The Self Advocate
By Alison Klein
The Self AdvocateApr 23, 2024
Science Fiction
I talk with Nicole Panteleakos and Ada Hoffmann on their science fiction books. Nicole Panteleakos is the author of Planet Earth is Blue. Ada Hoffmann is the author of The Outside trilogy. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Music Episode
I finally made a live show! The music I played is:
Possibilities by KiSara
Broken by ASD Band
Toward the Sun by 77 Spokes
Seasons by Shawn Brush aka “The Krooked Cowboy”
Change by Kodi Lee
Danzas Lationoamericanas (Elizondo) (Latin American Dances) by Adrian Anantawan
Journey of You and I by Kodi Lee
Watch the World Unfold by Gaelynn Lee
Better Miracle by Kyprios
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com
Blog Episode
I interview Amanda and Kristina, both bloggers, self advocates, and BC People First members. I also honour Dave Symington, who recently passed. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
BC People First Conference and Rally
I talk with Margaux Wosk and Joanne Gauthier about the BCPF Conference and Rally. The conference is happening March 13 to 15th online and at the SFU Woodards building downtown Vancouver. The rally is happening March 16th infront of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Blind Arts
I talk with Carmen Papalia and Collin van Uchelen about blind arts. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Tonye Aganaba Interview
In the spirit of Black History Month, I talk with Tonye Aganaba. Check out her music at tonyemusic.com. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Memoirs
I talk with Susan Mockler and Allison Blevins about their memoirs. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Vancouver International PuSh Festival
I talk with Andrea Cownden, the new Accessibility Coordinator for the Vancouver International PuSh Festival for the first interview. I talk with Daniel, the producer of The Shadow of the Prey the Hunter Becomes, a production from Back to Back Theatre in Australia. The Vancouver International PuSh Festival runs January 18th to February 4th and The Shadow of the the Prey the Hunter Becomes is performing within the PuSh Festival from February 1st to 4th at the York Theatre.
Studio 73
I talk with four artists from Studio 73. Go check their art out at https://www.studioseventythree.ca/. If you have any comments or questions, email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Annual Holiday Music Episode
This is my annual holiday music episode. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com. The songs I play are:
It’s Looking A Lot Like Christmas by Jaycee Warfield
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Jaycee Warfield
Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Alanis Moressette
Wintersong by The Tenors and Sarah McCalken
White Christmas by George Ezra
The Gift by JoJo Mason and Kristin Carter
Snowman by The Tenors and Ekaterina Shelehova
Christmas Eve by Spirit of the West
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Nikki Yanofsky
Wexford Carol / O Christmas Tree by Gaelynn Lea
Auld Sang Lang by Canadian Men’s Chorus
International Day for Persons with Disabilities
I talk with Amy Amantea, Janice Laurence, Adam Grant Warren, Joanne Gunther, Andrea Cowden, and Jennifer Do about the International Day for Persons with Disabilities. If you have comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Holiday Craft Episode
I talk with Caroline and Simon from Simon's Soapbox and Mridu from Studio 73 for holiday crafts! I also play some holiday themed music! If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
To honour Indigenous Disability Awareness Month, I talk with Bailey Macabre, a poet, artist, and beader, and Sandra Pronteau, a self advocate. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
November Events
I talk with Jessica from the Chutzpah! Festival, running November 2nd to November 23rd at the Jewish Community Centre in Vancouver, and Terry from the Heart of the City Festival, running October 25th to November 5th around the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
October Events
There are four events happening one after another! First event is the Inclusion Art Show, happening October 12th from 10:30am to 7:30pm at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. The second event is the Victoria Festival of Authors, happening October 11th to 15th, both in Victoria and online. The third event is BCEdAccess AdvoCon, happening October 19th to 22nd, both online and at SFU Surrey. The last event is the Vancouver Writers' Festival, happening October 16th to 22nd on Granville Island in Vancouver. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
End of September
I talk with Larissa, a self advocate, and Curtis Woloschuk, the programming coordinator for the Vancouver International Film Festival, happening September 28th to October 8th.
Self Advocacy and Social Media
I talk with Ben Drew from Open Future Learning and Fionn and Jonathan of Fionnathan Productions! If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Margaux Wosk Interview
I talk with Margaux Wosk about their work with We Belong Market, their business, Retrophiliac, and their upcoming show about their life on Accessible Media Inc. Go check them out! If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Thesis Episode
My friend, Nadine Landa, becomes guest host! We talk about my Master's degree, which I just finished, and my thesis.
August Events
I talk with Marcelo Ponce, the accessibility and volunteer coordinator from Vines Arts Festival, happening August 9th to 19th. I also talk with Heather McCain of Live, Educate, Transform Society about accessibility for the Vancouver Pride Parade, happening August 5th and 6th.
Summer Reading
I talk with Dev Ramsawakh and Cait Gordon for summer reading! If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival 2023
I talk with Kay, one of the accessibility coordinators for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, held July 14th to 16th, 2023 at Jericho Beach! If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com
National Indigenous Day
I interview Tawahum Bige, a Łutselkʼe Dene, Plains Cree spoken word artist and poet in Vancouver. Go check him out! If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com
2nd World Symposium on Employment
The Second World Symposium on Employment is held from June 6th to 8th in Vancouver. I talk with Annette Burrows of Community Living BC and the president of the Canadian Association for Supported Employment. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
By Us for Us
In this episode, I talk with Joanne Gunther, the past president of BC People First, about the BCPF Cookbook, and to Stan, the art instructor for Opportunity Village in Las Vegas. If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
May Events
I talk with Sarah Bakke, Director of Development and Communications at DOXA Documentary Film Festival, happening May 4th to 14th in Vancouver. I also talk with Jessica Keenan, Associate Producer of Freewheeling, a mini festival for RealWheels, and Emily, the host of Open Mic Night, happening at may 8th to 13th.
