1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: This episode is dedicated to the memory of my friend 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Michael Brooks, a brilliant podcaster and even better friend, rest 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: and power. There Are No Girls on the Internet as 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio and Unbossed Creative. I'm 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,319 Speaker 1: bridget Todd and this is There Are No Girls on 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: the Internet. This week marks the thirtieth anniversary of the 7 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: Sighting of the Americans with Disabilities at and even though 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: the World Bank estimates that the world experiences some form 9 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: of disability, sometimes it can feel like our world is 10 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: built for able bodied people alone. But even in a 11 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: world that isn't always accessible or inclusive, people with disabilities 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 1: still love themselves, love their bodies, and are worthy of desire, 13 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: love and joy. And when that kind of self love 14 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: isn't represented in the media, they change the game to 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: make sure it's included. Anyway. My ringing was very typical 16 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: Black girl upbringing. My mom was very much a person 17 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: who was like I'm raising you Kia, like I would 18 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: raise your twin sister Leo or your older brother Eric. 19 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: There was never anything where it was like if they 20 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: got scooters or bikes or roller blades or whatever, we 21 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: would figure out away for me to get that too, 22 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 1: and we'd figure out away for me to be able 23 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: to do those things as well. She was very keen 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: on making sure that I knew that I may have 25 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: had to work a little harder, but I was going 26 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: to be able to do what they were doing, because 27 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: she wasn't gonna take me using um disability as an 28 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: excuse for anything. In writer Kia Brown created a movement 29 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: on social media because how I write, the fact that 30 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: having a disability doesn't mean you have to hate your body. 31 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: Her debut book, The Pretty One, chronicles all the things 32 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: she loves in life, Hollywood, football and being born with 33 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: cerebral palsy and learning to love herself and her body. 34 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: But she didn't always feel this way. In your book, 35 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: you write about yearning to be what you call normal 36 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: and yearning for refuge from a steady stream of hate 37 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: society strengthened inside of you. How did society make you 38 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: feel that way? Um? Really through the messaging with you know, 39 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: advertising and like representation in media, and the only time 40 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 1: that I would see someone who looked sort of likely 41 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: never liked me completely because you know, I've never heard that. 42 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: But whenever I would see someone it was because of 43 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: those UM you know, like very exploited telethons, and people 44 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: were always staring when I would enter public spaces. And 45 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: even before I realized exactly what disability meant, I knew 46 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: that the stairs that I would get from people who 47 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: didn't know me, didn't care to know you, didn't love me. 48 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: We're always negative, you know. They always looked at me 49 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: with a sort of like pity or with this like 50 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: inherent disgust. And even as a child, I picked up 51 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: on that very easily. This lack of representation really impacted Kia. 52 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 1: If people who look like me aren't getting shown love, 53 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: she thought, then I must not be worthy of it 54 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: at all. The people that were getting the happily ever afters, 55 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, the people that were getting the love or 56 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: the attention or the excitement in their lives, where people 57 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: who didn't look like me. So I really did aid 58 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: in my own self hatred because I was like, I 59 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: must not be worthy enough if I'm not being represented. 60 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 1: Do you ever have that little voice in your head 61 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: that says mean things about yourself. You're worthless, you're ugly, 62 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: you're lazy, you don't deserve love, you don't deserve good things. 63 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: It can really get a stuck in a loop of 64 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: negative self talk where we start to really believe and 65 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: internalize those things. To get to the other side, Kia 66 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: had to unstrain her brain out of negative self talk 67 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: to go from self hate to self love. She started 68 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: out each day by saying four nice things about herself. 69 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: Breaking the cycle of negativity took a lot of work. 70 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: So how did you get to the other side of 71 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: that to feel like someone who was worthy of love 72 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: and desire and all those good things. Yeah, I mean 73 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: I always say too that it's a constant effort. You know, 74 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: It's like every single day I have to still do 75 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: that work. And for me, I mean it took a 76 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: lot of crying and a lot of promising myself that 77 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: like there was something worthy on the other side of it, 78 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: and it just took this sort of like exhaustion with 79 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 1: beating myself up. And so for me, it was like 80 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: every single day I would say the four things that 81 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,359 Speaker 1: I liked about myself, of course in the mirror, but 82 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: I would also um actively stop actively try to stop 83 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: a negative thought in my brain. So my brain would 84 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: be like, oh, you're worthless, and I would counteract that 85 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: with examples of when I wasn't quote unquote worthless or 86 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: when someone needed me, um and when they cared about 87 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: me or did something just because they wanted to. So 88 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: I really had to actively train my brain to reroute 89 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: itself from my inherent negative thoughts about myself. And I 90 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: mean it's not easy work. Like I said, I'm still 91 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: doing it every single day, And it wasn't necessarily as 92 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: simple as saying four things in the mirror. But those 93 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: four things in the mirror were catalysts to me allowing 94 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: myself to then work to retrain my brain to stop 95 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: itself from saying things like oh, you're not worthy of love. 96 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: Here this you're that to send. You are worthy of 97 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: love just as you are. You are worthy of care 98 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: and kindness and joy as much as anyone else. Um. 99 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: And so yeah, it's been a it's been a journey 100 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: because I think with the hashtag disabled and you, a 101 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: lot of people were like, oh, well, you know you're 102 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: you fixed yourself, you know you're happy now. But I mean, 103 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: it isn't every single day constant battle to remind myself, 104 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: especially now in these current political times, to remind myself 105 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: that all this work that I've put in is worthy 106 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: work and that work just means that even though I 107 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: have to keep doing it every day, that just means 108 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: that that makes it that much more important, because it's 109 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: necessary to work at so that I can wake up 110 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: every day and be the best version of myself, not 111 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: only for myself, but for the world at large, for 112 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: people who don't see people like me every single day, 113 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,359 Speaker 1: and I'm their window in. When Kia first tweeted a 114 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: few selfies, He's gonna hashtag disabled and cute, she wasn't 115 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: expecting to start a movement it would be a call 116 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: for people with disabilities all over the globe to celebrate 117 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,799 Speaker 1: their bodies. She was just looking at selfies of herself 118 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: and thinking, damn, I look good. Walk me through how 119 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: you were feeling on febye right twelve when you first 120 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 1: tweeted a selfie using the hashtag disabled and cues. I 121 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: felt like a bad bleep. I really felt so good 122 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: that I felt so good that day. And I was 123 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: looking at those pictures, and there were pictures that I 124 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: had taken before the twelve, you know, but I was 125 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: looking at them with this like excitement and this renewed 126 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: sense of self worth. You know. I was like, Oh, 127 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: you didn't even know it. But first of all, Kia, 128 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: that outfit that you have standing up by the door 129 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: in one of the pictures slaps you look fantastic. Your 130 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: skin looks clear, like all these things that I didn't 131 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: see when the pictures were taken. I just woke up 132 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: that morning and I was like, we still feel so 133 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: good about ourselves. It's time to celebrate now. If you 134 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: know anything about me, I'm very online, and so I 135 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: was like, I'm going to celebrate on Twitter, and um, 136 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do so with the idea that I'm both 137 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: disabled and cute. So I was like, oh, I like 138 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: the way that sounds disabled and cute, not either, or 139 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: so I picked the pictures that I thought I looked 140 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: my cute tasting, and then I posted it, thinking like 141 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: a couple of my friends would retweet it because they 142 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: loved me, and like I wanted other people to use it, 143 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: and I'm pretty sure in the threat, I was like, 144 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: I hope that people use this. And then by the 145 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: end of that week we had went viral. And then 146 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: the end of next week it went global and I 147 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: people were like, were you expecting that? I was like, no, literally, 148 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: I was expecting five people to retweet it and be like, girl, 149 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: you look so cute, and I would be like, love you, 150 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: thank you, and that would be the end of it. 151 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 1: So it is interesting the way that like it sounds 152 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: so cliche to say, but I wasn't expecting to go viral, 153 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: and maybe that's why it happened. After the hashtag went viral. 154 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: Kis has magazines that she previously didn't feel pretty enough 155 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: to ever see herself. Then we're calling to interview her. 156 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: But more importantly than that, other people with disabilities were 157 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: able to share their stories online and feel connected. The 158 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: internet helped her have that thing. We're all looking for 159 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: a sense of community and belonging and a chance to 160 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: feel seen. If not for social media, that might not 161 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: have happened. I think without it it wouldn't have been possible. 162 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: Like I just think that we live in a world 163 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: where if I didn't have the Internet, I wouldn't have 164 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: the career that I have. For the opportunities that I 165 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: have had, and it's like I've worked hard for them. 166 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: Let me be clear, no one's handed me anything, but 167 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 1: the reach that comes with social media um is not 168 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: to be discounted, you know, And so much of the 169 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: work that I've done has been so much about me 170 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: sharing my personality along with the work, and so people 171 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: will be like, oh, I want to work with Kia 172 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 1: because I think she's funny and she's talented, or like, 173 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: I want to work with Kida because this tweet made 174 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: me and like I didn't know she wanted to talk 175 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: about this, and now I'm going to give her the 176 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: opportunity to talk about it. Like it's just it's very 177 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: interesting the way that um social media works because I 178 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: tweet and instagram as though nobody is actually looking at them, 179 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: and then you find out that they are, and they're like, hey, 180 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: I want to help in anyway I can. Like there's 181 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: that that sense of community, that that feeling of belonging 182 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: in a way that I never had before. You have 183 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: one of my favorite quotes of all time. Twitter is 184 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: like a trash can on fire, but it has all 185 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 1: the things you love inside the trash can. Can you 186 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: tell me more about that? But that's it's really what 187 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: it's like. It's like, yes, this place is a mess. 188 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: You know, there's so many things wrong with it, and 189 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: like some days you're just like this is the worst place. 