Before Conan Gillis was a mathematician or an advocate, he was an eight‑year‑old kid who just wanted to use his local library. But the aisles weren’t wide enough for his wheelchair, and the building simply wasn’t designed with him in mind.

That experience – and many others like it – sparked a lifelong practice of self‑advocacy, supported by his family.

Today, Conan is a PhD candidate who has navigated a wide range of educational systems, from K through twelve classrooms with formal support plans to the much more self‑directed world of higher education.

Along the way, those experiences shaped how he understands disability: not as a problem of individuals, but as a reflection of the environments and systems we build.

This episode explores:

• Learning self‑advocacy at a young age
• Transitioning from structured support to higher education
• The role of family in navigating disability and education
• Disability as an environmental and systemic issue

Move To Include is a national partnership of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation, to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

Additional support for the Move to Include Podcast is provided by Mary Cariola Center and the URMC Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.

New episodes drop monthly. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Disability justice activist Anita Cameron has spent decades organizing for voting rights, racial equity, transportation access, and community integration for people with disabilities. She’s also known for her civil disobedience, including being arrested after the 1990 Capitol Crawl while pushing for passage of the ADA.

Beyond advocacy, Anita has been a leader in emergency preparedness. Since joining CERT in 2004, she has responded to floods, fires, and other disasters while training more people with disabilities to become first responders and community supports.

In this episode, Anita shares why disaster preparedness is vital, how activism has shaped her life, and why leadership in emergency response must include the disability community.

This episode explores:

• Discovering CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
• Why disaster preparedness is crucial for people with disabilities
• The courage and strategy behind civil disobedience
• “We Were There Too Project”

Move To Include is a national partnership of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation, to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

Additional support for the Move to Include Podcast is provided by Mary Cariola Center and the URMC Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.

New episodes drop monthly. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Self-advocate Maggie McCrumb knows she’s capable of working, but there are barriers to finding job. From transportation and workplace attitudes to managing anxiety and advocating for accommodations, Maggie shares what it really takes to pursue employment as a person with a disability.

In this episode of The Move To Include Podcast, Maggie reflects on her journey through transition programs, job coaching, and self-advocacy, and why work is important to her and gives her a sense of independence.

She’s joined by Charis Happ, Director of Transition Services at The Arc of Monroe, who explains how employment supports work, why “everyone is ready to work,” and how small accommodations can make a big difference.

This episode explores:

• Maggie’s path to self-advocacy and planning for independence
• How supportive services like job coaching and community habilitation work
• Managing real challenges on the job and navigating misconceptions about disabilities
• Practical tips for finding the right job fit and advocating for accommodations

Hear more about Maggie's college journey on WXXI’s podcast Exited, in the episode "Leaving college with lots of benefits — but no degree."

Move To Include is a national partnership of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation, to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

Additional support for the Move to Include Podcast is provided by Mary Cariola Center and the URMC Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.

New episodes drop monthly. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of Move to Include, host Noelle Evans dives into the “marriage penalty.” Under current federal benefits rules, getting married can mean losing vital income, Medicaid coverage, or life-sustaining supports.

First, self-advocate BJ Stasio shares how learning about the marriage penalty sparked a lifetime of activism, and why self-advocacy is about dignity, choice, and pushing back against injustice.

Then, disability rights attorney Stephanie Woodward explains the legal realities behind the policy, how it traps people in poverty or unsafe relationships, and what real marriage equality would require.

This episode explores:

• What the “marriage penalty” is, and how it works
• The role of self-advocacy in disability rights
• Why marriage equality still isn’t equal for disabled people
• What policy changes could make a real difference

Move To Include is a national partnership of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation, to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

Additional support for the Move to Include Podcast is provided by Mary Cariola Center and the URMC Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.

New episodes drop monthly. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

The Move To Include Podcast is a series where people with disabilities lead conversations about self-advocacy, disability rights, and everyday life.

Over the course of six episodes, host Noelle Evans sits down with Self Advocates to talk about the issues they care about.

Through personal stories and expert insight, the series explores how people navigate school, the workforce, healthcare access, even relationships, all while speaking up for themselves and advocating for their needs and rights.

Subscribe to the Move To Include Podcast to follow along, and get the latest episodes in your feed every month.

Our first episode drops January 12, 2026.

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Move to Include is a national partnership of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation, to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

More information about self-advocacy on our website, MoveToInclude.org.

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Proud Support for the Move To Include Podcast comes from:

Mary Cariola Center

URMC Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities

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