
The Heumann Perspective
New episodes every other Wednesday! Join Judy Heumann, an internationally recognized bad-ass disability activist, in conversation with disabled changemakers and their allies. Follow us on Instagram @TheHeumannPerspective
Latest episodes

Dec 21, 2022 • 45min
“Not Going Quietly” with Ady Barkan and Nick Bruckman
The transcript for this podcast episode is available here.
About Ady Barkan
Ady Barkan is an organizer and campaigner, who Politico deemed "the most powerful activist in America." Over his career, Ady has specialized in bringing policy makers face to face with the people whose lives their decisions shape, and generating public attention and political pressure out of those confrontations. Since 2017, Ady's work has focused on health care, marshaling his own paralysis from A.L.S. to urge Americans to demand more of our government. He received his juris doctorate from Yale Law School and now lives in Santa Barbara, CA, where he works as the founder and Co-Executive Director of Be A Hero. His story is told in the documentary Not Going Quietly.
About Nick Bruckman
Nicholas Bruckman is the founder and CEO of People's Television, a production studio and creative agency that produces award-winning independent films as well as video storytelling for the world's leading brands. His feature documentary Not Going Quietly, executive produced by Mark and Jay Duplass, premiered at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival where it won the Audience Award and Special Jury Prize, and was nominated for Best Documentary and Best Director of the year at the IDA awards. The film was critically acclaimed and acquired for distribution by Greenwich Entertainment (theatrical), PBS POV (broadcast), Vice World News (international), and Hulu (streaming).
Related Links:
Not Going Quietly Website
Be A Hero Fund
People's Television
Nicholas Bruckman's Website
Watch Not Going Quietly on Hulu
Ady's Book, Eyes to the Wind
FWD-Doc
This episode's Ask Judy question came from @carlyfahey on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
The Heumann Perspective is a finalist for a Signal Award! Vote here between now and December 22nd to help us win the Public Service & Activism Listener's Choice Award.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Dec 14, 2022 • 21min
Happy 75th Birthday, Judy!
The transcript for this podcast episode is available here.
Check out the YouTube video version of this episode here.
This episode features (in sequential order):
Lachi
Joseph and Mary Heumann
Bob Williams
Elijah Armstrong
Keely Cat-Wells
Theodore Gallion
Bonnie Gallion
Spencer West
Ann Cupolo Freeman and Sam Freeman
John Beach
Lolo Spencer
Ben and Sharon Bryan
Nic Novicki
Kathi Wolfe
James Ian
Maria Town
Brent Elder
Kylie Miller and Kelila Weiner
Jorge Pineda
John Register
If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Nov 30, 2022 • 49min
Psychosocial Disabilities in Latin America with Alberto Vásquez
The Heumann Perspective is a finalist for a Signal Award! Vote here between now and December 22nd to help us win the Public Service & Activism Listener's Choice Award.
The transcript for this episode is available here.
About Alberto Vásquez
Alberto Vásquez is a human rights lawyer and disability rights advocate. He is the co-director of the Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP) and president of the Peruvian NGO Sociedad y Discapacidad - SODIS (Society and Disability). He previously served as the research coordinator for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and as a consultant for several United Nations entities, including WHO, UNICEF and the OHCHR. Alberto brings 17 years of experience in law reform, advocacy and human rights monitoring in the field of disability and mental health. In Peru, he has been actively involved in law and policy reform, including the groundbreaking reform that recognised the legal capacity of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others and abolished guardianship. He studied law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and completed his LLM in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Alberto is also a founder member of the Latin American Network of Psychosocial Diversity and an honorary fellow at the University of Essex.
Related Links:
Center for Inclusive Policy
Sociedad y Discapacidad (Society and Disability)
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
This episode's Ask Judy question came from @chrisfishabilityecology on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Nov 9, 2022 • 35min
Disability as a Creative Source with Molly Joyce
The transcript for this episode is available here.
About Molly Joyce
Composer and performer Molly Joyce has been deemed one of the "most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome" by The Washington Post. Her music has additionally been described as "serene power" (New York Times), written to "superb effect" (The Wire), and "unwavering" and "enveloping" (Vulture). Her work is concerned with disability as a creative source. She has an impaired left hand from a previous car accident. The primary vehicle in her pursuit is her electric vintage toy organ, an instrument she bought on eBay that suits her body and engages her disability on a compositional and performative level. Her debut full-length album, Breaking and Entering, featuring toy organ, voice, and electronic sampling of both sources was released in June 2020 on New Amsterdam Records, and has been praised by New Sounds as "a powerful response to something (namely, physical disability of any kind) that is still too often stigmatized, but that Joyce has used as a creative prompt."
Molly is a graduate of The Juilliard School (graduating with scholastic distinction), Royal Conservatory in The Hague (recipient of the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund Grant), and Yale School of Music. She holds an Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies from CUNY School of Professional Studies and is an alumnus of the National YoungArts Foundation. She has studied with Samuel Adler, Martin Bresnick, Guus Janssen, David Lang, Missy Mazzoli, Martijn Padding, Christopher Theofanidis, and has served on the composition faculty of New York University, Wagner College, and Berklee Online, teaching subjects including Disability and the Arts, Music Technology, Music Theory, and Orchestration. She is currently a Dean's Doctoral Fellow at the University of Virginia, focusing on Composition and Computer Technologies.
