Speaker 0 00:00:16 This is disability and progress where we bring you insights into ideas about and discussions on disability topics. My name is Sam. I'm the host of this show. Charlene dollars. My research team tonight, it is give to the max, please go to give M n.org and support your favorite nonprofit or more than one. Tonight. We are also listening to the twin cities, metropolitan regional arts council. They were holding public conversation with four twin cities, artists with disabilities. They will explore how people with disabilities are making, sharing and experiencing the arts and what needs to happen next to fully include disability communities in the regions. Cultural fabric. Tonight, we are joining facilitator. Scott Artley. Scott is the accessibility program director for the Amarok and will be facilitating this forum. Good evening, Scott.
Speaker 2 00:01:22 Hi Sam. Thank you so much. Um, uh, I will just launch into our conversation. I'm so thrilled. Um, my name is Scott Artley. I use he him pronouns and also they them pronouns. And as Sam said, I'm the accessibility program director at the metropolitan regional arts council, which is also known as M rack. Um, I'm really grateful to be partnering with you, Sam, um, disability and progress. And KFA tonight to bring this event to a wider audience. It's very exciting partnership. Um, we thought it would just be on zoom actually. So it's great to know that Sam was open to connecting, um, and bringing in her community of listeners, um, to this conversation. So thank you. So I'll just introduce for a moment and rack the metropolitan regional arts council Emmerich improves arts access for communities and seven county Metro area through support to artists and organizations.
Speaker 2 00:02:21 And as the accessibility program director, I assist with creating and running funding programs and ensuring that MRX activities are accessible to and serving people with disabilities. And I also develop resources and partnerships to expand the participation of people with disabilities in the arts. I will say I'm also a disabled artist myself. I will give a quick verbal description of myself. I am a white man in my mid thirties with an orange beard. I'm wearing a blue squarish glasses and a dark gray, a knit hat. And my favorite light blue sweatshirt behind me is my home office. Um, and not that it's a visual description, but if we were in a room together, you could probably smell the garlic from the pizza that I had for lunch this afternoon. Um, full sensory experience. Um, I'm really thrilled to bring together these four artists that I admire for a conversation about a topic that all of us are so passionate about.
Speaker 2 00:03:25 Um, there are so many artists with disabilities I could have chosen from I'm sure a lot of them are on the zoom meeting right now, but I selected four for our first. Maybe, maybe there'll be more our first conversation, um, that had some recent interactions with the metropolitan regional arts council. Um, so I would love to introduce our first guest, our featured speaker, who is Nicole M. Smith. Nicole is a radical healing artist and organizer has experienced an expertise in using artistic methods to address trauma, difficult experiences and injustice, to unravel dynamics of disempowerment oppression and systemic methods of control. Her work has been experienced internationally and in fall 2016, Nicole was honored to have been invited to the white house under Obama's administration for her work in the bisexual queer community. Nicole's participation with Emmerich recently has been as a participant in focus groups that Emerick held about arts and disability in 2019, and as an applicant in a couple of MRX grant programs for individual artists. So I'm going to be introducing each of our participants like this, and I'll have them kick off with a brief verbal description of themselves. And then answer a question that I'm going to pose to everyone. So here's this first question. So Nicole, in a moment, I'll have you introduce yourself with your verbal description and answer this question. How does access and disability show up in your artistic work?
Speaker 3 00:05:03 Thank you, Scott. Um, hello everyone. I am so pleased to be here. I'm honored. That's got an M rag have asked me to be at the place of the table. Um, my name is Scott said is Nicole Smith. I am a black woman. I have a double nose piercing, hoop nose casing on the left side of my nostrils. I have dreadlocks that are my natural hair color, so black that are cascading right now. Um, we'll talk a little bit, pack my shoulders. I have almost a full sleeve tattoo on my right arm and then some of my clavicles, some on my left arm and I I'm wearing a cream colored hoodie and some gray leggings and quite cozy as I, my tea and have my space heater fireplace next to my maybe, maybe chartreuse blue couch. Um, yeah, that's me. So, um, that, can you repeat the question one more time please?
Speaker 2 00:06:15 Uh, how does access and disability show up in your artistic work?
Speaker 3 00:06:23 Yeah, you know, I mean, first and foremost, my work as an artist, as a facilitator being presented in front of an audience is how it shows up. I embody being a person with disabilities. And quite often I am told that, um, because I was born a sighted person and live majority of my life as a sighted person. And I was told that I don't quote, unquote, look like someone who has sight impairments. Um, sometimes, you know, often, initially as a facilitator, I don't disclose that I'm a person with disabilities until much later, because what I want to do is demystify the stigmatization that occurs with what a personal disability appears as, um, how we are a spectrum and who we are, who we be. And so that in, uh, in and of itself appears in that way of me walking through the world, I'm being through the world, um, you know, being myself through the world.
