1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Good morning, peep Sin, Welcome to Okay f Daily with 2 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: me your girl Danielle Moody recording from the Home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: you know, oftentimes when we talk about representation and diverse 4 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: representation and that representation matters, we're often talking about images 5 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: that display on surface different physical attributes that people have, 6 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: whether it be their race or their cultural garb or 7 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: what have you. But we oftentimes don't take into account neurodiversity, 8 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: the diversity in the way that people think, how they 9 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: perceive things, whether or not they are disabled in terms 10 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: of their mental health or in their thinking right. And 11 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: I've been thinking about this a lot as a person 12 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: that finds and has a desire to be a constant learner, right, like, 13 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: I believe that the world can be this beautiful, gorgeous 14 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: place filled with people that are interested in learning about 15 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: other people, the ways in which we interact with the 16 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: world and are curious. Right. We grew up in a 17 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: time many of us at least, grew up in a 18 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: time when we were making the transition from tolerating people's 19 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: differences to accepting them. Then we got into a place 20 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: for a short short while where we were actually celebrating 21 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: those differences, but now we are in a time of 22 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: great regression where we are forcing people back into boxes, 23 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: into closets, into darkness right as a way to uphold 24 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: white supremacy and patriarchy. I'm really excited for you all 25 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: to listen to today's episode and conversation with Jennifer White Johnson, 26 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: who is an Afro Latina, disabled Afro Latina neurodivergent artist, educator, 27 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:22,519 Speaker 1: and designer. And she was brought to my attention by 28 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: a series of tweets that she had done following the 29 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: news that Elijah McClaine, if you remember, the young black 30 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: autistic man who was murdered in police custody when they 31 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: injected into his veins ketamine which forced this twenty some 32 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: odd year old into cardiac arrest, all because what a 33 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: white person saw him from the fucking window and didn't 34 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: like his presence and called the cops and he was 35 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: arrested for no reason other than being black and then killed. 36 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: Jennifer had shared beautiful imagery and her heartbreak because she 37 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: is the mother of an autistic black son, and you know, 38 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: her tweet was brought to my attention and then I 39 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: discovered what wonderful crossover we actually have and the people 40 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: that we know and have worked with, and was really 41 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: able then to delve into her art and her vision 42 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: and her mission and her work. And so I'm really 43 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: excited to bring this conversation to you on how we 44 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: learn to better understand ourselves and also understand the people 45 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: around us to better build community, right, particularly at a 46 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: time when the opposition is so vile in their destruction, 47 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: in their language, and in their presence to try and 48 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: exile all of those that they deem, you know, unworthy, right, 49 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: So I would be really interested share with me your 50 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: thoughts on this episode via tweet, Instagram, DM in the 51 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: comments section below, because I would really love to hear 52 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: how this episode on neurodivergence and neurodiversity lands with all 53 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: of you. 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Folks, I am very 69 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: excited to welcome to wok app Daily for the first 70 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: time and hopefully not the last time. Jennifer White Johnson, 71 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: who is a disabled Afro Latina and neurodiverse artist, designer, 72 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: and educator. Her work explores the erasure of black disabled 73 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: children in digital and literary media. Jennifer, you know, I 74 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: am really excited to be in conversation with you because 75 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: I think that oftentimes even the best of us who 76 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: are advocates around representation and around inclusivity, I don't think 77 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: have as expansive of an idea of what true representation 78 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: actually looks like and is. We often think about and 79 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 1: at least when I speak about it, talk about representation 80 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: as it pertains to what we see on the surface, 81 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: our images, as opposed to also including the ways in 82 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,160 Speaker 1: which we think and experience and perceive the world around us. 83 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: And so your work really does delve into that, and 84 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: so I wanted to give you an opportunity to explain 85 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: to the wok F audience just the idea and the 86 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: terminology around neurodiversity and what that means and an example 87 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 1: of how that shows up. Yeah, thank you, and I 88 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: want to say thank you so much for holding space 89 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: for this conversation and for you know, and as you 90 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: were saying, I do identify, as you know, someone living 91 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: with ADHD and so full disability access disclaimer. You know, 92 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: I tend to fidget a lot, I tend to move, 93 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: I tend to you know, talk with my hands. I'm 94 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: very expressive, and so as much as it as much 95 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: as being you know, disabled and neurodivergent is very much 96 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,559 Speaker 1: a part of my thinking and a part of my being. 