Disability With Possibility is a must-listen podcast that amplifies the voices of disabled Canadians. Each episode delves into the unique experiences and challenges faced by people with disabilities, highlighting their strength, creativity, and determination. By offering a platform for these stories, we aim to reshape the conversation around disability.
Join us for engaging conversations, as we build a community of support and inclusivity. Plus, we make sure to have a lot of fun along the way! Whether you're looking for motivation, education, or just a good laugh, Disability With Possibility is the podcast for you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Hosts Amanda and Michelle interview Clare Li, a resilient writer who turned to creative writing as a coping mechanism for her autoimmune disease, inspiring listeners to take action and pursue their passions.
2 Dec 2024
Luca Patuelli
Luca Patuelli, a Canadian breakdancer and Disability Without Poverty Vice Chair, embodies 'Possibility' through his inspiring story of overcoming odds and finding passion in breakdancing.
25 Nov 2024
Marie LeBlanc
Multimedia artist Marie LeBlanc shares her inspiring story of living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Lyme disease, finding resourcefulness and creativity amidst disability.
18 Nov 2024
Sandra Pronteau
Hosts Amanda and Michelle follow the journey of Sandra Pronteau, an inspiring and resilient Indigenous woman from the Cree-Metis community. Sandra lives in Vancouver with a congenital birth defect that's rendered her with disabilities, that include weak hearing.
But perhaps the challenge that's most defined her life, and her inspiring story, is that she's a survivor of the Sixties Scoop. This refers to the racist policy enacted by Canada's colonial machinery that removed, or “scooped,” Indigenous children out of their homes, communities and families of birth through the 1960s. They were then forced into predominantly non-Indigenous families across the United States and Canada—leading to trauma, as well as loss of language and culture caused by the rupture from their Indigenous families and communities at an early age. "Indigenous children were seen as commodity and government property," says Sandra.
In this episode, Sandra offers a glimpse of her journey toward resilience. She talks about reuniting with her mum as a teenager, and how understanding her family tree, her roots and culture as well as 'beading' forged a path towards healing.
"Every bead I put on is like a prayer for that child," describes Sandra, referring to the children of the Sixties Scoop, many of whom have been missing, or found to be deceased.
Click the play button to learn about Sandra's story, and how she's empowering the next generation of Indigenous children to stand up for themselves. And to learn about a movement led by people with disabilities, visit: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
4 Nov 2024
Amy Amantea
Today's guest is Amy Amantea, a writer, comedian, radio playwright, a advocate and much more. Put simply, she's a powerhouse that embodies 'Disability With Possibility.'
Type-1 diabetes pushed Amy into a comma. And after she emerged from it, she was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy that rendered her legally blind. And that wasn't the only disability she had to navigate. Amy also lives with Gastroparesis—nerve damage in the stomach—and a host of other disabilities that gives her a unique vantage point in advocating for the disabled community and their rights in society.
In this episode, Amy takes the host Amanda on her journey with theater, writing and acting. She talks about her role as a founding board member and Associate Director of Vocal Eye, a not-for-profit that does live audio description for blind and partially-blind audiences at live cultural events and theater productions. She also talks about her solo show: Through My Lens, an incredibly creative project comprising photographs that Amy has clicked—without actually seeing the subject of the photos.
Amy and Amanda also discuss the all important Canada Disability Benefit—what's worth celebrating, what's not, and how impending elections next year could derail some of the work. But overall - this is a conversation infused with love, inspiration and hope.
To learn about a movement led by people with disabilities, visit: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 Oct 2024
Sheldon Crocker
"The journey isn't about what you leave behind, but what you're willing to walk through to get to the other side." These are the words that this episode's guest lives by. And today we hope you, the listener, feels empowered to do the same.
Sheldon Crocker is a Newfoundlander, motivational speaker and author of the book "Road to Resilience," in which he talks about his journey with Arthrogryposis.
Arthrogryposis is a condition in which a person has multiple joint contractures (in other words: stiffness), and where the range of motion of a joint is limited. But as Sheldon describes in this episode, he did not allow the disability to limit his own potential. As a child, Sheldon was told he would be unable to walk. Today, he's a finisher at a 10-mile race in Newfoundland.
