When you think of professional athletes, some of the names that come to mind may include the likes of LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tom Brady. However, athletes living with disabilities can be just as impressive as their able-bodied counterparts, yet they don’t seem to get the same level of attention. So in an effort to change this, on today’s program we are talking with a national power soccer champion. Ulices Arreola is a twenty-year-old who starts at wing for the LA Galaxy Power...

The rise of right-wing power in the U.S. is the culmination of a 50 year plan to seize the reins of government power in the U.S. It has succeeded in the Supreme Court and, who knows, could take the Presidency and both House and Senate at Tuesday’s election. As the plan becomes actualized, the Heritage Foundation has gifted us with the next step – a plan for a radical restructuring of our legal and regulatory bodies written in a document called Project 2025. Unless you are inclined to policy...

When we think of disability, we often associate it with stereotypical signifiers such as wheelchairs, handicap placards, and walking canes. We see these things when we are in public and they communicate to us that the person these things belong to lives with a disability. But, what happens when we don’t see these signifiers That is exactly what we’re going to get into on this week’s program. Our guest this week is Theresa Rodgers and she lives with three invisible disabilities. They include...

This Saturday, the longest running disability film festival in the world begins. Whether online or in person, you’re sure to see diverse, unabashed and engaging cinema. In the two decades of Pushing Limits, we’ve watched the ethos of disability organizing from the 1970s be embraced by a new generation of disabled cultural workers and organizations. Superfest’s parent, the Longmore Institute at S.F. State, with its new disability cultural center is one keeper of these flames. Our guest this...

Project 2025 calls for massive changes in our government, and as usual, massive change would bring massive problems for people with disabilities. We talk about the hidden, and not so hidden, effect of this plan on our community. Project 2025, created by the Heritage Foundation has been called the blueprint for the next Trump administration. Within the document’s 900+ pages are calls for banning abortion, dismantling Medicare, taking down the Department of Education and giving the president...

How would you live your life if you knew you were going to die by the time you were 30? Would that affect the choices you make, the relationships you have, the way you look at every day? Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a degenerative neuromuscular condition that is the number one genetic killer of babies. It is extremely rare and the probability of being born with it is about 0.0001. On today’s program, we’re going to learn all about this disease that until recently was not even being tested...

Please donate online at kpfa.org or by calling 1800-439-5732 The post Special Fund Drive Programming – September 27, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode of Pushing Limits is preempted by fall 2024 special fund drive programming.   The post Special Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode of Pushing Limits is preempted by a 2024 fall fund drive special.   The post Special Fall Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

“Hola, mi nombre es Nohemy y hoy seré su intérprete”, or “Hello, my name is Nohemy and I’ll be your interpreter today”. That’s what Nohemy says to her clients as an interpreter for her local court system. Nohemy 1 On this week’s program, she will be sharing with us how she found this career path despite living with a rare neuromuscular condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. We will also be discussing how it has affected her ability to work over her lengthy and diverse career given the fact...

Sometimes, the best way to get ready is to stay ready. Those of us in the disability community know especially well how life can throw us curveballs, and we’ve got to be ready for anything. On that note, join us this Friday, August 30th, as we talk about emergency preparedness. Denny Daughters will interview Sheela Gunn who is an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at The Center For Independent Living here in Berkely. They talk about the differences between an emergency and a disaster. If it...

Spoiler alert: the world is inaccessible. Often, those in the disability community and with access needs struggle to go where they want to when they want to. We often have our entire days planned out around our needs. Additionally, it’s difficult to decide to go somewhere if you don’t know how accessible it is. Our guest today is making an effort to fix this problem by using technology. Elysia Everett Elysia Everett is a technologist and founder of the free to use app and website, Friendly...

Well, it’s time to dust off the old philosophy of ethics textbook. This week’s program takes a look at the Eugenics movement in the United States with Michael Rembis, Director of the Center for Disabilities at the University at Buffalo. Michael Rembis According to his profile on the University at Buffalo’s website, “Rembis’ research interests include the history of institutionalization, mad people’s history, and the history of eugenics. He has also studied and written about contemporary...

