NYS OPWDD Announces New “Accessing Life” Podcast in Honor of Disa...

New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities announced the launch of a new podcast on the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA, signed July 26, 1990, prohibits discrimination and upholds the civil rights of people with disabilities for employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The podcast, led by those with lived experience, will include discussions on several areas addressed in the ADA, from topics like voting, to navigating the community, and understanding different transportation options. The first episode of the series kicks off with a focus on technology and how it can be used to promote independence and inclusivity.

OPWDDActing Commissioner Willow Baer said, "The Americans with Disabilities Act triggered a landmark shift in requiring that people with disabilities have the same rights and life choices as anyone else. The Anniversary of the ADA, coupled with the celebration of July as Disability Pride Month, is a powerful reminder of the daily obstacles people with disabilities endure to access their community. OPWDD is excited to share this new podcast series and is proud to see New Yorkers with developmental disabilities express themselves and discuss their daily challenges and successes while learning from each other and teaching all of us."

"Accessing Life" is produced by OPWDD staff member Michael Orzel, who saw the need to add the voice of lived experience to the public conversation.

"These are conversations we've been having for a long time and now we're opening up a new way for others to join in the discussion and share what life is like for them living with a developmental disability. I'm excited to hear from a range of people about topics that are of interest to all," saidOPWDD Peer Specialist and Podcast Producer Michael Orzel.

Michael had the distinction of attending the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 and currently serves as OPWDD's National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) statewide coordinator. Michael works every day to make sure that voting rights are upheld for people with developmental disabilities and that every person is educated about voting and given the opportunity to register to vote.

The podcast is hosted by two OPWDD employees and disability self-advocates, Chester Finn and B.J. Stasio, both of whom are eager to help guide the conversation about what living with a developmental disability is like.

Chester Finn is a nationally recognized disability rights advocate and Peer Specialist for OPWDD. Chester was appointed by former President Barack Obama to serve two terms on the board of the National Council on Disability (NCD). The NCD is an independent federal agency that advises the president, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding disability policy. Chester remembers listening to Martin Luther King Jr. as a young boy and likens disability advocacy to the civil rights and black resistance movements that both taught him the power of persistence.

OPWDD Peer Specialist and award-winning disability rights advocate B.J. Stasio was also present for the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act when he happened upon it while in Washington D.C. for a high school field trip. He says that trip changed the trajectory of his life and credits the ADA for opening up new opportunities for him to be able to further his education. B.J. also had the honor of attending the 20th anniversary of the ADA when then-president Barack Obama invited him to be his guest.

You can watch and subscribe to the podcast on OPWDD's YouTube channel.

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