Ep 88: Policy

With Election Day just two weeks away in the United States on November 3rd, this is the perfect time to talk about policy. Today’s episode features an interview with Liz Weintraub. Liz is an advocate who has held many board and advisory positions at state and national organizations. She is a full time member of the policy team for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and she is also the host of Tuesdays With Liz: Disability Policy For All, where she talks about policy in accessible language. You’ll learn how Liz got involved in disability policy, why she loves it and why it matters. Please note our conversation took place before the coronavirus pandemic. Transcript [Google doc] [PDF] Related Links About A picture of a woman with a blue sweater and a white turtleneck with glasses and smiling for the camera. Liz Weintraub has a long history of leadership in self advocacy, and has held many board and advisory positions at state and national organizations. She is a full time member of the AUCD’s policy team and also the host of Tuesdays With Liz: Disability Policy For All, where she attempts to make policies in accessible language so policy is accessible to all. In the Spring of 2018, Liz served as a Fellow for Senator Casey of Pennsylvania, working in his DC Office where she helped lead the way on disability policy by helping the Senator hold the administration accountable for disability stakeholder input into key programs; calling attention to the need for accessible supports and services for students and employees with disabilities on college campuses who have been sexually assaulted, which resulted in a S.2530; and helped organize a first of its kind Pennsylvania Disability Employment Summit with over 250 participants. Said Senator Casey, “Liz has shown the Senate how important it is to have staff members who have developmental and intellectual disabilities. She’s helped reshape the culture of the Senate.” In the fall of 2018, Liz told the story of her personal experience as a woman with disabilities as she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the potential implications of a Kavanaugh confirmation to the civil rights of people with disabilities. Read her submitted written testimony and watch her oral testimony on AUCD’s website. Prior to coming to AUCD, Liz worked for the Council on Quality & Leadership (CQL). Liz is an alumni of the LEND training program at the Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University. Liz was a past chair of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council. Liz is rejoining the Council for another term. Liz has received numerous awards, recognition, and commendations for her work. Liz enjoys mentoring people with disabilities. Twitter: @tuesdaywithliz Support Disability Media and Culture DONATE to the Disability Visibility Project® Credits Geraldine Ah-Sue, Audio Producer Alice Wong, Writer, Audio Producer, Host Cheryl Green, Text Transcript Lateef McLeod, Introduction Mike Mort, Artwork Theme Music (used with permission of artist) Song: “Dance Off” Artist: Wheelchair Sports Camp Music “Frogs in Tuxes” by Podington Bear (Frogs In Tuxes by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.) Sounds “VOCODER countdown” by Jack_Master. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License. “8 Bit Beeping Computer Sounds” by sheepfilms. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.