Speaker 3 00:07:35 And I acknowledged that I just used ablest language by saying walking. So I apologize and I'll say, be in the world. Um, the other aspect is becoming a sight impaired person in 2015, beginning that journey. I've really advocated for equity, especially with, um, disability justice and encouraging people to discern from adaptability and the discernment between adaptability, adaptability, and accessibility. So really, you know, um, spotlighting the injustices that occur with disability, um, rights. And I say, it's not me or my community, that there's an issue with it's society as a whole. That's very able to, and things of that nature. So my art and my life and my identities are very intertwined. So the art of being a person with disabilities is how I show up.
Speaker 2 00:08:38 I love that the art of being a person with disabilities already, I'm already ready to make a bumper sticker about that. All right, next, I'm going to introduce Minda may, uh, Minda may hails from Minneapolis, the first wheelchair using burlesque performer, Minnesota, a fierce advocate for persons with disabilities. She works tirelessly to spread awareness and champions for change at every opportunity. She's the producer of the disability festival and the founder of the disabilities academy, both exclusively for burlesque and circus and drag performers with disabilities. A recent participation with Amarac Minda has been a participant in MRX arts and disability focused groups, just like Nicole Smith and her organization disabilities has been awarded and rec grants in MRX arts, project support, flexible support and equity response grant programs. So Amanda, if you could give us a brief verbal description of yourself and then tell us how does access and disability show up in your work?
Speaker 4 00:09:43 Hi, sure. Um, my name is Minda. May I use she, her pronouns. I'm a white woman with a Bob length, curly Auburn wig, and I'm wearing a teal in purple sequin dress and necklace and glasses with blue frames. I am sitting in my living room in front of a cream color from all. Um, I, because I'm the first in the state, I am often the first burlesque dancer people see in a wheelchair. Um, just being present in a space with people that are either able-bodied or have invisible disabilities can, um, change folks, preconceived notion of what a disabled person is, um, and hopefully take that into their world and daily life. Um, a lot of people assume a lot of things about disabled folks, um, and we like proving them wrong. Um, it, you know, dancing, sitting isn't much different than dancing, standing. Um, you still convey feelings and emotions with movement.
Speaker 4 00:10:43 Um, you just do it with your upper body. Um, so for an example, instead of doing a different walk on stage, I can actually move my wheels differently. Um, and I also have the advantage of being able to spin on stage really fast with my power chair and most people don't get that chance. Um, so, you know, instead of using the chair, just as a prop, I can use it as an extension of my body or even as a partner. Um, and with this, you know, my biggest limitation, isn't my chair. It's not being able to perform in a venue because it isn't accessible. Um, and as Scott mentioned, I am the producer of the disability festival, um, which is the only festival of its kind for burlesque drag insert, um, artists with visible and invisible disabilities and the disability academy, which is an online school, um, geared towards performers, producers, and teachers that have, or want to work with, um, folks with disabilities.
Speaker 4 00:11:38 Um, I am not the only person on the team for both of these. Um, both organizations are run by and for people with disabilities, there were two other folks on these teams. Um, and we make sure that when working with, um, instructors and performers, um, that we make, um, is that sustainable and impactful as we can. Um, and we find it's also really great for people to see someone like them, either onstage or teaching a class because representation is so important. Um, yeah, I think just having, um, more opportunities to showcase our talents is really important. And, um, COVID actually did us a favor with, um, making things virtual, um, so we can bring our shows in classes, into the homes of folks, regardless of where they live. Um, and this is also helpful for, um, having the option of, um, captioning or flexibility in filming style or, um, if it's recorded, people can watch it, um, within their time zone or bodies allow. Um, yeah, so being able to kind of have a representation of different bodies on stages and in classes has been really important because I didn't know there was such a wide community, um, both locally and internationally of disabled performers and just being able to give them a space to perform or teach or learn as, um, I think really opened up my eyes to how many of us there are and gives a really big sense of community as well.
Speaker 2 00:13:17 Excellent. Thank you. Yes. Representation show important. So important. I'm sure we'll come back to that. All right. Next. Uh, I'll introduce Nicole Noblet. Uh, Nicole says in her bio, my name is Nicole Noblitt. I grew up loving everything art related, especially the MES formerly an interact artists. Now living in Kansas city, Missouri, I gained the skills and knowledge about artistic practice and am an avid researcher. So I know how to find opportunities to show my art. What I want more than anything is for people to see my art and ask me why I created it recently. Nicole served on the flexible support grant review panel last spring, and was a participant with the grantee organization, cow tipping press. So Nicole, if you could give us a brief verbal description and then, uh, tell us how does access and disability show up in your artistic?