190 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: Why am I still here? But you stay because first 191 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: of all, you have people that you go about. You know, 192 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: you can talk freely about so many things. You know, 193 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: I can jump from talking about a TV show too, 194 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: a movie to talking about how attractive like Keiki Lane 195 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: and and eat just Elba are, or to talk about 196 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: like politics or disability issues. And so for everything that's 197 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: bad about social media or places like Twitter, there's a 198 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: hundred things that are good about it, you know, the 199 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: fostering of community for me, meeting people who have become 200 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: such inherent press of my life through social media first, 201 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 1: you know, and through Twitter first, and now these people 202 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: I talked to every single day, these people I trust 203 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: with so much of my life. And so Twitter is 204 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: a dumpster fire, but there are so many good things 205 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: about it. And so even when it's, you know, on fire, 206 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: you can go to a corner of the Internet that's 207 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: not and you can find solace there. And so it's 208 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: it's special in that way because like all things, nothing 209 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: is perfect. But so much of what I find keeps 210 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: me going and back to Twitter is the relationships that 211 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: I've made there and the things and the ability to 212 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: be able to say what I want to say and 213 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: not apologize for the space that I take up on 214 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: the internet, you know, and to not apologize for having 215 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: an opinion, you know, because I think a lot of 216 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: black women um particularly to like black disabled women, we 217 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: don't have offline spaces where we're as heard or as 218 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: seen as the Internet makes us or allows us to be. 219 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick break and we're back. It's funny 220 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 1: hell on the time of COVID, workplaces and events and 221 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: activities are all making it so they can be done remotely. 222 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: But disability activists have been calling for the world to 223 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: be more accessible for a long time, and it seems 224 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: like everyone else is just now catching up. This is 225 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: a huge problem. When spaces aren't accessible, voices get shut out. 226 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: Kia says that's one reason why the Internet can be 227 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: such an important space for people with disabilities in an 228 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:09,719 Speaker 1: I r L world that isn't always built with them 229 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,839 Speaker 1: in mind. Online folks can build their own little corner 230 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 1: of the web to find community and connection. A lot 231 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: of places are inaccessible, you know, and so when we 232 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: talk about the specific, the specificity or specific or whatever, 233 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: the specific sactifical character to work septicity of you know, 234 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 1: things like disability places are inaccessible. There's no places to sit. 235 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: Elevators don't work, railings you're broken. Um, there's just no 236 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: place to rest. Whereas like if I'm on the internet, 237 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 1: I can be on the Internet from my bed or 238 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: from a chair in my house, or you know, I 239 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 1: can show up and be like this is who I Yeah, 240 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: I mean, this is what you're gonna get. And I'm 241 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 1: not apologizing because it feels like that, um, that that 242 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: meme of uh Shara being like who's gonna check me? Boo? 243 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:08,839 Speaker 1: Because like you, like, you have trolls and people who 244 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: say negative things, but at the end of the day, 245 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: like who's gonna check me? Like who we were? What? 246 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 1: What are you gonna do that? I like me living 247 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: out loud and being happy and and sharing my stories 248 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: and you know, manifesting things and like talking about my experiences, 249 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: Like what are you gonna do about it? You can't 250 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: be like, oh no, you can't do that on your 251 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: platform because I'm gonna be who I am regardless and 252 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: in places where I feel like, um, black women in 253 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: particular are shut out by white voices, whether that's male 254 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: or female. We can go on the internet into our 255 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: own profiles or whatever, and we can say the things 256 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: that we've wanted to say in those spaces where we're 257 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: often shut out or just ignored or we never get 258 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: the chance to speak. There's no one going before us 259 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: in our own spaces that that you know, might take 260 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: up too much time or we just ran out of 261 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: time to hear from you. On the Internet, there's never 262 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: someone running out of time to hear from you. You 263 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: get to be your opener and the main act. You 264 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: don't have to be like, oh, well, you know, I'm 265 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: just waiting my turn, just biding my time. No, you 266 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: just get to be able to be your full self 267 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: whatever you want to share with the world, and no 268 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: one's gonna be like, oh, um, let me speak for you, 269 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: which I think makes the Internet that much more special 270 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: because like they can't be like, oh no, you're talking 271 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: too much. I mean people do, don't get me wrong. 