In this conversation with Michelle and Amanda, he imparts valuable knowledge on how to build mental fortitude to overcome stigmas associated with disability. Sheldon also talks about adversity from his life — childhood abuse, addiction and disability — and how he used setbacks as a fuel to propel forward.
The episode is akin to a motivational pep talk to take on whatever life throws at you, and to use the same hurdles to become the best version of yourself.
To learn about like-minded people championing the cause of people with disabilities, visit https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
21 Oct 2024
Andy Fiore
In this episode, hosts Amanda and Michelle interview filmmaker Andy Fiore. Based in Vancouver, Andy uses the power of his art and advocacy to amplify the voices of the disabled community.
For the Disability With Possibility, Andy swaps out the camera lens for a microphone to tell deeply personal and emotional stories that lie at the intersection of disability and substance use.
Andy also talks about his letter exchanges with inmates, and his most famous documentary project—Invisible No More—where he explores the link between brain injuries and the criminal justice system.
To learn about a movement led by people with disabilities, visit: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
8 Oct 2024
Elizabeth Lowe
Hosts Amanda and Michelle sit down with Quebec-based Elizabeth Lowe. Liz is a writer, a poet, a lover of languages and a board member of Disability Without Poverty, the creators of this podcast.
Liz lives with cerebral palsy, a condition that resulted from her premature birth. However, in this episode, Liz spotlights the challenges of living with another, 'hidden' disability: dyspraxia. It's a condition that leads to a dramatic deficiency in energy and makes simple tasks time-consuming and fatiguing.
This episode is an honest look at the struggles of some disabled folks whose disability cannot be detected at the outset, maybe because they don't use a wheelchair all the time or because they don't fall under ill-informed stereotypes or categories.
They also discuss Quebec's basic income program for people with disabilities, and how it ushers in more complications rather than a helping hand. But for all the difficult topics that the hosts and the guest cover, this conversation is far from gloomy. You can learn about Elizabeth's favourite ice cream, the languages she wants to learn and her upcoming trip to Vancouver to spend time with the Disability without Poverty team.
To learn about a movement led by people with disabilities, visit: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
1 Oct 2024
Shelley Petit
In this episode, hosts Amanda Lockitch and Michelle Hewitt speak with Shelley Petit, Chair of the New Brunswick Coalition of Persons With Disabilities (NBCPD). Shelley lives with Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition in which any exposure to chemicals results in a negative reaction on her body. It's a disability that can be so debilitating, that some have opted for medical assistance in dying (MAID)
As host Michelle says, "We live in a world where people don't understand disability … and MCS is the least understood." But this episode with Shelly aims to change that — and do much more.
Shelly provides a raw, honest look at a slate of topics: inaccessible building codes and New Brunswick's lagging social assistance, to working with special needs kids and sounding the alarm on chemical use to protect our figure generations.
In spite of living with a disability that confines her indoors, there are moments when Shelley leaves the safety of her home and risks her life to advocate for change on behalf of the disabled community. This episode will leave you inspired to tread her path and inspire change for your own local community—wherever you are.
To learn about a movement led by people with disabilities, visit: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Sept 2024
Rick Hansen & Paul Clark
In the debut episode of Disability with Possibility, hosts Amanda Lockitch and Michelle Hewitt talk to two men—and friends—who transcended their disabilities through sports and athletic excellence. Rick Hansen is fondly remembered for his Man In Motion Tour, where for two months in 1987, he and his team travelled through 40,000 km and 43 countries ... on a wheelchair. Paul Clark, on the other hand, is Canada's first wheelchair-using optometrist who was one of Canada's fastest wheelchair racers. Rick and Paul talk about how they turned doubts, hurdles and challenges into a resolve to becoming decorated Paralympians for Canada. This is a chat filled with inspiration and information with a healthy sprinkle of fun and laughter.
To read the transcript of this episode in English, click here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z-0hq6tMKkAgofy5SsGK0EUOhTfif4FLMx-ZXcydTwY/edit?usp=sharing). To learn about a movement led by people with disabilities, visit: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/ (https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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