A Conversation with Kathy Martinez

Speakers

Kathy Martinez
Kathy Martinez
Disability and accessibility strategy
Peter Blanck
Peter Blanck
University Professor, BBI Chairman

Description

In this episode, Dr. Peter Blanck speaks with Kathy Martinez, President and CEO of the organization Disability Rights Advocates and former Head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy for Wells Fargo Bank. They discuss the evolution of the disability rights movement from her perspective as a blind Latina woman. She describes the challenges of her personal experiences with two marginalized and intersecting identities and how they fit into the larger picture of the past, present, and future of the intersection of race, disability, and other identities.

Ms. Martinez explains that the current disability rights movement is more inclusive, and today’s activists understand that disability access is more complex than a wheelchair ramp. But she points out that more must be done, given that the population is aging and there are millions of people who are experiencing “Long COVID” and other disabilities that they never expected or that did not exist before the pandemic.

Summary

  • The evolution of the disability rights movement from her perspective as a blind Latina woman.
  • The challenges of her personal experiences with two marginalized and intersecting identities and how they fit into the larger picture of the past, present, and future of the intersection of race, disability, and other identities.
  • Martinez explains that the current disability rights movement is more inclusive, and today’s activists understand that disability access is more complex than a wheelchair ramp.
  • But she points out that more must be done, given that the population is aging and there are millions of people who are experiencing “Long COVID” and other disabilities that they never expected or that did not exist before the pandemic.