Latest / Living Loud and Proud: Disability Conversations / Why Is Disability Pride Pennsylvania Doing A Podcast?
Transcript
- Phill Rosen Voice Over 0:00 Welcome to the Living Loud and Proud Podcast brought to you by Disability Pride Pennsylvania. If you need a link to the transcript for this episode, please visit our accessible website at www dot disability pride pa.org/podcast. And now, here is your host... Phill Rosen 0:26 Hey everyone! Welcome to the second episode of Living Loud and Proud from Disability Pride Pennsylvania. Today's episode is Why Is Disability Pride Pennsylvania Doing A Podcast? I'm Phill Rosen, Co-Producer of the podcast. And with me today I have my Co-Producer Ray Deca. Ray Deca 0:26 Hello Folks! Phill Rosen 0:45 And Executive Director and Founder of Disability Pride Pennsylvania, Vicki Landers. Vicki Landers 0:55 Hi! Ray Deca 0:57 Hello folks! Phill Rosen 1:00 And I just want to shout out Highmark Whole Care for sponsoring today's episode. What's going on guys? Ray Deca 1:07 Hey, Phill. Hey, Vicki, how you guys doing today? Vicki Landers 1:11 Hello, everyone! So happy to be here today. Ready to get this thing started. Phill Rosen 1:20 All right, well, I guess we should just get started. So why did we create the podcast? What was that all about? Vicki Landers 1:30 We've been, I've been talking to folks for a couple years, Ray one of them, about doing something like this. And it just seemed to be that time where, you know, we have a lot that a lot going on, you know, we are really now like focusing statewide, making sure. Finding all these different ways where we can reach people in whatever way it looks like to them. So we thought, well, you know, a podcast is something different that we haven't done yet. Just an audio people can listen. And it gives them a little information, lots of good topics, you know, just something different that we wanted to, to do and to bring to kind of the scope of our work. Phill Rosen 2:23 Yeah, okay. Yeah. I mean, I remember when we were first talking about this, Vicki, and how it definitely was about, like, kind of helping to build the brand a little bit, right, like, get a little more outreach, of course, like you just said, and, you know, to make sure that people know what's going on with our events and, and whatnot. So, I've definitely been excited to be here on the ground floor with this. Vicki Landers 2:53 Yeah, it's, you know, it's very exciting. As soon as we seriously started talking about wanting to do a podcast, there were so many people that were completely, you know, enthralled, you know, really excited about it, wanted to be a part of it. And I think it really is, to me, this is a community podcast, because we're talking to our community about topics that relate to us, and being able to bring in folks from all over PA and have some really good conversations. Ray Deca 3:32 Okay. Out of curiosity, will we be having any type of podcast that would be like, educational and entertainment coming up? Vicki Landers 3:46 Well, I think, I think that our podcasts are going to have such a wide variety of topics that I think that they'll be, sometimes they'll be both, but... Ray Deca 3:58 That's actually what I was looking to hear. Okay, cool, cool. Vicki Landers 4:02 You know, we're where we are Disability Pride, Pennsylvania, we're where the fun happens. So we want to make sure in almost everything that we do that there is fun. Ray Deca 4:14 Yeah. And considering that a lot of the events are art based. And we do a lot of outreach to people are arts related. Vicki Landers 4:27 Absolutely. Phill Rosen 4:32 Yeah, so like, what are some of the topics that we're looking to be covering in the very near future like I know that you know, Disability Pride Season is coming up, right? Vicki Landers 4:45 Yes. So excited about Disability Pride Season! We're just kind of announced the, the lineup you know, May 1st, we're kicking off with a totally different view on what Disability Pride looks like we're doing an Advocacy Day at the Capitol. Phill Rosen 5:05 Okay. Vicki Landers 5:06 We are asking folks to come in early that day, do some advocacy work with their representatives who all have to be there that day, which is why we scheduled it on that day. And then asking them to come out and join us at the steps at one o'clock as we are going to do a press conference on what's going on with the disability community and stage a little coup if you want, if you want to call it! Ray Deca 5:35 Gotta love a coup. Gotta love a coup. Vicki Landers 5:39 You'd love some good trouble, you know. And then we really kick into a brand new Disability Pride Pittston, on June 22nd. Going back to Lehigh Valley again this year, but downtown Allentown this year on July 22nd. And then we're headed up to Williamsport, somewhere I used to go to school up near there, and doing a Disability Pride Williamsport CILebration with the Roadster Freedom CIL up there. And then we'll kick off our Disability Pride Pittsburgh event on 8/24. Of going back again to Schenley Plaza where we had such a blast last year. And then of course, rounding out this year we're going to be doing Disability Pride Philadelphia, our favorite, our favorite event the one that's been going on the longest and we are partying on the Parkway again. So it's very exciting. Ray Deca 6:49 Okay, I was getting