Liz Weintraub & Kenneth Kelty | Using Content Creation for Disability Advocacy
Updated: Jul 15, 2022
Think Inclusive: Season 10 Episode 1
Welcome back to a new season of Think Inclusive!
For the first episode of our tenth season, we speak with Liz Weintraub and Kenneth Kelty, both fantastic content creators and disability advocates.
Liz is the host of Tuesdays with Liz: Disability Policy for All, a YouTube show where she breaks down policy so everyone can understand it.
Kenneth is the host of Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty, a podcast where he shares the stories of trailblazers and leaders surrounding disability advocacy.
We talk about the motivation behind creating their shows, some of their favorite moments while recording interviews, and what they hope their audience learns.
Thanks for listening, and if you haven't already, please give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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Credits
Think Inclusive is written, edited, and sound designed by Tim Villegas, and is produced by MCIE.
Orginal music by Miles Kredich.
Support Think Inclusive by becoming a patron!
Audio Transcript
Rasheera Dopson
Hello, before we get to latest episode of Think Inclusive, I want to tell you all about another show I think you'll enjoy. My name is Rasheera Dobson and I am the host of the WomanHood and Disability Podcast. It's a podcast about the intersection of what it's like to be a woman and to live with a disability. You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts, or on Apple podcasts. Okay, let's get ready for the podcast for inclusionists. Think Inclusive brought to you by MCIE.
Audio Jingle
From MCIE
Tim Villegas
For Liz Weintraub, understanding policy has always been important to her. In fact,
Liz Weintraub
it goes back to when I was sitting at the dinner table with my family when I was probably 10 or 11/12. All the conversation was about policy. And maybe my family is strange, but I love them. And I never quite understood well, what policy was. My family would say, well, look at up - look it up. And I that doesn't work for me. That doesn't work for me.
Tim Villegas
Now, Liz has a YouTube show called Tuesdays with Liz, Disability Policy for All, where she breaks down policy so everyone can understand it. Kenneth Kelty chose podcasting as a medium for advocacy because he realized
Kenneth Kelty
there's not a lot out there about self determination for people with disabilities. And so not a lot of people know about inclusive post secondary education programs. I do want there to be more experiences by lived in persons who are sharing their stories.
Tim Villegas
And with Kenneth's podcast Exceeding Expectations, he is doing just that — sharing the stories of trailblazers and leaders on both a national and local level.
Tim Villegas
My name is Tim Villegas, and you are listening to Think Inclusive, presented by MCIE. This podcast exists to build bridges between families, educators, and disability rights advocates to create a shared understanding of inclusive education, and what inclusion looks like in the real world.
Tim Villegas
For the first episode of our 10th season, I want to introduce you to Liz Weintraub and Kenneth Kelty. Both fantastic content creators. We talked about the motivation behind creating their shows, some of their favorite moments while recording interviews, and what they are hoping their audience learns. Thank you so much for listening. And now my interview with Liz Weintraub and Kenneth Kelty.
Tim Villegas
Today on the podcast, we would like to welcome Liz Weintraub and Kenneth Kelty. We are going to be talking about their respective YouTube channel shows and podcast. And we're just really happy to have you both on. Why don't we take some time and have both of you introduce yourself to our audience of educators? Liz, would you go first?
Liz Weintraub
Okay, sure. Thank you very much for having me. On your show. As Tim said, my name is Liz Weintraub, I'm the senior advocacy specialist at the Association for University Centers on Disability they're known as AUCD. I'm the host Tuesdays with Liz, Disability Policy for All, which is a monthly YouTube show. And I'm also on their policy team and I have been a self-advocate and advocate for the last probably 20 years. That's who I am.
Tim Villegas
Thanks, Liz. How about you Kenneth?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes. Hello everyone. Yes, like Tim said, my name is also, Kenneth Kelty and I have been featured on Tuesdays with Liz. Very familiar with the AUCD network as well. I am a motivational speaker and disability advocate at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. My time over at UNC started about seven years ago after I graduated from an inclusive post secondary education program at Western Carolina University. The university participants program. After graduating, I knew I wanted to get more involved in advocacy work and speaking with has paid off well, because I am now an award winning motivational speaker and activist, and since being over at UNC, I've been able to grow in roles as a disability advocate and policy work as well. And I recently started a podcast of my own Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty. Please be sure to follow my pages on both Instagram and Facebook.
Tim Villegas
Fantastic. So this podcast episode is really about Liz's YouTube show and Kenneth's podcast. We wanted to just get to know more about Liz and Kenneth and why they started their shows. So why don't we start with Liz. And I'm assuming that Tuesdays with Liz, the it's called Tuesdays with Liz because your show is on Tuesdays.
