ABLE Voices Podcast
Back in September 2024, I received an email from Dr. Rhoda Bernard. We didn’t know each other at the time, but I soon learned she is the Founding Managing Director of the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education (BIAAE). While on sabbatical, Dr. Bernard was writing a book about arts education for people with disabilities. She wanted to include real words and experiences from the disability community, so she asked to interview me about my art and arts education
Later that month, we spoke for about an hour via Zoom. At the time, I didn’t know what to expect. I honestly couldn’t fathom someone caring enough to ask these questions, but she did. Dr. Bernard asked me extremely thoughtful and empathetic questions to better understand my experience and translate it into teachable moments for arts educators. I felt truly seen, and was extremely grateful that someone was willing to share our stories. Whether or not I ended up in a book didn’t matter; someone caring enough to ask questions meant the world.
I was surprised and honored to learn that a quote from our conversation will be included in her upcoming book, Accessible Arts Education, which comes out this September [preorder the book here]!
Flash forward, a few weeks later, Dr. Bernard reached out again, this time inviting me on the ABLE Voices Podcast. Arts Better the Life of Everyone (ABLE) Voices podcast is a show Dr. Bernard created to highlight disabled artists and educators. Reading her email, I was excited, yet terrified. I’ve wanted to do a podcast for well over a year, but never quite had the confidence to do so. Not only was I being asked to be interviewed as a guest, but I also had the chance to step into the role of interviewer myself, as a guest-host for three additional episodes where I could interview other disabled artists. As nervous as I was, I could not pass up the opportunity to interview and promote other incredible disabled artists.
In my first episode, Dr. Bernard interviews me about what it’s like to navigate the world with multiple disabilities, how my conditions inform my creative process, and how my arts education and experiences as a disabled person have influenced my creative efforts.
Produced and edited by Daniel Martinez del Campo, BIAAE’s Operations Coordinator, The ABLE Voices podcast is available on Berklee’s YouTube channel, Spotify, Zencastr, Amazon Music, and more. The intro music was composed by Kai Levin, and the outro by Sebastian Batista—both participants in Berklee’s accessible arts programs.
Over the next few weeks, you’ll hear my interviews with four brilliant disabled artists. I speak with visual artist and disability advocate Christina Lucille of Chronic Pop Shop, UK rapper, entrepreneur and disability advocate, Akes, New York singer-songwriter, producer, and disability advocate, Teddy Cosmo, and freelance artist & illustrator, Ash Marnich. Each guest was a true treasure to talk to, all of whom had beautifully unique perspectives and life experiences to share.
In each episode, we discuss accessibility in the arts, entrepreneurship, creative processes, and what advice we’d give to younger disabled creatives. I truly hope you enjoy these conversations. They reflect a growing movement to make art spaces more accessible, inclusive, and honest.
Being part of this project reminded me why I do what I do. We can’t make change without sharing our stories, discussing our needs and experiences, and philosophizing about how to make the world more inclusive for everyone. Thanks for listening!
Follow each of the artists:
Briana Raucci (me): Briana Raucci Instagram | Briana Raucci LinkedIn
Christina Lucille: Chronic Pop Shop Instagram | Chronic Pop Shop Etsy
Akes: Akes Instagram | Listen to Akes on Spotify | Follow ThisAbilityCic on Instagram
Teddy Cosmo: Teddy Cosmo Instagram | Listen to Teddy Cosmo on Spotify
Ash Marnich: Ash Marnich Instagram | Buy Prints by Ash
*Edit - as of July 15th, all four episodes are up on Youtube, Spotify, and more! Check them out below!
Episode 74: Briana Raucci
Episode 75: Christina Lucille
Episode 76: Akes
Episode 78: Teddy Cosmo
ABLE Voices Ep 77: Ash Marnich
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Hi there! I am an artist & writer with disabilities, and I have been running this Disability & Art Blog unpaid for the past year — sharing personal stories, research, and resources to help others feel seen, informed, and empowered. While I love what I do, I also believe disabled people deserve to be compensated for their time, labor, and expertise. I’m currently crowdfunding to turn this into a sustainable, paid job — one that lets me focus on independent disability journalism, educational content, and artwork that speaks to the real lived experience of being disabled in America.
Help me keep the blog going and expand it into audio & video podcast formats to make it more accessible, engaging, and inclusive. With your help, I can write investigative articles, interview experts, and launch my podcast, Thank You So Much for Asking. Every contribution is meaningful and thoroughly appreciated. Thank you so much for your support! — Sincerely, Briana Raucci
A thank you to my supporters
Thank you to everyone who has donated to my GoFundMe campaign thus far! Your support truly means the world to me. I deeply appreciate that you see the value in this work and that you believe disabled voices, independent journalism, and accessible storytelling are worth funding.
Because of your generosity, I was able to make time to participate in this podcast and write this blog post. That may sound small, but for those of us juggling disability, advocacy, and creative work with limited resources, it’s everything. All the thanks to: Michael J. Harkey, James Miller, James Mcgee, Vicki Gelpke, Larry Gobel, Wendy Naratil, Taylor Macioci, Judy Petrillo, Stacey DeMartino, Jordyn DeMartino, Maddy Ullman, Joy Panigada, Judith Wilcox, and Lauren Raucci for making this possible!
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