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Jan 8, 2025 | 
wxxinews.org | Mason Ald
This week on Voices of Disability Pride, advocate Courtney Deuro discusses with WBFO’s freelance disability reporter Mason Ald the importance of self-advocacy in medical settings and the current gaps in support services. Deuro shares how maintaining contact with disability services and medical professionals can help prevent those with fluctuating support needs from falling through the cracks. Courtney Deuro is a Data Analyst for the Center of Self Advocacy, and an advocate for patient rights.
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Dec 18, 2024 | 
wamc.org | Mason Ald
Our series “Voices of Disability Pride” continues this week with spoken word poet and writer J.B. Stone. Stone discusses with WBFO’s freelance reporter Mason Ald the importance of not letting others define one’s journey, and how finding balance in his life played a critical role in their career as a neurodivergent person. Stone is also a teaching artist, critic, and founding editor at Variety Pack, a magazine focused on diversity in artistic expression.
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
wamc.org | Mason Ald
Every December 1st honors World AIDS Day, a time to remember those who fought for better treatment and to combat ongoing stigma. Recently, WBFO’s freelance reporter Mason Ald spoke with Matt Crehan Higgins, the Vice President of Specialty Care at Evergreen Health about both progress and barriers found in AIDS and HIV treatment. PLAIN LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION: Every year December 1st is World AIDS Day.
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Nov 13, 2024 | 
wamc.org | Emyle Watkins |Mason Ald
This election cycle over 140 million Americans made it known who they wanted to represent them at all levels of government. But there likely were people with disabilities who didn’t cast their ballot or faced barriers accessing the polls.
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Nov 6, 2024 | 
wbfo.org | Mason Ald
The election season is coming to a close. While many voters said their voting process was simple– others in the disability community still face barriers when casting their ballot. When Amy Dake wanted to vote early with her partner– barriers ranging from the distance to the voting sites–or navigating streets stopped them from going.
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Nov 4, 2024 | 
wbfo.org | Mason Ald
Senior citizens all over Western New York gathered to let loose at a senior prom hosted by Buffalo Toronto Media this weekend. The annual senior prom aims to combat isolation while connecting seniors to each other and their community. One attendee, Sandy Urquhart, said the event offers a valuable opportunity for people to de-stress and socialize. She encouraged more organizations to host similar events for seniors. “I think that if they repeat what they do, it's very, very inviting for everyone.
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Oct 22, 2024 | 
nynow.wmht.org | Mason Ald
With election season rolling in, Western New York Independent Living hosted a “Meet the Candidates” forum– where candidates spoke about their qualifications and relevance to the disability community. All candidates, including democratic candidate Darci Cramer tied in their past involvement with the disability community to speak on what they can change. Cramer, who is a mental health professional, is running for the 147th Assembly District, which covers Wyoming County and parts of Erie County.
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Oct 21, 2024 | 
wbfo.org | Mason Ald
With election season rolling in, Western New York Independent Living hosted a “Meet the Candidates” forum– where candidates spoke about their qualifications and relevance to the disability community. All candidates, including democratic candidate Darci Cramer tied in their past involvement with the disability community to speak on what they can change. Cramer, who is a mental health professional, is running for the 147th Assembly District, which covers Wyoming County and parts of Erie County.
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Oct 16, 2024 | 
wamc.org | Mason Ald
For National Disability Employment Month, WBFO’s Freelance Reporter Mason Ald speaks with Autistic Self Advocacy Network Director Zoe Gross on employment barriers for neurodivergent adults. In this conversation, Gross dives into how neurodivergent people face barriers from employers and presents solutions to close the gap. While this segment has been edited for length and clarity, you can read the entire interview below. PLAIN LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION: This episode is part of WBFO’s Disabilities Beat.
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Sep 11, 2024 | 
wbfo.org | Emyle Watkins |Holly Kirkpatrick |Mason Ald
Last week, news broke that Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown might resign early to take a new job. But it's been 50 years since a mayor resigned here. So, a lot of people are wondering, what happens next? This week on the Disabilities Beat, WBFO reporters break down this kind of complicated situation in an easier to understand way. We also discuss who is next-in-line to be mayor, what we know about this potential successor, and what we know about his relationship to the disability community.