End of April Events
I talk with SF Walker, the manager of the Voices of Autism, for Autism Awareness month in April, and Amanda Leduc, the Communications and Development Coordinator, of the Festival of Literary Diversity, which is happening April 30th to May 7th, 2023, in Brampton, Ontario. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
April Events
I talk with Bruce Petherick of Autism Canada for Autism Awareness Month in April. I also talk with Kelsey, Galen, and Colin of SIXPO Festival, happening April 2nd to 19th online and April 20th to 22nd in person at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Comedy Episode Part 2
I had so much fun with the previous episode that I made another comedy special! I interviewed David Granirer of Stand Up for Mental Health and David Roache of Love at Second Sight. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Comedy Episode
I talk with Curran Dobbs, Adam Schwartz, Pat Tiffin, and Michael McCreary of Comics N.O.S. for the first interview and Antonia Lasar for the second interview. Comedy and laughter ensued! If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
March Conferences
I talk with Brad McCannell, the Vice President, Access and Inclusion of the Rick Hansen Foundation for the Accessibility Professional Network (APN) Conference and Michael, the past president of BC People First for the BCPF Conference. The APN Conference is happening March 1st and 2nd at the River Rock Casino in Richmond. The BCPF conference is happening March 4th at the Civic Hotel in Surrey. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Documentary Episode
In this episode, I talk with Glen Hoos of the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation and Niall McNeill for the documentary Lay Down Your Heart, about Niall's life. I also talk with Mark Bone, a documentary film director, and Spencer, the drummer for ASD Band, about the documentary OKAY! The ASD Band, about ASD Band. I have a cold in this episode, so my voice is raspy. If you have questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
February Events
In this episode, I talk with Amy Amantea of the Arts Club, RealWheels, and Vocal Eye about Teenage Dick performance, happening February 5th to March 5th. I also talk with Siobhan Barker of Hogan's Alley Society. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
PuSh Episode
I talk with Anika Vervecken, the accessibility coordinator of the Vancouver International PuSh Festival. If you have any comments or questions, please email me at aliosn.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Winter Sports
The first episode of 2023! I talk with Graham Foxcroft of the Canadian Blind Hockey Association and Christian Hrab of the Canadian Adaptive Snow sport Association. If you have a comment or question, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Annual Holiday Music Special
I play holiday music for the end of the year holiday time! The music I play is:
Come Home for Christmas by George Ezra
All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
Intangible Things (A Hanukkah Song) by Haley K Turner
Wingersong by Eli Rose and Lilli-Ann DeFransesco
Home Again by Maya and Ben
In The Bleak Midwinter by Gaelynn Lea
Auld Lang Syne by The Tenors
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
International Day for Persons with Disabilities
I talk with Tanja, Will, and Yuri about their artist take in honour of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities and Dan Coulter about the new legislation for BC. The International Day for Persons with Disabilities is December 3rd. So, let's keep the conversation going. If you have questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Dance Episode
I talk with Adam Grant Warren and Janice Laurence, both dancers from All Bodies Dance. If you have questions or concerns, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
November Events
I talk with Adrien Castle from the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society about the Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering, happening November 15th to 17th, and Dana, Jessica, and Janice from the We Deserve to Work production at the Massey Theatre, happening November 18th to 20th. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
See For Me Film
I talk with Skylar Davenport, the main actor, and Randall Okita, the director, of the See For Me film. See For Me is a psychological thriller involving a person with blindness. Right in time for Halloween! If you have questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Vancouver Writer's Festival
I talk with both Leslie Hurtig, the artistic director of the Vancouver Writer's Festival, and Charlie Petch, a spoken word poet in Toronto, about this year's festival. The Vancouver Writer's Festival is happening October 17th to 23rd. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
October Events
Fall Reading
I talk with Dorothy Ellen Palmer about her new book, Kerfuffle: A Novel That Speaks Spoof to Power in the first interview. In the second interview, I talk with Anna Quon about her latest book, Where the Silver River Ends. If you have questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Back to School and September Events
I talk with Nicole from BCEdAccess and Chantelle from the ADHD Advocacy Society of BC about Back to School. I also talk with Susanna and Tyson from Theatre Terrific about their upcoming performance, Harvest 2022: Zoetic, in the Vancouver Fringe Festival, happening September 8th to 18th. Lastly, there is a quick promotion for the Real Wheels performance, In Camera, happening September 8th to 11th. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
End of Summer Vacation
Ever wonder how to travel with a disability? This episode talks all about end of summer vacation! I talk with Alvaro from Wheel The World about adaptive traveling and Ryan from the Spinal Cord Injury of BC about adaptive camping. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Pride
This episode is all about LGBTQIA2+ and Disability Pride. I interview Carmel and Ari from JQT (pronounced J-Cutie) and Mykola from Autistic Queer Peers. If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Summer Camps
Vancouver Folk Music Festival Accessibility Episode
National Indigenous Day
I talk with Neil Belager, the CEO of the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society for National Indigenous Day on June 21st! If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.
Theatre Episode
I talk about two in-person theatre performances this past weekend, the Access Festival Cabaret at the Gathering Place last Friday and Built Different theatre performance at the Cultch from rEvolver Theatre Festival last Saturday. I also talk with Susanna and Willow from Theatre Terrific! If you have any comments or questions, please email me at alison.mira.klein@gmail.com.