Speaker 5 00:14:10 My name is Nicole Littlewoods. I light skin woman with orange lens on my glasses. I have shoulder length, brown hair and wearing a floor island green Stripe top. My two Kenny picks her up at her and me in their cage. And you might see three cats running in the background facility. And next that's show up in my written work because I have chronic illnesses and I'm autistic. I frequently meet doctors who are impatient with me because they're because of my illnesses haven't been identified. I am often told it's all in my head and referred to the psychologist, which does mean no good and infuriates me, my visual work is created using by sellers because they make me happy.
Speaker 2 00:15:07 Excellent. I share your interest in bright colors. I will say in my own visual work and in my regular life. All right. Our final guests that I will introduce is Taylor McGee. Taylor McGee is a black disabled writer, poet performing artist and disability advocate living in St. Paul, Minnesota. They have performed in 20% theater company, twin cities, production controlled burn, as well as the immersive outdoor performance dumpster fire and the 29 production of queer Topia. They currently work as director of access and community engagement for women for political change through their work. They explore race, gender, and disability through a poetic lens. Taylor's been recent participation with M rack, uh, first as an in depth interviewee for that research we did in 2019 about arts and disability had a lovely conversation over coffee. Um, and then recently it was an applicant in the arts impact for individuals grant program and a grantee for the group lightening rod, uh, which is a grantee of, of Emerick as well. Um, where, uh, Taylor served as both a performing artist collaborator and an access Avenger, which is the delightful name they gave to their accents advisory group. So, um, Taylor could give us a brief verbal description of yourself and then tell us how does access and disability show up in your artistic work?
Speaker 6 00:16:35 Hi everyone. My name is Taylor. Um, my visual description today, I am wearing a fluffy pink sweatshirt with a bear on it, very cozy. Um, I am wearing a pair of glasses. I am a light-skinned black person. I have a eyebrow piercing, um, two nose piercings and a septum piercing. And I have a neon pink hair in the front and red in the rest and my hair is pulled back into pigtails. So that's what I look like today. Um, for me, disability is inherently always a part of my art because my artistic practice is about centering black autistic experiences and black autistic bodies and my performance art. And especially when I do movement art, I am very much centered in this idea of having a body that is undesirable a body that is broken a body that is a flawed in ways that other bodies aren't flawed, you know, and when I create as an artist, I want that to be the center, the message that this is about my community and my culture, and about centering these stories that are frequently aren't being told. So often we aren't seeing narratives in our art about black disabled bodies. And through my work in particular, there is no separation of blackness and disability because that is the entire encompassing of who I am. So for me, that's very important when talking about my artistic practice is that disability and race cannot be separated for me because when you look at me and when you get to experience my art, you are experiencing both of those things at the same time.
Speaker 2 00:18:41 Thank you, Taylor. I'm sure we'll talk again more about that too, but thank you for bringing your full self, including your neon pink hair. Again, more bright colors. Let that be a theme for today. All right. Well now we've got some questions that I prepared ahead of time that I would love to hear our panelists talk about. Um, so let's start first with a question that I will pose to Nicole Noblet. So this first question is what do you think the arts have to offer people with disabilities? And what do you think people with disabilities have to offer the arts?
Speaker 5 00:19:20 It's something anyone can do. There are endless ways to create art. Many tools can be adapted to make them accessible for people with all kinds of abilities. Some might create things that are not thought of as traditional art or thought of as not being as good. We need to start thinking of art made by artists with disabilities as being on the same level as art made by non-disabled peers start, anyone can be an artist. Uh, this is something I'm good at. It is something that makes me feel good. I am proud of what I create, and that is something no one can take away from me or make me feel less than people with disabilities. I have a lot to offer the arts. We provide a unique perspective. We see the world through a different lens.
Speaker 2 00:20:25 Yeah. Agreed. Well, yes. Would anybody else like to add onto them?
Speaker 3 00:20:35 Yeah. This isn't a call, um, Smith, you know, I really appreciate what was she put into the space and that aspect normalization, right. Normalizing the, what is that to be a person with super abilities and having the arts? We had an excess point. I feel like the arts definitely provides a way of engagement that is encompassing in the ways that it is that is in and of itself. Whereas some other sectors or, um, you know, other, uh, yeah, as you say, sectors out there aren't as inviting and there is a level of forgiving, um, which Nicole just touched upon. And that to me is, is a way to feed in a change feed in as my pilots, as the dismantling of certain levels of supremacy, including ableism, and really do the arts, allowing the audience to, to bear, witness and engagement in ways that might not otherwise occur simply by being in the audience and witnessing, you know, um, from burlesque to theme to, um, painting to poetry theater, fill in the blank. That is an absorption that may not otherwise occur, um, beyond the, you know, the arts are sector.