97 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: It is very much a part of like my surface 98 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: and the way that I act, the way that I move, 99 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: you know, which is often you know, invisible or maybe 100 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: seen as something else. Especially as an Afro Latina woman. 101 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: You know, physical disabilities are very surface based and and 102 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: it's very apparent. And then there is the invisible disability 103 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: element of non apparent disabilities, which is what neurodivergent folks 104 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: often are, you know, are are grappling with you know, um, 105 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: things like ADHD. You know, things like anxiety that often 106 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: you know look a certain way, but on the inside 107 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: or maybe in other ways. You know, we can kind 108 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: of channel and we can kind of um not apparently 109 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: showcase our anxiety. UM. Yeah, and so neuro you know, 110 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: the actual term neurodivergent is has actually been used within 111 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: the disability community for quite some time to to basically 112 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: uplift you know, body minds that are um that are 113 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: you know living you know as you know, fully disclosed 114 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: autistic people. You know, folks that are dealing with you know, 115 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: possibly anxiety UM disorders or living you know as bipolar 116 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: or living with other kind of you know, social anxiety elements. 117 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:07,119 Speaker 1: You know, it's just very non apparent and we operate 118 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: in a really beautiful way. You know, as someone who 119 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: has ADHD, I tend to hyper focus or I tend 120 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: to um you know, wait until the very last minute 121 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: to like work on projects because it gives me that 122 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: spark of energy. But then I also don't give myself 123 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: the opportunity to rest as much as I as I should, 124 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: because you know, the weight, the pressure of all of 125 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: that is very much on me. You know, that false 126 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: expectation that all I have to do is exist in 127 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: order to be seen, versus being a body that is 128 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: meant to produce constantly along the lines of very ablest expectations. 129 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: And so, in a nutshell, I mean neurodivergent people are 130 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: all around you. I mean we we exist, you know, 131 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: as artists, as creators, as activists, as parents, as writers 132 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: that are constantly you know, wanting to to just you know, 133 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: be ourselves and represent all of the ways our body 134 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: minds are divergent in terms of thinking. You know, it's 135 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: funny because obviously maybe not obviously, but I'll speak for 136 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 1: myself that when I hear the term divergent, right like, 137 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: it goes to the Movieum, which was not that great Um, 138 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: But but I have a point here, it goes my 139 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: mind goes to the movie because when you think about 140 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: I guess, in in in political contexts, when I think 141 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: about what is divergent. It is operating outside of the norm, 142 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: right which was or operating operating against the status quo. 143 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: And that was essentially, you know, the part of this film. 144 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: It's like it was, you know, here's the way to think. 145 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: This is how you should think, and if you move 146 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: outside of this, then literally we're going to eliminate you. 147 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 1: We're kind of living in a society right now. That 148 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: is that we have two forces at play, one that 149 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: is trying desperately to hold onto a status quo that 150 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: eliminates any difference whatsoever. And so I want to get 151 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: your thoughts on, you know, where I feel like we're 152 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: living in these in these multitude of layers of being 153 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: an existing and thinking where in one frame your work 154 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: and the multilayeredness of us as as as body mind, people, 155 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 1: humans exists. And then at the same time we have 156 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: the powers that be the establishment trying to trying to 157 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 1: compress us all into this one image and identity of 158 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: what it means to be an American, what it means 159 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:01,439 Speaker 1: to be human. And so I want to get your 160 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: thoughts on how we how how people express the kind 161 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: of complexity of where we are and how we hold 162 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: true to this the more that we know, the better 163 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,119 Speaker 1: we can think, and the more our society can expand 164 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: in really incredible ways. And then this fight on the constriction. 