ready to ask if it was going to be on the Parkway again. Now Pittston, for those who don't know what area of Pennsylvania would that be covering? Vicki Landers 6:59 So Pittston is the cutest town, I have to say, in between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, it's about 20, 20 minutes north of Wilkes-Barre. So it's a very Northeast Pennsylvania area. And we're hoping to get folks excited about Disability Pride up in that area. And also, we're celebrating, you know, we've partnered with PA Inclusive, which is an organization that does a lot, a lot of amazing work. And they're actually celebrating their 10 year anniversary, so we're gonna get to celebrate with them. Ray Deca 7:49 Oh, great. So a compounded celebration. Vicki Landers 7:52 Yes. Ray Deca 7:52 Okay. All right. Yeah, for those who don't know, I'm assuming is, these different locations are for like, basically trying to blanket having these celebrations over different parts of PA, as you mentioned, they never had one before. Now they do. And that covers that area and those surrounding it, right? Vicki Landers 8:17 Yes. Let's say, you know, our, my hope is that, you know, every town, every group, every whoever it is, wants to put on a Disability Pride event. Because, to me, Disability Pride should be celebrated every day, and not just one day or one month. So I want people to have Disability Pride celebrations every day if, if possible all over Pennsylvania, for our ultimate goal of making Pennsylvania Disability Proud. Ray Deca 8:51 Gotcha. That's great. That's really great. Vicki Landers 8:57 So yeah, very exciting. Phill Rosen 9:01 Yeah, so, you know, I don't want to change the subject, too drastically. But um, you know, we do kind of have a bit of a unique style with the way that we're doing hosting for the podcast, right? Like, you know, it's not one set host for every episode. Vicki Landers 9:20 Yes. Phill Rosen 9:21 Yeah, so can we talk a little more about that, like? Vicki Landers 9:24 Sure. Phill Rosen 9:24 Yeah. Vicki Landers 9:26 So, you know, my goal is that this is truly a community podcast. So that way, we're not hearing from me every, every week or however often we do this, because I'm just one voice in the community. So the thought was to be able to bring other folks in to be a guest host to talk about a conversation that they would like to have. And then, you know, and then of course, always having guest speakers, you know. Ray Deca 10:02 Ah, yes. Vicki Landers 10:04 You know, all kinds of different folks doing different types of conversations, you know, we're the disability community is the most diverse community there is. And so we want to make sure that there's lots of different voices that are being had, you know, while we're doing this, so we have a, we've started up with a really good lineup, we have five or six hosts, that are gonna be doing some stuff, still coming up with more ideas, and there'll be something coming out soon where you can, you know, let us know if there's a topic that you want to you want us to talk about? Or if you have something you would like to say, and, you know, be able to set something up with us. Ray Deca 11:01 Yeah, already, I've noticed a lot of people have been reaching out about different topics to talk about. I'm assuming that pretty soon we'll have a lot of content. Vicki Landers 11:13 Yes, there's just, there's so many things already. I went to look at kind of the chart of like, what we're talking about, who we're talking with, and looked down the list, and was just like, wait, I'm like, 'Are we already over like 30 podcasts? With all of the ones that we already have on the schedule?' I was like, 'Wow!' I'm like, 'That's amazing, that we have so many already!' You know. Ray Deca 11:45 Yeah. Vicki Landers 11:46 Talking about just such the, like, a diverse look of things that are going on, we're gonna be talking about faith and disability, and talking about sex and disability, and art, you know, and what the CILs bring to the bring to the communities and just kind of, just so many different things, and talking to so many different folks. It's just really exciting to see. Ray Deca 12:15 Yeah, there'll be no shortage of a lot of content to be uploading in the coming months and years. Definitely won't be. Vicki Landers 12:23 Yes. Ray Deca 12:29 Well, let's see, we are well, branching out to a new audience like, I mean, are there? Are there any particular ones aside from different interesting topics that we'll have? Is there anyone else that we're concerned or very much so want to reach out to with these podcasts? Vicki Landers 13:03 Well, I think the goal of the podcast is to be able, this is a podcast for everybody. Ray Deca 13:11 Right. Vicki Landers 13:12 Just like the the, the celebrations that we do, you know, our celebrations aren't for the disability community. They're it. They're highlighting the disability experience. So they're for everybody. Ray Deca 13:28 Right. Vicki Landers 13:30 So that's why we want to meet we want to I think that these podcasts are very interesting for anybody who, who would want to listen to them. I mean, you know, my goal is that it This isn't only being a Pennsylvania podcast, we're a little Dis we're a little Pennsylvania focused at the moment since we are Disability Pride Pennsylvania. Ray Deca 13:56 But Disability Pride Pennsylvania has worked with people across the seas and from coast to coast. Vicki Landers 14:02 Yep! And that, you know, that's I'm hoping to keep bridging that, that, you know, those relationships that we've done, that we've gained, through, you know, through COVID, during virtual PA and things like that, you know, we were able to really expand our reach, which is why we went statewide at that point in time. But now it's, you know, knowing that there's folks from all over the world that could be that could listen to this. Maybe they get something out of it, maybe it's just entertainment, you know, whatever it is, but I think this is something for, there's something for everyone, I think in all of this. Ray Deca 14:49 And plus, also, if a lot of people aren't aware, Disability Pride Pennsylvania has had a major seat at the table of different events, whether they are in other states or across seas, international. And I think that's the reason why I kind of brought that question up again, you know about new audiences to let everybody know that there will be something for them, whoever they are. Phill Rosen 15:14 Yeah, I think that was one of the more exciting things when we were talking about the podcast in the early stages, because it's like, you know, the ability to be able to have this kind of more worldwide outreach and to strengthen the existing connections that we have is, I think, really important as an organization, and it'll continue to open new doors, new avenues that we haven't even dreamed of yet. You know, for Disability Pride Pennsylvania, for sure. Vicki Landers 15:51 Oh, absolutely. You know, it's, it's very exciting, you know, with already having conversations with folks across the country, you know, and across the world. And already in my head, I'm like, ooh, who I want to have a conversation with, I want to do a podcast with them and talk about what disability looks like in like London, England, you know, or in Australia, you know, and all of these other spaces. To and what's the art scene look like? Because I'm always completely interested in what the disability art scene looks like across the world. So any way that we can bring these conversations in. You know, our, one of our staff members, Connie, is also does a lot of work internationally. And so we're hoping that she can bring some really good conversation about what is going on internationally, like, as far as like access, and some new technology that somebody else is using somewhere that we are not using. I always see things from around around the world, checking things out, what's going on. And there's some really exciting stuff that I would love to see here in the States. So we can start having those conversations and getting people to start thinking about what those things could look like. Ray Deca 17:29 Alright, so yeah, so Okay, so we basically have given an impression of the scope of the content and as best as can be given. And also, you've talked about the upcoming events. Now, the thing that I noticed that there is a list, talking about specific podcasts that are definitely being done at different parts of the year coming up. Care to like, you know, give us like, commentary on some of those, I think is a few of them already, like over over four or five, or about four or five so far. Specific podcasts, content that we'll be putting out? Phill Rosen 18:17 Yeah, you're referring to things like International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Ray Deca 18:26 Yes, that was I believe I saw on the list. Phill Rosen 18:28 In December? Ray Deca 18:29 Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's always been a fun time. We all three of us have taken part in past events of that. Always a good time. Vicki Landers 18:38 Yes, we're really excited this year for you know, I always try and do something different for every year for International Day. And this year, we are working on something new. Connie, again, who I've mentioned before, not only is she an amazing staff person, she does work internationally, but she is also a master trainer of the DanceAbility method. And she has started some inclusive dance workshops that are going to be going on all year. And what we're asked what we're looking to do is to make do kind of a culmination of all of that on December 3 this year. In person, but also making sure we're videotaping it and so doing it live streams so folks can see it from all over, but just doing this amazing thing, and we're working on some details, but I think it's gonna be a blast, and I'm very excited about that. Ray Deca 19:51 Okay, all right. And um, oh, the thing that I'm sorry, I've got to say this the thing that I've been so excited about the Story and History of Eugenics, and that's supposed to be Halloween. Vicki Landers 20:09 I'm sure it'll come up at some point, you know, around that time. Ray Deca 20:16 True life horror Vicki Landers 20:18 For me, I'm at Halloween, you know, is my favorite time of year, it's the, I think should be every day. But we are in the works on doing our first Fund Rager because fundraisers are boring Ray Deca 20:41 Say it again, Fund Rager. Vicki Landers 20:45 Yes, it's a Fund Rager. So, we're going to have fun, it's Halloween, we're going to dress up, we're going to have a blast, raise money for some of our new programs, and just spend, spend the evening, you know, at the Academy of Natural Sciences. So it'll be a fun night. But really interested in, you know, the conversations that are going on with, you know, around that also. The, we've done some bird watching at the Academy of Natural Sciences, which was very interesting, first time that I had done any type of birding event. But yeah, I mean, these are just the fact that we can just like I was, so I like the fact that we can just have a conversation about almost anything in our podcasts, you know, there is no...The only thing I ask is that we're, you know, we're talking as, you know, as an organization, which we are a nonprofit, and that we're having really good conversations, and we're not giving out false information. And that we're course, you know, being a nonprofit, we always have to be nonpartisan, which is, which I find is much easier than I thought. Because all we do is give out the information that we're getting, which is... Ray Deca 20:59 Just the information, man, just the information . Vicki Landers 22:38 Just the information. So, so yeah, so I mean, we could we really, like can open this up and talk about a lot of things. Something really exciting that I was just talking to somebody last night is we're going to have a conversation around disability and kink and the relationship and the relationship that it has with the disability community. And, you know, there's a lot of stuff that's been going on talking about the Aviary, which is here in Philadelphia, and I'm really excited just to get into a little of that. Ray Deca 23:19 We did talk about the Capitol Crawl already, right? Yes, yeah. But, you know, was something else that I think we forgot to talk about that we will be having in our podcast coverages. to specific things in July, folks, can someone tell me what that will be? Vicki Landers 23:40 In July? Ray Deca 23:41 Yeah. Phill Rosen 23:42 Yeah. Vicki Landers 23:43 Oh, do I know what that is? Oh, I know, one of them. I know what it is. One of them. We're going to be talking about the ADA. Yeah. It is their birthday in July. You know, for some folks, it's Disability Pride Month. To me. It's the ADA celebration. It's, we want to celebrate the ADA in a couple of different ways. This year, I think it's talking to folks who were the pre ADA. Who didn't have the ADA, who had to fight to get the ADA and then talk to the other side of folks who've just been born into the ADA. And the kind of the conversation between those two and what the fight was and now what is the fight now, which I think will be really exciting to do. Ray Deca 24:51 Okay, yeah, Phill, come on. Now you can tell us. What's the other thing that we'll probably be doing in July, not probably, we will definitely be covering or doing a podcast about in July? Phill Rosen 25:03 Yeah. Well what happens in 2024, the Summer Olympics! Vicki Landers 25:07 Oh, yeah! Phill Rosen 25:09 I assume we're gonna be doing a podcast about the Olympics this year, you know, the Paralympics, Special Olympics. All that. Vicki Landers 25:16 Yes. Oh, absolutely. I think that's very exciting. Everybody's talking about the Olympics. You can't really like look at TV without there being some mention of the Summer Olympics. So, I think that that definitely is going to be a great topic. Talking about some of the different Paralympic, Paralympians. We have. I know we're going to be talking to Rebecca Levenberg, who's a Paralympian so we, I think some of those conversations will be really great. Ray Deca 25:57 Yeah. Vicki Landers 25:59 So what's next? Ray Deca 26:03 Well, I guess we could start closing out but I think it's important for to mention that we also are not going to be limiting our stuff to pre-recorded stuff. But also what folks? Vicki Landers 26:19 Some live. Ray Deca 26:21 There you go. Vicki Landers 26:24 Yes, I like... Ray Deca 26:25 We are definitely set up and ready and available for that folks. Vicki Landers 26:31 In Philadelphia, live in person. Ray Deca 26:37 That's where the studios and offices are, folks. Vicki Landers 26:41 Just want to make sure. It's not everybody knows that. Ray Deca 26:43 Right. Vicki Landers 26:44 Then we can still do. I still think there's a lot of opportunity, a lot of different opportunities that we can do stuff. So I'm just really excited about what we're gonna do and the possibilities of what the future looks like in podcasting. And so, yeah, I mean, we have a full year, and I'm really excited about it. Ray Deca 27:17 Okay, well. Phill Rosen 27:19 Yeah, perfect. I yeah, I think we covered everything we need to today. So I think it's time to maybe close out. Ray Deca 27:29 Wrap it up. Phill Rosen 27:29 Wrap it up. Vicki Landers 27:30 Bye, everyone! Phill Rosen 27:31 Thanks, Ray and Vicki, for coming on. This was so great. Vicki Landers 27:35 Yes! Ray Deca 27:36 Yes, yes, yes. Phill Rosen 27:38 Yeah. And I just want to remind everyone the Living Loud and Proud Podcast is sponsored by Highmark Whole Care. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you in the future! Vicki Landers 27:48 Bye! Ray Deca 27:50 In the future, folks, have a good day, now. Phill Rosen Voice Over 27:52 Please visit our accessible website at www dot disability pride pa dot org. You can find us on social media @DisabilityPridePA on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.