Related Links:
Molly's Website
"Perspective" Album on Bandcamp
Molly Joyce on Spotify
Molly Joyce on Apple Music
RAMPD: Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities
This episode's Ask Judy question came from @otto_types on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Oct 19, 2022 • 44min
Accessibility and Inclusion in the Tech Sector with Kate Kalcevich and Carrie Morales
The transcript for this episode is available here.
For our second episode of NDEAM, Judy interviews Kate Kalcevich and Carrie Morales. They both work for Fable, a company based in Toronto working on accessibility testing. Kate and Carrie disucss their work at Fable, their journeys to employment, and Fable's skill development program, Fable Pathways. Kate and Judy both have taught courses on Fable Pathways that you can access online, for free at fablepathways.com
About Kate Kalcevich
Kate is the Head of Accessibility Innovation at Fable, a leading accessibility testing platform powered by people with disabilities. Kate has championed accessibility since 2001. She is an IAAP Certified Web Accessibility Specialist and former UX designer and front-end developer. Kate herself has a hearing disability and is currently focused on delivering custom accessibility training to help teams upskill on accessibility.
About Carrie Morales
Carrie Morales is a legally blind accessibility tester with Fable and a freelance consultant. She was a former Low Vision Specialist, connecting patients with vision loss to aids, services, resources, and assistive technology. With her lived experiences, she created both Live Accessible and Carrie on Accessibility to spread awareness and empower others who are blind and visually impaired.
Related Links:
Fable
Fable Pathways Online Courses
Carrie Morales' Website
Carrie on Accessibility YouTube Channel
Live Accessible YouTube Channel
This episode's Ask Judy question came from @rm.13.88 on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Oct 5, 2022 • 43min
Disability Inclusion in the Workplace with Meg O’Connell
The transcript for this episode is available here.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and our first episode of this month is with Meg O'Connell. She is the founder and CEO of Global Disability Inclusion working with companies on improving their disability inclusion efforts.
About Meg O'Connell
Meg is the CEO & Founder of Global Disability Inclusion; she is an internationally recognized disability employment and inclusion expert with over 25 years of experience in human capital management, talent acquisition, performance management, disability inclusion, employee engagement, marketing, and customer service programs. Meg and her team has worked with some of the world's most recognized brands and provides strategic program design, development, and implementation of disability employment and inclusion programs for Global 500 companies, US Federal Contractors, colleges and universities, non-profits, and foundations. Her work has received numerous accolades including the Society of Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) Innovative Practice Award. She has been quoted in Huffington Post, Science Magazine, Diversity Executive, DiverseAbility, and numerous trade magazines for her insights on the employment of people with disabilities. She keynotes and presents at international conferences regularly. Meg holds a certificate in ADA Mediation and she is also conversationally proficient in American Sign Language.
Related Links:
Global Disability Inclusion Website
The State of Disability Employee Engagement Report
Employing Abilities at Work Certificate with SHRM
Amplify Disability Culture & Climate Survey
This episode's Ask Judy question came from @kylakeenan on Instagram. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Oct 3, 2022 • 12min
From A Slight Change of Plans: Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges
I'm sharing a special episode from another podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries. In this preview, civil rights icon Ruby Bridges shares what it was like to be the first African-American student to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana in 1960. Ruby was just six years old at the time, and it would be years before she fully appreciated her role in advancing civil rights in America. Hear the full episode, and more from A Slight Change of Plans, at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/scp5?sid=perspective.

Sep 21, 2022 • 41min
Later-Life Autism Diagnosis with Lauren Ober
This episode, Judy chats with journalist and podcaster, Lauren Ober. They discuss Lauren's new podcast called The Loudest Girl in the World. This is a narrative limited series podcast about Lauren's journey to discovering she is autistic at the age of 42. Enjoy this episode and please check out the description to find The Loudest Girl in the World and more podcasts with Lauren Ober.
The transcript for this episode is available here.
Follow Lauren on Instagram and Twitter @OberAndOut
About Lauren Ober
Lauren Ober, host of The Loudest Girl in the World, is a podcast host and producer, most recently of Fine Gorilla Person from Topic Studios and Audible. Before that, she hosted Spectacular Failures from APM Studios. The show was one of TIME magazine's top 10 podcasts of 2019 and has been downloaded more than 6 million times. Ober also hosted and produced NPR's The Big Listen, a nationally distributed broadcast about podcasts. In a life before hosting, Ober was an award-winning audio reporter and has been heard on shows like This American Life, 99% Invisible and Criminal, as well as all of NPR's flagship programs. She is a graduate of the Transom Story Workshop, Syracuse University and American University. A proud Pittsburgh native, Lauren currently lives in the 51st state.
