Tune in on Tuesday 3 December for 12 hours of programming on International Day of People with Disability.
Full program details below.
This year's theme is EMBODIED SOLIDARITIES. How can we better practice solidarity with each other as fellow disabled people of different backgrounds and abilities, locally and across borders, at a time in humankind’s existence where mass-disabling violence is increasing? How can non-disabled people better practice solidarity with us? Listen in as we reflect and explore through conversation, music, and more.
By Pauline Vetuna, 3CR Disability Day content coordinator
Artwork title - collective conscience (2024) mixed media on canvas by Renay Barker-Mulholland
Artist statement: Inherited memory calls from within, our ancestors urging us ever forward. The landscapes we navigate no person, no movement, has ever managed to repair. We shift to understanding why we are broken by that system, and that the moon hangs in the same sky, over the dead bodies of those killed by our weapons.
The sky, the moon, the terrain, the movements? There is no one but us, but we are knowing, and we are moving.
This past year has been a tipping point in the balance of knowledge. The broader understanding of capitalism and their impacts have brought about a reckoning. The delivery of yet more diversity and inclusion strategies, the writing of reconciliation action plans, to sit in a colonial folder marked, ‘Bla(ç)k knowing’. No more.
Artwork image description: Collective Conscience is a multi media artwork featuring collage, ink, and digital sections. There is a wolf looking devious outside a yellow curtained window, a large section of watermelon held up on a large pile of food, a cartoon character is taking notes on a long scroll of paper with words like revolt, and war crimes written on it. Layered across the image are many, dark, sad, and broken faces.
8.30am Accent of Women Amplifying Leadership and Solidarity for First Nations Women with Disability Living in a Colonised Land
In this Special Edition of Accent Of Women for International Day of People with Disability, Kelly Cox and June Riemer yarned with guest presenter Marisa Sposaro about amplifying Leadership in Disability and Solidarity. Kelly Cox is a First Nations advocate, from the lands of Biripi and Worimi, currently residing in Bundjalung NSW. Kelly is a Disability Advocate and Consultant who provides advice to various levels of Government. June Riemer is also a First Nations advocate. She is a Gumbaynggirr Dunghutti woman and disability consultant on the First Nations Womens' Justice Institute Advisory Council. Through stories and First Nations commentary, much was discussed in the context of education, health and blatant criminalisation of First Nations people, with references made to marginalisation of First Nations communities. Listen. Transcript coming.
9.00am The Pandemic is a Portal: COVID is not over. It is still here.
This is an invitation to understand that reality, and to let it transform you. Grounded in disability justice, and brought to you by a chorus of staunch disabled voices: Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Darcy from Sick/Sovereign, Tori Hobbs and Julia Rose Bak from The Disability Justice Network and Li from COVID Solidarity ‘syd.’ Produced by Samantha Haran, Shareeka Helaluddin & Sehej Kaur. Additional thanks to Justin Chen, Allison Chan and Juliet Fox. Listen. Transcript coming.
10.00am Billabong Beats: Presenter Gavin Moore is joined by Walpiri elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves. Followed by Jai Haines - proud Tommeginne Aboriginal man. Jai is a powerful self-advocate and he is passionate about working with his peers in the Deadly First Nations Self Advocacy group and Voices for Change Self Advocacy Group. Jai is a highly competent public speaker and likes to educate people about issues that effect his First Nations peers with a disability, and his peers who have experience with the justice system. Jai sees the value in talking to Health and other systems to educate them about working with people who have an acquired brain injury (ABI). Jai has said that this is where changes to the systems can happen…if people understand what is needed for people with an ABI they can do more to help. Listen. Transcript coming.
11.00am In This Together. Through the lens of VALID's community development team, hosts Ellie, Frank and Joe take us on a journey through poetry, music and what solidarity can do when advocating for change. Produced by VALID www.valid.org.au/in-this-together/ Listen. Transcript coming.
11.30am “Standing together” Finding your community - a guide.
Three young disabled people discuss their journey to realising the disability community through advocacy, support groups and sport. It takes time to find the right community for you and we believe it helps to connect with other disabled people who might share similar experiences. Until society becomes fully accessible and inclusive, we as disabled people need to surround ourselves with people who understand us and support one another to feel as if we belong. Presented by Stella Barton. Listen. Transcript coming.
12.00pm Employment Difficulties for Disabled People - This is Sirani's lived experience of employment difficulties and the non-embodied solidarities and what we should be doing to make it work, from both Government and non-for-profit/corporate sectors. Music by Asphyxia via Amplio. Listen. Transcript coming.
12.30pm Disability Housing Justice Housing Justice is finally in the news yet the voices of people with a disability are still absent from much of the discussion. Pauline Vetuna revisits an edition of Raising Our Voices program featuring stories from: Shona and Chris, from 'Have A Say Bendigo' a self advocacy group run by and for people with an intellectual disability in Bendigo; James; Heather and Aunty Jane, from 'Reinforce' a self advocacy group run by and for people with an intellectual disability in Victoria. They talk about living in institutions, group homes, squatting, SRS's and CRU's; and how they are now all living independently. 'We want people to know that people with a disability should not have to live in these institutions, group homes, SRS's and CRU's'.
WARNING: The program features discriptions of domestic violence and sexual assault. For support please call. CASA (link is external)24 HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK Counselling & Support Line: 03 9635 3610. Sexual Assault Crisis Line Throughout Victoria: 1800 806 292. CASA House is Relay Service Friendly: Listen. Transcript coming.
1.00pm Ubuntu Voices: Presenter Ajak Kwai is joined by musician Irene Zhong (they/them) who grew up immersed in Hakka-Chinese musical traditions while receiving training in western art music. Irene mythologises how we relate to each other and the ever-changing world. Right now, irene is working on protest songs, an ethno-musicological, mutual-aid initiative aiming to fundraise for local social justice causes and marginalised communities. Listen. Transcript coming.
2.00pm The Vibe Consultant: Solidarity music with tilde. Listen. Transcript coming.
3.00pm Raising Our Voices: Self Advocacy Groups. Raising Our Voices has been making radio shows about disability rights and about issues that affect people with disability for over 37 years. Nothing about us without us! Supported by Action for More Independence and Dignity in Accommodation. Listen. Transcript coming.
4pm How to Self Advocate: Self Advocacy Resource Unit and Voices at The Table talk with Raphael Kaleb, The Boldness, on how to stand up for your Disability Rights. Listen. Transcript coming. Listen. Transcript coming.
4.30pm Breadline: For this special hour-long Disability Day episode of Breadline, we deep-dive into the Disability Support Pension. Tune in to learn more about life on the DSP, the history of the pension, and advocacy for disabled people who are unable to work. Your value is not in your productivity! Hosted by writer, comedian and disability pensioner Kaitlyn Blythe. Presented by the Australian Unemployed Workers' Union. Listen. Transcript coming.
5:30pm Abolish Subminimum Wage
Listen again to 3CR Thursday Breakfast's full interview with Autistic disability activist Shaun Bickley. Shaun discusses the labour exploitation of disabled people in so-called Australia with a focus on the issue of wage theft by Australian Disability Enterprises or ADEs. Shaun has educated on disability and access issues on 3 continents and organised the first successful city-level campaign to ban subminimum wage anywhere in the world, in Seattle in 2018. Shaun is campaigning for an end to subminimum wage for disabled people in Australia, and has created an open letter, which you can sign onto as an individual or endorse on behalf of an organisation [Plain English version linked at top of letter] Listen. Transcript coming.
6:00pm People-Led Movement for Disarmament
Demilitarisation is Disability Justice. Hear from members of Elbit Out of Victoria Campaign on the networks of military contracts and partnerships fuelling militarisation in so-called Victoria and the continued militarisation of the settler-colony in the neoliberal era. Learn how to get involved with the campaign! We also catch up with writer and teacher Jess Walton at a Read-in for Palestine in the foyer of SLV. Listen. Transcript coming.
6:30pm Solidarity Beyond Borders
Questioning the limits of the liberal institutions of the West in relation to disability rights. What is the responsibility of disabled people in the Global North to act in solidarity with the majority of disabled people in the Global South? Disability Day worker Pauline Vetuna closes the day’s programming with these reflections. Also features human rights activist and lawyer Veronica Koman on the systematic dehumanisation of Indigenous West Papuans by Indonesia. Listen. Transcript coming.
