Episodes

We’re joined by Dan and Viola Dwyer, creators of The Ginchiest to talk about the personal side of receiving caregiving services, and how they see robotics playing a role in creating greater independence for the disability community (and everyone else).

A look at the 8.7 percent increase in all Social Security payments starting this month, and the expansion of who is eligible for Medi-Cal here in California.

DOR’s Joe Xavier and former Rep. Tony Coelho on the legacy and future of the ADA.

Filmmakers and advocates Samuel and Dan Habib join us to talk about their film, My Disability Roadmap, and Samuel’s transition from high school to adult life. From prom dates to politicians, these two have some tales to tell.

We speak with disability advocates around the country, examining the state of voting accessibility and the implications of laws that attempt to restrict voter rights.

Vance talks with us about the intersection of personal preparedness and community resilience and about the future of disaster management.

We hear from disability community leaders Ana Acton and Kim Rutledge about how their unique stories led them self-acceptance, #DisabilityPride and a lifetime of advocacy.

Today, we're joined by Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Andi Mudryk, the first openly transgender person in California history to be appointed by a governor to a seat on the California bench.

The increased availability of affordable technology is creating greater access for Californians with speech disabilities through the Voice Options program.

We're joined by UC Davis researcher Prashanth Venkataram as we continue to explore the state of public transit accessibility around town and across the nation. Are self-driving cars the future of paratransit? Tune in to find out!

Calls to expand Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) are growing in California, and the U.S. In this episode, In Home Support Services (IHSS) recipients, providers, and advocates talk about why expanding LTSS is critical to independent living.

As mask mandates and Covid-19 precautions are being relaxed, we look who is being left behind as the U.S. races to return to “normal.” What are immunocompromised people experiencing at this stage of the pandemic and what are they are …

In this episode we look at the intersection of disability and climate change, discussing the disproportional impacts extreme weather can have on people with disabilities and older adults.

On this episode, we hear from Dan and Viola Dwyer, creators of The Ginchiest. They discuss the pros and cons of transportation for people with disabilities, and share their experiences with public and commercial transit, and wheelchair accessible vans.

We spend this show with Amee Medeiros of Neighborhood Center of the Arts, a nonprofit supporting people with disabilities to make and sell art. Learn how Neighborhood Center has supported artists through the pandemic and their vision for the future.

With the Build Back Better package in negotiation phase, we talk with Rebecca Cokley, of the Ford Foundation. She provides analysis on how some of the proposed elements of Build Back Better would greatly improve the lives of people with …

On this show we honor National Disability Employment Month, and celebrate the passage of SB639, ending sub-minimum wage for workers with developmental disabilities in California.

September is the height of fire season here in Northern California. We’re talking emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, and preparing for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Learn how our community can stay prepared and safe.

Check out highlights from FREED’s Our Community: An Aging & Disability Conference, which we hosted with Agency on Aging \ Area 4 in July 2021. At the conference, we focused on local implementation of Governor Gavin Newsom's Master Plan for …

We’re joined by Andy Imparato, Executive Director of Disability Rights California, the federally funded legal services agency that serves Californians with disabilities of all ages with a wide array of advocacy services.

Former host Ana Acton joins us to talk about her time at FREED, and her new role at the California Department of Rehabilitation. Plus the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund update us on vaccination efforts in the disability community.

Dan Okenfuss, Public Policy Manager at the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers joins us to discuss his extensive career in politics, his leadership in Little People of America and how their adoption program helped him start a family.

To mark International Transgender Day of Visibility, Andi Mudryk, Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation, who recently came out as trans talks with us about growing up in a disabled family and accepting her gender identity.

Studies show that people disabilities are up to 3x more likely to die from Covid-19. But early vaccine access was only granted in the wake of a massive mobilization campaign by people with disabilities. And even that prioritization was delayed.