, and why the podcast medium is perfect for sharing experiences, normalizing disability, combating stigmatizations, and advocating for a better...

We are so excited about this episode. Up first, you'll hear a conversation between Alli Strong-Martin and Carli Friedman, Director of Research at CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership). Carli talks about ableism; What it is? Why it's dangerous? And how to address changing it. During the conversation, Carli discusses an assessment that she encourages everyone to take, including, and especi...

We start this episode with a spoiler-free chat about one of our favorite ever contestants on the Great British Bake Off (#gbbo)! A well-introduced accommodation has had a major impact on the show already, and relates to the importance of full access and challenging the assumption of incapability can lead to amazing results in entertainment, and real life. Then we move to a wonderful discussion bet...

It's National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! First up, your host André Floyd is joined by Alli Strong-Martin, ANCOR's Communications Coordinator, for a quick review of NDEAM. They unravel its history, many changes, purposes, initiatives, and wins, but also share data on how far we have to go. Then, André welcomes Maya Cox, Associate Manager at Public Consulting Group LLC in...

In this episode of ANCOR Links you’re going to hear all about advocacy! Our first segment is a conversation between ANCOR’s Sean Luechtefeld and Lydia Dawson, our Senior Director of Government Relations. They discuss the importance of public policy in securing key rights for people with disabilities, and preview our upcoming Policy Summit & Hill Day. Then Noah Block and Josh Rael, Executive Di...

Welcome to Episode 1 of ANCOR Links! In our inaugural episode, you’ll hear from our CEO, Barbara Merrill, and COO, Gabrielle Sedor, as they share why we’re excited about this podcast, and what to expect in this and future episodes. Then we welcome Joe Macbeth, President & CEO of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals, for a chat with Elise Aguilar, ANCOR’s Director of Federal R...

Welcome to ANCOR Links, a podcast produced by ANCOR, a nonprofit organization whose 2,000+ members work all across the country to make inclusion a reality for people of all abilities. There are intersections and connections everywhere, and through the Links podcast, ANCOR aims to connect the dots between a range of conversations. Join us as we examine topics related to disability and disability se...