See ME. See My Ability

Welcome to this special episode of See Me, See My Ability, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible athletes of Arc Southern Maryland who recently competed in the Special Olympics! We’re celebrating determination, teamwork, and the power of inclusion as we hear from participants and supporters who made this unforgettable experience possible. From countless practice and training sessions to com...

A conversation with Tracy Wright, the Deputy  Director of Training, Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, People On the Go, Maryland, with Arc So MD podcast host, Rita Rich. While we're enjoying the fireworks and the cookouts, remember that educating others about disability rights and the abilities of the IDD community is still a great topic of discussion on American Independence Day.  ...

Communications skills, or using one's voice, adaptive technology, mobile apps, and the written word, have been emphasized in recent See Me, See My Ability Podcasts. This episode, Horses Know Us Best, a visit to the Greenwell Foundation in Hollywood, Maryland, is all about horses' magical abilities to know what we want and need without using any sounds. For many in the IDD community, this is a gods...

Meet advocates and Arc allies, Lance McLemore is a member of ImpAACt Voices’ Board of Directors, and ImpAACt Voices volunteer and advocate Chris Klein, who recently authored a book titled My Big Toe: A Story of Perseverance. There's a reason why ImpAACt is spelled with two letter A's in the middle, as well as a capital C. Those A's stand for Augmentative Alternative and the "C" stands for Communic...

There's nothing that puts the brakes on your social life like not having some wheels at your disposal. But, the participants of Arc Southern Maryland, thanks to generous grants from The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) and the Maryland Department of Aging, have wheels. It's called the Ability Cab. Two St. Mary's County residents are in love and have grown their relationship thanks to the Ability Cab. ...

The IDD community loves to be social and together. But, sometimes those with intellectual or developmental disabilities have problems picking up on when people are flirting with them, or want to have a conversation with them, or just want to hang out. If you’ve ever watched programs on cable TV featuring those on the Spectrum, you’ll be interested in this podcast. It’s about the people who advise...

We're always in training at the Arc Southern Maryland. Our personal support staff and others are always learning how to be better teachers and aides to those who use our services.   An expert named Emoke Fox, a seventeen-year veteran of working with those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, from a company specializing in teaching safe ways to have all sorts of relationships, visited...

There's still time to plan to attend our Day at the Derby on Saturday, May 3! It's at the beautiful Perigeaux Winery in St. Leonard, in Calvert County, Maryland.  https://perigeaux.com/   This is our Fourth Annual Day at the Derby and promises to be better than ever! Find out more here at arcsomd.org/derby New this year, we're naming the Queen and King of the Derby! You'll get an introduction to t...

Suppose you are a parent or relative of a person who was diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability, and you want to learn more about post-grade school/public school help. In that case, Stacey Warner is your go-to person.  Ms.  Warner spoke to our podcast's host, Rita Rich, about the services she is helping families navigate in our three-county region of Maryland. Listen and learn...

This is the second of two episodes celebrating Women's History Month with Arc St. Mary's resident and lifelong St. Mary's County resident Cheryl Knott. Both sides of Cheryl's family tree have called Southern Maryland home since the 17th Century before there was even a United States of America. Cheryl's own experiences as a woman with birth defects and physical disabilities show how social barriers...

In honor of Women's History Month, this is the first of two episodes featuring one of our friends and residents, Cheryl Knott. Cheryl has roots in St. Mary's County Maryland that go back to the rule of King Henry VIII of England, when the state was one of the English colonies. Listen as Cheryl talks about growing up with physical disabilities and how her family and others advocated for her, and ot...

If you have new cell phones or Pad-type personal computers consider downloading Voice-to-Text apps. They help people who, for many reasons, have trouble speaking. One types words into a gadget and an artificial voice speaks out loud for them. This episode was produced at the Twin Beaches Branch of the Calvert County Library and features Connor Porecki, his parents Benjie and Kathleen, podcasting s...

Correction: 3/11/2025 Re the contact to get in touch with People on the Go Southern Maryland please contact For more information on joining the group, please contact Alyssa Thomas  athomas@arcsomd.org . Ms. Weed is no longer the primary contact for more information even though you are hearing her voice in this podcast.  Self-advocacy is one of the things that the podcasting class and the See Me. S...

This is a special bonus podcast episode! We usually post bi-weekly. But we have a call to action. Alarms have been sounding throughout the developmental disabilities communities about the proposed changes to Maryland's State Budget that would cut staff and services for us and our loved ones. On January 16th the ARC Montgomery County organized a closed call with the CEO of the ARC Maryland, Ande Ko...

The Charles County Charitable Trust encourages collaboration between all the nonprofit organizations they support. There's a practical reason for keeping track of what could be considered your competitors. With tight state and federal budgets, less money will come from Washington, D.C., and Annapolis in the form of grant dollars. So, localities, like Charles County and its Charitable Trust, will h...

Leading authorities want you to get a job even if you're still in middle or high school even if you may have been diagnosed with Autism or be an individual with other developmental disabilities. It's about developing a work ethic.  In Calvert Country, one of the three counties the Arc Southern Maryland serves, this podcast episode also tells you about one program that helps high school students en...

We're looking back at special moments from behind the scenes in our podcasting classes at the Arc Southern Maryland, and playing back some memorable moments from our completed productions of See Me. See My Ability. Many thanks go to all who have taken and hosted our classes at the Spring Dell Center in LaPlata and the Calvert Country School in Prince Frederick. We look forward to continuing our wo...

Kevin Detwiler is a 54-year-old client of Arc Southern Maryland. He's a retired substitute teacher who has held a variety of jobs while partially paralyzed and using a wheelchair. Natasia Herbert is a 27-year-old mom with a baby on the way. She says she loves working for Arc clients and gives a shoutout to her supervisor in Saint Mary's County. Listen to their uplifting and positive stories of mee...

The Arc Southern Maryland thanks all those who gave money to us during November. We call all the Tuesdays in this month Giving Tuesday. For almost two decades the Tuesday after Thanksgiving was proclaimed by charities and other nonprofit organizations Giving Tuesday.  Listen to our development manager Renee Seigley explain why the concept was extended throughout November, and how the Arc's friends...

In this episode of See Me See My Ability we're going to explain how Marylanders with all abilities or limitations will be able to increase their access to money and the freedom to save or spend it any way they like.  Meet the director of  at State of Maryland ABLE Program Betty Anne Mobley. Able accounts are a way for people with disabilities and their families to save money without jeopardizing s...

Whether you're 25 or a 105 the idea of having others take care of your needs can be a sticky topic. In this episode of See Me See My Ability the Arc Southern Maryland talks to an attorney about how you can bring up the target if you are the one taking care of others, or if others are taking care of you. Laws change and are in the process of changing in Maryland, so the advice you might have been g...

Since 1988 October has been declared National Disability Employment Awareness Month. “NDEAM,” celebrates the value and talent workers with disabilities add to America’s workplaces and economy. The Arc Southern Maryland talked to a government contractor recruiter who knows quite a few scientists and technicians with top clearances who are on the Spectrum or have other disabilities. So, don't discou...

We've wanted to feature a guest who can speak frankly about the challenges married couples and their families face when one family member is diagnosed with special needs. Discovering the online community created by Carrie Cariello was a real find! She provides no-holds-barred accounts of being part of that special community. And, this podcast was an exceptional conversation that we cannot wait for...

See Me, See My Ability tackles the tough topic some parents of neurodivergent or IDD students face:  restraint and seclusion in our schools of their sons and daughters. Restraint and seclusion crisis management strategies are used in many schools nationwide and worldwide. But, what if we all, friends, neighbors, teachers, and security forces, better understood our sons and daughters? We talked wit...

The Arc Southern Maryland facilitates the training of police and other security personnel on handling encounters with people like our clients. These are young men and women with developmental disabilities, varying communication abilities, and sensitivities to sounds and lights. In this, the second part of our special two-part series Calvert County Deputy Sheriff Corporal Nick DeFelice talked with...