Disability Awareness and Inclusion with Diana Pastora Carson [IEP 195]

<p><em><u>NOTE:</u> Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive!</em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today’s guest is Diana Pastora Carson, a self-described sibling advocate and a big fan of her brother, Joaquin, who spent 15 years of his life in an institution. Joaquin’s family fought for three years to bring him home, and he fully supports and endorses the way Diana shares their family story. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diana has been an elementary educator for over 30 years in both general and special education. A lecturer for a Disability and Society course through San Diego State University, Diana also teaches other disability and inclusion courses through SDSU and a local community college. She’s a public speaker, inclusion visionary, and community activist who has also done a TEDtalk. With two terms on the board of Disability Rights California, she currently serves on the board of directors for Disability Voices United. Last year, she helped produce a series for</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ability</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">magazine in which she interviewed 50 experts and activists in the field of disability. Diana is the author of</span> <a href="https://amzn.to/3nkh2vh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability Into Diversity Work in K-12 Schools</span></em> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">& Communities</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">and the children’s book,</span> <a href="https://amzn.to/3BX40HR" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Ed Roberts: CHAMPION of Disability Rights</a><em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">.</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to starting her own podcast soon, Diana’s upcoming endeavors include launching an online course