"Blindish Latina" and disability advocate Catarina Rivera talks with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about her experiences growing up with hearing loss, trying to hide a progressive vision disability, accessibility tools for the deaf-blind such as a white cane and live captioning, and the importance of image descriptions for low vision audiences. She also shares some of her favorite places she's visited and meals she's enjoyed, plus provides insight on the four stages of her disability journey from denial to acceptance to self-advocacy to public advocacy.

For more information about Catarina's public speaking and consulting services, visit https://www.catarinarivera.com.

You can also watch Catarina's videos on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CatarinaRivera/ 

And follow her on social media @blindishlatina: 

https://www.instagram.com/blindishlatina 

https://www.tiktok.com/@blindishlatina 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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Video game developer Sam Glassenberg speaks with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about his free mobile app, “Level One: A Diabetes Game,” which helps people with Type 1 diabetes better learn how to keep track of insulin therapy and blood sugar monitoring. He's previously worked on games for franchises like "Star Wars" and "Mission: Impossible" but wanted to help diabetics and parents of children with diabetes when he learned how challenging treatment is for new T1D's and their families.

"On Friday, your life is normal. And then on Saturday, you're responsible for injecting precisely calculated doses of a lethal drug, insulin, into your kid (or yourself if diagnosed) 20 times a day," Glassenberg said of when his daughter was hospitalized and first diagnosed. "And if you get it wrong, she falls into a coma."

Download "Level One: A Diabetes Game" for free through the Apple App Store or Google Play, or visit http://playlevelone.com.

For more info about diabetes and disability benefits, visit the American Diabetes Association at https://diabetes.org.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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"Parents, the very first thing they need to do is let the child know as soon as possible that you're going to be moving," Tracy said. "Get a calendar ready, and have visual supports there to let them know how many days until you get to the new school."

Other tips include contacting the schools about an IEP, getting pictures of their child's new teachers, learning about available resources, and driving around the area to get them familiar with their new surroundings. "You really want to make sure the child feels comfortable and know what to expect. That's where their anxiety gets high," she added.

They also shared advice and experiences from their book, "The Mission at Home: Navigating Military Assignments, TRICARE, Education, Benefits, and Everyday Life with Your Child on the Autism Spectrum," available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Home-Navigating-Assignments-Education-ebook/dp/B0GHZV5SDC/ 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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For more information and resources:

ACCES- VR (Vocational Rehabilitation) in New York https://www.acces.nysed.gov/vr 

Access CNY https://www.accesscny.org/ 

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) https://askjan.org/ 

Find job fairs and workshops through New York Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/career-development 

Set up Google Alerts for job fairs and job openings: https://www.google.com/alerts 

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) https://www.ssa.gov/disability 

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) https://www.ssa.gov/ssi 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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"It's a huge transition when you leave high school," said Jean Leiker of the Central New York chapter of the Autism Society of America. "It's challenging. I joke around and say 'I feel like a cruise director' sometimes because I try to find enriching, purposeful activities to fill his days. As much we struggle with challenges, often behavioral, when our kids are younger - I think it's even scarier when they get out in the real world."

"The biggest challenge for me right now is feeling secure and knowing that he is going to be able to be 100% independent without my help," added Sandy Cittadino of the CNYASA. "[There are] a lot of great services for children and younger. When they get a little older, it kind of changes... at this age and stage of my life that concerns me as to will he ever be able to be 100% able to be on his own? And if not, what do the services look like for somebody his age?"

For more about the Autism Society of America, visit https://autismsociety.org/ or connect with the CNY chapter at https://cnyasa.org/.

"Enable: The Disability Podcast" will be at the CNYASA's "One Step at a Time" Autism Acceptance Walk in Syracuse on April 25, 2026. Donate here: https://runsignup.com/Race/125765/Donate/Fg3WPXd7kepkzZ6C 

You can also watch our interview with Sandy's son, Joe Cittadino, on this episode of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBtE6u9X4Gc 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Geoff Herbert, who was born with a profound binaural hearing loss, is a reporter, SEO Lead and content supervisor for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Despite being mostly deaf in both ears, he’s also worked as a DJ for 25 years, including in radio (as “DeafGeoff”) and as a wedding DJ in Upstate New York, and was inducted into the WJPZ Radio Hall of Fame. He learned how to communicate orally with hearing aids, lipreading and speech therapy, and embraces assistive technology like visual waveforms in music programs, closed captioning/subtitles, and video calls.

