This Ability Podcast

08/05/2025

🎬 Part Two of the Disability Emergency Preparedness Workshop is now available to watch!

In this powerful continuation, presenters dive deep into topics that matter most when preparing for emergencies in the disability community, including:

✔️ Disaster Preparedness Basics
✔️ Lafayette Parish Emergency Resources
✔️ Disability-Specific Challenges
✔️ Disaster Medical Operations
✔️ Building Your Own Personal Preparedness Plan

💬 An ASL interpreter is present throughout the entire presentation, ensuring full access for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. 🤟

This important workshop was made possible through the collaboration of:
Families Helping Families of Acadiana
Lafayette Consolidated Government
Lafayette Parish OHSEP
Disability Access Solutions
Affiliated Blind of Louisiana
Helen Keller National Center
Volunteer Louisiana

🎥 If you missed the in-person event, this is a great opportunity to learn, plan, and prepare—right from home. Be sure to share with anyone who could benefit from these life-saving resources.

Volunteer Louisiana Families Helping Families of Acadiana Helen Keller Services Affiliated Blind of Louisiana.

Special thanks to AOC Community Media for putting this video together.

Emergency preparedness is vital for all residents, but for individuals with disabilities, it can involve unique challenges and considerations. This free, han...

08/05/2025

🎥 Missed the Disability Emergency Preparedness Workshop on Saturday? No worries—we’ve got you covered!

📍Watch Part One of the event now to catch highlights from this powerful gathering of community partners focused on inclusive planning and disability-centered emergency preparedness. From local resources to starter emergency kits, the day was filled with practical tools and life-saving info. 🔦🧰💬

A huge thanks to AOC Community Media for filming the event and to all the organizations that made it happen—Lafayette Parish OHSEP, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Volunteer Louisiana, Families Helping Families of Acadiana, and Disability Access Solutions.

📌 We’ll be posting Part Two later today, along with helpful documents and links—so stay tuned and share with anyone who might benefit!

Emergency preparedness is vital for all residents, but for individuals with disabilities, it can involve unique challenges and considerations. This free, han...

08/05/2025

We're creating a Linktree account to make it even more helpful for our "This Ability Podcast" community 💙🎙️

Along with links to our podcast episodes and social media, we're adding local and national organizations that support individuals with disabilities and their families. So far, we’re planning to include:

✅ BrainArt Alliance
✅ D.R.E.A.M.S. FOUNDATION OF ACADIANA
✅ Down Syndrome Association of Acadiana
✅ Autism Society of Acadiana
✅ Families Helping Families of Acadiana
✅ Meauxbility
✅ TheraCare Music Therapy of Lafayette
✅ Red Oaks Coping
✅ UL LIFE Program

🌟 But we want to know—what other resources, non-profits, or organizations would YOU like to see added? Drop your suggestions in the comments ⬇️

Whether it’s a group that helped your family, an advocacy network you love, or a service provider you recommend—we’re listening!

08/03/2025

🎉 In Case You Missed It! 🎉

We are SO proud of our 2024 Teen Spirit Award winners, Aubrey David and Chloe Songne — two amazing young leaders who are making a difference in their communities through compassion, creativity, and advocacy for individuals with autism and beyond. 💙👏

If you haven’t seen our 3-minute highlight video introducing these inspiring teens, now’s the time! 📽️✨

Watch full video podcast episode on our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/x-cPkE6Vbfk?si=_OEUJxQ3qWUJdhs1

They share the heart behind their projects, photos, what drives them, and their dreams for a more inclusive world.

08/02/2025

Today’s Disability Emergency Preparedness Workshop in Lafayette was packed with valuable information and practical tools! It was wonderful to see so many community partners come together to promote inclusive planning and ensure that individuals with disabilities are not left behind in emergency situations. 🙌

Participants had the chance to learn about local resources, start building their own emergency plans, and even left with a starter emergency kit! 🔦🧰

We’ll be sharing documents, planning tools, and helpful links from the event very soon—so be sure to stay tuned right here on our page.

Big thanks to Lafayette Parish OHSEP, Volunteer Louisiana, Families Helping Families of Acadiana, Disability Access Solutions, and everyone who helped make this event possible. 💙

08/02/2025

Attn: Followers in Acadiana. The Autism Society of Acadiana offers a stipend for individuals with autism. See information below.

💡 Did you know Autism Society Acadiana offers Family Stipends twice a year? The Fall Edition is now open! Apply today to get support for therapies, camps, education, and more. 👉 linktree.com/acadianaautism

08/01/2025

ICYMI: Meet our Teen Spirit Winners from Acadiana! We're shining a spotlight on some extraordinary young leaders in our latest extended episode of This Ability Podcast! 🌟

🏆 Aubrey David and 🏆 Chloe Songne

✨ Aubrey is the founder of Aubrey’s Amazing Grace, a mission-driven project that has raised thousands to support families in need, from cancer patients to those facing housing insecurity.

✨ Chloe is a fierce advocate for individuals with autism, inspired by her younger brothers. She’s active with the Autism Society of Acadiana, champions accessibility in public spaces, and brings heart to everything she does—from 4-H to pageants.

💙 In this episode, we dive into the origins of Aubrey’s Amazing Grace, talk about the Scott Boudin Festival, and share some current statistics on autism in the U.S. These young changemakers are proof that advocacy starts early and that one voice truly can spark change! Watch their video podcast here:

In this episode, we interview the 2024 Acadiana Teen Spirit Award Winners who are making a difference in the community:🏆 Aubrey David – 9th-grade student at...

07/30/2025

Season Two Episode Highlight: We're shining a spotlight on some extraordinary young leaders in our extended episode of This Ability Podcast! 🌟

🏆 Aubrey David – 9th grader at Teurlings Catholic High School
🏆 Chloe Songne – 9th grader at New Iberia Senior High School

✨ Aubrey is the founder of Aubrey’s Amazing Grace, a mission-driven project that has raised thousands to support families in need, from cancer patients to those facing housing insecurity.

✨ Chloe is a fierce advocate for individuals with autism, inspired by her younger brothers. She’s active with the Autism Society of Acadiana, champions accessibility in public spaces, and brings heart to everything she does—from 4-H to pageants.

💙 In this episode, we also touch on the impact of the Scott Boudin Festival, dive into the origins of Aubrey’s Amazing Grace, and share some current statistics on autism in the U.S.

These young changemakers are proof that advocacy starts early and that one voice truly can spark change. 🔥

🎧 Tune in now to be inspired:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2363737/episodes/17585484

Aubrey's Amazing Grace

07/30/2025

🎓✨ Curious about the UL LIFE Program and how it supports students with intellectual disabilities? Watch this video to get an overview of how the program empowers students through inclusive college experiences, career exploration, life skills, and personal growth right here at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette! ❤️🐾

Want to learn more? 🎧

🎙️ Season 1, Episode 5 of This Ability Podcast takes a deep dive into the program, featuring staff and student voices that bring the LIFE experience to, well… life!
🎙️ Season 2, Episode 3 features Mary Frances Avera, a proud LIFE graduate, sharing her remarkable journey of resilience, faith, and growth.

📲 Tune in to both episodes wherever you listen to podcasts—and be inspired by what inclusion in higher education really looks like!

Link to our website to listen 🎧🎙️: https://thisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com

07/28/2025

🌴We’re back! After a much-needed break, our family spent the last seven days soaking up quality time, sunshine, and special memories together on vacation. 🏖️💙

During that time, I paused posting on This Ability Podcast to fully unplug and recharge. Sometimes, stepping away is exactly what we need to come back even more inspired.

We’ll be jumping right back in this week with new episodes, advocacy spotlights, and community stories that continue to shine a light on all types of abilities. Stay tuned—and thank you for your continued support, downloads, and shares. It means the world to me, Speedy, and Lexi! 🧡🎧

Here’s a little photo peek at what we’ve been up to. 📸👇
Drop a comment or photo and let us know how YOU recharge!