**This podcast was recorded March 20, 2023** DRNY Senior Staff Attorney, Jessica Richwalder, Esq. discusses work from home as a reasonable accommodation, how to submit a request to your employer, and the steps needed to file a complaint if your request is denied. *Show Notes* Fact Sheet-"Reasonable Accommodation for Employment": https://www.dropbox…

**This podcast was recorded April 6, 2021** DRNY's CAP & PABSS program Director and Chair of the Committee on Advancing Racial Equality (C.A.R.E.), Erica Molina, Esq., is joined by Marc Fliedner, Esq., DRNY's PATBI & PAIMI program Director, to discuss what we can do as allies for the Asian and Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Sup…

**This encore episode was recorded on March 21, 2022 ** Zoe Gross, the Director of Advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), discusses the organization's mission, its resources, and the importance of preferred language for the autism community. **Show Notes** autisticadvocacy.org "Crisis in our Communities: Racial Disparities in Commun…

Mandie McGinnis, the EmpowHer Roc+ coordinator at the Disability EmpowHer Network, discusses the importance of community engagement, support, and mentorship to empower girls & women with disabilities. Show Notes: Disability EmpowHer Network: https://www.disabilityempowhernetwork.org/ Disability EmpowHer Network programs: https://www.disabilityempow…

**ENCORE: This podcast was recorded on March 13, 2023 ** Renowned disability rights advocate and Associate Professor at Stony Brook University, Brooke Ellison, PhD., discusses her journey as an activist, the importance of inclusivity and accessibility, and her latest memoir “Look Both Ways”. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Brooke Ellison…

Mary Fashik- disability rights activist, author, public speaker, and workshop facilitator- discusses her evolving advocacy in the digital space, the harms of online harassment and bullying, and how the community can provide a platform for constructive conversations. Show Notes: The Politics of Disability: https://thepoliticsofdisability.buzzsprout.…

DRNY's PAAT, PAIR, and PAVA program director, Christy Asbee, Esq., discusses the accessibility requirements for snow & ice removal in New York State. Show Notes: DRNY Fact Sheets: https://www.drny.org/page/emergency-preparedness-128.html Email DRNY at snow@drny.org FEMA resources: Snow Assistance- https://www.dhses.ny.gov/system/files/documents/202…

Shelby Edwards, the CEO, Founder, and Lead Coordinator of Inclusive Communication Services (ICS), discusses the importance of accessibility in media, ICS’s services and mission, and how accessibility formatting is being integrated in video publication today. Support the Show. To view the video of this episode with closed captioning, ASL interpretat…

Janie Mejias, the U.S. Organizer for Women Enabled International (WEI), discusses her advocacy work for the rights of women with disabilities, the intersectionality of feminism and disability, and WEI’s mission & resources. This episode was made possible thanks to a generous grant from The New York Bar Foundation. **Show Notes** - Women Enabled Int…

Welcome to Office Hours, a podcast about campus politics in the end times. We’re back after a brief hiatus for winter break! Today’s episode is a Faculty Lounge episode, where we are checking in on some current news in higher ed. We’ll be discussing the brand new faculty strike in the Cal State system and pro-Palestine faculty and staff organizing.…

Executive Director, Tim Clune, Esq., discusses DRNY's goals for the upcoming year. *Show Notes* How to Improve Early Voting Accessibility in New York State DRNY Fact Sheets: https://www.drny.org/page/fact-sheets-36.html Support the Show. To view the video of this episode with closed captioning, ASL interpretation, and/or Spanish subtitles, visit ou…

For today’s podcast we’re sharing interviews with two student activists involved in Palestine solidarity organizing on their campuses. Instead of our usual format where we bring all of our guests together for a discussion, today we’re bringing you two interviews back to back. Our guests focus on the ongoing repression that activists are facing at t…

DRNY's Executive Director, Tim Clune, Esq., shares Disability Rights New York's 2023 highlights and advocacy successes. **Show Notes** DRNY Secures Settlement Agreement for Text to 911 In Nassau County: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2vw86z2bc0x4f99/111%20-%20So%20Ordered%20Stipulation%20of%20Settlement.pdf?dl=0 Landmark Decision by US Court of Appeals …

**ENCORE: This podcast was recorded on March 8, 2022 ** Jackie John, VR-Program Manager at the Seneca Nation Training & Employment Resource Center, discusses the mission of the Seneca Nation Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR) program and the services it provides. *Show Notes* https://sni.org/ https://sni.org/community-services/terc/ https://www…

