Listen "Diana Pastora Carson: How to advocate for people with autism and developmental disabilities"
Episode Synopsis
Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed. has been an elementary educator for over 30 years, and co-teaches a Disability & Society course at San Diego State University. She is a consultant and educator on diversity as it relates to disability, and is the author of several articles and books including Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity Work in K-12 Schools & Communities, and children’s book, Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights, and Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator’s Guide. Diana is known for her powerful keynote presentations and educational workshops related to disability awareness and inclusive teaching practices. Her disability awareness work in schools has earned her statewide PTA recognitions in the areas of advocacy and outreach, as well as her elementary school’s designation of Teacher of the Year. In addition to a TEDx Talk and her award-winning podcast, Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana has been featured in several articles and other podcasts. She served two terms on the Board of Directors of Disability Rights California, and currently serves as a board member of Disability Voices United. Although Diana experiences disability herself, she credits her passion for this work to her brother, Joaquin Carson, who endured years of segregated schooling and subsequent institutionalization. She takes the most pride in knowing that after many years of fighting for his release from an institution, Joaquin now lives a life of self-determination, inclusion and quality, in the community, as her next-door neighbor. Along this journey to inclusion, Diana and Joaquin have become advocates for safe community inclusion, especially for people who experience body dysregulation, and as it relates to healthcare access, and access to "durable accommodations", a term coined by Diana's family.
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