Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters

In this rich and fun conversation on Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson is joined by Miguel "El Chueco" Lugo. Miguel is a disability rights activist and a comedian based in Los Angeles, California. Miguel shares his experiences with accessibility in Mexico compared to the US; dating and romance; the value of Medicaid in life quality for him and others; stories of ableism in his life; what his mother and teachers did right, and his struggle with alcoholism as opposed to cerebral palsy.  Guest Information  El Cheuco, Miguel Lugo Links to Resources Mentioned Disability Voices United My Reality Video Es De Noche Y Ya Llegue Medicaid Cuts Vicente Fernandez    Stay Connected with Diana Diana's Website, including blog Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness  Free Resource - How to Talk with Kids about Disability Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights Thematic Unit/ Disability History Lesson Plans "Beyond Awareness" Digital Course Diana's TEDx Talk Beyond Awareness Facebook Page Diana on Instagram Beyond Awareness Tote Bag  Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt Beyond Awareness Journal/Notebook Diana's Teachers Pay Teachers Store - Disability as Diversity Diana's Trifold Laminated Resource: Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator's Guide, Published by National Professional Resources, Inc. (NPR, Inc.)   Credits and Image Description Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro. Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography. Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

In this powerful episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson is joined by Kristin Wright, Executive Director of Inclusive Practices at the Sacramento County Office of Education. Drawing from her deep personal and professional experiences—as a former California State Director of Special Education and the mother of a daughter with disabilities—Kristin shares her “why” for dedicating her life to the work of inclusion, belonging, and rightful presence. The conversation explores the harmful persistence of the medical model in education, the importance of shifting mindsets from exclusion to rightful presence, and how inclusion must be viewed not as charity, but as a fundamental human right. Kristin also offers candid reflections on systemic ableism, the political threats to essential protections like Medicaid and Section 504, and the urgent need for collective advocacy. This episode is a heartfelt call to action for educators, families, and policymakers to reimagine inclusive education as not only possible, but necessary. Guest Information  Kristin Wright Links to Resources MentionedTIES CenterDisability Voices UnitedNational Center for Learning DisabilitiesParents Helping ParentsDisability Rights CaliforniaRightful PresenceJudy HeumannChaeli MycroftAngela Van Ostran Free ASL Classes (Email Diana for details - [email protected]) Stay Connected with Diana Diana's Website, including blog Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness  Free Resource - How to Talk with Kids about Disability Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights Thematic Unit/ Disability History Lesson Plans "Beyond Awareness" Digital Course Diana's TEDx Talk Beyond Awareness Facebook Page Diana on Instagram Beyond Awareness Tote Bag  Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt Beyond Awareness Journal/Notebook Diana's Teachers Pay Teachers Store - Disability as Diversity Diana's Trifold Laminated Resource: Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator's Guide, Published by National Professional Resources, Inc. (NPR, Inc.)   Credits and Image Description Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro. Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography. Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."  

In this episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson has a conversation with Carolyn Teigland, Chief Executive Officer, and Tim Villegas, Director of Communications, of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE). They discuss changes in the priorities of the federal administration, what it means for disability rights, for inclusive educational opportunities, and what we can do going forward as families and educators. They also recommend following the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, as well as the Council for Exceptional Children for facts-based information, news, and advocacy.  Guest Information  Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education Tim Villegas Carolyn Teigland Links Mentioned  Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) Denise Marshall and Selene Almazan Council for Exceptional Children  Stay Connected with Diana Diana's Website, including blog Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness  Free Resource - How to Talk with Kids about Disability Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights Thematic Unit/ Disability History Lesson Plans "Beyond Awareness" Digital Course Diana's TEDx Talk Beyond Awareness Facebook Page Diana on Instagram Beyond Awareness Tote Bag  Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt Beyond Awareness Journal/Notebook Diana's Teachers Pay Teachers Store - Disability as Diversity Diana's Trifold Laminated Resource: Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator's Guide, Published by National Professional Resources, Inc. (NPR, Inc.)   Credits and Image Description Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro. Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography. Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

In this podcast episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson has a conversation with author, educator, podcaster, and parent, Kayla Coburn of Inclusion Starts Now. Not only do they discuss inclusion in schools, but also what parents can do to raise inclusive-minded children. Check out the links below to see all that Kayla has to offer  Guest Information  Kayla Coburn Bio   Links Mentioned Kayla Coburn Children's Books Inclusion Starts Now Podcast   Stay Connected with Diana Diana's Website, including blog Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness  Free Resource - How to Talk with Kids about Disability Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights Thematic Unit/ Disability History Lesson Plans "Beyond Awareness" Digital Course Diana's TEDx Talk Beyond Awareness Facebook Page Diana on Instagram Beyond Awareness Tote Bag  Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt Beyond Awareness Journal/Notebook Diana's Teachers Pay Teachers Store - Disability as Diversity Diana's Trifold Laminated Resource: Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator's Guide, Published by National Professional Resources, Inc. (NPR, Inc.)   Credits and Image Description Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro. Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography. Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

In this podcast episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson interviews Chet Cooper, founder of ABILITY Magazine. This was a fun interview between friends. But also a glimpse into the historical obstacles that have existed in the areas of housing, employment, and representation in entertainment for people with disabilities; as well as the ableism that has been the foundation for those obstacles that still exist today. Chet Cooper, a professional interviewer, turned the tables at the end of the interview with an important impromptu question for Diana. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and take away the gems within. Guest Information  Chet Cooper - Social Entrepreneur, Advocate, Public Speaker, Publisher, Author ABILITY Magazine ABILITY Corps   Stay Connected with Diana Diana's Website, including blog Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness  Free Resource - How to Talk with Kids about Disability Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights Thematic Unit/ Disability History Lesson Plans "Beyond Awareness" Digital Course Diana's TEDx Talk Beyond Awareness Facebook Page Diana on Instagram Beyond Awareness Tote Bag  Beyond Awareness Pullover Hoodie Beyond Awareness Raglan Baseball T-Shirt Beyond Awareness Journal/Notebook Diana's Teachers Pay Teachers Store - Disability as Diversity Diana's Trifold Laminated Resource: Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator's Guide, Published by National Professional Resources, Inc. (NPR, Inc.)   Credits and Image Description Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro. Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography. Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."