Speaker 2 00:22:28 So I think I'm hearing you say that the art sector is uniquely welcoming in a way, is that what you're saying?
Speaker 3 00:22:36 Yeah, it's uniquely welcoming. And you know, I think that as Nicole mentioned, is that from anyone can, can be an artist, you know, um, before I was a part of the disability community, I went ahead and shadowed upstream artists and was, you know, just astonished how engaging, um, the arts could be with folks of, of a variety of ability. And I witnessed how, you know, even the level of engagement for someone with DCD <inaudible> cognitive disorder and asking, you know, this person to perform. And they were able to perform in the arts by blinking their eyes and was celebrated, you know, and that to me is that way in which the arts can be inviting and can be a gateway into engagement, whereas some other sectors, you know, there's a lot of barriers.
Speaker 2 00:24:05 I think that's a great point. Um, and it might actually feed into my next question, which I have for Taylor, which is how do the other identities you hold impact your experience as a disabled person or disabled artist. And specifically in the arts?
Speaker 6 00:24:27 I believe that my other identity is really tie into my experiences and in very nuanced ways for me, like I am an after indigenous, um, gay fat artists, you know, like that those are like identities that I carry and that show up in the ways that I show up as an artist and in the spaces that I occupy, but with that as well, there's also the element, you know, I am a light-skinned black person that is a part of this as well. And so for me, I always have to recognize that I am a black disabled artist, but my experiences with disability and blackness, aren't the end all be all of experiences of disability in blackness. And so while I work really hard to be a prominent voice doing this type of work and making this type of art, I also, I'm always trying to be aware of knowing when to pass the mic and knowing when to elevate and honor other black, disabled artists as well, many, many folks who might be have different experiences of mine, whether they be Muslim, whether they be darker skin than me, et cetera, I'm making sure that those folks are being centered in heard as well, because at the end of the day, I'm never going to be the most marginalized person in the room, even if I am a black disabled artist.
Speaker 6 00:25:58 And that is because of the globalization of anti-blackness, you know, it is everywhere and it is in these spaces. And so I can not divorce like blackness and disability from one another, but at the same time, I have to recognize the nuances that come with that and be aware of them actively in the ways that I show up and in the ways that I create a lot of my work is solo work because I am shy mainly. That's why I, but in the future, I'd love to do more collaborative work with other black disabled artists. And I have, um, some things in the works, hopefully. So I think that thinking about these things and having to have a conversations, bring them to light for, for allies and other folks. So they're also thinking about these things are really important. I hope that answers the question.
Speaker 2 00:26:51 Oh, it totally does. Yes. Again, always hit with your brilliance. Does anybody else have thoughts on that question about your, the other identities you hold impacting your experience as a disabled artist?
Speaker 3 00:27:07 I do, but I will hold back to a recall if someone else wants to speak on it.
Speaker 2 00:27:12 Well, let's actually just in the, in the, for the sake of time, this event is so fast. It's only an hour. I could really spend hours doing this, but we wanted to have something that felt accessible in our log. So I'll move us along to our next question, which is, um, I'm going to post a Minda. So how can arts organizations be better allies to people with disabilities?
Speaker 4 00:27:35 Yeah, I mean, the first thing is talk to people with disabilities, um, you know, reach out to disability communities and get feedback on how to make your, um, events and even, you know, your social media and advertising and websites, um, more accessible to different groups. Um, you know, there aren't just, you know, disability, isn't just people in wheelchairs, there may be a need for an ASL interpreter or captions, um, even audio descriptions, um, or image descriptions, um, in recordings for virtual events. Um, you know, even if me and three other people have the same, you know, disability diagnosis doesn't mean that it's going to show up the same in all of us. Um, and so having insight, I think for multiple people is really important. Um, and honestly organizations need to add community members with disabilities to decision making, um, positions. Um, not only can they give insight on some easy changes that can be made, um, to make their programming more accessible.
Speaker 4 00:28:37 Um, but then people will see them, um, and feel more welcome because they know that their needs are being considered. Um, a big thing that I've learned about recently that I really enjoyed our accessibility statements. So it would be like on a event posting or Facebook page, or even a website, um, that kind of say like, what are your accessibility features? Um, but don't say anything like, unfortunately our event isn't accessible, um, because you don't know what people's access requirements are. Um, and if, um, you're cutting people off without giving them the choice. Um, and then also have, you know, a person people can contact if they have more questions or things that aren't there, that way we don't need to go hunt somebody down and it'll take, you know, more effort than it should. Um, I think when you're a better ally to folks with disabilities in your work, we, uh, you create spaces whether virtual or in-person that will allow everyone disabled or not to engage more fully.