Kurt Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine, and encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can listen to WXHC, the independent radio station Eves launched in 1991 (and now run by his sons) at https://www.wxhc.com/ 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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Rasheda will also be speaking at an Empower Parkinson event on March 25 at The Oncenter in Syracuse, N.Y. Tickets and additional info are available at https://empowerparkinson.org/events 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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(Fun fact: The "para" in Paralympics stands for "parallel," not paralyzed, because the Games are parallel to the Olympics.)

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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"It's actually linguistically sound language that we are showing that is based on the roots of ASL," Amber explained, noting that a simple "air guitar" doesn't have linguistic information. "What we do is we use our non-manual signals [to express] the different levels of sound... I can look at the guitar player, but I'm not going to know the tone if I'm profoundly deaf."

Julian, who did sign language for "America the Beautiful" at the 2026 Super Bowl and helped with Bad Bunny's halftime show, also explains some of the differences between American Sign Language (ASL) and Puerto Rican sign language, plus the "scary" experience of performing in front of millions.

For more information, visit https://www.ambergproductions.com/.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"As a disabled person, it does definitely come up. And, I know in the past and my relationships, my disability has been a source of contention a little bit, especially when I'm dating able-bodied people," said Lauren, who has an autoimmune disease that affects her vision and also has hearing loss.

"It's just ten times harder for disabled people and especially disabled women," added Liz, a wheelchair user. "I noticed that the times where I removed my disability from my dating profiles were times where I was feeling shame... I think being direct and open about my disability, removes that shame. It makes me feel proud of my disabled identity."

Liz also shared advice for people dating someone with a disability, and how it can be a "romantic" gesture to ensure a date setting is accessible: "I think it is really an act of love to make sure that everything is accessible for someone. And obviously I'm willing to do that work. And, you know, I know how to scope out to see if a place is accessible or not, which someone else may not have as much skill in. But to be able to show that I care, and I want to take this burden off you that you usually have to do yourself. I think that's romantic.” 

For more info about EmpowHer Capital and the Disability EmpowHer Network, visit https://www.disabilityempowhernetwork.org/empowher-capital 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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"I want everyone to know that if you are struggling, you are not alone," Pedra said. "I know how isolating it can feel when you're struggling, and that there's people out there who are and aren't relating and whatnot, but there are people there."

"You don't know what it's like to be in someone else's body and you have to acknowledge the difficulties that you're going through, right?" Pedra added. "You're not weak, and what you're dealing with is hard. Being diagnosed with a disease and not being able to do maybe what you used to do is not a case of failure. You are not failing. You can still have the life you wanted. It's just going to look a little different."

For more, visit https://nicolepedra.com/ or follow @nicolepedra on Instagram and @thenicolepedra on TikTok.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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What challenges do college students with physical disabilities face? Helena Schmidt, who was born with cerebral palsy, speaks with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about her experiences with CP, becoming an advocate for herself and others with special needs, and making efforts to improve accessibility on campus.

"Advocating is not easy, but it is super important to help bring about change for yourself and others. You have to be confident in yourself and believe in yourself," Helena said. "You can't let others tell you that you are wrong, or that you should give up, or that it will never work. There are people who are on your side; you just have to find them and work together. Having support from others is vital. Try not to over-extend yourself. Get in touch with your emotions because your emotions will actually help you to keep fighting. Be nice to yourself and give yourself grace, and don't give up. Even small victories can have a huge impact."

"I hope more people learn NOT to judge others just because they look different, move differently, or speak differently," she added.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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"Tourette's is what we call an umbrella disorder because most of us have a grab bag of other fun things, from ADHD to sleeping challenges, right?" noted Schuller, who also has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety. "They often work together. I joke that they're best friends. Sometimes I'll do something from Tourette's and then OCD will be like, 'Did you think you were done? Make it even!' (laughs) And then I'm doing it not because of Tourette's but because OCD is at the wheel."

Schuller is a stand-up comedian and a disability and mental health advocate who turns neurological chaos into messages of inclusion. For tour dates and more info, visit https://pamelacomedy.com/ or follow  ⁨@PamelaComedy⁩ on YouTube and social media.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

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Cookman, whose son has autism, also spoke about estate planning with a special needs trust, the importance of a durable power of attorney, and how to avoid losing SSI or SSDI benefits if they're working a job.

"I think that estate planning and special needs planning is (like learning) a new language. So I just want to encourage everybody to be patient with yourself," Cookman says. "There's a lot to learn. Even though it seems like it's in English, it's not really (laughs)... so definitely equip yourself with knowledge."

For more info, visit https://cookmanlaw.com/ or follow @ellencookman-EstatePlanningSNT on YouTube.

