L Vance Taylor ‘Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services‘ is a long title, but an important one.  Vance Taylor, diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of seven, tells us how his lived experience as a person with a disability molded him for this extremely rare position that gives him access to the ear of the governor.       Join us as Vance Taylor explains the intricacies of his job, which include visiting actual areas...

What does it take to run for office as a person with a disability? Rebecca LaMorte We talk to Rebecca Lamorte, who ran for city council in New York on a platform on disability rights.  Listen as she talks about her experiences running for a major office in the Big Apple. We also talk to Ventura City Council Member Liz Campos about working at a city hall that is inaccessible, her challenges finding accessible housing, and how she ran a successful campaign on only $3,000. Liz...

Sarah Rodriguez In a world where she could be anything, Sarah Rodriguez became a certified professional dog trainer.  Many would have imposed limitations on her in their minds because Sarah Lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a rare neuromuscular disease that affects individuals’ control of their voluntary muscles.  She is living proof that individuals living with disabilities are just as capable dog trainers and pet owners as their able-bodied counterparts. On this...

Last day of the fund drive.  Great programming today. The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – December 15, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Special Fund Drive Programming – December 8, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Hilary Blackerby What do a dance teacher, a pastor, a community advocate, and a home care worker have in common? If you said they all could be allies to those with disabilities, you’re right!       Rev. Dr. David Moore Jr. On this episode of Pushing Limits we will be talking to individuals with those labels – all of whom work to support and empower those with disabilities. Hannah Jo Karpilow                     Join us for a journey into the mind of these allies to find out what motivates...

Ellie Goldstein We present a selection of tunes from artists with disabilities: a rock band whose members are Deaf, a jazz number about dealing with clueless social service providers, disability pride hip hop, and a xylophone short from Denny Daughters – who also edited and voiced this program. Plus a band comprised of neurodiverse students from Cal State East Bay and more. Great music, great musicians and some relaxing fun. Produced by Jacob Lesner-Buxton. The post Musicians with...

Have you ever ended up on one side or the other of a lawsuit related to disability?   If so, KPFA listeners want to hear from you! Call Friday during the live show: 510-848-4425 or 800-958-9008. The business community likes to complain about disabled people who make a living suing them for the lack of accessibility.   Have you ever been one of these people?   Ever sued your landlord or a government agency for not allowing you to live in an apartment or participate in civil life?   If so, what...

Injured Man. Photo by Gigi Ibrahim In this program, Pushing Limits brings you information about disabled people in Gaza who are affected by the Israeli invasion. Then, your host, Eddie Ytuarte, shares other news of special interest to the disability community and spins some music by musicians with disabilities. Photo: Gigi Ibrahim Text Description: A man with a beard and mustache lays flat in a simple hospital bed. Both arms are hoisted to the side with tubes and bandages. There is a canola...

Chelsea Lesner-Buxton   Chelsea Lesner-Buxton is a legally-blind woman in her late 20s who lives with emotional disabilities. In this program she talks to her about her abusive childhood and her intense struggle to find a reason to live. In only two-three years, her life has improved significantly and she believes she has the tools to continue with this firm foundation. She tells us how she found those tools, why they have been such a help to her and speaks directly to those who may feel...

We talk to two able-bodied individuals who are attracted to people with disabilities.  Some of the individuals have referred to themselves as  “devotees”.  Not everybody likes this term but there is a community that uses the term to find support for their sexuality as well as a way to find disabled people who might be interested. Three Disabled People Take a Selfie. They need no one to prove their attractiveness. We feature interviews with Sarah Mae from Canada as well as “James” from the...

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs every Friday from 2:30-3 pm. This program was a rebroadcast of our Oct. 13th show: Judith Lesner, Disability Ally The post Judith Lesner, Disability Ally – Pushing Limits – October 20, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Judith Lesner with her son Jacob and another friend Judith Lesner came to the disability rights movement early in her life as a counselor for Camp Jenad, which was memorialized in the Oscar-nominated movie Crip Camp.  When her son Jacob was born with cerebral palsy, Judith turned her early experiences into fodder for a life of effective, able-bodied ally-ship.  Among her other work, Judith taught thousands of parents in workshops to better advocate for their children’s rights in school...

The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – October 6, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – September 29, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – September 22, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

From Flicker, Photo byufcw770Medicare-Bakersfield-2017-07 Why Socialism?”   An answer ~ through the lens of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Our guests are Kristen Smith & C.S. Jackson from the DSA Disability Work Group.  They believe the Democrat Socialists of America is the best alternative to the two major parties, and will represent people with disabilities well. This is an opportunity hear a discussion certainly missing from commercial radio. Produced and hosted by...

Brothers Jacob, 23, and Joshua, 21, have been dealing with severe degenerative joint issues, navigating a health care system that does not treat young people with respect, and trying like hell to advocate for themselves and maintain mindfulness.   Vertical Mouse used by both brothers. Since high school, Jacob was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Joshua with subluxation of the ECU (extensor carpi ulnaris) tendon in both wrists and ECU instability.   Both live with their parents and are finding...

First:  Imagine driving a 60-foot, 21-ton vehicle through the crowded, energetic streets of San Francisco on a daily basis. Next:  Imagine doing it while stuttering every time you speak. This is the daily life of Dustin Wells. Dustin Wells describes himself as a happy man. Did you imagine that? Hear more about Dustin’s years of silence and shame, and the support and philosophy that has moved him beyond all that. ———— We proudly air another episode of the podcast, “Proud Stutter” produced and...

Dogs Comfort People in Crisis Jennifer Barbettini We talk to Jennifer Barbettini, who runs the Courthouse Facility Dog Program in Ventura CA. The program connects victims of crime to doggy comfort when they testify in court and when interviewed by detectives. Mark Ruefenacht We also talk with Mary Hooker and Mark Ruefenacht with the National Institute of Canine Service and Training. Among its other programs, the organization provides emotional support dogs to first responders around the...

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – August 18, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Sean Kelson, Program Manager of Interlink, Santa Rosa, with Chonchita. Peers and Mental Health Recovery with Sean Kelson Our guest, Sean Kelson, has faced mental health challenges since he was a child.  He’s also spent over a decade at the Interlink Self-Help center in Santa Rosa, California, helping other people make peace with the mental and emotional disabilities.  Now, he’s talking to the movers and shakers in Sonoma County’s wine county about the need to invite sobriety into our...

Disability and the media – the good bad, and the cringe. Danielle Hollobaugh We air excerpts from a conversation about how Hollywood presents people with disabilities hosted by Santa Barbara’s Independent Living Resource Center Rapid Response Committee.   Then we talk to New York-based comic, Mike Cotayo and Florida-based actress singer-songwriter Danielle Hollobaugh about their experiences as disabled people in the industry. Mike Cotayo The horrors of inspiration porn.   Programs that do a...

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Pushing Limits – July 28, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

A half-hour radio show providing critical coverage of disability issues and bringing the insight of the grassroots disability movement to the general public. The show alternates weekly and airs on even weeks Friday 2:30pm. The post Pushing Limits – July 21, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.