WBFO Disabilities Beat
The WBFO Disabilities Beat aims to promote equity and acceptance by elevating marginalized voices, holding corporations and government accountable, and combatting misinformation and stigmatization through education about the disability community.
Reports from the Disabilities Beat provide Western New York residents with essential information about the challenges facing people with disabilities and content that promotes understanding. In-depth, original, long-form reporting addresses issues relevant to people living with disabilities, their families, caregivers, community leaders, and decision-makers. Coverage also contextualizes important regional and national news to consider the unique and often-overlooked implications of economic, education, policy and environmental impacts on the disability community. Reporting will also tie disability rights to discussions about the economy (e.g., wage gaps for employees with disabilities), civic participation (e.g., accessibility of ballot machines), mobility (e.g., paratransit availability), and more.
Every Wednesday, hear 7-8 minute Disabilities Beat reports on WBFO during Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Reports from the Disabilities Beat provide Western New York residents with essential information about the challenges facing people with disabilities and content that promotes understanding. In-depth, original, long-form reporting addresses issues relevant to people living with disabilities, their families, caregivers, community leaders, and decision-makers. Coverage also contextualizes important regional and national news to consider the unique and often-overlooked implications of economic, education, policy and environmental impacts on the disability community. Reporting will also tie disability rights to discussions about the economy (e.g., wage gaps for employees with disabilities), civic participation (e.g., accessibility of ballot machines), mobility (e.g., paratransit availability), and more.
Every Wednesday, hear 7-8 minute Disabilities Beat reports on WBFO during Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Latest from the WBFO Disabilities Beat
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Over the past decade, a local activist has fought for New York State to expand its paratransit system beyond the federal minimum distance it can go. Stephanie Speaker's own experiences with paratransit, the point-to-point public transportation system for people with disabilities, not being able to reach where she needs to go has galvanized her to secure funding and potential legislation that could expand the system. This week, WBFO's Emyle Watkins shares an interview with Speaker from 2023 about her work and why she wants to see paratransit go farther.
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Soon New York State will finalize its 2025 budget, which always impacts programs and services utilized by New Yorkers with disabilities. One of those programs is Special Olympics, an organization that provides a variety of free opportunities for athletes of all ages with disabilities. On this week's Disabilities Beat, we speak with Special Olympics New York CEO, Stacey Hengsterman. She joined us back in December for an exclusive interview to share that they will face cuts if the state doesn't increase their funding, which they claim has remained stagnant at $1.5 million over the past 20 years.
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Jasmine Harris, a law professor and disability rights legal scholar from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, explains in a conversation with WBFO’s Disability Reporter Emyle Watkins how local laws like the recently vetoed Erie County Language Access Act can interact with federal disability laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
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On this episode of the Disabilities Beat, Emyle Watkins speaks with Erie County’s newest Family Court Judge, the honorable Shannon Filbert, about her perspective as a judge with a disability on what people with disabilities should know about family court. We break down some misconceptions about family court, the role disability can play in custody hearings and where the family court system could improve.
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On this episode of the Disabilities Beat, Emyle Watkins speaks with Kevin Smith, the director of Mental Health Peer Connection, about how peer-led services are helping to bridge a treatment gap. We also learn about their Renewal Center, which offers a peer-led alternative to a psychiatric emergency room.
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This episode kicks off WBFO’s new weekly Disabilities Beat segment. But as we create a new space for stories from the disability community to be shared, how can you, the listener, interact with this segment? What can you expect to learn? Disabilities Beat Reporter Emyle Watkins asked some of our sources what you can expect and we break down what ableism is.
Additional WBFO Disabilities Reporting
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Buffalo Common Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski is expected to propose a new position within city government that would focus on issues impacting people with disabilities, according to a copy of the agenda item.
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Voters with disabilities in parts of Western New York can get curb-to-curb rides to the polls, free of charge, this Election Day.
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Every three years the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority has to ensure the Buffalo Niagara International Airport is prepared if disaster strikes so they hold a drill to simulate a major emergency. This year they put an emphasis on having volunteers with disabilities and health conditions.
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Insurance can set limits on wheelchairs and other mobility aids. A WNY organization is fighting backFor many people with disabilities, durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces and crutches are an essential part of freedom and mobility. But some say they struggle to have their insurance see it the same way. A local organization is tackling the crisis of high equipment costs and the national push to reduce limitations on equipment.
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The NFTA manages paratransit, an essential means of transportation for people with disabilities, but some say it’s failing to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
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Arts & CultureWBFO’s Disability Reporter Emyle Watkins spoke with Brown on Monday about the message of her book, representation in publishing, and her advice for future authors.
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The Erie County Fair this year has unveiled some new accessibility features to bring the event closer to its goal of universal accessibility.
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Every year on July 26th, the disability community in the United States celebrates a major milestone towards rights and acceptance, while also taking a look at the work that still needs to be done. WBFO’s Emyle Watkins has more on this special anniversary and the celebration of Disability Pride.
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The CDC estimates that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men are abused by an intimate partner, annually. The numbers of individuals with disabilities are disproportionately higher than those without, however, they often go unreported or underserved due to ableism and a lack of accessible resources. However, two local non-profits are combatting this through a unique partnership.
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In March, an Elmwood Village resident was hit by a car on his daily walk. His doctors were surprised he survived. Two months later, he’s left without his companion and with the physical and emotional impacts of the accident. This week, Emyle Watkins explains that while these accidents are more common than you’d expect, cities can help reduce them.