In this episode, David and Laura recap the unprecedented wave of pro-Palestine organizing happening on U.S. college campuses over the past few weeks. We also discuss the repression these movements are facing from campus administrators and pro-Israel organizations (who have a long history of targeting campus anti-Zionist organizing). We talk about t…

Kirsten Sweeney, Accessibility & Inclusion Manager at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, discusses the importance and growing need for accessibility coordination positions in the workplace, their career path, and future steps required to improve inclusion & equity for the disability community in the arts. Show Notes: Cooper Hewitt Smiths…

In this episode we speak with faculty and student organizers from three Florida campuses. In Florida, Republicans are attacking higher education on several fronts. In late October, Ron DeSantis and the chancellor of Florida’s State University system ordered college presidents to deactivate Students for Justice in Palestine on their campuses. This c…

**ENCORE: This podcast was recorded May 17, 2022 ** Marie Dagenais-Lewis, the Operations Manager at Diversability, discusses the Diversability Leadership Collective and its community that fosters meaningful connections and offers resources & opportunities to help accelerate disability leadership and influence. *Resources* Diversability Leadership C…

This week David and Laura are flying solo for a "Faculty Lounge" episode. Our topic: ChatGPT and Us. How do we respond to ChatGPT as academic workers with a radical critique of higher ed? Using recent think pieces by Corey Robin and Steven Salaita as jumping-off points, we reflect on the lack of a collective labor politics in most writing on ChatGP…

For a featured episode of "The Director's Chair," DRNY's Executive Director, Tim Clune, Esq. welcomes board member, Lisa Barone, to discuss her work at OverIt, her history with Disability Rights New York, and her experience with accessibility accommodations. **SHOW NOTES* https://overit.com/ What Stuttering Taught Me (TEDxAlbany, 2011): https://ted…

In this episode we speak with Mary Jirmanus Saba, Dana Ernst, and Sarah Abusaa. Mary, Dana and Sarah are grad student workers and union organizers with United Auto Workers 2865. In their union, Mary, Dana and Sarah organize for disability justice and their work highlights the intersectional nature of labor struggles. As listeners to this podcast mi…

DRNY’s PAIMI & PATBI program director, Marc Fliedner, Esq., and staff attorney, Alyssa Galea, Esq., discuss advocacy strategies to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in emergency preparedness and response. *SHOW NOTES* “Never About Us Without Us” webinar series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0L4INYxuDLzJi1Q5gR5sZtPbUSMwAfwc …

**This encore episode was recorded on March 22, 2022 ** Rose Ewald, a self-advocate and PhD student in the Public Health Education department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, discusses health equity for people with disabilities and ableism as a social determinant of health (SDOH). Support the Show. To view the video of this episod…

Half Access treasurer, TJ Hayes, and board member, Valerie Kraft, discuss accessibility requirements and inclusion for live music events. *Show Notes* Half Access: https://halfaccess.org/# “Disabled People to the Front”: https://halfaccess.org/disabled-people-to-the-front/ Support the Show. To view the video of this episode with closed captioning, …

**This encore episode was recorded on March 1, 2022 ** Director, Gearóid Dolan, and Associate Producer, Jessica Murray, discuss their film, "The Biggest Obstacle," and the importance of public transportation accessibility. **Show Notes** "The Biggest Obstacle": https://thebiggestobstacle.com/ https://www.facebook.com/theBiggestObstacle https://www.…

Bela Gaytán, a Technical Instructional Designer at a tech startup and a DEIA consultant to NASA Astrophysics discusses linguistic ableism as an equity barrier within our communities and how using inclusive language can enact societal and cultural change. *Show Notes* https://www.belagaytan.com/ "Embracing the Power of Inclusive Language": https://w…

Jessie Wusthoff, a DEI consultant with a focus on disabilities, and Mary Fashik, creator and host of The Politics of Disability podcast, discuss the history & sociological evolution of linguistic ableism and the harms of ableist structures within our society today. *Show Notes* The Politics of Disability podcast: https://thepoliticsofdisability.buz…

Office Hours is taking the summer off! We've handed in our grades and logged out of our work emails until the fall! We'll be back in September with more episodes covering campus politics in the end times. In this last episode, David and Laura give passing and failing grades to the best and worst of the last academic year. Spoiler: SCOTUS and colleg…