272 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: They'll be like, you're talking too much about disability, you're 273 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: talking too much about queerness, you're talking too much about blackness. Um, 274 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: but I can also be like black black black, and 275 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: black of the black black. And so it's nice because 276 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: you are really able to share your full self without 277 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: having to be like I don't have to tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etcetera, 278 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: etcetera on my page in this community that I've created, 279 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: and there's nothing you can do about it. Like you 280 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: can be mad, but you can't stop me from trying 281 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: to create disgrace where the people that I care about, 282 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: my people and myself feel comfortable like all of us. 283 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: Kia is a multifaceted person with a wide variety of interests, 284 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: things she's good at and things she likes talking about. 285 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: On Twitter, you can find her talking about disability rights 286 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: in one moment and lipstick in the next. This shouldn't 287 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: come as a surprise to you. We're literally all like this, 288 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: but there's an underlying assumption for folks web disabilities that 289 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: that's the one thing that defines them. Do you ever 290 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: feel that people you know expect you to only write 291 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: about disability and disability activism online as if that's like 292 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: the only thing about you. Yes, they do, they absolutely do. 293 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: They're like um, like the A D A is the 294 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: A D thirty The anniversary is coming up, and I've 295 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: gotten so many articles like will you write about it? 296 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,400 Speaker 1: Will you do this? Will you do that? And these 297 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: same people, some of them you know, I'm like, peck, yeah, 298 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: I'll write about it, Like what do you mean? I 299 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: care about this thing? But so many other people would 300 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 1: not have reached out to me to write about it, 301 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: for write about anything else for the publication, just the 302 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: disability stuff. And I think for a while that really 303 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: bothered me because I was like, why can't you see 304 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: that I have other interests? Um? Why can't you see 305 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: that I am a fully realized human being that isn't 306 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: just always your disability, uh, your disability, let as liaison 307 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: and um. And then then I got to a point 308 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: where I was like, I'll tell these stories, but remember, Kia, 309 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: you can also say no, And saying no for me 310 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: is really hard. I'm like a inherent professional people please, 311 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: but like just like professionally, Like I can say no personally, 312 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 1: but I never can say no professionally. It teams and 313 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: so I'm working on that. But also it's just like 314 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: if somebody gives me the opportunity and they're like, hey, 315 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: I want you to touch on disability, what they don't 316 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,120 Speaker 1: understand is they're going to get a trojan horse. I'll 317 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: touch on disability because you want me to, Like, I'm 318 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 1: gonna do the requirements of the job. But I'm also 319 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 1: going to talk about other things, because I've decided that, 320 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: you know, especially in writing The Pretty One, so many 321 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: of those essays were me talking about things that I 322 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: was never going to get the opportunity to in freelance pieces, 323 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: and me talking about religion and talking about music and 324 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 1: and talking about pop culture on a deeper level. That 325 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: was my trojan horse. I was like, I'll talk about disability, 326 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 1: We'll talk about the hashtag, we'll talk about what it 327 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: means to be disabled, we'll talk about CP and exploit 328 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: of teletons. But I'm also going to talk to you 329 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,880 Speaker 1: about paramore and generally bad up. And I'm gonna talk 330 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: to you about cheesecake and the wild thorn berries, and 331 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: I'm going to talk to you about clothes and these 332 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 1: other things that I never ever ever get the opportunity 333 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: to talk about in this book. And then it took 334 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: the book being published for people to be like, oh, 335 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: so you do like clothes, and you do like um 336 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: um TV, and you do like this thing that me, 337 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: this person who's not disabled also enjoys. I said, Wow, 338 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 1: isn't that isn't that something the way that happens how 339 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: we all have you know things that we enjoy whether 340 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: we're disabled or not, that disabled people are actually people 341 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: and not just their disability magic. Um. So it's it's 342 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: been interesting now because I feel like I'm I'm in 343 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: a better place where, um, I can say no to things, 344 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: but also I can assert the fact that there are 345 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 1: certain things that I want to talk about and then 346 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to talk about. And it's like, you know, 347 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: you come on that ride with me, or you get 348 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: left in the dust. So how do we get to 349 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: a place where the assumption is, of course, this person 350 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: is a multifaceted, complex human being. How can we get 351 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: to a place where that's the default? And that's something 352 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: you have to kind of trick people into understanding. Yeah, 353 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: I mean, what a question because may mean it's too 354 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,120 Speaker 1: big of a question. I mean it kind of is. 355 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: But I think it really does take effort on their part. 356 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: Two ensure that they're willing to learn, and they're willing 357 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 