Unbound Futures is a conversation between Joyner and Shubha—two parents raising autistic kids with high/complex support needs—that explores a life where parenting becomes a site of innovation, community becomes a strategy, and liberation is something we learn to practice together.
Grounded in their own lived experiences across race, class, gender, queerness, and disability, Shubha and Joyner invite additional practical wisdom and political analysis through conversations with guests with lived experience in disability justice. By intentionally centering the legacies and priorities of non-speaking and highly marginalized disabled people, Unbound Futures reimagines the role of parent caregivers in movements by connecting the daily work of supporting direct care, communication access, safety, education, and community integration to how we are building freedom from the margins.
Lives in the Balance CPS model and one non-speaking kid
In this episode Shubha talks to Zaidee Martin - an expert on the Ross Greene CPS method. They pack in a lot including why CPS has been so meaningful to each of them, why they feel it's even more important to use with the most marginalized kids (and people!) like non-speaking kids, BIPOC kids, and other disabled kids most often left out of the conversation. Then they spend 45 minutes with Zaidee Martin coaching Shubha on a current, real-life, challenge with their non-speaking kid ("my kid is climbing everything!"). Zaidee shows what it can look like to have a Plan B conversation with a kid through experimentation and actions, rather than language.
0:00 - Introductions and what is CPS
12:00 - Pontificating about CPS
42:00 - Zaidee coaching Shubha on problem-solving
1:23:00 - Zaidee gives Shubha an epiphany about what they've been doing with A-, and what they could be doing
The official Lives in the Balance CPS website - https://cpsconnection.com/
8 Mar 2026
My Access Need Is a Paradigm Shift
Joyner and Shubha discuss what it looks like to parent from a place of accepting that our kids, and ourselves, have needs. Not trying to question them or change them. And we share examples of what that really looks like. Even when it's HARD. Even when it means our non-speaking kid needs to stay in the kitchen 24/7, even for showering. And we talk about how often the need we and our kids have is actually a paradigm shift. The harm it does to parents and families when this isn't the approach taken by professionals. And what does this all have to do with the resistance in Minnesota? A lot.
(00:20) - We all have needs. What are our needs right now? Does anyone have special needs? How to access needs.
(13:00) - Examples of accepting and embracing a need around movement and eating
(24:00) - It's hard when Needs are viewed through a list of "standard" needs. Sometimes the only need is a paradigm shift. Example of meeting paradigm shift need by finding amazing school.
(42:40) - Parenting non-speaking kids means centering trust, because we often know what our kids need, but not Why. Practical examples of how we support our kids to feel trusted, in non-traditional ways.
(01:12:00) - Adults put their access needs onto disabled kids, because they cling to normalcy. The MN occupation and why normalcy is killing us.
Click here to view the episode transcript. (https://share.transistor.fm/s/6e5aa26e/transcript)
References:
Bri Guerra, nonspeaking advocate for change (https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGuerraNonspeakingAdvocate)
The book Shubha made for A- on all the ways to say no (https://northstarandcompass.substack.com/p/all-the-ways-to-say-no?utm_source=publication-search)
Pictello Shubha made to show A- we wanted to know his concerns (https://northstarandcompass.substack.com/p/showing-a-that-hes-centered-in-his?open=false#%C2%A7ross-green-cps-method-and-a-beautiful-story-of-showing-a-knowing-hes-centered-in-his-life-feb-21)
8 Feb 2026
Introductions And Life Under MN Occupation
Joyner and Shubha introduce themselves, their identities, and their kids, exploring risks, systemic power, and disabled family life under occupation in Minneapolis.
The discussion about Minneapolis begins about 40 minutes from the end.
Referenced in this episode:
Talila A. Lewis' definition of ableism (https://www.talilalewis.com/blog/working-definition-of-ableism-january-2022-update)
Disability Justice (https://sinsinprocess.squarespace.com/disability-justice-primer)
6 Feb 2026
Bonus Episode: Theme Songs
Shubha cries, sharing 3 clips of songs that are so meaningful in their liberated parenting. That remind them of their kid. That could have been the perfect theme songs if we had the rights.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
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