Disability Awareness That Matters: Insights from Diana Pastora Carson

Diana Pastora Carson is an educator of 30+ years who has taught at both the elementary and university levels. She’s a consultant and trainer on disability and diversity, a board alum of Disability Rights California and current board member of Disability Voices United. She hosts the Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters podcast and is the author of Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity Work in K–12 Schools and Communities and the children’s book Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights. Diana is also a fierce sibling advocate. Her brother Joaquin spent 15 years in institutional settings after years of aversive “behavior” programs and harmful medication protocols. Diana and her family fought to bring him home into supported living on rural property designed for his safety and choice—what they lovingly call “Joaquinified.”Host Tim Villegas talks with Diana Pastora Carson about her family’s journey to free Joaquin from an institution and what true inclusion requires in schools and communities. They unpack why typical “disability simulations” miss the point, and why presuming competence, prioritizing communication access, and removing societal barriers are the real drivers of inclusion. The episode closes with how Diana’s Beyond Awareness work gives educators concrete, research‑informed steps that honor disabled people’s voices. Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/diana-pastora-carson-beyond-awareness/