Related Links:
Lauren Ober's Website
The Loudest Girl in the World Podcast
Fine Gorilla Person Podcast
Spectacular Failures Podcast
The Big Listen Podcast
If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send an email or voice recording to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.

Sep 8, 2022 • 43min
Disability Voting Rights Week 2022 with Lilian Aluri, Dessa Cosma, and YT Bell
Next week, September 12th to 16th, is Disability Voting Rights Week. Learn more about it through this episode with Lilian Aluri from AAPD's REV UP Campaign, Dessa Cosma from Detroit Disability Power, and YT Bell from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
The transcript for this episode is available here.
Additional Resources:
REV UP Networks
REV UP Disability Voting Rights Week
REV UP Resources
Detroit Disability Power
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Rutgers Research on Voter Turnout and Voting Accessibility
2017 GAO Report "Voters with Disabilities: Observations on Polling Place Accessibility"
REV UP Election Accessibility Toolkit
Nonprofit VOTE "Staying Nonpartisan" Resource
The A-Z Effect, Inclusive Campaigns
Detroit Disability Power Resources for Poll Workers
About Lilian Aluri
Lilian Aluri started off interning at AAPD in the summer of 2020, as a NYU VOTE 2020 Fellow, getting out the disability vote in the 2020 elections. Lilian then began a contract with AAPD and has since been working together with the REV UP team to continue to build the power of the disability vote, research voting accessibility issues, and also support AAPD's broader advocacy. In her current role as the REV UP Voting Campaign Coordinator, Lilian supports the national REV UP network, facilitating trainings and webinars, convening the advisory committee, organizing national voting initiatives and collaborating with REV UP organizers to advance the power of the disability vote. Lilian also manages AAPD's blog and a weekly email digest highlighting disability in the news.
As the older sister of a young man with Down syndrome and as someone with some mental health disabilities, Lilian values her role at AAPD as a chance to help create a more inclusive and just society in which all people with disabilities can thrive. Lilian studied business administration at the University of Southern California and volunteered for a student-run youth development nonprofit which drew her to mission and community-driven work. Following college, Lilian received a Master of Public Administration at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service in order to further develop her policy and advocacy skills.
About Dessa Cosma
Dessa grew up in the Deep South, splitting her time between New Orleans, LA and Augusta, GA. She's been a social justice activist for as long as she can remember, starting her environmental, LGBTQ, and reproductive justice efforts in high school. She attended the University of Georgia, earning bachelor's degrees in International Affairs, Women's Studies, and Anthropology. After graduation, Dessa moved to Detroit to work as the Senior Field Organizer for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan.
In 2014, Dessa graduated with a Masters in Social Justice from Marygrove College. At that time, she was the Michigan Program Director for the Center for Progressive Leadership, training hundreds of activists, candidates, and campaign managers across the state. She then became the Executive Director of the Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan, which she helped to start in collaboration with some of Detroit's most dedicated economic and racial justice champions. Since 2017, Dessa has been a facilitator with Allies for Change, which provides anti-oppression education, training, and resources for individuals and organizations committed to social change. She was a University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women+ Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist from 2017-2019 and was a founding design team member of the Transforming Power Fund.
In 2018, Dessa started Detroit Disability Power to grow the organizing power of the disability community and to continue bridging the gap between the disability community and larger social justice movements. She has particular interest in disability focused political work that is grounded in anti-racism and economic justice.
About Yterenickia 'YT' Bell

Aug 25, 2022 • 44min
Empowering Disabled Women with Chelsie Hill
The transcript for this episode is available here.
This episode is sponsored by Fable Pathways. Learn more here.
This episode Judy interviews Chelsie Hill, the founder and CEO of Rollettes. Judy and Chelsie talk a lot about their time together at the Rollettes Experience, Chelsie's vision for the Rollettes, and her exciting new experience of becoming a mother.
About Chelsie Hill
Chelsie Hill is a professional dancer, community leader, content creator, and Founder/CEO of Rollettes, a Los Angeles based wheelchair dance team that's committed to education, disability representation, and female empowerment. She started dancing when she was 3-years-old. At 17 years old, she was involved in a drunk driving accident, sustaining a spinal cord injury that resulted in paralysis from the waist down.
After her injury, Chelsie wanted to connect with other women in chairs and build a strong community of women who support and encourage one another. What started as 7 girls in a small dance studio in Monterey, California has turned into the world's largest network for women with disabilities, Rollettes. Chelsie was also featured on Sundance Channel's award-winning TV show Push Girls.
As an entrepreneur, Chelsie created the very first women and kids empowerment event called the Rollettes Experience with seminars to empower, educate and connect the hundreds of attendees. Chelsie and the Rollettes are creating a global movement of Boundless Babes by helping them become community leaders and live independent lives - mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Related Links:
Chelsie's Website
Chelsie's Instagram
The Rollettes Dance Team
Push Girls on Sundance TV
The Rollettes Experience
Through the Looking Glass
This episode's Ask Judy question came from our intern, Zaina Fairey. If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Check out the video version of this episode on Judy's YouTube channel.
Intro music by Lachi. Outro music by Gaelynn Lea.