Speaker 4 00:29:38 Um, and if that means going outside of your organization, get help to do this, do it. Um, it's always worth putting time and resources to make things more accessible. Um, a good example is, um, I'm sure you've all seen the picture of, you know, uh, somebody shoveling steps and then they ask, well, can you do the ramp? Because if you do the ramp, everybody can go up. Or if you just do the steps, those people can go, but then, you know, they have to wait. Um, so by making things more accessible for people with disabilities, you're making it more accessible to everyone. Um, and there were, you know, infinite different potential access needs. Um, so taking an accessible stand continuously and listening to hiring disabled people, um, and welcoming new requests and taking them serious, um, are all ongoing decisions. It's not just, uh, you know, uh, one thing and it's done and accessible for everybody.
Speaker 2 00:30:31 All right, those are great, excellent, you know, combination Please, and position. That's how you really become an ally, let your organization become that. Um, so I, I, uh, I want to let anybody else answer, uh, how an arts organizations might be better allies to people with disabilities. And I will say, Nicole, I, if, if the thing you were going to say earlier feels like it's still burning. I really want to encourage you to also Nicole Smith, if that burning thing is still in your mind, I would love to hear that as well.
Speaker 3 00:31:15 It's not necessarily burning, and I know we're on a time crunch, so thank you, Scott, for the opportunity, but I will have a relinquished set.
Speaker 2 00:31:24 Okay. So generous. So anybody have other thoughts about how arts organizations can be better allies to people with disabilities? If not, I'm going to move us along then, Nicole Smith. Um, if you could, uh, so here's another question that I have for you. And, you know, again, it might integrate with some thoughts you were already having, um, if money, time, energy, et cetera, were not considerations. If you could dream your biggest dreams, what would erect,
Speaker 3 00:32:05 Okay. Scott, the last part of your question cut out after what would,
Speaker 2 00:32:10 What would a likely accessible arts environment be like for you?
Speaker 3 00:32:19 First of all, as a black woman, you know, reparations. So I would be able to come into a space. Um, no, you know, I serve on the Minnesota excess Alliance board. And I just remember when, um, you know, worked at the Ordway piece mentioned that, um, who, uh, Tina Smith stayed out forward. Um, but said, I remember carrying this. And I was like, yes, that someone with a variety of personal disabilities, no matter what their needs are, can come into the Ordway. I'll just say in this dream of space and not need to ask for anything, they can have the same experience that, you know, a fully able person, a person with disabilities could have, and that to me, oh, it's true. And, and that's something that I think about. And again, going back to that discernment between adaptability and accessibility, I've been in experiences where folks still there being accessible.
Speaker 3 00:33:42 And I'm, I'm saying that's being adaptable. If I'm in a space that's being facilitated and I'm too engaged in a sighted activity. And one of the facilitators comes up to me and reads what's on the board or reads the handout. And like, you know, that I'm having a very different experience than the rest of the room. Correct. And as a facilitator and an art maker, I hold that in consciousness when I am doing in a ramp engagement. Um, I also do the art of events. And when I, you know, it's so Friday, um, which is a dance party that I co-organized with Sally Nixon, um, we think about our patrons. We think about, um, compromised immune systems, which is why we have not had a party since January, 2020. We also think about, um, persons that may, you know, want to engage with a dance party, but there is the need, uh, for mobility, like, um, especially around mobility.
Speaker 3 00:34:54 And so creating these access points that allow folks that maybe didn't think that they could attend an event because they felt that it wasn't set up in a way that would allow them access to be like, no, we got you. And so that to me is a dream of me walking the world in the ways that I do and the intersection of identities as a queer disabled black woman saying, you know, I still got without having to ask to be gone and yeah, to be able to go into a theater, to be able to go into a space, you know, there are, um, institutions in the twin cities and abroad and behind that when, as they are either able to provide or, um, there's a very famous art museum in Los Angeles. I'm not going to say the name. And I remember I asked about, um, assisted listening devices and they're like, oh, we just got rid of them. No one was using them. And I said, well, did people know that they were available, perhaps, you know? And then I had, who's the director of community engagement. And so oftentimes when I ask about accessibility I'm prompted with, or the retort is, oh, I never thought about that. Huh? No, band's about that. Oh. And I said, you know, I know I'm the first one. I hope to be the last as well that these initiatives and policies occur so that it is just universally accessible. Um, no matter what the need is.