1: to see people who don't look like them in some 358 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,919 Speaker 1: way as human beings inherently, Like you can't just be 359 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 1: the job of disabled people or queer people or black 360 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: people or other people of color. Two say hey, I'm human, 361 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: Hey I'm a fully realized person just like you. Like 362 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: that whole thing about reaching across the aisle exhausts me, 363 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: because reaching across the aisle for somebody who's holding a 364 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 1: gun to your head, like, but you know what I mean. 365 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: I think that it's an inherent societal thing where it 366 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: can't just be the marginalized people begging them oppressors to 367 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: see our worth. It has to be a fully collective 368 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: like willingness for the people in power, specifically for me 369 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: in terms of representation on TV and in film, to 370 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: show aspects of lib realities that aren't so steeped in trauma, 371 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: so that the only time that you see someone who's 372 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 1: different than you is so based in trauma and death 373 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 1: and pain that you don't see them as real human beings. 374 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 1: You see them as these sort of objects that take 375 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: nothing but constant pain and trauma and torture. Like black 376 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: people know joy, disabled people know joy, Creer people know joy, 377 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: and some of us at those intersections of all three 378 00:21:55,680 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: or four or five or six or whatever, we experience happiness. 379 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: And so why is it that the only time we're 380 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: valuable is when you can mind our pain for entertainment, 381 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 1: you know? And so I think a lot of it 382 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 1: will really start with representation. And I think that, of course, 383 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: representation isn't the issue. It's not going to save the world, 384 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 1: but it's a start. More after this quick break and 385 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: we're back now from marginalized people. Representation isn't the end 386 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 1: all be all, but it is something. And for as 387 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 1: many Americans experience some kind of disability, disability representation is 388 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: pretty dismal. In most movies and TV shows, Either a 389 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: character with disability is shown hating their body and hating themselves, 390 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 1: or maybe, if they're lucky, they experience a fleeting, temporary 391 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: love before dying and finally being quote free of their disability. 392 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: In a piece for teen Vogue, Kia wrote about the 393 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: way that people depicted the late Stephen Hawking after his 394 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 1: death as finally being free of his wheelchair in the afterlife. 395 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. As Kia points out on her piece, 396 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,439 Speaker 1: Hawking didn't really have a big problem with having a disability. 397 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: In fact, he says, if anything, they helped him in 398 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: a way by shielding him from lecturing and administrative work 399 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: that he would have otherwise had to have been involved in. 400 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 1: So why are people so quick to erase disability or 401 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: assume that people that have disabilities hate their bodies and 402 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,160 Speaker 1: their disability. Kia wants to open us up to more 403 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: nuanced and complex depictions of disability, even if it's something 404 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: she has to create herself. I want to create things 405 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: TV or film that showcase people like me in the lead. 406 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: But let us go beyond the idea of like, oh, 407 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 1: we ate ourselves, like life sucks. Why don't you just 408 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: like let me done? How could you love me? This 409 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: is what I'm missing out by being disabled. This is 410 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: the life that I had before, because right now, this 411 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: reality representation is so caught up in this idea that 412 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: like people come with disability and they lose so much 413 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: value or joy in their life. And it's like, but 414 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 1: what about us who were born this way? You know, 415 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: I've been disabled since nine ninety one, okay, and like 416 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: I've never known anything else, and I don't feel like 417 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,439 Speaker 1: I'm missing out on anything. I feel like this is 418 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: who I am, and I am allowed the full spectrum 419 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: of human emotion. And it's about time that I see 420 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: a movie where the disabled girl gets the love interest 421 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: and she doesn't die. And sure I had to write it, 422 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 1: but hopefully you know what I mean. But hopefully it'll 423 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 1: get made. And I have all these ideas for this 424 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: medium that I love so much, to be more inclusive 425 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: and to be broader and um just more fun. I 426 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: think that, like what I always say is we critique 427 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: the things we love the most, right I'm very um 428 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 1: much a person who critiques Hollywood because I love Hollywood. 429 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: I love the idea of creating something that people can 430 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: watch in a theater, creating something that they can watch 431 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: from their computer on Netflix or Hulu or any sort 432 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: of streaming service. And because I love it so much, 433 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, fine, if I have to be the person 434 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,360 Speaker 1: who creates the representation, great, because I know it will 435 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: be good. I'll rewatch it, you know. You know, I 436 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: have faith in whatever it is that I'm creating. But 437 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: it's also that like it's hard because you get these 438 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:45,920 Speaker 1: moments where things happen and they're like, oh, we're looking 439 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 1: for this. But I wanted to not be so much 440 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: of a moment and more of a movement, to have 441 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: it be a thing that propels forward and not just 442 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 1: this one off thing where like, oh you get to 443 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 1: be the one in the room just the you know, 444 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 1: because