Liz Weintraub
And it started as a, a weekly show. And we have decided since I can't do the I've tried to learn how to edit and produce the show. But I can't do that. Just because of my disability what I guess. But and typing that's not my skill set. So and it takes a long time to do a show you can imagine. So therefore we have decided to do it monthly. But why? But let's step back. Why did I want to start the show? And why is it on a Tuesday? It begin by because we have a weekly newsletter for policy, about policy that comes out on Mondays for all over our network and whoever else like to get that, um, that comes out on Monday. And we thought that this would be a great idea to have a version of that. That comes up on Monday, on Tuesday. But so that's why it's on Tuesday. But why did they want to start the show? It goes back to when I was sitting at the dinner table with my family when I was probably 10 or 11/12/13. All the conversation was about policy, and maybe my family is strange but I love them. And I never quite understood what policy was and I never could understand these big words. And I never understood what home community based services is. What is appropriation? Or what is a budget? Or what is the Able Act or what is Higher Education Act is? So I wanted to make sure that my friends could go up to either Capitol Hill or in Maryland in Annapolis to talk to our legislators. Yes, yes, people like yourself could help us understand what it means to advocate and what these issues are. And I'm sure you would do a great job but I want to understand these issues myself. So I could go up by myself. And so therefore and people, people with my family would say, well look it up - look it up. And I, that doesn't work for me. That doesn't work for me. So, for these interviews, which are usually three to five minutes long — before they were 15, and we realized that us wait till most people don't do listen to a 15 minute podcast, or I should say 15 minute YouTube show. So three to five minutes to just to introduce just to talk to legislator, like for them on Tuesday I said, I interviewed, like, just say you're a senator. I won't give away the interview.
Liz Weintraub
But it is going to be a great interview about a law called about an act called Transformative Competitive Employment Act. So I interviewed one of the senators that sponsored the act and talk to him about what it was — so people wouldn't understand that difficult language. Thank you for that question.
Tim Villegas
Yeah, yeah, I'm looking forward to the to the interview. Liz, I'm glad you didn't spoil it for me. So let's turn to Kenneth and Kenneth you said your the name of your podcast is Exceeding Expectations.
Kenneth Kelty
Yes, sorry. Yes, my expectations is Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty. And just like Liz I also came from a family of educators and of people who weren't who were in the big seats of either the education system done my lifelong learning. And also journalism which I have always enjoyed being a documentarian and being a storyteller. My podcast, Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty likes to feature trailblazers on a local or national level. And so just like Tuesdays with Liz, I want it to be both people with and without disabilities, who are making a difference in the disability community. And I want the focus to be on empowerment. I also want to focus on inclusive post secondary, education and also people with disabilities having a career of their choosing, because there's not a lot of talk out there about people with disabilities, and empowerment, or being run by a person with disabilities. And I want my target audience to be professionals in the disability field. And of course, people with different types of disabilities and self advocates who are interested in policy work, and people with disabilities and IPSE who also hold strong values and self determination. And families definitely have a strong role in this as well.
Tim Villegas
Kenneth, have you already — have you already done interviews for your podcast?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes. My first episode in October which is Disability Employment Awareness Month. I interviewed my friends from UNC who are the founders of B 3 Coffee, which is a pop up market that goes around the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham area. It's pretty cool getting to interview them, where it is about competitive employment and not having to be contrived. It's about embracing opportunities. And I just recently uploaded a podcast from December, that was about International Days of Persons with Disabilities which is December 3. And I interviewed my friend Leah who's also the mother of a teenage daughter with dwafism, who used to live in the North Carolina area. We were coworkers and also classmates at UNC. But she and her family now live in Ireland, so it's neat hearing from an international disabilities perspective.
Tim Villegas
Is there something about the podcast that you had like a memory about the podcast that you really liked? Like interviewing somebody? Did something happen? Or?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes, I definitely do have some. Definitely, like one of my friends from B 3 Coffee, we're talking on the podcast. Neat. It was definitely interested in hearing him talk about how oftentimes people with disabilities are seen more as puppets rather than embracing their unique abilities and also even from the recent one I did in December, it was very interesting learning how some of the services in Ireland are more advanced than in America, and how and how I never knew this. But how even in Ireland, inclusion is more of the norm than, than in America where yes, we've come a long ways, but some people still don't understand why we need to embrace disabilities rather than hide them.
Tim Villegas
That's really interesting Kenneth. We interviewed somebody recently who made a trip to Ireland and they said the same thing, that and this person, I believe, was does work with community organizations, and how the organizations in Ireland already had an infrastructure for supporting people with disabilities, which is much different than here. You know, it's it's doesn't usually happen like the YMCA or something like that you really have to advocate for you know, for support if you're going to be utilizing those services so thanks for sharing that Kenneth. I want to go back to Liz and ask you've been doing the your YouTube show for a while do you have a fond memory of making your YouTube show maybe with a particular guest?
Liz Weintraub
Yeah, I have done the YouTube show for probably I'm guessing probably five, five or seven, six years. Over 200 episodes. I know that.
Tim Villegas
That's impressive.
