Disability INC.

Unprepared: How People with Disabilities Paved the Way for Emergency Preparedness in NYC

Susan Dooha, Executive Director at The Center for Independence of the Disabled, NYC (CIDNY) and Ruth DiRoma of INCLUDEnyc discuss the movement to ensure that all New Yorkers are safe during emergencies. When they filed their first lawsuit against the city in 2011, demanding emergency planning that addresses the universal needs of residents, little did they know how soon the arrival of Hurricane Sandy would put the city to a life and death test. Find out what happened, and what we expect in the future.

Advocacy, Activism, and the Future

Susan Scheer, CEO at the Institute of Career Development, founder of Access-A-Ride and Jean Mizutani of INCLUDEnyc discuss Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act/IDEA, which were all born of the vigorous activism of people with disabilities and their allies. This conversation explores the current state of activism and leadership at a time when our hard-won rights are increasingly vulnerable.

Defining Disability

Disability has long been defined by an individual's impairment and the notion that each disabled person should rely on medicine and health care to fix or cure themselves. Others define it by the social, political, and environmental barriers that society creates. Join Lori Podvesker of INCLUDEnyc and Dr. Jessica Bacon, Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Montclair State University, as they explore how the opportunities, experiences, and education available to people with disabilities are shaped by the lens through which society views disability and calls on each of us to rethink our definition of disability.

Integrate NYC Schools Now!

NYC has a long-standing school segregation problem that affects students of all age ranges and runs across school programs, disability, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Students, parents, and advocates are making news headlines as they call for meaningful integration across city schools. Matt Gonzales, Director of the School Diversity Project at NY Appleseed, explains the scope of NYC’s school segregation problem and the promising work happening to meaningfully integrate our schools at last.

Unpacking the Endrew F. Opinion

Steven Alizio interprets the landmark Special Education Case, Endrew F., a unanimous Supreme Court opinion from 2017 establishing higher expectations for all students, including those with cognitive disabilities. This reinterpretation of the critical free appropriate public education (FAPE) requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is good news for all who care about higher achievement for our students.

Steve Alizio is a special education attorney in private practice and former INCLUDEnyc Junior Board member. He taught in a public high school on Long Island for 7 years before earning his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

From Shakespeare to Speechless: Disability in the Media

People with disabilities face social stigma and misunderstanding stemming from what they see and hear from movies, books, newspaper, Internet, even advertising. When people are bombarded by daily misrepresentations, they can take root and create stereotypes, reinforcing negative images and ideas about people with disabilities. Learn how authentic representation of people with disabilities in the media is a foundational component in an inclusive society.  

Matt Conlin was previously the Digital Accessibility Fellow for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, adjunct professor and speaker at the CUNY School of Professional Studies. From the arts to higher education, Matt has advised how to create inclusive spaces. He is a Fordham University and CUNY School of Professional Studies alumnus and is currently enrolled in the advanced certificate for youth studies for youth development work.

One Sibling’s Journey: On the Bus & Beyond (Part 2)

INCLUDEnyc’s Family Educator Kaitlin Roh continues the conversation with Rachel Simon, a sibling of a woman with a disability and author of Riding the Bus with My Sister, on what has happened since Rachel stopped riding the bus. They dive into how relationships as adult siblings change, the importance of support networks, and advice for caregivers and parents as they grow and build those relationships.

The Sibling Support Project is a nation-wide project dedicated to the concerns of and support for siblings of individuals with special health, developmental, and mental health concerns: www.siblingsupport.org.

Bumps and Turns from a Sibling’s Perspective (Part 1)

In any family, relationships among brothers and sisters are unique and important. Siblings can be friends and secret-keepers, as well as rivals and combatants. This relationship can be impacted by a sibling’s disability, shaping the experiences of both individuals throughout their lives together. Rachel Simon, author of Riding the Bus with My Sister and The Story of Beautiful Girl, discusses her own journey and relationship with her sister Beth and all the bumps and turns that happened along the way.

For more information on Rachel Simon and her writing, check out her website: www.rachelsimon.com.

Preschoolers with Disabilities

Jean Mizutani and Chris Treiber, Associate Executive Director for Children's Services at the Inter Agency Council of Developmental Disabilities (IAC), discuss the changing role of private schools that serve three and four year olds with the most significant disabilities, and how the expansion of public preschool in NYC affects them.

A Family Affair

One of the hardest things parents of children with disabilities face is creating a vision for how our kids' lives will look once they become adults. How much independence and autonomy is wise? What does it look like and what are the risks? Hear one father's story.