Disabled artists advocate for inclusive education through art and storytelling. About The Guest(s) Oaklee Thiele is a young artist and disability advocate. She co-founded The My Dearest Friends Project with DisArt in March 2020 to create a public platform where disabled people could share their stories and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawrence Carter-Long is the Director of Communications for DisArt and has a background in disability advocacy. He joined the organization in 2022 and has been instrumental in expanding the reach and impact of The My Dearest Friends Project. Summary Oaklee and Lawrence discuss The My Dearest Friends Project and its connection to the Nothing Special campaign. The project was created to provide a platform for disabled people to share their stories and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hashtag #NothingSpecial was developed to challenge the idea that inclusive education is something special and should be the norm. The project aims to collect stories from disabled students and educators to create a curriculum that promotes inclusive education. Oaklee shares her personal experience of facing ableism and inaccessibility at her college, highlighting the need for change in educational institutions. Lawrence emphasizes the importance of listening to disabled people and involving them in the decision-making process to create truly inclusive environments. Otter.ai Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/GPeQmpvj6RC85c7fD2ie4o-eyx8 Key Takeaways The My Dearest Friends Project provides a platform for disabled people to share their stories and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.The hashtag #NothingSpecial challenges the idea that inclusive education is something special and should be the norm.Inclusive education should be woven into the foundations of institutions and involve listening to disabled students and educators.The project aims to collect stories to create a curriculum that promotes inclusive education.Personal connections and collaborations are essential in creating inclusive environments. Links The My Dearest Friends Project: https://mydearestfriendsproject.org/ DisArt: https://www.disartnow.org/ Oaklee Thiele: https://oakleethiele.com/ Email: [email protected] MCIE Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-List Website: https://www.mcie.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inclusionmd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusionmd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/ Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.