Listening to podcasts by and for people with disabilities is one way to hear people’s genuine voices. Their stories are raw, sometimes hard to hear, often jubilant, and unfiltered by those who often try to speak for them. They may not always say things we agree with or support but that doesn’t diminish what they have to say. Listen, learn, and form your own opinions as we continue to celebrate Disability Pride!

Below is a list of some podcasts showcasing a variety of opinions and perspectives. The title of each podcast is a live link. Below each description is the same link with the full link name.

Disability Visibility Project
In-depth interviews and discussions with disability community leaders and creators, on disability identity, culture, activism and politics, with an emphasis on intersections of disability and race, gender, sexuality, and other marginalized identities. While the podcast ended when the host, Alice Wong, died in November 2025, her 100 episodes live on. – https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/podcast-2/

The Heumann Perspective
Join Judy Heumann, an internationally recognized bad-ass disability activist in conversation with disabled changemakers and their allies. These conversations around disability culture, art, entertainment, policy and advocacy are sure to light a rebellious fire under you to fight harder for all people. Judy died in 2023, but her Podcast lives on! – https://judithheumann.com/heumann-perspective/

Parálisis Cerebral
Parálisis Cerebral Respuestas (Cerebral Palsy Answers) is a bilingual podcast Spanish/English, that seeks to answer all your questions about Cerebral Palsy! Join Azucena Garcia every week for in-depth interviews with doctors and individuals living with Cerebral Palsy to get the answers! – https://www.azucenagarcia.com/podcast

The Awareness Show
A podcast by Michelle Padilla about rare diseases such as 22q11, their causes and impacts. – https://www.youtube.com/@michellepadilla1884/featured

Disabled and Proud
Adaptive athlete Brooke Millhouse hosts this podcast that highlights disabled guests sharing their experiences and perspectives. True to its name, Disabled and Proud celebrates disability identity while exploring the triumphs, challenges, and everyday realities of living with a disability. – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disabled-and-proud/id1621152878

The Accessible Stall
Casual conversations and friendly arguments about both light and heavy everyday disability topics, with two good disabled friends who often have different takes on disability issues. – https://www.theaccessiblestall.com/

Barrier Free Futures
Interviews with disability activists and other disabled people in the disability community, on current disability issues, history and experiences. – https://barrierfreefutures.libsyn.com/

Down to the Struts
A look at accessible design, both physical and cultural, from a wide variety of angles and voices. – https://www.downtothestruts.com/episodes

Power not Pity
Exploring the full range of disability experience, particularly through the stories and work of disabled people of color. – https://www.powernotpitypod.com/episodes/

Disability Arts Online, Disability and…..Podcast
The Disability and…Podcast gets right to the heart of some of the most pressing issues in arts, culture and beyond with a series of bold, provocative and insightful interviews with disabled artists, key industry figures and the odd legend. – https://disabilityarts.online/magazine/podcasts/

Living My Best Disabled Life
Olivia Murphy, who has cerebral palsy, hosts this podcast covering a wide range of disability-related issues to promote understanding and break down barriers. Her fresh perspective and authentic storytelling make complex topics approachable for listeners of all backgrounds. – https://livingmybestdisabledlife.wordpress.com/podcast-episodes/

Bad Attitudes
Bad Attitudes: An Uninspiring Podcast About Disability is a light-on-the-inspiration, heavy-on-the-sarcasm look at the realities of living life disabled — from the perspective of a real-life disabled person. No inspiration porn here! – https://www.badattitudespod.com/

Adulting with Autism
A movement for neurodivergent adults created by autistic occupational therapist, April Ratchford OTR/L. – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adulting-with-autism/id1726252789

Autastic
A curated selection of podcasts by autistic creators. – https://www.autastic.com/autistic-voices/

Beyond 6 Seconds
Carolyn Kiel talks with neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, advocates & more about their lives and identities. Their stories shatter misconceptions, break stigma and showcase the vibrance of neurodiversity. – https://www.beyond6seconds.com/

Black Disabled Men Talk
In 2019, a group of Black disabled men launched a broadcast called Black Disabled Men Talk with four dedicated members, and for three years, they came together to discuss serious issues like police brutality to masculinity, sexuality, family as Black disabled men and more. – https://blackdisabledmentalk.com/blog-feed/

ListenABLE
Hosts Dylan Alcott and Angus O’Loughlin speak to people living with disabilities about their lives and ask them the questions you thought were off-limits. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll learn something. This is a podcast for everyone – disabled or abled, and hopes to break down stigmas, change perceptions, and to challenge what you think it’s like to live with disability. – https://play.listnr.com/podcast/listenable

Able Voices
Dr. Rhoda Bernard, founding managing director of the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education, is proud to present the ABLE Voices podcast, featuring disabled artists and arts educators. Each ABLE Voices episode is guest-hosted by a disabled artist. Guests on ABLE Voices discuss their experiences navigating their careers, their artistic development, their arts education, and their creative process. While this podcast was not created by a disabled person, because the hosts are disabled, we chose to include it. –  https://college.berklee.edu/BIAESN/able-voices-podcast

IDD Get to Know Me
A mental health podcast where nothing is off the table. Join self advocate and hosts, Victor Pereira and Daniel Share-Strom as they explore topics and how they relate to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. – https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-idd-get-to-know-me-77764676

Your Turn!