nobody wants to be by themselves. I don't want 445 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 1: to be the only one in the room, which is 446 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: a podcast that I love, but I want to be 447 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: among people that look like me, not just me being 448 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 1: the person that's like, hey, I'm speaking for X, Y 449 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,880 Speaker 1: and Z delegation, right, Yeah, I mean it's it's so 450 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: it's so easy for marginalized folks to be pigeon held 451 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: or pigeonholed in that way where okay, we have we 452 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,719 Speaker 1: have the one who is going to check that box 453 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: and now we can now we can say we've we've 454 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: achieved diversity or something like that, like as opposed to 455 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: really being interested in in building out an inclusive room 456 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 1: or an inclusive space or an inclusive audience or what 457 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: have you, right, And it's like it's it's just frustrating 458 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:49,400 Speaker 1: because it's like that onus is so often on us, 459 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 1: you know, like it's so often on us to be 460 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: the ones to be like let us then, you know. 461 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,159 Speaker 1: And I think Gabriel Union was the one that said, like, 462 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 1: I don't want to see at your table. If I 463 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: had to been to get in the room, I'm going 464 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 1: to create my own table. And I think what has 465 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 1: to happen is that like we are going to have 466 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: to create our own tables. You know, we are going 467 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: to be able to be the ones that um create 468 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: our own tables and try our best to populate them 469 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 1: with people that we think are worthy. Because I don't 470 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: want to be the person that UM. I don't want 471 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: to be the person that's like, oh, yes, you chose me, yea. 472 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: I want to be the person that's like, here's here's me, yes, 473 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: but also here's five other people, here's six other people. 474 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: Here people that you should be listening to. It's funny 475 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 1: that you mentioned Hollywood. There's this movie that I loved 476 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: growing up, like loved in like college when I was 477 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: sort of ARTSI artsy college kid, Emily. And there's a 478 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: scene in the movie Have you seen the movie Emily? Yes? 479 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,719 Speaker 1: I have. So there's a scene in the movie Amily. 480 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: So Emily is meant to be this like quirky, you know, 481 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: sweet French girl. And there's a scene where there's a 482 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,360 Speaker 1: man who is blind and she takes him by the arm, 483 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: and it's played as if it's this like very sweet 484 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: thing that she does for this this man who is blind, 485 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: where she takes him and she describes all the things 486 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 1: that he can't see because he's blind. And looking back 487 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: now as an adult, I realized how fucked up that 488 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 1: is that and how it was played to be like, oh, 489 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 1: like she's so she's so in touch with humanity that 490 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:25,919 Speaker 1: she does this, and how insulting it is that she 491 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 1: swoops in and like, you know, runs this guy around 492 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: town and it's sort of the audience is meant to 493 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,919 Speaker 1: think that it's a sweet gesture. You know. It's so 494 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: clear to me that Hollywood needs voices like yours who 495 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: can actually tell authentic stories about what it is like, 496 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: what the experience of being a person with disabilities is 497 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: actually like. And when I watched that movie, now I'm like, well, 498 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: clearly they didn't have anybody in the room who could 499 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: speak to that experience, right because I watched Well, so 500 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: I watched it in this Um, I think it was 501 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: a film and alters class and like, I argue this 502 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 1: very point even befo. It's so funny that I that 503 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: I did, because in college I wasn't as vocal about 504 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: what was going wrong and in terms of representation as 505 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: I am now. Um, but yeah, even back then, I 506 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,239 Speaker 1: was like, no, what is this why, Like why did 507 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: Why are we supposed to think that this is so great? 508 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 1: I mean, we had like sections and people were like, oh, 509 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 1: it was such a sweet moment, and I'm like, no, 510 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: it wasn't. She just like took this guy. He was 511 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: minding his own business, and she was just like, let 512 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: me show you all the things you can't see. Like 513 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 1: it was just very um what I call inspiration born, 514 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 1: And it was very steeped in this idea of her 515 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 1: being this like savior and doing this good deed for 516 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: the day. And I just was like, ill, it's disgusted 517 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: because that's that's what people think we want, you know, people, 518 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: and and and I think that that is a inherent 519 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: part of representation being what it is is that people 520 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 1: think that we want them to shave us, or we 521 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: want them to show us what we're missing quote unquote 522 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: or um love us, if only temporarily. And that's that's harmful. 