The mission of MOPD’s podcast, All Access, is to share stories, build community, raise awareness and increase meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
All Access
The Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities launched All Access to share stories, build community, raise awareness and increase meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Join co-hosts Deputy Commissioner Christina McGleam and Program Director Lauren Hooberman as they connect with guests about a range of topics from disability inclusion in employment to disability rights and the 33rd anniversary of the ADA.
Episodes
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
“I always wanted to be an actor since I was probably born,” says Santina Muha in this fun and frank conversation. Santina is a comedian and actor who hosts the series “Rollin’ With My Homies,” featuring conversations with wheelchair users like herself. Santina tells Christina and Lauren that while she doesn’t always think of herself as a disability activist first, she has been advocating for herself since she was 6 years old and sees her performance work as an extension of that.
Find Santina Muha on YouTube at @santinamuha2016.
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Friday Apr 04, 2025
Friday Apr 04, 2025
In honor of National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March), the MOPD All Access Podcast welcomes Dani Smith of City Colleges of Chicago to talk about a Transitions program City Colleges has for students with disabilities.
Dani Smith is the District Director of Comprehensive Transition Programs. In this job, she supports students with disabilities and oversees After 22, a program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In Illinois, special education programs in high schools end at the age of 22, but many students still need support in their transition to employment. Students in After 22 program create an individual plan to take them from school to employment. The program celebrated its first completion ceremony in the summer of 2024.
After 22 is a City Colleges of Chicago program run at Richard J. Daley College and Wilbur Wright College. Students in the program can get financial aid or work with IDHS’ Division of Rehabilitation Services to get support. Students who join must be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma and a developmental or individual disability.
The summer youth job program One Summer Chicago, which Dani mentioned, is accepting applications now at onesummerchicago.org. Join the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities on Saturday, April 26 from 12-3PM to apply for summer jobs and get information at the Inclusive Summer Jobs Expo. This event will be held at the Little Italy Branch of the Chicago Public Library at 1336 West Taylor Street. For more information, go to cityofchicago.org/disabilities.
Learn more about the Anixter program connecting students with internships here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6EYbde6zz4
Stream podcast audio at mopdallaccess.podbean.com
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Wednesday Jan 29, 2025
Wednesday Jan 29, 2025
InfiniTeach is a Chicago-based nonprofit that has been a leader in technology, accessibility, and inclusion for people who are neurodiverse. On the latest episode of the #MOPDAllAccess podcast, we speak to four members of the InfiniTeach team -- co-founders Katie Hench and Lally Daley Hotchkiss and employees Aliyah Rich and Ned Williams -- about how to build a more inclusive world for people who are neurodiverse. Because people who are neurodiverse show up in every workplace and career, whether we know it or not, “everyone has a neurodiverse team.” We can all carry on InfiniTeach’s important work!
Stream podcast audio at mopdallaccess.podbean.com
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Monday Dec 16, 2024
Monday Dec 16, 2024
In this episode of MOPD’s podcast, All Access, we talk with our first professional athlete guest! Kendall Gretsch is a cross-country skier, paratriathlete and biathlete. She has competed in four Paralympic Games and won seven medals, most recently in Paris in 2024 where she won a silver medal in the paratriathlon, and is a current World Paratriathlon Champion. Kendall grew up playing sports in Downer’s Grove, Illinois and was introduced to paratriathlon in college through the group Dare to Tri. Kendall shares with us what it’s like to train at the professional level, what inspires her to keep working and what it’s like to have family and friends cheer you on to Olympic greatness.
Check out podcast episodes with captions and ASL interpretation on youtube.com/@mopdchicago6334.
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Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
On this episode of the MOPD #AllAccess Podcast, we mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month with Emily Ladau, an author, editor, podcaster and disability advocate.
Ladau, who has Larsen syndrome, began her advocacy career early when she was on several episodes of “Sesame Street” to teach fellow children about having a disability. (She even met Big Bird!) She wants people with disabilities to be able to show up as their whole selves in what they want to do, without feeling like they have to be defined by their careers. Ladau offers her advice to job seekers with disabilities on how to advocate for themselves and shares how we can all make inclusion a priority.
Stream podcast audio at mopdallaccess.podbean.com
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Monday Sep 30, 2024
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Did you know that the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities has not one but four American Sign Language interpreters working on staff? These interpreters make up what we call our Communication Access Team. The Communication Access Team provides ASL interpretation for public and private city events and meetings, from the Taste of Chicago stage to the mayor’s press conference on breaking news. The Communication Access Team also interprets for people in Chicago who are Deaf or hard of hearing and use ASL.
On All Access, the official MOPD podcast, we speak to the interpreters on our Communication Access Team about their careers and their favorite assignments. MOPD Commissioner Rachel Arfa introduces the conversation speaking to the significance of inclusion for people who are Deaf and hard of hearing, as the first member of a Mayor’s cabinet in the United States who is Deaf or hard of hearing.
Stream podcast audio at mopdallaccess.podbean.com
Follow MOPD at mopdchicago on X, Facebook, Instagram and connect with us on LinkedIn.