Speaker 2 00:36:49 Okay. I love that. And I call, I think, I mean the, the, the, um, oh, sorry. I keep getting notifications on my internet is unstable. Um, I appreciate the idea of your radical wish is that you were, um, that people got you. Right. Which is both a, I understand you and I'm meeting your needs. Right? Like, I love that fusion of that. And that idea. Um, I would love to kick things over to my colleague, Sam stall men. Um, we, as part of the registration for this event, asked folks to, uh, send us their questions that they have for you, uh, panelists. So we've already heard some really amazing things. We're getting shouts out loud, shout outs left and right in the chat. So please keep that coming as well. Um, and I will hand it over to Sam to facilitate some questions from the audience.
Speaker 8 00:37:47 Thanks, Scott. My internet is also being choppy. So I apologize if I cut in and out, please let me know. Um, my name is Sam Stallman. I use she her pronouns and I am the panel events manager at M rack. I am a white woman in my late twenties with curly brown short hair. I'm wearing a Stripe top with a floral color and I'm sitting in my home office. Um, my first question is going to be to Nicole and, and the questions from a panelists quote. I have several disabling health issues that cause me to fatigue easily. If any of the panelists have this challenge, how do they manage? And quote,
Speaker 5 00:38:35 BI have several chronic illnesses that cause chronic pain. And to, to me, I am frequently sick due to other immune disease. There are a lot of days when I can't get out of bed because I am in too much pain or I'm sick. When I am able to do something other than sleep, I keep my middle next to my bed. So that on these days I can still just something to make me feel like I'm being productive, but it won't make me feel worse on the days I'm feeling low enough to get out of bed. I make sure to take frequent breaks and I keep a huge water bottle with me because I get too hydrated easily. I know if I do something too long and I will not be able to do anything for the next day, I don't push myself too hard. If I work on lair for 10 minutes and need to rest the rest of the day, that is what I need to do for my health. I also plan rest days what I stay in bed and watch Disney movies and meet all day.
Speaker 8 00:39:57 Thanks, Nicole. That's amazing. Um, I want to open this up to the other panelists too, if y'all want to respond to that question.
Speaker 4 00:40:08 I really appreciate, uh, what Nicole said about pacing yourself. Um, I think that's really important in dance as well, that we may not be able to run a rehearsal 40 times before going on stage. And if you're injured, you may have to pull out of a show. Um, it's somebody told me that it's not a flex to perform disabled and that's able to stop myself to think that I should push through. Um, and so I think giving yourself grace, um, and just doing what you can and being okay with what you're doing, being good enough is really important.
Speaker 3 00:40:45 And, uh, thank you for that. And this is Nicole Smith hosting self, you know, um, I tried to push through, I, I got the booster a couple of weeks ago and it really created a different impact in the first two shots. And I was going to push through and have this meeting. And the person said, no health as well. You are not even, you know, you're just over three months, post kidney transplant know and things of that nature. So I had to really learn to pace and pause. Um, and so I would say me, I'm a type two diabetics next year. It's going to be 20 years since I was diagnosed. Um, as a result of diabetes, I have become sight impaired, partially sighted individual, and I have kidney disease, kidney failure. And there were times I would do 12 hours of home dialysis and then go facilitate or perform. And I would be cramping. And I know I was pushing my body. So I would say, you know, even post-transplant, I took a summer off and allowed myself to recover and still recovering. So really I think as best as you can, um, really holding yourself in a gentle way on those days where the pain is immense and not pushing through and taking the time for self care.
Speaker 8 00:42:29 Thanks for adding that, Nicole. Um, this next one I'm gonna, uh, ask Taylor, um, who defines artists with disabilities? Does it include age related, cognitive, physical, other indicators? Tell us what you think. Taylor.
Speaker 6 00:42:48 So I generally believe most people are disabled and a lot of folks just aren't in a place where they realized that yet. I think of big reveal of that was when you, um, look at the outline of the affordable care act of which conditions are included within that, it kind of like shows you, oh, actually these conditions such as diabetes and asthma and things like that, our disability is, you know, and that being said, not everyone is necessarily ready to accept that they are disabled. And so that requires, you know, being really patient with folks. But I invite people to self identify as disabled, depending on whether it be a cognitive disability, whether it be a physical disability, whether it be a mental illness, you know, like those things are disabilities as well. If someone who only has depression wants to be like, I'm disabled, that's okay. You're allowed to do that. You know, and I think so often folks don't realize the wide scope through which you can identify as disabled, but through my work in particular, I try to bring folks to the lights in that regard in order to, you know, have that level of education and awareness. So I hope that answers the question.
Speaker 8 00:44:14 Absolutely. Thank you, Taylor, does anyone else on the panel want to add onto that one?
