Advocate Like a Mother Podcast

Hey everyone! Thank you for joining us for our Season Finale LIVE Show with Ileana Sosa and Kendall Renee. We had such an amazing time together at Bella Blooms, sharing our journeys together and meeting many of you face to face. This has been such an incredible first season, and as I mentioned early on in this journey I really never imagined doing a podcast, but felt so deeply called to share my story and journey with you all. It has been so encouraging to see you support the show and own your advocacy. Sign up for the email list on the website for news on season 2 and other updates from us along the way. Again, thank you to so many of you that made this show happen. This season's co-host Ashley and entire The Montano family, my husband Eric and my kids for being so supportive, all of our sponsors; The Glory Days, Speech Blubs, Delivering Fancy, and Functional Formulas. And of course, our producer, editor and engineer, Andy Lara with http://www.andylikeswords.com for making all of the technical things happen. See you all next time! - Michelle Sullivan http://www.advocatelikeamother.org - This week's Sponsor is brought to you by Speech Blubs! SPEECH BLUBS WEBSITE : https://speechblubs.com Download the App Here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speech-blubs-language-therapy/id1239522573?mt=8

Hey Everyone! Today’s episode is all about representation in advertising. We sat down with Katie Driscoll, founder of Changing The Face of Beauty. Katie has 6 kids - she had 5 boys and then her daughter Grace came along. Grace has a magical extra chromosome and Grace is also the inspiration behind Changing The Face of Beauty. Katie shares with us how she stared this amazing organization from the ground up. Katie continues to advocate for change in advertising because 1 out 5 people has a disability, but that number is not represented in ads/media. Let’s help change that! If you see a company including people of all abilities in their ads, will you let them know you notice and that you appreciate it? If you are a talent agency, please hire people of all abilities so everyone is represented.

Today’s episode is part two of a series all about abuse in the disability community. On today's episode we sat down with Natalie Weaver. Natalie's daughter Sophia has a facial difference and has endured an unspeakable amount of hate online. Natalie has even received death threats.  Natalie shares with us how she used to hide at home with Sophia and what happened in her life that turned her into the advocate she is today.  Natalie is a powerhouse advocate and does not back down. She stood up to Twitter along with an army behind her and was able to get them to include disability in their abuse reporting tool, in response to the many hateful and violent comments she has gotten when she posts photos of Sophia.  She is now standing up to Instagram. Natalie said that the abuse she and Sophia has received on Instagram is 3x what she has received on Facebook and Twitter combined. And she's only been on Instagram less than a year. When she reported a comment that said "drown her," Instagram responded that the comment doesn't violate community guidelines.  Will you stand with Natalie? Let's join her in this fight. Follow her on Instagram @nataliecweaver and tag @instagram along with @zuck and @mosseri and ask them to include disabilities in their abuse reporting tool until they can't ignore us any longer.  To any parent who's child has experienced abuse, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Michelle CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org PATREON | www.patreon.com/advocatelikeamother

Today’s episode is part one of a two part series all about abuse in the disability community. On today's episode I sat down with Kasey Murphy. Kasey's son Owen was in a SD classroom at Berkeley Heights Elementary in Martinsburg, West Virginia. A secret recording caught eight hours of the teacher and two aides verbally abusing and threatening the 4 kids in the class. Here is a sample of just a few of the things the kids endured: Owen, are you gonna jerk off in the chair? Adriana, gonna vomit on me today, unibrow? I’m gonna beat your butt. Elasia, I don’t know if I trust you- you’re a cannibal- you gonna murder me? As soon as she stops crying, I am going to put her hands right back inside these scissors. I ought to backhand you right in your teeth. You’re not getting anything to eat. I’ll punch you in your face. I’m going to pull your hair until you start crying. Don’t throw it, you animal. You wench. You’re like a Pygmy. I’m gonna knock you out. Kasey shared with us the shocking details of how law enforcement and the school district has completely dropped the ball and let these kids down. Justice has not been served, but we are hopeful that this will go to court and criminal charges will come. Please call Berkley County Prosecutor Katherine Delegate: 304-264-1971 and let her know that you think it's disgusting that she found no criminal wrongdoing. Please let her know that she should press criminal charges against the teacher, aides and all other school personnel who knew of the recording and failed to report the abuse. To any parent who's child has experienced abuse, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Mini Voice Recorder on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/EVIDA-Compatible-Dictaphone-Recording-Rechargeable/dp/B07F8RVJJK/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=small+recording+device&qid=1552681242&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Follow Owen's Army: https://www.facebook.com/Owens-Army-157936894362881/