Founder of Equal Opportunities for Students, Elijah Armstrong, discusses the Heumann-Armstrong Educational Awards and advocacy for equal access in education. *Show Notes* Heumann-Armstrong Educational Awards: https://www.lls.edu/coelhocenter/heumann-armstrongeducationalawards/?fbclid=IwAR28khjodNS2d4kfvPfj4GZhifkNaPLdetYlPlcn6QxEhjcEjjdrVudIaOM App…

Jara Barrett, Esq., staff attorney at Disability Rights New York, discusses traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and available services & accommodations in New York State. *Show Notes* TBI Medicaid Waiver Program: https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1111.pdf Nursing Home Transition & Diversion (NHTD) Medicaid Waiver Program: https://www.health.ny.gov/…

John Robinson, CEO of Our Ability, Inc., discusses current trends and developments in technology and its relationship to accessibility for the disability community. *Show Notes* Our Ability, Inc. : https://www.ourability.com/ Overit Media: https://overit.com/ Section 508 Compliance: https://www.ny.gov/accessibility ADA Guidance on Website Accessibi…

**Content Warning** for discussion of sexual harassment and assault. We do not include any graphic or detailed descriptions, but they are discussed in general terms throughout the episode. Today’s episode looks a little different from our usual format. Laura talks with a good friend from UC Santa Cruz, K, about our participation in an organizing ca…

Producer, Frank Petka, and featured performer, Nick Fergus– better known as “Nick Lightning”– discuss their documentary Nick Lightning (2021), upcoming developments, and the importance of disability representation & inclusion in media. *Show Notes* "Nick Lightning" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp0Wt2MuUk4 Follow Nick Lightning on Facebo…

In this episode we talk with Conor Tomás Reed, an organizer and educator with a new book called New York Liberation School: Study and Movement for the People’s University, out this month with Common Notions Press. The book is a people’s history of CUNY, the City University of New York. It follows students and faculty as they created new forms of ra…

Co-founder and New York Director of the ReelAbilities Film Festival, Isaac Zablocki, discusses the mission and goals of the festival, the importance of equity in arts & media, and shares information for the upcoming New York event. *Show Notes* Website: https://reelabilities.org/newyork Summit: https://reelabilities.org/summit Festival and Summit P…

In this episode we discuss an adjunct unionization campaign that took place at Seattle University, a private Jesuit college in Seattle. The campaign began in 2013 and won a majority vote to unionize with SEIU, but the Seattle U administration sued to stall the vote count. Then, when the votes finally got counted, the admin refused to recognize the …

Jermaine Greaves, the founder of Black Disabled Lives Matter (BDLM) and creative behind the brand “Not Like the Other Kids”, discusses the mission and development of BDLM, his experience as an activist, and his work for brands and events. *Show Notes* Follow Jermaine: Website: https://jermainegreaves.com/ Twitter: @Jermainesay -- https://twitter.co…

Welcome to our first "Faculty Lounge" episode of Office Hours. David and Laura hang out in the faculty lounge, microwave a couple frozen burritos, look in all the empty drawers for forks but find only Splenda packets, and manage to track down some expired powdered non-dairy creamer for our vending machine coffee. Then we get cozy in our lounge chai…

David and Laura talk about the fall 2022 faculty strike at Eastern Michigan University with Matt Kirkpatrick. Matt is an associate professor of English and held various leadership positions in EMU’s faculty union, which is AAUP. During the contract campaign and strike Matt was on the union’s negotiating team. In the interview we cover a range of to…

Laura and David discuss the recent UC strike with Magally A. Miranda Alcázar, a graduate student in the Chicanx and Central American Studies Department at UCLA. Maga was a participant in the strike and active in the rank-and-file movement to push for a No vote against contract ratification. Interviewee bio: Magally A. Miranda Alcázar is a doctoral …

Laura and David discuss the recent UC strike with Magally A. Miranda Alcázar, a graduate student in the Chicanx and Central American Studies Department at UCLA. Maga was a participant in the strike and active in the rank-and-file movement to push for a No vote against contract ratification. Interviewee bio: Magally A. Miranda Alcázar is a doctoral …

In this episode we talk with two faculty organizers at South Seattle College about building horizontal rank-and-file power within the faculty union. Zahra Alavi teaches English Language and Adult Education at South Seattle College and is a member of AFT 1789. Charlotte Brun is a faculty Librarian at South Seattle College and is also a member of AFT…

Today we're looking at an ongoing organizing campaign by students and faculty at Salem State University, a Massachusetts public college, to expose campus debt and resist austerity measures being imposed by the school administration. We interview two faculty members, Joanna Gonsalves and Rich Levy, who have been involved with the Campus Debt Reveal …