All Things Disability

Barbara Remon is a true superhero of the community-based service movement. She joined The Arc family in 1957 when her son Mark was born. Barbara brings a unique perspective to this podcast – that of a mother, a volunteer leader and Board President (early 1980s) and a professional who worked at the Hogan Regional Center. Her contributions have been recognized over the years by Northeast Arc with th...

When Jerry McCarthy arrived at Northeast Arc in 1979, the organization was supporting just a couple of hundred individuals in 19 communities. By the time he retired 36 years later, the agency was supporting more than 10,000 people in 200 communities. In this interview, McCarthy reflects on that growth — highlighting what it took and the challenges along the way. About Northeast Arc Northeast Arc w...

This year, Northeast Arc is celebrating 70 years of changing lives and discovering abilities. And to celebrate that anniversary we are speaking to the agency’s early leaders who helped pave the way for the work we do. Our organization was founded by people who challenged the status quo for people with disabilities and pushed for inclusion in all facets of life.  In this episode, you'll hear from J...

This year, Northeast Arc is celebrating 70 years of changing lives and discovering abilities. And to celebrate that anniversary we are speaking to the agency’s early leaders who helped pave the way for the work we do. Our organization was founded by people who challenged the status quo for people with disabilities and pushed for inclusion in all facets of life.  In this episode you'll hear from Ro...

This year, Northeast Arc is celebrating 70 years of changing lives and discovering abilities. And to celebrate that anniversary we are speaking to the agency’s early leaders who helped pave the way for the work we do. Our organization was founded by people who challenged the status quo for people with disabilities and pushed for inclusion in all facets of life.  In this episode, we're joined by on...

Dan Habib is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and is currently director of the Inclusive Communities Project at the Westchester Institute for Human Development . Dan's films include Who Cares About Kelsey? , Including Samuel , Intelligent Lives , and his most recent film, My Disability Roadmap , which Dan produced along with his son Samuel, who experiences cerebral palsy and epilepsy due to...

New York City is the most segregated school system in the country for students with disabilities. The documentary " Forget Me Not " shines a light on this system and the battles many parents fight to get an inclusive education for their children. The film, released in 2021, follows parents and filmmakers Olivier and Hilda Bernier after their son, Emilio, is diagnosed with Down syndrome and they fi...

In this week's episode Emmy-award winning writer Emily Perl Kingsley shares insights from her decades-long career as a writer on Sesame Street. After Emily's son, Jason, was born with Down syndrome in 1974, she pushed to make the show more inclusive, producing a variety of episodes focusing on a range of disabilities.  Emily has written more than 20 children's books. And in 1987, Emily wrote the w...

Steven Eidelman says that we've undersold what people with intellectual disabilities are capable of doing. In this conversation he explains how we achieve the goal of making sure people with disabilities are fully included in our communities. Steven is the H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Human Services Policy and Leadership at the University of Delaware .  In this role, he focuses on community based...

Sue is President of Inclusion International , a global organization that advocates for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities into their communities as valued neighbors and citizens. Prior to that, Sue served as the director of the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research and twice served as the acting secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilita...

Matt Millett is a Special Olympics in multiple sports, a self-advocate, and a regular judge for Northeast Arc's Arc Tank competition. In this week's episode, Matt speaks about how his experiences through Special Olympics have made him a stronger self-advocate while increasing his confidence. Watch Matt's viral shot at the Special Olympics World Games About Northeast Arc Northeast Arc was founded i...

Dr. Steven Perlman is Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine. He's also the Adjunct Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Dentistry for persons with Disabilities and is recipient of the Academy's Harold Burke award in recognition of his lifetime achievement in carin...

In 2017, Felicity Buonopane was born with Down syndrome. Since then, her parents have embarked on a journey focused on supporting their daughter and creating inclusive opportunities for her. In this week's episde you'll hear from Felicity's mother, Stefani.  Stefani has a master's degree from Lesley University in dance movement therapy and is a certified yoga instructor with training for both chil...

In this week's episode Jo Ann Simons is joined by Liz Weintraub. Liz is a senior advocacy specialist for the Association of University Centers on Disability and the host of the YouTube series, Tuesdays with Liz-- Disability Policy for All. In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Liz to serve on the president's committee for people with intellectual disabilities. Liz is both a self-advocate and a...

Jim Brett has spent more than 50 years fighting for inclusion for people with disabilities. Inspired by his brother, Jack, Brett has worked tirelessly to advocate for rights and opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Brett is the President and CEO of the New England Council and is Chairman of the President’s Committee for People With Intellectual Disabilities. T...

In each episode of All Things Disability we’ll speak with a leader in the disability space to learn how they promote inclusion and opportunities for people with disabilities. Listen to this short trailer for a taste of what you can expect in our first episodes.  All Things Disability is recorded at PeabodyTV and is made possible through the financial support of the Changing Lives Fund, which was c...