Liz Weintraub
Well, thank you, I guess, um, how I like to say it is that every interview is special to me every I learn something every time that I interview people. I but one, one interview that is standing out to me, right not is int — I tried to explain what recess was about congressional recess. And because it's more than just an interview show. I try to teach people about but was that they're around the policy. We're all on the policy arena. And so one episode I tried to explain what recess was. We said that it was like it wasn't like recess at school. You play in the jungle gym with the swings or whatever you do outside as a kid. And you might enjoy this as MCIE is for school education. But recess in a congressional frame of mind is that that Um, people are the members of Congress are back in their district. And it's not time to relax and to say, okay, okay, gee I'll go to the beach or go here or there. But they're meeting with their constituents which are members, which is you the voters, us the voters. So that and I guess the other memory is whenever I interview a senator, member of Congress that always stands out my mind because you members of Congress don't have a lot of time. They are very very busy. They have a very busy job. Um, I have once seen their schedule, and they have busy busy schedule. But I'm so so when they take the time to talk to me, that makes me feel special. When they take the time to talk to my viewers, and want to talk to my viewers about an issue, Transformative Competitive Employment Act that's special.
Tim Villegas
That is special. And you're right, that they are so busy. They are so busy. So I appreciate I appreciate your description of recess. That's great. So let's go back to Kenneth. Kenneth, what do you want your listeners to be thinking when they're finished with one of your podcast episodes?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes. Definitely, when people are listening to my podcast, I definitely hope that after they listen to an episode it changes their perspective of not wanting to be closed-minded or being open-minded to all abilities. I do hope to plant the seeds with families and to realize that they do have opportunities to move forward and and that they have their whole lives ahead of them. I also hope that organizations and stockholders which could be either the affinity groups or different advocacy avenues to expand opportunities for higher education an integrated competitive employment instead of being on the traditional path that as we all know who are in the field knows that it doesn't really lead to much.
Tim Villegas
What is it about podcasting that intrigued you? Why did you want to have advocacy using like audio?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes. Hold on. Yes. I definitely chose to have a podcast because as I said earlier, there's not a lot out there about self determination for people with disabilities. And so not a lot of people know about IP — not know about inclusive post secondary education programs and I do want there to be I do want there to be more experiences by lived in persons who are sharing, their st — who are sharing their stories and I am very glad that I am creating content that professors will use for our will use for their class materials to be a lecture, and I am a firm believer of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of my favorite quotes is fight for the things you care about. And it is special because you've got to listen to people tell their stories, and give people place where they're where they can share their stories. And of course, when you are connected you can go back, listen, it doesn't matter. It does not matter where you are, as long as there is internet access. And we're glad that we're giving people hubs where they can hare their stories by people's lived experiences.
Tim Villegas
That's great. So why don't you tell us where people can find your podcast? Where you you know, where are you posting your podcasts?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes. Yes, I have a Spreaker account of my own where you can find Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty. And you can also on Spreaker, see where is says CIDD presents Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty. And of course, I do have both a public, Facebook and Instagram page for Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty where it is also featured on Spotify and Google podcasts, right and listen to my podcasts.
Tim Villegas
Awesome. Yeah, I see that. So you got to you have a Spreaker account. Excellent. And then Liz. You're on YouTube?
Liz Weintraub
Yes. aucd.org. And I'm, oh, what was the question? I'm sorry.
Tim Villegas
Where people can find your your show?
Liz Weintraub
I'll put it in the chat.
Tim Villegas
So it's a CI for Kenneth CIDD presents on Spreaker. Okay. And then for Liz, you're gonna put your you're gonna put it in there. Let's see if I can find it Tuesdays with Liz on YouTube.
Tim Villegas
Yeah. Disability Policy for All. Liz you interviewed Kenneth is that right?
Liz Weintraub
Yes. I have interviewed Kenneth twice. I think he won — for the last probably four years. A we have done new Tuesdays with Liz epi — content on different topics. And this year was if it is, if he can gather it was about vaccines. Just because, well, everything is around vaccine these days. And Kenneth won that. I think you've won that contest. Right? Thank you. Sometimes it's always fuzzy for me to keep everything straight. So he was fabulous. That and then um, also um, I think I have interviewed him once more was for Think College as a student. Is that right Kenneth?
Kenneth Kelty
Yes, it was. Yes, it was the Think College Disability Advocates program. They interviewed me for and I was also featured on a Think College article about that about my experience.
Tim Villegas
We'd like to thank Liz Weintraub and Kenneth Kelty for being on the Think Inclusive Podcast we appreciate your time.
Liz Weintraub
Thank you so much.
Kenneth Kelty
Thank you glad to be here.
Tim Villegas
Think Inclusive is written, edited and sound designed by Tim Villegas and is a production of MCIE.
Tim Villegas
Original music by Miles Kredich.
Tim Villegas
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Tim Villegas
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Tim Villegas
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