A Valid Podcast

"It's not about cerebral palsy, it's about family and relationships," actress Ann Talman says about her documentary and one-woman show called Woody's Order! Her late brother Woody had cerebral palsy and the stories center around him. In this podcast, Pittsburgher Mark Steidl interviews Talman. Mark has cerebral palsy, and conducted this interview through his augmentative communication device. This...

"We've got something special here," Dr. Bob Gannon said when he first saw his newborn daughter, Erin, more than 50 years ago. Erin had Down Syndrome. In this episode Erin asks her parents what it was like to raise her, send her to school, take part in her athletics and move into her own home. This is a bonus episode for A Valid Podcast. It was originally published in 2018 on SoundCloud under the s...

This is a bonus episode to A Valid Podcast--an interview from All-Abilities Media's original show, Look Who's Here! It was first published on SoundCloud in 2017. During her 40-year career, Marsha Blanco played a key role in closing troubled institutions that housed people with disabilities. Her effort resulted in threats against her and her children. But she stayed the course, and helped hundreds...

Work can be hard to come by for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Some studies have found that the unemployment rate for adults with autism ⁠ is about 85 percent⁠ .  Another survey finds that about a third of people with ⁠Down syndrome⁠ are unemployed. On this episode of A Valid Podcast four people share their stories of work and why it's important. This is the final episode in...

How do you handle a workplace scandal? On this episode of A Valid Podcast, a young woman who has autism, Clara Govachini, shares a story that traumatized her. Spoiler: she worked through it skillfully. A Valid Podcast Season 4 is focused on employment. It's hosted by Maria Palmer. Also on this episode, reporter Jessie Henry interviews American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disa...

In this episode of "A Valid Podcast," host Maria Palmer dives into the world of employment for individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. The episode begins with Thomas Hassell, who shares his experiences as a volunteer and the challenges he faced in finding a job. The podcast then transitions to an interview with Karrie Shogren, Director of the Kansas University Center on...

The joyful sounds of a menorah car parade, Hanukkah music, and personal stories light up this second holiday episode of 2022. Recorded live in Pittsburgh at a disability services organization's Hanukkah celebration. Plus, show producer Jennifer Szweda Jordan walks up on a stage and down memory lane to share what led to A Valid Podcast. Full transcript here. A Valid Podcast comes to you from the Al...

All-Abilities Media participants past, present, and probably future trade holiday music recommendations, tips on being inclusive, and wishes for the world. We give you something more than a sugar cookie to chew on. Click for the full transcript. A Valid Podcast comes to you from the All-Abilities Media Project at the Center for Media innovation at Point Park University in downtown Pittsburgh. It's...

FULL TRANSCRIPT AND IMAGES HERE  When she loses a brother to dementia, filmmaker and caregiver Diane Sunderlin begins to document on film the need for care for people with Down syndrome and dementia. This is a bonus episode in A Valid Podcasts' third season, which is focused on social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. A Valid Podcast comes to you from the All-Abilities Media...

*CORRECTION: An earlier version of this podcast included an erroneous statistic about the projected population of people with Down syndrome. In 2030, there will be 1.2 million people with intellectual disabilities in their 60s. The most common cause of intellectual disability is Down syndrome. Unabridged Press apologizes for this error. After a group home resident loses her fun-loving housemate, t...

FULL TRANSCRIPT AND IMAGE OF MCGILL HERE  On today’s episode we’re talking about a tough problem. And, trigger warning, it contains general information about sexual assault by and against people with intellectual disabilities. While people with intellectual disabilities are seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted as the general population, at times they commit sexual crimes as well....

FULL TRANSCRIPT AND IMAGE OF IRENE TUFFREY-WIJNE WITH THOSE SHE WORKS WITH HERE  Everyone grieves differently. A professor who started her career in group homes now uses video chat to support people with intellectual disabilities face grief. We had to go from Pittsburgh all the way to the U-K to find Irene Tuffrey-Wijne–there just aren’t a lot of people working around grief and intellectual d...

When Mike asked Laura to marry him, he didn’t know that a “yes” would mean a cut in benefits–that Laura would get less than $20 in food stamps a month. Would that keep them from tying the knot? In this episode of A Valid Podcast, Laura responds to Mike’s proposal. Plus, more about what this couple–who have learning and psychiatric disabilities–have faced, and where they’ve found support. In the se...

Adriana Quinones moves beyond a crippling car accident — finding her voice and identifying what kind of relationship she wants.  Laura and Mike were seeking mental health rehabilitation when they went to the Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse in Pittsburgh. They got a lot more than they bargained for — each other. “Social inclusion is the ‘next frontier’ issue in intellectual and developmental...

Adriana Quinones is happy caring for three children, painting with colorful plastic diamonds, and hanging out with her mom. But something else she'd like in her life--a good man--has proven hard to find. She has intellectual and learning disabilities--compounded by English being her second language. Adriana doesn’t always recognize red flags, and has been abused in many ways by love interests. Peo...

People with intellectual disabilities are part of our world more than ever before--in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. But we have a lot of work to do in preparing people with intellectual disabilities to navigate romance and friendships. A Valid Podcast , season 3, launching Wednesday, Dec. 8, features people with intellectual disabilities sharing their joy and challenges in relationships....

Learning Disabilities Association of Pennsylvania president Collin Diedrich says he was able to earn a Ph. D. in medicine both despite--and because of--his learning disabilities.  Diedrich is an advocate, author, and professional speaker for students who have learning disabilities. He discusses the importance of finding allies and techniques to overcome barriers in life--including improv come...

In this special episode of "Look Who's Here!" Erin Gannon, founding host of LWH! interviews Kelly O’Malley, CEO of PA Connecting Communities.

In this special episode of "Look Who's Here!" Erin Gannon, founding host of LWH! interviews Tim Gebhart, Executive Director of The Miracle League of the South Hills.

In this special episode of "Look Who's Here!" Erin Gannon, founding host of LWH! interviews DJ "Big Ed" Buettner.

Black disabled women in America experience a three-prong punch in the doctor’s office: gender bias, racism and ableism. A Valid Podcast hosts Darah Thompson and Alana Gibbs break down this struggle with Dawn Morgan and Daana Townsend from the podcast Myelin and Melanin, who both have multiple sclerosis. They talk about the lack of Black voices in the MS community, delayed diagnosis, societal perce...

Will our new work-from-home lifestyle finally accommodate people with disabilities? People with disabilities encounter barriers in employment all the time. But with the coronavirus pandemic, these challenges are growing, not getting easier. Journalist John Miller talks with Mary Niederberger on her reported story about how internship losses within a virtual world requires resilience among people w...

Hosts Alana Gibbs and Darah Thompson talk with disability analyst Alisa Grishman about what it means to be proud of your disability. Plus, what do texting, Segways and curb cuts have in common? New norms and technologies have roots in inventions for people with disabilities. Reporter John Miller talks with Associate Producer/Reporter Francesca Dabecco about her article for ADA at 30: Accessibility...

To get to the top, sometimes you have to get out of your wheelchair and crawl steps. And sometimes you have to go days without getting your hair washed during a sit-in. A Valid Podcast's guests have done both. In doing so, they've successfully pushed for disability rights for the world over the last several decades. Disability rights titans Judy Heumann and Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins join A Valid Po...

In this special episode of "Look Who's Here!" Erin Gannon, founding host of LWH! interviews Shannon Clancy, the Sports Director of Special Olympics Allegheny County.