Becoming a lawyer is probably one of the most difficult professions one could choose to pursue. For example, one must overcome a character and fitness exam as well as the notorious BAR exam. Now, imagine dedicating countless hours to studying law, fueled by a passion for justice and a dream of becoming an attorney, all while knowing that an unseen barrier could shatter that dream. This Friday, join us for a compelling and eye-opening program featuring Val U Baul French, a law student from...

Well, let me tell you something, brothers and sisters! This Friday at 2:30, talk about disability and wrestling will be running wild on Pushing Limits! Many might not associate pro wrestling with disability, but our guests, Daniel Broz and Alexander Sing, will shed light on how disability has been portrayed in pro wrestling over the years. From matches involving little people and wrestlers discussing their mental health to partnerships with the Special Olympics, wrestling is one of the few...

Are you ready to dive into some of the most crucial legal battles impacting the disability community today? On this week’s program we welcome back Michelle Uzeta, a staff attorney from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, to break down landmark cases that could reshape the landscape of disability rights in America. In Grants Pass, the United States Supreme Court ruled that fining and jailing people experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go...

Our expert, Connie Arnold has worked to improve In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for over 35 years and she uses IHSS attendants for her own independence. She’s agreed to come answer your questions about this ubiquitous state program – the one many of us depend upon, appreciate, and want to dropkick to hell. Connie Arnold Send your questions before the show, or call us when we’re on the air at 510-848-4425 or 800-958-9008… If you struggle to get your social worker to provide the hours that...

What comes to mind when you think of mental health? Therapy? Trauma? Disability? If you happen to think of all three than this program is for you. According to the CDC, “Adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost 5 times as often as adults without disabilities”. Who better suited to help disabled individuals navigate those unique challenges than those who also share them? On this episode of Pushing Limits, we will be talking to two mental health professionals...

For a disabled person who needs a ride, paratransit sounds great. You call them up, someone comes in a wheelchair accessible van and away you go! But, the reality is not that simple! Despite the fact that more vehicles are used for paratransit than any other type of public transportation, a plethora of issues plague paratransit services. What happens when your paratransit pickup is late and you’re late for the meeting? What happens if your driver drastically exceeds the speed limit? And, why...

On a progressive college or university campus, we might assume students with disabilities are well served. But, around the county, we often hear a different story. In this program we look to a disabled leader of a local center for answers: What is the role of a campus disability resource center? How can they improve their services? How dedicated are institutions of higher learning to success for a quarter of their students? Students with disabilities in educational settings have unique and...

Rehab Session in Khan Younis. ©Photo by HI. The war in Gaza has captured the attention of much of the world, and unfortunately, it seems there is no end in sight.  The Pushing Limits gang realizes that these catastrophic events occurring most heavily impact the disability community – and worse yet, are creating new disabilities with each passing hour. On today’s program, we invite you to join us for true, real-time stories of people with disabilities trying to survive an ongoing genocide as...

Young person typing braille by George Williams Why should blind children learn to read braille? Given the amazing rise of audio books and audio screen readers, is braille a technology of the past? Our guest Mike Tanner answers these questions with a resounding “No” and, in this week’s program, makes the case for braille literacy. Most people gain literacy as children, which means parents have a strong role to play in researching their children’s needs and advocating for them with their school...

Sophia Lee-Park What is a disability advocate? How does advocacy look in this day and age with the role that media and smartphones play? How does someone advocate effectively while simultaneously negotiating and managing their own unique identities? On Friday’s program of Pushing Limits, we answer all these questions and more as we take a deep dive into what it means to be a disability advocate. Joining us is Sophia Lee-Park, a disability justice advocate and accessibility educator. Sophia...

It is the height of California’s annual budget wrangle, and Governor Newsom is planning severe cuts to programs we depend on. These programs include In Home Supportive Services, CalFresh, nutrition support, housing & homeless assistance, and others. It’s pretty dire. We have until June 15, just two more weeks, to let our Sacramento representatives know how we want tax payer money spent. Scroll down for something you can do TODAY. We bring a panel of experts from San Francisco’s...