You can also learn more about ABLE accounts on the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/able-accounts-tax-benefit-for-people-with-disabilities 

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Examples include replacing buttons with magnets; using soft and sensory-friendly materials; stretchy waistbands that aren't sweatpants; and backless trenchcoats for wheelchair users.

"Adaptive fashion is really for anybody," she explains. "At is core, it's obviously for the disabled community... It gives you back that independence that we're all craving all the time, especially the people that acquire their disabilities later in life."

For more info, visit https://intotumfashion.com/ or follow @intotum_fashion on Instagram and TikTok.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Kelly also explained the difference between medical separation and medical retirement, sharing the help he received from the Care Coalition (https://www.socom.mil/care-coalition/).

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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For more info, visit prideindustries.com or call their employment hotline 844-I-AM-ABLE (844-426-2253). “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast due not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Community at Work Job Fair, held Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works in Syracuse, N.Y., is presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions in partnership with syracuse.com | The Post-Standard and CNY Works with support from Wegmans.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Note: Views expressed in this podcast due not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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"Enable: The Disability Podcast," featuring stories of amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. COMMUNITY AT WORK JOB FAIR The Community at Work Job Fair will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works, 960 James St., in Syracuse, N.Y. The free event will provide adults with physical and mental disabilities the opportunity to meet inclusive employers, explore industries, and learn about positions with actively hiring companies.

Herbert and Hower will co-host a panel discussion about hiring tips and accessibility options at the job fair. The discussion will be recorded for an episode of the “Enable” podcast.

While the fair is tailored for adults with diverse mental and physical abilities, experiences or access needs, all community members are welcome. Participation is free for both job seekers and employers. For more information, visit communityatworkjobfair.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Enable: The Disability Podcast” releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. COMMUNITY AT WORK JOB FAIR The Community at Work Job Fair will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works, 960 James St., in Syracuse, N.Y. The free event will provide adults with physical and mental disabilities the opportunity to meet inclusive employers, explore industries, and learn about positions with actively hiring companies.

Herbert and Hower will co-host a panel discussion about hiring tips and accessibility options at the job fair. The discussion will be recorded for an episode of the “Enable” podcast.

While the fair is tailored for adults with diverse mental and physical abilities, experiences or access needs, all community members are welcome. Participation is free for both job seekers and employers. For more information, visit communityatworkjobfair.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Enable: The Disability Podcast” releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. COMMUNITY AT WORK JOB FAIR The Community at Work Job Fair will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works, 960 James St., in Syracuse, N.Y. The free event will provide adults with physical and mental disabilities the opportunity to meet inclusive employers, explore industries, and learn about positions with actively hiring companies.

Herbert and Hower will co-host a panel discussion about hiring tips and accessibility options at the job fair. The discussion will be recorded for an episode of the “Enable” podcast.

While the fair is tailored for adults with diverse mental and physical abilities, experiences or access needs, all community members are welcome. Participation is free for both job seekers and employers. For more information, visit communityatworkjobfair.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 1, “Enable” co-hosts Geoff “DeafGeoff” Herbert and Kurt Hower introduce themselves, sharing their own experiences and challenges they’ve faced. Herbert was born with a profound binaural hearing loss. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine. 

Herbert and Hower seek to use the podcast to share stories of others, highlight resources available, and teach the importance of focusing on what you can do, not what you can’t.

“Disability is not a dirty word,” Herbert says.

“People value me for what I bring to the table,” Hower adds. “So although I might have a deficit in one area, in another area I might have a lot to offer.”

About the hosts

Herbert is a reporter, SEO Lead and content supervisor for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard, where he’s worked for 15 years. Despite being mostly deaf in both ears, he’s also worked as a DJ for 25 years, including 10 years in radio (as “DeafGeoff”) and 10 years as a wedding DJ in Upstate New York. He learned how to communicate orally with hearing aids, lipreading and speech therapy, and embraces assistive technology like visual waveforms in music programs, closed captioning/subtitles, and video calls.

Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. He encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges.

“Enable: The Disability Podcast” will release new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

Community at Work Job Fair

The Community at Work Job Fair will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works, 960 James St., in Syracuse, N.Y. The free event will provide adults with physical and mental disabilities the opportunity to meet inclusive employers, explore industries, and learn about positions with actively hiring companies.

Herbert and Hower will co-host a panel discussion about hiring tips and accessibility options at the job fair. The discussion will be recorded for an episode of the “Enable” podcast.

While the fair is tailored for adults with diverse mental and physical abilities, experiences or access needs, all community members are welcome. Participation is free for both job seekers and employers.

For more information, visit communityatworkjobfair.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices