My Krip-Hop Performance: Insights of a Spoken Word Artist Who Use A.A.C.
Two weeks ago I had the privilege to perform in the Krip-Hop Nation Bay Area Mini-Tour that honored Bay Area musical pioneer, Joe Capers. Joe Capers was a talented musical producer from Oakland who was blind and worked with the likes of MC Hammer and En Vogue when they were starting out in their careers. Leroy Moore, also a co-founder of Sins Invalid, organized this Mini-Tour together bringing together artists with disabilities from...
The politics of speaking with an automated A.A.C. voice
As a person who has used an A.A.C. device for most of my life I have become used to speaking with a computerized, automated voice. So when I encounter people in public, they barely hear my natural voice since I cannot speak words eligibly due to my cerebral palsy. People then identify my voice with the voice of the A.A.C. device, which poses a few political and philosophical questions. For example, is my voice tied to A.A.C....
A Talk with Samuel Sennott, Co-creator of Proloquo2go
A couple of weeks ago I had a pleasure and opportunity to interview Samuel Sennott, the co-creator of one of the first Augmentative Alternative Communication (A.A.C.) apps, Proloquo2Go. Mr. Sennott, an assistant professor at Portland State University, expounds upon in our interview how he entered the A.A.C. field, the story behind developing Proloquo2Go, and what he thinks the future of A.A.C. technology will be. Please view our...
Embracing the Elements: Curanderismo
Natural healing can take many forms. These days, the Latin American “curandera” is re-emerging in the US, after generations of going underground. On this edition, producer Erica Hellerstein takes us on a journey to identity through an ancient medicinal practice. Featuring: Lauren Villa, UC Berkeley Graduate Student Atava Swiecicki Garcia Healer Sandra Pacheco, Healer and Professor of Chicana Latina Indigenous Studies...
Check out Lateef McLeod’s poem: “I am alright.”
This video illustrates how I communicate proficiently and effectively with an A.A.C. device. In the content of the poem “I am Alright” I also clearly define what I am capable of. This capacity that people who use A.A.C. have to lead full and productive lives is one of the main themes of my Making Contact radio segment in September. Here is a video of me reciting a poem on my...
Announcing Making Contact’s Community Storytelling fellows!
In keeping with our mission of covering important issues and helping community media makers tell their stories, Making Contact is pleased to announce it’s 1st class of Community Storytelling Fellows! Our inaugural class of fellows is Lateef McLeod, Aqueila M. Lewis and Rochelle Robinson. Lateef will began working with us now. Aquila will join us September and Rochelle will begin her project in January of 2015. Over the course of the...
Women Rising #25 Activists Against Global Armaments and War
We profile women fighting the expansion of global militarism and violence. Korean sister Stella Soh campaigns to save an UNESCO world heritage site from a planned military base. US activist Kathy Kelly founded Voices for Creative Nonviolence. And Brazilian Miriam Nobre works with the World March of Women. Featuring: Sister Stella Soh, Catholic Nun and activist with Save Jeju Island Kathy Kelly, Voices for Creative Nonviolence...
Why focus on the normally under represented community of A.A.C. in the media?
As I prepare for my show for Making Contact on the public view of people who use A.A.C., I would like to comment on why covering the under represented A.A.C. community in the media is so important. People who use A.A.C., especially those who have both speech disabilities and mobility disabilities, are very marginalized in our society and thus do not get profiled in our media too much except when we are seen as victims or as doing...
What is Augmentative Alternative Communication?
Since I have a severe speech disability because of my cerebral palsy I cannot communicate effectively using my own oral voice and as result use an Augmentative Alternative Communication or A.A.C. device to communicate. An A.A.C. technology aid is any device, either electronic or non-electronic that is used to transmit or receive messages for those who cannot do so vocally. There are two types of A.A.C., low-tech and high-tech. For...
Restorative Justice: Reconciling Face to Face
Victims and perpetrators sitting down face to face…it can help heal their wounds, and our society. Incarcerating our way out of crime clearly hasn’t worked, and it’s costing us billions. Meanwhile, school suspensions are reaching record highs. Now, Institutions across US are finally starting to consider problem solving methods other than punishment. Restorative justice is gaining ground–in the schools, and behind bars....