165 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: How do we exist? How do you exist in in 166 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: that in that fraught space. I mean, I really just 167 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: have to be authentic to myself, UM and authentic to 168 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: you know, my own lived experience and realizing that UM, 169 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: I shouldn't necessarily try to perform or try to adhere 170 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: or comply to these very ableistic um societal norms. You know, 171 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: as an Afro Latina woman, you know, we're packaged and 172 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: constantly being boxed in to perform or to act a 173 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: certain way, specifically to conform to societal norms. Like you 174 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: stay over in that space, but on what you know, 175 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: don't come over into my space unless you're ready to 176 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: like adhere to like the white gaze of what accessibility 177 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: may mean or equity may mean. It's like they really 178 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: want to uphold like our like our blackness, our brownness, 179 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: but they're not necessarily ready to like uphold all of 180 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: the ways that we can exist authentically within spaces, academic spaces, 181 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 1: community spaces, in the home, on the media, and so 182 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: we're constantly at war with the media for not necessarily 183 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: portraying us in a very positive, uplifting light. Oftentimes, you 184 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 1: don't even herald or honor or celebrate anyone who's disabled 185 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: until they've been shot, or until they've been murdered, until 186 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 1: they've been eliminated from the picture, until they've taken their 187 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: own life, which is what I really talk a lot about, 188 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: like in my own personal work. You know. You know, 189 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: Isabel trician Or from Utah last November, only ten years old. Unfortunately, 190 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: you know, was a victim of racism, you know, within 191 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: her school system, and we barely heard about it in 192 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: the media, you know, en you know, the fact that 193 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: her family really had to fight year after year to 194 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: make sure that she had the resources that she needed 195 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: within the school system, to kind of make sure that herself, 196 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: as an autistic little girl, was being honored and you know, 197 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: celebrated or just being accepted for just coming to school 198 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: as an autistic kid and not necessarily being victimized by 199 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: constant bullying to the point where she just felt less 200 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: than less than human. You know, she didn't feel value 201 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: for being you know, an amazing person, and the fact 202 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: that she felt that she had to completely you know, 203 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: erase herself from the equation UM was really heartbreaking because 204 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: you know, I am a mother of an autistic kid, 205 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: and so a lot of what I do and what 206 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: I talk about is making sure that you know, our 207 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: kids are being uplifted because we know that they are 208 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: subject to erasure even while they're alive. You know, we 209 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: there's there's there's this very kind of like one model 210 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: of what an autistic hid is or what a neurodivergent 211 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: person is, and it's a very white, you know, kind 212 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: of supremacist space where we only think that white autistic 213 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: people can uplift these spaces, and we think that they're 214 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 1: the authority, or maybe doctors and clinicians versus community organizers 215 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: versus families versus actual autistic people and actual neurodivergent people, 216 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: like they are the authority, like they are the true 217 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: experts to uplift what they're experiencing in their everyday lives. 218 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:12,479 Speaker 1: You know, I it's so important to show the diversity 219 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: within our within you know, the BIPOC community, because I 220 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: think that to your point, when we talk about mental 221 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: health in general, when we talk about UM different abilities 222 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: and or disabilities, it is always framed in the context 223 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: of being white, right. And it was my sister, my 224 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: both my sister and I m. One of our degrees 225 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: is in early childhood education, and we had both gone 226 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: into special education many many, many years ago. My sister 227 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: is still an educator. I use my degree differently now, 228 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: but you know it, the whole point of our of 229 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: our master's program was to figure out how to best 230 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: work with families who are not represented like in their 231 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: community at large, which meant, you know, children of immigrants, 232 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 1: which meant um, you know, children from different socioeconomic backgrounds, um, 233 