Hey Everyone! Today’s episode is part two of a two part series all about feeding.  On today’s episode I sat down with my friend Jamie Keller who is a speech and feeding therapist. Jamie shares with us all of her wisdom about what could be causing feeding issues in kids. We discussed nutrition, sensory issues, the social part of eating, talk tools, and what to look for in a feeding therapist, plus tips and tricks for feeding. CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW http://www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother http://twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org PATREON | http://www.patreon.com/advocatelikeamother

Hey Friends! Today’s episode is part one of a two part series all about feeding.  On this episode I sat down with recording artist Kendall Renee and her mom Kim Hollinger.  Kendall has had a feeding tube since the age of four. We got Kim’s perspective as her mom and we got Kendall’s perspective on growing up with a feeding tube and feeling different. Kendall explains how her feeding tube became a source of strength for her and how it inspired her song “Original” which she performs for us.  To any parent struggling with any diagnosis, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Watch her performance of "Original" on the podcast here: https://youtu.be/ScpdSi0eG6Y Michelle CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org PATREON | www.patreon.com/advocatelikeamother

Welcome friends, On today’s episode of Advocate like a Mother Podcast™ we talk all about diagnosis. Michelle and I got together to chat with Jen Jacob, author, co-founder, and executive director of Down syndrome diagnosis network the DSDN. Jen graciously shared her diagnosis story with us today. You know when the doctor looks at your different? Or when they say the words “these are difficult ultrasounds to go over.”? You immediately go into that outer-body experience. When your child gets a diagnosis it totally changes your life, as Jen told us. Jen’s nonprofit, Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network, launched in 2014. Their biggest effort is to inform, connect, and support new families. Pregnancy - 3 years or age are their main focus right now. They also have small private birth club groups where you can connect and find others. “They also provide resources for doctors. Local organizations and medical professionals have so much power so when we all work together, magic happens.” Here are some quotes from parents the DSDN website:  “A doctor had said Your son has a long life to look forward to. The only limitations they will have are the ones you set for him so make sure not to set any.”  “It’s your job to love her and enjoy the ride.”  “They only thing they won’t be able to do is scuba dive.” (from a Cardiologist.) And the best one, “I can’t tell you what they won’t be able to do I can’t do that with any baby.” That is a quote from a doctor with the right mindset for parents making a huge difference. When you get that diagnosis and your in a daze or feeling hopeless. This episode is all for you.  To any parent struggling with a child that has any diagnosis, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Michelle & Ashley CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org PATREON | www.patreon.com/advocatelikeamother

