ADVOCATE FOR INDEPENDENCE
Empowering People Through Advocacy
January 2021
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A monthly publication from our Disability Rights and Advocacy Specialist,
Patrick Ober, JD, PhD
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Hello again, CILO supporters and Disability Advocates! Below is our monthly highlight of law, policy, and advocacy issues to know and learn about related to people with disabilities and independent living.
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Making New Year’s Resolutions? Here’s One That You’ll Actually Enjoy!
Many people start a new year by making resolutions about things they will do or change to improve their lives. One easy resolution you can make to be a better advocate is to expose yourself and others to more and more voices of people with disabilities. Podcasts are an easy and enjoyable way to make that resolution stick around throughout the year! Below are suggestions for podcasts run by people with disabilities talking about disability rights, empowerment, and living.
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Northeast Ohioan Doug Belcher hosts a podcast where he listens to individuals with autism share their own stories, experiences, and advice on anything from jobs to relationships to self-identity and empowerment. Guests include authors, artists, married couples, those with autism who also identify as LGBTQIA+, and more. This podcast shares perspectives and insight across the spectrum of life.
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Joyce Bender hosts a podcast focused on competitive employment and empowerment for people with disabilities. She speaks with individuals across the country about how people with disabilities can secure career opportunities, and how employers, organizations, and individuals can support employment and empowerment of people with disabilities.
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Mai Ling Chan and Martyn Sibley’s podcast focuses on entrepreneurs and service providers dedicated to assisting people with disabilities. Guests range from teachers and authors to fashion designers and filmmakers. Conversations range from the work they do, to what motivates them, and how various industries aim to provide support for independence and empowerment of people with disabilities.
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San Francisco resident Alice Wong hosts a podcast about life from a disabled lens. She talks about politics, culture, and media with other people with disabilities. If you are interested in disability rights, social justice, and intersectionality, this is definitely a podcast worth following.
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Nicole Kelly and Sarah Tuberty powerfully deconstruct disability through candid conversations with experts exploring topics related to disability. They look to educate, empower, voice, and build a more inclusive society.
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Advocacy Advice for People Without a Disability
The inclusion movement has been critical in raising the voices and leadership of people with disabilities, no longer “spoken for” by someone else. As a result, advocating for disability rights when you are not someone with a disability has necessarily changed over the years as well. Forbes Magazine disability rights contributor and self-advocate Andrew Pulrang shares a fantastic opinion piece with advice on how to be a successful ally in the disability rights and inclusion movement if you do not have a disability.
Advocacy / Community Education Opportunities this Winter
Are you an employer or in charge of hiring for your company? Are you an advocate interested in learning more about employment of people with disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act’s reasonable accommodation requirements? Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities is offering a fantastic monthly webinar series discussing major topics related to employment and the ADA for people with disabilities. Participate in this fantastic training opportunity so you can educate yourself and others in your community about the importance of an inclusive and diverse workforce and how you can make it happen!
If you or someone you know uses the Metro Bus system to travel in Cincinnati, there are upcoming opportunities to learn about improvements to major routes and provide input as to how they can be improved! Beginning January 12, Metro will hold seven virtual community meetings to update the public and collect feedback on the service improvements going into effect in June 2021 and beyond.
The Reinventing Metro plan focuses on transportation improvements that include improved connections to jobs and new employment centers, increased frequency, expanded service hours, new routes, and enhanced customer amenities.
The community is invited to attend the below virtual meetings to learn more about each route improvement:
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Please reach out with any comments or questions.
Thanks for reading, be sure to check your inbox next month!
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