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: but that were that had that were differently abledum. And 234 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: what I found is that even in those conversations and 235 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: resources that we were looking for at that time, and 236 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,120 Speaker 1: this is this is you know, decades plus ago, it 237 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: was very white centered, right. It was like in the 238 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,959 Speaker 1: white mommy group, you know, talking about um, you know, 239 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: autism in a way that was very exclusive right to 240 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:42,679 Speaker 1: in a certain elite class of people. And so you know, 241 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: for those parents and caregivers of UM, of children that 242 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: are differently able, who are also children of color, how 243 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: do you speak to them about how they how they 244 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: can act with their children, on how society sees them 245 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 1: and how they see themselves. I mean, the story that 246 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: you just told is heartbreaking, right, because that all anybody 247 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: ever wants that I understand, is to be heard and 248 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: to be seen, just to be valued by virtue, not 249 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 1: by what we produce, but just by virtue of our existence. 250 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: And so how do you deal how do you help, 251 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:27,959 Speaker 1: you know, through through your work or you know, by 252 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: virtue of your art, but also in conversation parents that 253 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: are struggling with their children that have that live at 254 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: the intersection of multiple identities that are discriminated against. Yeah, 255 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: and it's such an important question. And first of all, 256 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,719 Speaker 1: I when I'm chatting with parents, or even when I'm 257 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: chatting with you know, my own son, I let him 258 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: know right away that disability is not a bad word. 259 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: And we don't we don't necessarily have to dance around 260 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: trying to come up with terms that erase the word 261 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 1: disability completely. And you had said differently able us And 262 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: it's a way, it's it's almost like a way of 263 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: sure where you're you're trying to acknowledge that they operate 264 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: in a different way and that they still have abilities. 265 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: But the word disability itself needs to continue to be 266 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: reclaimed by the actual disability community so that we can 267 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: uplift it. I mean literally, the word is written into 268 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: law so that disabled folks won't face that discrimination. So 269 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: we can say it, we can we can actually uplift 270 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: it and declare it as a call to action. You 271 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: know that I am black and brown, disabled and powerful 272 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: and beautiful and almost you know, affirming that within ourselves 273 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: for those who identify as having a disability, and affirming 274 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: that within our kids. The minute that they step out 275 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 1: of the home every single day to go into that 276 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: war zone and when they come back, you know, from 277 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: that war zone into the home, what are they experiencing. 278 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:09,679 Speaker 1: Are they experiencing acceptance? Are they experiencing, you know, a 279 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: space where they feel whole and not broken and not 280 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 1: necessarily you know, you know, I'm a broken human. I'm 281 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: a broken being because I'm not like everyone else. Therefore 282 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: I need to be fixed. Because that's constantly what my community, 283 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 1: what my family is telling me that I need to 284 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: be fixed, unbroken, I need to be cured. And those 285 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: are the constant dialogues that I'm having with parents, with educators, 286 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: and I really felt the need to continue to author, 287 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: to write, to create acts of creative resistance. So whether 288 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: it's you know, posters that can be used at protests, 289 00:20:54,680 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: language justice based graphics and designs that can be you know, 290 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: shown in classrooms or or maybe even taken into IEP meetings. 291 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 1: Things that I've created, Things that my son and myself 292 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: that we author together to take into the first day 293 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: of classes, that he can give to his school, that 294 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: he can give to his teacher, he can give to 295 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: his school counsel or his special educator. And it's really 296 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 1: nice because what I do is I create like these 297 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,919 Speaker 1: fun little zines. And so I've been making these since 298 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: Knox was in the first grade. When he was diagnosed 299 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: as autistic, I knew right away, Okay, so how are 300 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 1: we going to help to reframe this message of autism 301 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: knowing that, you know, educators already have stigmas and they 302 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: have their very clinical idea of how to interact with 303 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 1: these students, But how do we also interact with them 304 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: as human beings, you know? Period. Yeah, And so what 305 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 1: this zine says, and it's like a little four by 306 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: five booklet, and on the front of it it says, HI, 307 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: my name is Kevin, and you can call me Knox. 308 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: And on the inside it, for it has a basic 309 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: little manifesto that you know, like very intentionally declares, I 310 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 1: hope this book helps you get to know me. I'm autistic. 