Speaking on Ability with Beth Blick

ADAPT REVOLUTION will be Able Media's new offering starting in April, 2023. ADAPT REVOLUTION is your weekly antidote to hate, greed, and ableism. The show will be recorded and distributed as a podcast and radio show each week on Thursdays, with transcripts. We are excited to get started, and we need your support! Check back here for updates next month. A transcript for this audio is available here: https://08a89928-d1e4-4bd4-a3bc-dfe6de2a29f1.usrfiles.com/ugd/08a899_ee9884eca5524b32b7dc6f3812b1f53d.pdf.

In this episode we talk to Kari Sheldon, the chair of the MN DFL Disability Caucus, and a member of St. Paul, MN Mayor Melvin Carter's advisory committee, about the importance of the disabled vote, and what it means to be involved with the political process. We have resources here for people with disabilities who are getting out to vote by Tuesday, November 8, 2022. We deeply encourage you to get involved with the political process, since it has such a huge impact on your life. Make the change you want to see! Full episode transcript available here. Go to the MN Council on Disability's page on voting for questions about where and how to vote. Do your part. Big love to all! 

In this episode, Beth talks to activist Mai Thor about her work as a Bush Foundation Fellow focused on Disability Justice throughout Minnesota. You can find the 10 Principles of Disability Justice here. Video with separate closed captioning is available on our YouTube channel here. A full transcript is available here. Keep an eye out for more information about the Dreaming Disability Justice Convening on October 20th, 2022 with special guests the Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition (convening happen quarterly, with another in January of 2023), and the Disability Justice Summit in August 2023.

This month, Beth talked to Representative Alice Hausman about housing issues in MN affecting the disability community and what Minnesotans can do to provide more choice, stability, and quality of life to those of us with disabilities when it comes to housing. Full transcript available here. ASL video coming soon! Please take a listen and keep the conversation going . . . And get involved with your legislators and the Minnesota Homes for All Coalition today!

For the February 2022 episode, Beth Blick talks to Dan Barker (https://ffrf.org/about/staff-board/item/38960-dan-barker) about the intersections of Disability and Atheism. ASL video of the episode with closed captioning is available at https://youtu.be/w9zLiA4Qm4s. Our ASL interpreter is Darrius Doe (http://www.darriusdoe.com). A full transcript of the episode can be found at  https://08a89928-d1e4-4bd4-a3bc-dfe6de2a29f1.usrfiles.com/ugd/08a899_656c71793b814ff88f2bbef1918b8508.txt. Access all of the episodes on your favorite podcast platform or at https://anchor.fm/able-media. Our host Beth is a writer for the MN Women's Press! See her first article at https://www.womenspress.com/view-what-we-need-for-the-disabled-community/

In this episode, Beth talks to Maplewood, MN City Council Member and Chair of the MN Council on Disability, Nikki Villavicencio (nikkilee1984@gmail.com), about the big things happening right now in the MN legislature that have to do with people with disabilities. Also, bowling :-) For a full video with ASL interpretation, go to https://youtu.be/ge7MCrbbgXk. Our ASL interpreter is Darrius Doe (darriusdoe.com).  For a full transcript, go to https://08a89928-d1e4-4bd4-a3bc-dfe6de2a29f1.usrfiles.com/ugd/08a899_ddfd146eeda74cc7bc93ce6c37fa6d01.pdf  You can find us on the web at ablemediamn.com

Michelle Gross from Communities United Against Police Brutality gives us the pivotal updates on the 911 Mental Health Response Bill that is currently in committee. Please visit https://www.cuapb.org to easily author a message to the 10 legislators in the committee working on the bill.

While mobile health response teams have already been developed throughout the state of MN for 911 calls, such responses have not yet been required across the board. Bill Czech and James Reilly from Communities United Against Police Brutality share info behind the current legislation and how folks can get involved. Specifically, the new legislation will be called Travis’ Law, providing for mental health crisis access to services via the 911 system, modifying Minnesota Statutes 2009, section 403.03, subdivision 1. More info can be found at https://www.cuapb.org. ASL interpretation with captions coming soon!

Michelle Gross and Noah McCourt do a deep dive into issues around police brutality centered on disabled folks. Listen to find out how you can help! More info at https://www.cuapb.org. ASL interpretation with captions coming soon!

Guest Brittanie Wilson will talk about Partners in Policymaking (https://mn.gov/mnddc/pipm), online activism, and the importance and prevalence of social media for disabled folks. She can be reached at @Brittanie.Wilson on Instagram. This was recorded right after the international day of persons with disabilities (https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/personswithdisabilitiesday). ASL interpretation with captions will be coming soon!

In this episode, Beth interviews Nikki Villavicencio and her partner Darrell Paulsen about the need for more progressive women with disabilities in public office. Nikki is currently running for Maplewood City Council here in MN for the second time. She and Darrell invite residents to their home on Fridays. More information is available at NeighborsForNikki.org.

Listen in on a conversation with Autism Self-Advocate and Founder and Director of the MN Disability Justice Network, Noah McCourt, as he and Beth discuss abuse by law enforcement, mass incarceration, the subminimum wage/sheltered workshops, and bioethics for people with disabilities. Learn about how movements for social justice are becoming more intersectional and representative, and how you can become involved. Noah can be reached at 612-203-0684 or mcnoda@gmail.com.

In this episode Beth talks about deciphering the new laws for guardianship that will go into effect in August in Minnesota. She updates the audience on her work to find suitable housing and new work coming up for Able Media.

Beth sings her original parodies of popular songs, with a focus on disability pride, rights, and social justice.

Beth gives updates on the process of ending guardianship including working with the MN ACLU and MindFreedom International. Also, Able Media is looking for board members!

Beth speaks on her experience seeking legal help as she pursues an appeals process to unseat her guardian.

Beth hosts the first episode of Speaking on Ability with her story about her fight to sever her relationship with her guardian.