523 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: So if they're not familiar with what Kia is calling 524 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: disability born, you've probably seen it all over social media, 525 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: videos of kids with disabilities being asked to prom or 526 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: a kid with a disability joining a sports team. Videos 527 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: that may seem harmless enough but actually use a person 528 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: with disabilities to make able bodied people feel better, but 529 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 1: people with disabilities that don't exist to make able bodied 530 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: folks feel good or to be our inspiration. Kia says, 531 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: sometimes people who are otherwise thoughtful about marginalized voices sometimes 532 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: share these videos with good intentions, and in some ways 533 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:52,479 Speaker 1: that's even worse where they do and mean, it's like 534 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 1: it's even a little bit more frustrating because they get 535 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: so many other things, you know, but when it comes 536 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: to that, it's like they use it as you know, 537 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: my life might be bad, but at least it's not 538 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: that bad. Or wow, look what they can do. You 539 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: should be able to do that too, random person I 540 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: don't know on the internet, or like or like, hey, 541 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: you know it's it's it's just so beautiful. It made 542 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: me cry this morning because they love a good like 543 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: for your Monday morning cry, or like this will be 544 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: so sweet and like magical and just just ten minutes 545 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 1: of this will make you feel so good. And it's like, 546 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: who is it making feel good? Though? Like because it's 547 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: certainly not the person that you're turning into a spectacle 548 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: for likes and retweets on the internet. Um, and so yeah, 549 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 1: it is it's harder, I think when it's like well 550 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: meaning people who get so many other aspects of lived experience, 551 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: but don't quite understand how they're being harmful, and then 552 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: when you kindly say as much, they buck against it 553 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,320 Speaker 1: and they're upset that you would even infer that that's 554 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: what they meant, because they know somebody who knows somebody 555 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: who knows somebody who's disabled. So this podcast is about 556 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: creating monuments to all the marginalized voices to ship the Internet. 557 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: And when disabled and Cute, what's happening? I thought you 558 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: really having to fight to make sure that you got 559 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: credit for this creation. Did you feel like you had 560 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: to be constantly reminding people that this was something that 561 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: you started just to make sure your voice wouldn't be erased? Yes, 562 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: so easy. Just last week somebody messaging me and was like, 563 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:32,360 Speaker 1: I had no idea that disabled and Cute with your hashtag, 564 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: had no idea that you were the one who created it, 565 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: because um, it took that much work for me to 566 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: be like this is. I had to like ask people like, 567 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: please like any sort of affluent person that I knew 568 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: were a person with a platform, I was like, if 569 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: you use the hashta please say that it's mine, because 570 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: people were, um, you know, just using it and like 571 00:32:56,120 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: talking about it in podcasts and never another knitting me, 572 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:05,520 Speaker 1: making T shirts, making enamel pens, all these other different things, 573 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: and my name was never mentioned. And so it's funny 574 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: because people will literally still message me to this day 575 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: being like, I didn't know that it was yours. Like 576 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 1: I saw somebody said they listened to a podcast that 577 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: I did, and that was the first time they had 578 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 1: heard that it was my hashtag that I created. And 579 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: and I think that happens to a lot of black creators, 580 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: not just me. It happens all the time when you create, 581 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: um like Blackout Day is by oh my god, mars 582 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 1: Mark Sebastian. Yeah she was. She was on the show 583 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: just last week. Yes, yes, yes, So it happened to 584 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: her and they celebrity attached themselves to it and they 585 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 1: ran with it and she was completely erased from that narrative. 586 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: And so it's very It's not surprising when it happens, 587 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 1: but it does hurt because you put in all this 588 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: work for this thing that you created that was yours 589 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: and your ya and other people will jump on it 590 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: and claim to be there. It's just because they found 591 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:08,520 Speaker 1: and thought that that, you know, nobody was behind the 592 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:11,399 Speaker 1: video and they never think to do the research of 593 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,560 Speaker 1: who is the person behind this hashtag that I met, 594 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: that I happened to stumble upon, or this thing that 595 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 1: I created. It happens all the time, specifically to black people, 596 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: I think, on the Internet, much more so because there 597 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:32,439 Speaker 1: isn't that inherent quest to credit them, like there might 598 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: be someone who has someone's peer and they don't want 599 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 1: to seem like they're biting their idea. Mm hmm. Did 600 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 1: you feel that when that happened to disabled and cute 601 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:45,759 Speaker 1: that the actual message was co opted or whitewashed as well? Yes, 602 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 1: do we have the time? Yes, it really was because 603 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 1: what I found was like people would write about, especially 604 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: when it first happened. They would write about the hashtag, right, 605 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 1: and my name would be there like key about ever 606 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:05,879 Speaker 1: a picture of me, but not but always pictures of um, 607 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: white disabled people using it, Like they would put this 608 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:11,720 Speaker 1: is what would get me when I would see articles 609 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: about it, and they would tell me, like we wrote 610 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,239 Speaker 1: about your hashtag, and the person on the cover of 611 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 1: it would be a person who used it, but it 612 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:23,280 Speaker 1: was never me. And so I would see slides shows 613 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 1: celebrating the hashtag, never any people of color ever, just 614 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: completely all white, disabled people, and I'm like, and I 615 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:33,879 Speaker 1: and I started to call them out. I'm like, you, 616 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:36,239 Speaker 1: you said my name, you wrote it down, But when 617 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 1: you have a picture of somebody else as the head image, 618 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 1: you're giving them credit for something they didn't even create, 619 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:48,719 