311 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,919 Speaker 1: I was diagnosed when I was three. I'm very happy 312 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,479 Speaker 1: and full of energy, and I tend to speak very fast, 313 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,239 Speaker 1: and essentially I'm talking about myself because my son and 314 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 1: I were both neuro divergent. So it was very easy 315 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: for us to come together to write this because essentially 316 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: I was it was helping me learn so much about 317 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,120 Speaker 1: myself in ways that I was not given the authority 318 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: to uplift when I was a kid because ADHD autism. 319 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: It looks very differently a little black and brown girls oftentime. 320 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: You know, if we're not over exuberant and full of 321 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: energy and very colorful, maybe we are very literal and 322 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: very exact and very bossy and very much you know, 323 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: we have like a little bit of that fire and 324 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: a little bit of an attitude that's always misinterpreted or 325 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: very you know, we have to constantly be redirected instead 326 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 1: of being put in places of power and being put 327 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 1: in places of love. And so this book really gave 328 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: me an opportunity to talk a little bit about the 329 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: things that he loves, understanding the way his body moves, 330 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,160 Speaker 1: Understanding the way that we speak to him at home, 331 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 1: Like we encourage, you know, stimming, which can often be 332 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: like a very kind of actionable behavioral response to maybe 333 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: helping to kind of not necessarily cope, but maybe to 334 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: kind of, I don't know, maybe like react in an environment. 335 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: So sometimes you may see a lot of autistic people 336 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: or folks that are neurodivergent, or folks that are dealing 337 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: with some sort of anxiety, like they move and it 338 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: gives them the opportunity to kind of like exhibit their 339 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: energy in a different way, and it's all so very calming, 340 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: and it's also a way of self regulation. And so 341 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,200 Speaker 1: as long as he's not harming anyone when he's kind 342 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,120 Speaker 1: of rocking and moving, we let him do it. Like, yeah, 343 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: if that's like his way of calming, if that's his 344 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: ways of showing some excitement, we do it. And sometimes 345 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: I find myself doing that, like I kind of move, 346 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: I lean over a little bit, or I fidget a 347 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: little bit with like my hair, or so I try 348 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: to have like stem toys around me, like fidget toys. 349 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: And you'll see a lot of actual autistic folks within 350 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: within the creative community, you know, creating kits like stem 351 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 1: kits and things that they can use to kind of 352 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: provide some sort of calm when they're in a very stressful, 353 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 1: heavy situation, or maybe they're in allowed situation, or maybe 354 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: they're in an overstimulating situation and they need things to 355 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: be able to hold on to. But those things are 356 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: almost are also calming mechanisms for neurotypical people too, people 357 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: who don't necessarily identify as neurodivergence. Like we all need 358 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: like calming techniques. All, That's all. I was speaking as 359 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: you were saying that, I was just like, no, there 360 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: are that that that I do that I have rituals 361 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: that I've created in order to you know, come back 362 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 1: resenter to a place of calm. Right, And so the 363 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: book continues to talk about his challenges um you know, 364 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: things that you know, like dark and closed spaces with 365 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: loud noises and needing to use his noise cancelation headphones, 366 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 1: and and even when people are speaking with me, I 367 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: always there's like a disclaimer. I'm like, will you please 368 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: provide transcripts or captions to this talk? Will you allow 369 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: UM can you help redirect me so that I can 370 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: stay focused. Um, can you? Sometimes I can be impulsive 371 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: or very hyperactive and get easily distracted, but please don't 372 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 1: be necessarily offended by by by that behavior. It's just 373 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 1: very much rooted in like my body mind and the 374 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 1: way that that I responded and react. Um. And then 375 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: it includes ways that you know, he can be helped 376 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: in the classroom, like he needs breaks, like sensory breaks, 377 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: movement breaks. You know, make sure that you're very direct 378 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: and simple sentences, give him visual cues. He responds really 379 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: well to like folks that are very positive and full 380 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: of energy, you know, because neurotypical people, I mean, we 381 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: get there's the stigma that you know, we can't read 382 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: in between the lines and that we don't understand sarcasm, 383 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: but we do understand when someone is very angry and 384 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: when someone is very sad, and when someone's happy, and 385 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: those things fuel us, you know, which is why you know, 386 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: there's the stigma that we're not friendly, and you know, 387 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: we're very kind of standoffish, but making friends and being 388 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: in community with other folks that are similar to us 389 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: is really like our safe place, and it's really like 390 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: our happy space where we can have conversations. Sometimes we 391 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 1: talk too much, and and we love being around people 392 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 1: so much that it that sometimes we need to give 393 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: ourselves a little bit of a room to breathe and 394 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: like kind of be by ourselves for a little minute 395 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: so that we can kind of collect collect our energy 396 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: and not give so much of it away, but you know, 397 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 1: learning how to actually channel their energy. Yeah. Indisputable with 398 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: Doctor rashad Ricci is one of the latest shows on 399 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 1: the TYT Network and also the fastest growing news show 400 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 1: in America. On his show, Doctor Ricci plays no games 401 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: regarding policy, delivering a heavy dose of fact based truth 402 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: and penetrating analysis on all the top news stories, focusing 403 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: on racism, criminal and social justice, politics, police brutality, parents, 404 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: and much more. Listeners can also expect interviews with fascinating guests, 405 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:56,439 Speaker 1: political leaders, commentators, and even fiery debates with conservatives on 406 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: a wide range of policy topics in the Bullpen. It 407 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: is an indisputable fact that you will love this show. 408 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: Listen to Indisputable with Doctor rashad Ricci on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 409 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like what 410 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 1: you hear, be sure to subscribe so you never miss 411 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:23,879 Speaker 1: a new episode. You have said so much, and I 412 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: want to thank you for the what I will refer 413 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:33,120 Speaker 1: to as like a redirect. I'm always searching to use 414 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: a language that will be as inclusive of people as possible. 415 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: And it was like really interesting the other day I 416 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: was reading something and recognize that a term that I 417 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: was using not being you know, it has been expanded upon, right, 418 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 1: and recognizing you know that I want to move and 419 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: I know that people who listen to my show and 420 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: who follow me want to move in a way that 421 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: is open, that is inclusive. And I also say that 422 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: is nimble, that is intellectually nimble, that allows us the 423 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: space to stumble, but also the space to be able 424 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: to grow U. And so I just want to say 425 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: that I appreciate you, you know, saying like, no, it's 426 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: okay to say disabled. It's okay. It's the it's a 427 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: term that's written that there's policy around for that reason, U, 428 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: that it doesn't need to be excluded or nuanced in 429 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: in any way. UM, So I really appreciate that. And 430 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 1: then just also you know, to your point around providing 431 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: people like you did with your with your son and 432 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: teachers and administrators with the tools to be able to 433 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: best engage with you, right, And I'm thinking to myself, 434 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, my goodness, you know, how better the world 435 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: would be if we all had those booklets, if we 436 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: all were like when we were going into new jobs, 437 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: when we were going in to new schools, that we 438 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 1: were all able to, you know, figure out how to 439 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: best engage and create community with um with different people, right, 440 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: and be excited by that. And so I guess you know, Um, 441 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: my last question for you is that I know that 442 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: we are living in a time again that is just 443 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: filled with such strife, such anxiety. There's there has been 444 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: an increase off the charge UM in depression, in anxiety, 445 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 1: in ADHD, in young people as well as adult in 446 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 1: trying to deal with our new normal, living inside of 447 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: a global health pandemic, living inside of climate change, living 448 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 1: inside of the rise of you know, racism and misogyny 449 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: and white supremacy, all of these things. Um, what is 450 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: your advice for people? And you kind of mentioned it 451 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 1: in talking again about your son, about the ways you 452 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: know you look to calm yourself, the ways you look 453 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: to you know, reconnect when you feel disconnected and discombobulated. 454 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: What advice do you have to people that may not 455 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: have been diagnosed in any type of way, but they 456 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: don't feel right, They feel different than they did before, 457 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: the world is impacting them, and the trauma is impacting 458 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: them in a way that they haven't discovered language for. 459 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: What advice do you have for those people that find themselves, 460 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: whether they they consider themselves to be disabled or not, 461 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: but are struggling right now in how they can use art, 462 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: use music, build community to move forward. Yeah, excellent question. 463 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: And I really I always really rely on you know, 464 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: my disabled ancestors and my disabled you know leaders, especially 465 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 1: you know, black and brown and Latino Asian. Like, there's 466 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: so many of us that have already been living in 467 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: this quote unquote new normal because as disabled people, neural 468 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: divergent people, remember, long before the pandemic, a lot of 469 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: us were living in isolation. For those of us who 470 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: you know couldn't always get to the voting polls because 471 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: you know, mail and ballots were stunted to like our 472 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 1: particular demographic or our care home or you know, wherever 473 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: we resided, or because there weren't you know, perfectly pathed 474 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 1: ways for our wheelchair or our mobility devices to be 475 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: able to get to the polls. So remember, there were 476 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: so many people who were already in isolation, students as 477 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: you mentioned, who were dealing with anxiety ADHD. The classroom 478 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: wasn't always a safe space for them, you know, where 479 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 1: higher ED doesn't always acknowledge an uplift disabled kids within 480 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: the classroom. So there were a ton of kids who 481 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: preferred to work in isolation, who were like literally screaming 482 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: from the rooftops for the kind of accessibility that was 483 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: finally given to a lot of them during the pandemic. 484 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 1: You know, Quoa, like I can actually learn from home. 485 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: I can actually you know, like be in community with 486 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: students and still and still feel connected but all through 487 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 1: you know, zoom and remotely like this can actually happen. 488 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 1: These are types of accommodations that I had been wanting 489 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 1: for so long, but never given to me because they 490 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: always said that they were no, it was too much work. 491 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: So I would say, lean on the wisdom of the 492 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 1: actual disabled community to you know, talk to them about 493 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: their lived experiences, you know, talk to us about how 494 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 1: we used art and creative resistance long before the pandemic 495 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: came and as a way to communicate what our lived 496 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: experience is meant to us you know a lot of folks. 497 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: And that was one of the things that the pandemic 498 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: brought to life was, oh wow, black artists exists black. 499 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,439 Speaker 1: You know. It's like we've been putting in the work. 500 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:12,759 Speaker 1: We've been authoring our stories. We've been you know, creating 501 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 1: spaces of freedom and liberation through our work, like I 502 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:21,799 Speaker 1: mean long before the pandemic came, and it was you know, 503 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: and we were just noticed, like because our struggles were 504 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: really brought into the limelight and into the forefront. And 505 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: and my thing is, you know, support us, continue to 506 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: follow our work, continue to uplift us, um, and to 507 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 1: just continue to listen to us and see how we 508 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:46,239 Speaker 1: can you know, co collaborate, you know, stop designing for 509 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 1: disabled people. Design with us, you know, see how you 510 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: can actually you know, lean, how we can lean on 511 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 1: each other for wisdom, for love, for liberation. UM. That 512 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 1: would be my advice, like, continue to be in community 513 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 1: with us. Don't just put us a part of you know, 514 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,760 Speaker 1: one little Disability Awareness Month or Autism Awareness Month every April. 515 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 1: That's actually that those types of spaces are really toxic 516 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: to the actual you know, disabled community, because for one 517 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 1: day or maybe one month, that's when you talk about everything. 