Welcome friends. On today’s episode of Advocate like a Mother Podcast, Michelle and I get together to chat with Rebecca Kuntz. Rebecca has a daughter named Ellie who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and microcephaly.  We talked all about inclusive playgrounds. An inclusive playground is a playground accessible to wheel chairs, canes, walkers, sensory challenges, deafness and blindness. Parks in the U.S. are typically non-inclusive, meaning children with disabilities don’t have all of the special accommodations needed in order to be as safe as possible. When creating play environments that allow all children and their families to play, in addition to ensuring access, we must ensure inclusion. Kids need to play together, regardless of their abilities. Accessibility is not enough. Simply getting a child with limited mobility onto the playground doesn’t necessarily enhance their play experience. Nor does it take into consideration children with sensory deficits and other developmental issues.The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) made play areas and parks accessible to all children, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re built so that kids with different types of disabilities can play equally. New federal requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act are changing the landscape for public playgrounds, requiring them to include equipment, materials, and designs that provide children with disabilities the same play opportunities as typical children. Parents and advocates are making the real difference — not the federal government. To have statistics you need researchers to be viewing the information, but there’s no funding for them. That and nobody is researching it so we have no statistics - This is a HUGE issue right here. If you don’t have a universally-designed playground in your community, there are a number of steps you can take to get the plan in action: Speak with local chapters of disability organizations about sponsorship and funding, such as the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), Easter Seals, and United Way. Reach out to the parks and recreation department in your area and inquire if there’s a way for citizens to help raise funds for an inclusive playground. Get the local media interested, which can help spread awareness Talk to officials at your city’s town hall (be sure to be prepared to educate them as much as possible about the benefits of an inclusive playground). Speak with school officials, particularly if there are large numbers of children with special needs. Start a fundraiser (Note: Having funds will help you in your missions, but it often takes a lot of time and can be taxing. Getting non-profit support will make things a bit easier). To any parent struggling with inclusion , you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Michelle & Ashley CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org

Welcome friends, On today’s episode of ”Advocate like a Mother™ Podcast,” Michelle and Ashley chat with the Sandi Ames. Sandi is the director of Parents CAN which stands for Collaborate, Advocate, Navigate. Parents CAN is a non profit that provides education and support to individuals with disabilities, their families, and those that serve them. She is an incredible child advocate and parent mentor. We sat around Michelle’s kitchen table with Sandi to discuss IEP’s (individual educational plan). We discuss goals and the actual assessment in our first part of this two part series. Sandi is a powerhouse advocate when it comes to IEPs and the school, she’s been in the field since the mid 80s! On this second part of this episode we discussed the actual meeting itself. Sandi is working hard on giving the educators the resources that they need. Going into the IEP meeting make sure you know this is not a us vs. them, We need to all work together. You should review the assessment, and the proposed goals, make sure you have a vision for your child. Come prepared with your talking points. Keep in mind we want to build a strong relationship and help build this foundation for our kids. Be proactive not reactive. Don’t feel overwhelmed when you feel emotionally charged during the meeting, take a break, take a deep breathe, and come back. There’s so many approaches. You can always bring someone with you to take some notes. You have a voice in this, you can ask for them to explain their abbreviations and district terms. It’s your meeting, we are equal members of the team. To make it a little less stressful we have included a checklist you can bring in alongside your brag sheet! To any parent struggling with a child that has an IEP, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Michelle & Ashley Check out the IEP checklist here: https://www.advocatelikeamother.org/podcast/s01ep3-iep-sandiames-pt2 CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | http://www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | http://www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org

Welcome friends, On today’s episode of Advocate like a Mother Podcast™, Michelle and I got to chat with the Sandi Ames. Sandi is the director of CAN which stands for Collaborate, Advocate, Navigate. CAN is a non-profit that provides education and support to individuals with disabilities, their families and those that serve them. She is an incredible child advocate and parent mentor. We sat around Michelle’s kitchen table with Sandi and talked all about IEP’s -if you don’t know what an IEP it stands for “individual educational program”. We discuss goals and the actual assessment in our first part of this two part series. Sandi is a powerhouse advocate when it comes to IEPs and the school. She has been working in the field since the mid 80s! Having a child in “special education” means you need a lot of prayer and prep. She has a “house” metaphor that explains a great program for a student with a disability. In the “house” metaphor, first you need a foundation, or an assessment where everyone is in agreement. Second, you have your walls, which are the goals. The areas where your focus to help improve the child. Then you have the roof, which is the services. The amount of time each service gets. Then you have the neighborhood where they would be best placed. To any parent struggling with a child that has an IEP, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. SHOW LINKS > Michelle mentioned that she wrote a blog post all about Eli's first IEP and a guide for other parents on how to be prepared for their child's first IEP. Read her article here >> https://www.littlestwarrior.com/blogs/news/a-guide-to-your-childs-first-iep > And our friend Tiffany Stafford (if you want to link to her, here is her FB link: https://www.facebook.com/tiffany.n.stafford ) made a great template for brag sheets or as she calls them, vision statements. You can find the template on her blog here >> https://our3lilbirds.blogspot.com/2017/05/how-to-make-one-page-profile-ellie-style.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR02VrGa0ZyYW-Tls2PSEm6aKgbxjvoNKfFRrFf-bcxXYUaxiFW5R8P-Qy4 > 18 TOOLS FOR INCLUSIVE UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT WORKSHEET > https://advocatelikeamother.squarespace.com/s/18-Tools-for-Inclusive-Understanding-and-Support.pdf Email Sandi Ames: parentscanoc@yahoo.com Michelle & Ashley CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org

Welcome friends, On tonight’s episode of Advocate like a Mother Podcast, Michelle and I got together to chat with the Rachel Coleman. Rachel is an American producer and actress who is known for creating with her sister Emilie de Azevedo Brown, they created together the Signing Time! It’s a video series to teach children basic American Sign Language (ASL), which was broadcasted on public television and Nick Junior. She produces, directs, and stars in the series. On top of handling much of its operations as co-founder of Two Little Hands Productions, she is also executive director of the American Society for Deaf Children. We sat around Michelle’s kitchen table with Rachel. We had the best conversation discussing American Sign Language, and Singing Time! We talked about the diagnoses process of her sweet girls Leah and Lucy, which she learned always trust your mom gut. What an inspiration she is in the ASL & special needs community. She changed her entire focus from her musical background to something that was not only life changing for her daughters, but for so many other families. She has made such an impact helping teach others how to communicate. We love that this is a family production, it shows what such a product of love she created. Sometimes after you have kids that’s when you truly find your place in this world. Diagnoses are so hard, from the phone call, the stress, and the pressure but when you look over at that shinning light, and see their little souls telling you, “I’m fine guys, nothing is wrong here. Don’t be sad.” Us parents maybe need to learn some new things, and that’s not bad! To any parent struggling with a child that is deaf, you are not alone. We are here to help encourage you, and to help find your community. Michelle & Ashley Read the Show Transcript here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bad5607d7819e296d684673/t/5befa1361ae6cf7a6947c89a/1542431031748/S01+Episode+1+-+American+Sign+Language+...+Coleman+of+Signing+Time+-+Google+Docs.pdf CONNECT WITH OUR SHOW INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother TWITTER | www.twitter.com/advocatelikeamom EMAIL | Hello@advocatelikeamother.org WEBSITE | www.advocatelikeamother.org CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST RACHEL COLEMAN WEBSITE | https://www.signingtime.com INSTAGRAM | www.instagram.com/signing_time OTHER LINKS CHIME INSTITUTE | http://www.chimeinstitute.org/

Welcome to the Advocate Like a Mother Podcast! The official launch of Season 1 kicks off this fall and today Michelle and Ashley spend some time sharing about their journey and what this show is all about! In the meantime, sign up for our email list at http://www.advocatelikeamother.org to get notified when the show launches! Also, please subscribe on iTunes or Google Play and leave us a review! Thanks! *Follow us on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/advocatelikeamother

Welcome to the Official Advocate Like a Mother™ Podcast! This fall, get excited for our official launch of the show with Michelle Sullivan, owner and CEO of Littlest Warrior and her co-host, Ashley Montano. We are excited to host stories, education, and in formation around all things advocacy related to people with special needs, disabilities, or different abilities, whichever you prefer. Michelle and Ashley are passionate about helping mothers and parents learn how to find their voice in a social space filled with opposition and inequality. Join us this fall, and subscribe today! http://www.advocatelikeamother.org http://instagram.com/advocatelikeamother Production by Portable Podcast with Andy Lara http://www.andylikeswords.com