Speaker 1: they just used. And so I would like imployed that. 620 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:52,240 Speaker 1: I would like find the emails of the writers and 621 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:55,279 Speaker 1: and um say as much. Or when they would reach 622 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: out to me to do an interview, I would say, Okay, 623 00:35:58,200 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 1: I'll do the interview, but I want you to make 624 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: sure it when you do a slideshow of the hashtag 625 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: and the pictures there, it's diverse. The fact that you 626 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 1: would even have to say that is so troubling, and 627 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:15,320 Speaker 1: I think really illustrates how deep the problem goes. Because 628 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,600 Speaker 1: you're you're not shy about being a black, queer person, 629 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: right Like, that's a big part of how you show 630 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: up online and show up to the world. And so 631 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,960 Speaker 1: the fact that they would kind of a race that 632 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:31,239 Speaker 1: part of of the creator of this thing they say 633 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:33,360 Speaker 1: they want to tough right about it just goes to 634 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: show how deep, the problem goes yeah, and it's it's 635 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:39,960 Speaker 1: funny because they, like a couple of them pushed back, 636 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,439 Speaker 1: They're like, well, you know, I'm just I'm um, I'm 637 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,879 Speaker 1: only sharing, you know what I see. So I would 638 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: go into the hashtag and send them pictures of disabled 639 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 1: people of color to put into the articles because they 640 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: couldn't see them from the hashtag, and some of them 641 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 1: would be like at the very top. So I'm like, no, 642 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 1: you just scrolled past them because you that's your inherent bias. 643 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 1: And it's it was wild to me because I was like, 644 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:14,319 Speaker 1: I'm doing part of your job because you're uncomfortable with 645 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 1: the idea of not only showing a picture of the 646 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:20,880 Speaker 1: person who created the hashtag, but showing pictures of people 647 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:23,600 Speaker 1: who look like the person who created the hashtag using it. 648 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:26,320 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, it is how you put it in 649 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:29,120 Speaker 1: so accurate. Having to do their job. It's like, not 650 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:31,800 Speaker 1: only are you like, first of all, you're like talent, 651 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:34,040 Speaker 1: so really you should just be you know, they're writing 652 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:38,920 Speaker 1: about you, but having to also curate their photos so 653 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:41,959 Speaker 1: that they're inclusive, having to also educate them on why 654 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,680 Speaker 1: all of this unpaid labor that you're not really it's 655 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:48,279 Speaker 1: not really your job to do that, you're just expected 656 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: to take on it's it's it's really sad, and I 657 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,439 Speaker 1: think a big part of this is I think that 658 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 1: folks in the media need to be better and take 659 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,919 Speaker 1: a little responsibility of of the platforms that we're helping 660 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: to create, because it's it's I don't know if it's 661 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 1: laziness or not being able to see the full picture 662 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,279 Speaker 1: of what they're contributing to, but the standards just got 663 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 1: to be high or we're gonna tell these stories, either 664 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 1: they need to be told thoughtfully and fully, or we 665 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:20,440 Speaker 1: need to not be telling them right like. We have 666 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:22,760 Speaker 1: to do it. We have to do justice by these stories, 667 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 1: and it's it's disheartening to hear the ways that folks 668 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:27,799 Speaker 1: in the media are just not prepared or not able 669 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:30,760 Speaker 1: or not willing to do that. I think it's really 670 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: about not apologizing for for wanting proper representation or not 671 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:40,759 Speaker 1: being cast aside as its being some silly thing that 672 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 1: doesn't really matter, because it matters because our culture is 673 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: shaped by the things that we see, you know, how 674 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:52,360 Speaker 1: we view others. There that's our window into the world. 675 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,880 Speaker 1: And so if you're gonna do the work, do the work. 676 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 1: Don't go fifty per cent on something that needs to 677 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 1: at least be a hundred and twenty. If representation is 678 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 1: the window to the world, then Kia's opening that window 679 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:07,359 Speaker 1: a little bit more. In the fall of she'll release 680 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:09,680 Speaker 1: her first picture book with a tree of books called 681 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 1: Sam Supersedes about a little black girl with cerebral palsy 682 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: going back to school, shopping with her mom and best 683 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: friends so the next generation of little ones with disabilities 684 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 1: can see themselves reflected in the ways she wished she 685 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: had when she was a kid. He has learned that 686 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:24,080 Speaker 1: sometimes you have to write the books you want to 687 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:27,080 Speaker 1: read and create the world you want to see. And 688 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 1: even a world full of people who can't see you 689 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: can't see your joy or your dreams, you can always 690 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 1: see yourself pretty much just trying to follow every single 691 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,680 Speaker 1: dream because it feels like now anything is possible in 692 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 1: terms of like me making sure that I always say 693 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 1: yes to myself because somebody's gonna say no, but I'm 694 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: not going to be the one to do it. There 695 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: Are No Girls on the Internet was created by me 696 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:54,280 Speaker 1: Bridget Tad. It's a production of iHeart Radio and Unboss 697 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:57,840 Speaker 1: Creative Jonathan Strickland is our executive producer. Tara Harrison is 698 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:01,360 Speaker 1: our producer and sound engineer. Michael Motto as our contributing producer. 699 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:04,600 Speaker 1: I'm your host bridget Pad. For more podcast for My Heart, 700 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 1: check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or 701 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:14,840 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah,