Down to the Struts

From the pandemic to civil rights protests, it’s no question the story of the past year has been told through breaking news headlines. Many of the stories shaping our world are powerfully told through image, with the help of photojournalists and everyday people with smartphones. But how do we make these very visual stories accessible to visually impaired news consumers? This is the topic of this special bonus episode of Down to the Struts. In this episode, Qudsiya sits down with Vox Editor Sean Collins. They talk about how images enhance the information in a news article, and break down the actual technology of how photo description, or "alt text,” works. As an example, Sean takes us through some images from the Black Lives Matter demonstrations of the summer, and discusses how he wrote the alt text to accompany them. Sean also shares some advice for journalists and others on writing quality alt text.

In the final episode of Season 1, Down to the Struts takes a journey into the arts world, offering an introduction to audio description and how to make the arts accessible to people with disabilities. Qudsiya and her guests also talk about what the pandemic has meant for accessibility and the arts. This episode is so full of important reflections and quotes, we wanted to bring it to you in two parts. Part 2 features Nicole Sardella, a certified audio describer who works with Art-Reach and other arts and culture organisations, and shares both her experience describing, as well as some tips.

In the final episode of Season 1, Down to the Struts takes a journey into the arts world, offering an introduction to audio description and how to make the arts accessible to people with disabilities. Qudsiya and her guests also talk about what the pandemic has meant for accessibility and the arts. This episode is so full of important reflections and quotes, we wanted to bring it to you in two parts. In Part 1, you’ll hear from Charlie Miller, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Art-Reach, a Philadelphia-based organization whose aim is to make arts and culture more accessible to people in the disability and low-income communities.

While earlier episodes of Down to the Struts have focused on how to design a more inclusive world at large, this interview looks inward, at how disabled people design and build our own spaces. Justice Shorter, Melissa Lomax, and Conchita Hernandez Legorreta are the founders of WOC World: A Virtual Community for Blind Women of Color. Driven by their values of collective leadership, disability justice, and mutual aid, they have created an active community of support, mentorship, and love for blind women of color. In this episode, Justice, Melissa, Conchita, and Qudsiya discuss navigating the world as people with multiple marginalized identities, why spaces like WOC World are revolutionary and transformative, the importance of diversity and inclusion in mentorship, and what they hope to achieve through this community. This episode is dedicated to disabled women of color everywhere. Know that you are seen, believe that you are beautiful and perfect, and remember that you are loved.

This episode dives into the world of adaptive sports, and specifically looks at Goalball, a sport designed for blind and visually impaired people. Qudsiya is an athlete herself, and in this episode interviews Karla Gilbride and Justin Chan, the co-founders of the Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes (MWABA). Their conversation explores the importance of design in making athletics accessible, the power of sports to transform lives, and beating stereotypes on and off the court.

In this episode, you’ll get to know more about Down to the Struts host Qudsiya Naqui. Interviewed by her friend, civil rights lawyer and educator Ehsan Zaffar, Qudsiya discusses her experiences with structural inequality as a disabled person, from taking the LSAT to taking the escalator. This interview was first recorded for Ehsan’s podcast “Unfair Nation: A podcast on inequality." Learn more and check out other episodes of Unfair Nation by clicking here.

Language is powerful, and the way we talk about our bodies, our experiences, and disability is no exception. In episode 2, Qudsiya interviews Dr. Sara Acevedo, Assistant Professor of Disability Studies at Miami University in Ohio. A scholar activist, she works at the intersection of Disability Studies in Anthropology, Neurodiversity, and spatial politics, specializing in critical disability studies. As a disabled woman of color, Sara uses a Disability Justice lens in her teaching and research.  In Episode 2, Sara and Qudsiya discuss the complex and fluid relationship between language and disability. They cover the differences between "person-first" and "identity-first" language, the history and impact of the word "Crip," the differences between "inclusion" and "access," and so much more.

Dr. Arielle Silverman, a disabled activist and social scientist, founded Disability Wisdom Consulting to improve public understanding of disability. In this episode, Qudsiya and Arielle discuss the history of the disability rights movement, including the ADA and what this landmark legislation left out; the experience of reconciling multiple minority identities; and the surprising innovations we all use every day that were originally created as disability accommodations.

Introducing "Down to the Struts," a new podcast about disability and design, where we uncover the building blocks for a more inclusive world. Hosted by lawyer and activist Qudsiya Naqui (she/her).