1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. Welcome to stuff I've 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: never told your production of iHeart Radio, and yeah, welcome 3 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: to women around the world. This month month of July 4 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: is actually Disability Pride Month. And I didn't really know 5 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: what this existed until recently, did you? Annie? No? I 6 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: did not. In fact, you were the one that told 7 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: me about it. Yeah, and I'm not gonna lie. I 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: feel like a really bad ally and very able us 9 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: and not knowing about this month. But we are here 10 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: to correct that and make sure everyone else knows as well, 11 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 1: because I think it's really important that we are continuing 12 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: to have this conversation for disability rights and being advocates 13 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: and allies for those as well. And that includes making 14 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: sure that our government is recognizing the needs and the 15 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: rights of those who are disabled, including about insurance, which 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: that's a whole different conversation in itself, and how oftentimes 17 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: when disabled people get married, they lose their insurance and 18 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: then they lose a lot of financial help and a 19 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: that they should have the rights to. I feel like 20 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: this should be a part of our responsibility as in 21 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: a country to actually help and advocate and seek to 22 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: get health care for everyone, including and especially the disabled 23 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: community who are oftentimes discriminated against within the health care 24 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,639 Speaker 1: industry in the first place. So Happy Disability Pride Months 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: to all of our listeners and we hope you are well. 26 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: And because of that, we also wanted to continue on 27 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: and focus on disability rights advocates and we are talking 28 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: about an amazing advocate. Olah Abou al Gabe. Al Gabe 29 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: was born in Neblis and Palestine and at the age 30 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: of twelve, she had an incomplete tetraplegi, a spinal injury 31 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: caused by two and due to this major health issues, 32 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: became permanently disabled. So she did go through hardships in 33 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: many roadblocks, she was a fighter and refused to stop 34 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: moving forward. Because of her disability. Many of the schools 35 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: around her would not accept her, but she was able 36 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: to advocate for herself and convince her family to let 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: her live with an englishwoman and Bethlehem to attend a 38 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: private school. At the beginning, she was not allowed to enroll, 39 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: but she was allowed to attend and listen, but soon 40 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: was able to earn high enough grades for her to 41 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: start the school as an enrolled student. The cause of 42 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: the school eventually would be too expensive for her family 43 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: to be able to cover, but that would not stop her. 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: She made her way to the Palestinian Ministry of Social 45 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: Affairs to request the scholarship, but she had to get 46 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: even more funds, and while at school, she was able 47 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: to connect with the German organization that advocated and assisted 48 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: disabled students and they were able to see how active 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 1: she was already in advocating for disability rights in her community, 50 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: and al Gabe was able to get a full scholarship 51 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: through them to help fund for these outside out of 52 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: just attending the schools, room and board and all of that. 53 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: And she never slowed down. While attending high school, she 54 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: worked with the physiotherapy department at Bethlehem University to include 55 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: disabled characters and children's stories to bring representation for other children, 56 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: and she pushed herself to become independent and defied people's 57 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: assumptions and biases about her disability. She continued to push 58 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 1: for change and disability rights. In college. She worked with 59 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: a campus construction committee to make the campus more accessible 60 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: by working with the engineers at the university to change 61 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: the campus set up, and she would go on to 62 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: earn a master's and project management at the Berset University 63 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: at Ramala, and of course she continue to work managing 64 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: projects related to medical and rehabilitative services for the disabled, 65 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: including working with a rehab center in Palestine in both 66 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: public relations and development. And she didn't just stop at 67 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: buildings and policies, but also with cars and teaching herself 68 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: how to drive when she was able to advocate in 69 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: getting a vehicle specifically geared for her are. She even 70 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: met with a former Palestinian president to get her license 71 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: because she was initially refused, so she worked and got 72 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: I mean that's amazing, Yes, and her experiences have continued 73 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: to push her to become the fierce advocate that she 74 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: is today. She has used her own winds and challenges 75 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: to fight for the disabled women in the Middle East. 76 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: With almost twenty years of experience, she continues to use 77 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: her expertise in international development and inclusive social policies for 78 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: people with disabilities. She founded the Stars of Hope Society 79 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: in two thousand and six, which is an organization that 80 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: quote focuses on the empowerment of women with disabilities in 81 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: the Middle East, and when she was awarded those Choka Fellowship, 82 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: they wrote this about their organization quote Ola established Stars 83 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: of Hope Society SHS and pursues a two pronged strategy. First, 84 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: she advocates for the rights of disabled women, a new 85 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: concept in Palestinian society, the Levantine region and most of 86 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,359 Speaker 1: the Arab world, where disabled women are often kept hidden 87 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: from society. Second, provides direct individual services and training to 88 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: empower disabled women to become active members in their communities. 89 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,799 Speaker 1: Arranges and mobilizes disabled women by providing them with necessary 90 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: skills such as negotiation, presentation and communication skills. In addition 91 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: to counseling, medical and rehabilitation services. To create awareness and 92 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: educated society, Ala developed national advocacy campaign that highlights discrimination 93 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: against disabled women and demonstrates their potential. But this is 94 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: just one of the many organizations she is deeply involved in. 95 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: She is the Director of Global Influencing and Research at 96 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: Leonard at Cheshire, which is an organization that supports individuals 97 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: with disabilities and living their best lives and advocating for 98 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: their rights and independence. Al Gabe also is Vice sharing 99 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: the International Disability and Development Consortium and representing them on 100 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 1: the policy board of the UN Partnership for the Rights 101 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: of Persons with Disabilities and in twenty nineteen, she was 102 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: appointed the manager of the Technical Secretariat of the U 103 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: N Partnership of Persons with Disabilities. That is quite a mouthful, 104 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: but you know it's in pressent. It's true. And Yeah, 105 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: she's someone who is not slowing down in any way 106 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: to five quality and equity for women with disabilities. And yeah, 107 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: continues to show and to ensure disabled women are more 108 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: visible and that they are empowered. Her record alone is impressive. 109 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: Her continued work, her fight from childhood to now, it's phenomenal. 110 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: I could not imagine trying to hunt down the president 111 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: because I couldn't get a license. Uh. That tenacity alone, 112 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: it shows how amazing of a woman she really is. 113 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: And she continues to push and being able to do 114 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: this internationally like she is a phenomenal individual making sure 115 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: that change happens is beautiful. I love it. Yes, Yes, 116 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: this is one of our favorite things, these stories like 117 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 1: this And if there is someone we should be covering 118 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 1: in this segment, we would love to hear about them. 119 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: You can send your suggestions to our email, which is 120 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 1: Stephanie da mom Stuff at iHeart media dot com. You 121 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: can find us on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast on 122 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: Instagram at Stuff I Never Told You. Thanks as always 123 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: to our super producer Christina, thank you, and thanks to 124 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: you for listening Stuff I Never Told You prediction of 125 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcast from my Heart Radio, 126 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you 127 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.