Speaker 4 00:44:25 Well, Taylor was mentioning, um, you know, kind of not judging people and, you know, if they feel disabled, they are. Um, and we find that very important in our work. Um, we never ask people what their disability is unless they want to disclose it. And we never gate keep on if somebody is like disabled enough and we've had people say they didn't apply because they didn't feel disabled enough. And you know, my response is always, um, if you feel like you want to apply, then you should. Um, because there are different levels of disability and people need to see different levels of disability, um, represented.
Speaker 8 00:45:07 Thanks for that Minda. And I'm going to send another question back to you from the audience. It is, if you had one wish for how the Metro arts community could be more accessible, what would that wish be?
Speaker 4 00:45:26 I'm muting is always very helpful. Um, I mean, for me personally, the big thing is wheelchair accessible venues because, um, especially for those that are more intimate in size and more accessible monetarily to run, um, you know, this includes parking entry, uh, seating, bathrooms, dressing room backstage, and the stage itself. A lot of places just don't check all of these boxes, um, or if they do they're places, people don't regularly go. Um, so it's hard to get people to come to an event if it's out of their way or a place that not people, many, not many people go to. Um, and I didn't realize how big of a problem that wasn't until I started performing. Um, you know, as I mentioned earlier, I'd love to see more folks thinking about what truly makes their art or event, um, accessible for both the artist and the audience, and then put in the effort to make those things happen.
Speaker 4 00:46:23 Um, you know, no one disabled person can be the end, all of what accessibility means, and it's been really helpful to have a team of us, um, that can add various lenses of our own disabilities and experiences to the work we do. Um, it also is actually really helpful that we come from different backgrounds, um, both in our other identities, in the work we do outside of the festival, um, to think about, um, how we work with, um, you know, ourselves and even our audience and what they may need. Um, and so talking to, you know, other folks about their, um, experience with disability, um, and what access needs they, um, may require as helpful. Um, you know, we need to acknowledge that something that may work for one person may not work for another and could even create a barrier. Um, and so, you know, having a team creates a more well-rounded experience in we're teaching and learning from each other all the time.
Speaker 4 00:47:24 Um, and so we hope to be, you know, accessible more and more accessible each year. And I think that's big thing as well. Um, realizing that you can't be a hundred percent accessible to a hundred percent of people all, you know, a hundred percent of the time and being okay with that. Um, but being able to learn and add on, um, you know, as time goes on, um, you know, a lot of performers and artists with disabilities will deal with inaccessible events just because they want to be a part of it. Um, and some people just can't participate at all. Um, and so, you know, trying to include as many people as possible, um, will really give like a well-rounded idea on, um, different things that happen. And honestly, um, the grants and resources that Emmerich have provided, um, have really, um, helped like my organizations, um, be more accessible and welcoming to disability communities. Um, and I hope other people take advantage of that support as well, whether it be, you know, watching panels, applying for grants, or even just looking at the accessibility of resources on the website,
Speaker 6 00:48:30 I love that you brought up conflicting access needs because I think that's something that we really needed to hit on tonight, but we just hadn't gotten there yet. You know, because very much this idea of conflicting access needs is so important to name and to discuss and to honor, because at the end of the day, there is going to be disabled folks who have different needs than other disabled folks. You know, I think a good one can be like, you know, some autistic people are sentenced sensitive and like other folks like might rely on like a certain sense to like keep themselves calm, you know, like things like that. Like there are so many different potential differing access needs and like we as artists, uh, need to be continually having these conversations so we can navigate them. So thank you for bringing that up.
Speaker 8 00:49:23 Nicole Smith, did you want to add onto that as well?
Speaker 3 00:49:29 Yeah. Um, thank you for the invitation Taylor, what you just mentioned. I was thinking about that. I literally had a vision of, if someone, you know, did have a sensitivity to sense that there was someone who may use an essential oils like lavender or other calming aspects to ground and be able to, you know, be in a space and lower anxiety. And I pictured someone, you know, opening up like a vial or just a small essential oil and smelling it and being able to, you know, do what they need to do while someone else is able to do what they need to do. And I was just thinking about the individualized engagement and that's something that, and, you know, consulting and having, uh, been employed at different arts organizations and really leading community engagement, realizing the individualized importance or the importance of individualizing, um, someone's experience and taking the time to do so.
Speaker 3 00:50:46 And really quickly, I just, uh, remember when I was at intermediate arts and there was, um, a group coming from transitions plus, and I went ahead and had a visit and talk to the classroom. And the teacher mentioned that there were some folks who use feeding tube. Um, and so they had to eat at a certain time and I was like, oh, well, okay, what do you need? I was like, do you need to facing me to an office? What do you need? They're like, oh, even just the bathroom. And I said, okay. And I said, I'll just put a, you know, out of, out of order or something like we, two bathrooms, I reserved there's four bathrooms. So the other two can be, you know, 14 zones. And they're just so thankful that it was that easy. And this was before I identified as a person with disabilities. But I think about that individualized approach, which I feel like health care leads to do as well as a harder conversation, but there is not a, you know, um, a one size fits all approach to, you know, accessibility and things of that nature. So I really dig, what was, you said in this segment regarding that topic?