518 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:24,320 Speaker 1: It's like, how can we have this conversation year around, 519 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,880 Speaker 1: which is why I start off the school day or 520 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,760 Speaker 1: the school year on day one, you know, providing letting 521 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: my son know, look like you have these resources that 522 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,359 Speaker 1: you can take into the classroom so that all of 523 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 1: your educators know from jump like wow, like this kid 524 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: is actually comfortable with self advocacy, with self care, with 525 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:50,400 Speaker 1: self love because that's just his own personal practice of joy, 526 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: you know, so autistic joy. You know, that was like 527 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:58,400 Speaker 1: a phrase that really that we learned to uplift, like 528 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 1: even before the pandemic came, you know, the minute that 529 00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:04,759 Speaker 1: he was diagnosed as autistic, you know, we I was 530 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: very uncomfortable with what other black and brown parents were 531 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 1: saying about their autistic kids. It was very much a 532 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 1: space of you know, oppression and heaviness. And I was like, 533 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:17,480 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, but that that's not the world that I 534 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,319 Speaker 1: want for my family to exist in. When it comes 535 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 1: to someone that I love and that I honor and 536 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: that I respect and that I know is a leader, 537 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:27,840 Speaker 1: you know, even if he's not meant to be the president. 538 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,919 Speaker 1: Of the United States one day, or an astronaut, He's 539 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 1: still going to be a leader within his community and 540 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:38,480 Speaker 1: letting folks know I'm autistic, I'm here, you know, and 541 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,279 Speaker 1: I'm and I'm powerful. And so the last thing that 542 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:44,239 Speaker 1: I leave with with the audience is something that I 543 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:50,760 Speaker 1: recently created, which is the anti ablest Art Educator's Manifesto, 544 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 1: because I knew that I had to continue to kind 545 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 1: of author and make very impactful declarations specifically for art 546 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 1: eduction caters. And it's great because I was able to 547 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:06,359 Speaker 1: speak and present this at the Adding Voices conference this 548 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,880 Speaker 1: past weekend in Philly at the More College of Art 549 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 1: and Design. And as a part of my presentation and 550 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:16,680 Speaker 1: for all of the bipoc art educators that we're gonna, 551 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:20,040 Speaker 1: you know, be their sharing space with each other. And 552 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:23,319 Speaker 1: so I'm just gonna read this really quickly kind of 553 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:25,799 Speaker 1: just like as as a like, you know, as the 554 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 1: final point of advice. It's like, this is what we 555 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: need to do for ourselves as educators, as community organizers, 556 00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: organizers that are constantly trying to kind of you know, 557 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: navigate through spaces of inclusivity and equity. So this is 558 00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: the anti ablest Art Educators Manifesto. So number one is 559 00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 1: show up. Number two is eradicate ableism. Number three uplift acceptance. 560 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 1: Number four create with and not for. Number five, Our 561 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:57,960 Speaker 1: differences should embolden us. Number six disability is not a 562 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: bad word. Number seven value all bodies and minds. Eight 563 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:09,359 Speaker 1: allyship is sacrifice. And number nine our art is our survival. Yeah. 564 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:13,520 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it so much. And this 565 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 1: is actually available today on on my website at gen 566 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:21,320 Speaker 1: Y Johnson dot com. Um. I had print printed copies 567 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 1: available at the conference so that you know, all my 568 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,880 Speaker 1: favorite art educators could take them back into the classroom 569 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:29,960 Speaker 1: and like post them up and so that when their 570 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:33,160 Speaker 1: kids pop into classroom it's like wow, Like you're advocating 571 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:35,400 Speaker 1: for someone who exists like me, Like you want to 572 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,160 Speaker 1: show up, like you want to uplift acceptance, you want 573 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,799 Speaker 1: You're you're encouraging me to use my differences to kind 574 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:45,200 Speaker 1: of embolden you know, everything that that I can be 575 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: and that I already am. Um. So yeah, this is 576 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,759 Speaker 1: just my my little piece of of of creative resistance 577 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 1: to kind of say look, we're here. Um. And ultimately, 578 00:38:56,680 --> 00:38:59,879 Speaker 1: to practice inclusivity, you have to you have to make 579 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:05,040 Speaker 1: space for us to take up that space. Absolutely. Jennifer 580 00:39:05,239 --> 00:39:09,200 Speaker 1: White Johnson, thank you so much for making the time 581 00:39:09,239 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 1: to join woke app. Thank you so much for your 582 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: work and for your art and for your voice, and 583 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 1: I really do hope that you will come back and 584 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,239 Speaker 1: join us again soon. We appreciate I would love to you. 585 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for holding space. This was beautiful 586 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:25,840 Speaker 1: and it's such a pleasure to meet you. It really is. 587 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,360 Speaker 1: That is it for me today, dear friends on woke app. 588 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:39,200 Speaker 1: As always, power to the people and to all the people. Power, 589 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,279 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.