Speaker 4 00:52:08 Just want to add one X, one more thing too. And our goal is to make things as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. Um, but within our monetary knowledge and capability limitations, um, we realized that we don't have, even with grants, we don't have a never-ending budget. Um, we may not have the time or students, or even the knowledge. Um, and so being able to get volunteers or other supports to help us has been really helpful, but also knowing that we it's just a thing we can't, um, you know, be completely accessible, but we're doing our best within our own limitations because we don't want to then make ourselves sicker by pushing ourselves to help, um, too many other people at the same time. Right.
Speaker 8 00:52:50 Thank you. And this is the last question that we have time for and Nicole Smith I'll have you kick us off. The question is how do we better connect with the adults with disabilities cross culturally?
Speaker 3 00:53:08 Yeah. Thank you, Sam. You know, I think back to, um, what Scott mentioned in terms of Amarex focus group. And I just remember going in and, um, having an awareness of the different cultures of different shades that were in the room and the common link was as being persons with disabilities. You know, this focus group was about the intersection of disability and the arts. And that's what I was thinking when I heard about this question that, you know, something that was touched upon before too, is at the helm of whatever the event is or whatever the space is going to be, having a person with disabilities be involved. Um, and the level of either organizing co-hosting something to the degree of that nature. And it's, especially, I always say the person, the event in which it's wanting to have the audience, the person who should be at the helm, or at least right there co-piloting should be a person that identifies as such as well.
Speaker 3 00:54:26 So again, at my, at my intersections of being a queer disabled black woman, I'm like, okay, my questions are who's hosting this event. You know, if it's, uh, it's, uh, you know, like indigenous persons of culture event, I'm like, okay, who's organizing. And honestly, if it's a group of white folks, I'm like, why are y'all wanting to help host this event? And why are there none of the folks who identify as the audience you're wanting to engage at the table? And so I think that in doing events, um, especially if there are folks who are wanting to be allies, the first question I think is why wanting to hold an event or a space, um, and going through the five W's, but starting with that w capital w capital H capital lines, and then engaging authentically with those that are, are, you know, those that are seeking to engage.
Speaker 3 00:55:38 And also asking if folks from the community either want to be engaged or how they want to be engaged, how we want to be engaged. Um, but what I was going to say back to him, Rex, um, uh, with the focus group is that, you know, the common thread was, uh, all I meant are mostly identifying as prisoners with disabilities. So that in and of itself as the overarching, um, link, I think can bring in a lot of different folks from a lot of different cultures. And knowing that, you know, I've often to some organizations get out of the way because magic is, can happen when folks are in a room together. And so I think, you know, be aware of the fact that we do live in the city we live in and the state we live in, which are predominantly white occupied spaces that are on stolen land. And that has been built on the backs of black people, persons of culture. Um, even to this day with how undocumented or refugee folks are being treated and coming in with a level of consciousness. But knowing that the magic can also happen by folks that have a common link being in space together too. Um, and I think allowing folks to acetate,
Speaker 2 00:57:11 I finished that thought, Nicole, and then we're gonna, we're gonna wrap things up.
Speaker 3 00:57:16 I was just going to say, allowing folks to advocate accordingly.
Speaker 2 00:57:20 Thank you. All right. Well, I want to thank our panelists. Nicole M. Smith, Minda Mae, Nicole Noblitt and Taylor Mickey. So amazing being with you folks. I want to thank Sam Stallman, my colleague for excellent work. Co-producing this event. Thanks for our ASL interpreter, Andrea, our captioner. Megan, thank you again, Sam, Jasmine for letting this activity reach a broader audience through disability and progress and KFH, and then thank you everyone who took the time to attend this event or listen to the recording. Eventually I know that time is a really essential, important resource, and I appreciate you spending some of it with us tonight. If you enjoyed this conversation, ideas about future ones, please reach out to me,
[email protected]. We'll kick it back to folks the KFA.
Speaker 0 00:58:08 Thank you for joining us tonight. You have been listening to Scott. Artley facilitating the conversation of inclusion with people with disabilities and the arts Scott, as the accessibility program director for M rack. This has been disability and progress. The views expressed on this show are not necessarily those of cafe or its board of directors. My name is Sam. I'm the host of the show. Charlene doll is my research team. Please remember to give to the max, you can go to give M N dot O R G. This is Kathy I 90.3, FM Minneapolis and kvi.org. Thanks for joining me tonight.