Do you have a favorite podcast by and for people with disabilities? Send us a short description and a link! We may feature it!

If you have any questions or comments about this content, please email: northcoast@scdd.ca.gov.

Movies

Coda Ruby Rossi is the hearing daughter of deaf parents and sister to a deaf brother. The film features deaf actors Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, and Daniel Durant. AppleTV

Children of a Lesser God This movie follows the turbulent relationship between a deaf woman and a hearing man as they struggle to communicate. Sarah, played by Marlee Matlin, uses American Sign Language to communicate. Amazon Prime

Cyrano American actor Peter Dinklage stars as the wordsmith Cyrano in the musical romantic drama Cyrano. In the story, Cyrano helps a young man woo a girl by writing love letters. Amazon Prime

Loop This is a Pixar short featuring a non-speaking girl with autism, voiced by Madison Bandy, who is non-speaking. Disney+

The Peanut Butter Falcon This film follows Zak, played by Zach Gottsagen, as he escapes his assisted living facility where he was abandoned by his family because of his Down Syndrome. Zak pursues his dream of becoming a professional wrestler and, on the way, he meets and befriends Tyler who is also on the run. YouTube

Run Chloe, played by Keira Allen, is kidnapped at birth from a maternity ward by Diane, after her newborn baby dies. This leads to Diane overdosing Chloe on unnecessary medications causing paralysis, diabetes, and other health conditions. Chloe uncovers the truth and tries to escape. Netflix

Soul Actors with disabilities are featured, including Graham Norton, reflecting neurodivergent traits while voicing Moonwind. Disney+

The Station Agent When his only friend dies, a man born with dwarfism moves to rural New Jersey to live a life of solitude, only to meet a chatty hot dog vendor and a woman dealing with her own personal loss. Amazon Prime

Then Barbara Met Alan This movie tells the true story of two disability activists, Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth, who became the trailblazers for disability rights in Britain and pushrd for the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). BBC iPlayer

Wonderstruck Based on a New York Times Bestseller, this motion picture is about two Deaf children across different eras. Deaf actress Millicent Simmonds plays a lead role. Amazon Prime

Documentaries

A Space in Time This documentary is about two young brothers with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and how the family carries out the day-to-day work of adapting their world. In the process, they revolutionized their own preconceived ideas about what constitutes a well-lived life. Amazon Prime

Crip Camp Crip Camp starts in 1971 at Camp Jened, a summer camp in New York State described as a “loose, free-spirited camp designed for teens with disabilities.” Starring Larry Allison, Judith Heumann, Jim LeBrecht, Denise Sherer Jacobson and Stephen Hofmann, the film focuses on those campers who became activists for the disability rights movement. Neflix

Hearing Is Believing This feature documentary introduces the world to the astonishing young musician and composer, Rachel Flowers. Born 15 weeks premature, Rachel soon lost her eyesight. At the age of two, she began playing every song she heard by ear, including Bach’s fugues. Amazon Prime

The Reason I Jump A documentary based on the experiences of nonspeaking persons with autism, it celebrates their individual voices and perspectives. Amazon Prime

Sound of Metal This documentary explores the journey of a drummer experiencing hearing loss and finding community in the Deaf world. The film features Paul Raci and several Deaf actors. Amazon Prime

TV Series

As We See It (Amazon Prime) This series follows three roommates on the autism spectrum, portrayed by autistic actors.

Atypical (Netflix) This is a coming-of-age series about a teenager on the autism spectrum. Advocacy by the autism community improved authentic representation of people with disabilities as the show progressed.

Born this Way (Hulu) Born This Way follows a diverse group of young men and women with Down syndrome as they pursue their passions and lifelong dreams, explore friendships, romantic relationships and work, all while defying society’s expectations.

Breaking Bad (Netflix) The character of Walter White Jr. in this long-running series is played by RJ Mitte, who has cerebral palsy.

Deaf U (Netflix reality series) – This series follows a group of students attending Gallaudet University, a private college for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo – The hit South Korean series follows Woo Young-woo, an autistic rookie attorney with an incredibly high IQ and eidetic memory, as she navigates a major Seoul law firm, tackles complex cases, and overcomes prejudice.

Loudermilk (Amazon series) – The series stars Mat Fraser, a disabled actor with thalidomide-induced phocomelia.

Patience (PBS) Patience is autistic and uses her pattern recognition skills while working in the York Criminal Records office to help solve crimes. Patience is played by Ella Maisy Purvis who is autistic and has ADHD.

Ramy (Hulu series) – This show features Steve Way, a disabled actor with muscular dystrophy, in a prominent supporting role.

Speechless (Amazon Prime) Actor Michael Fowler, who has CP, stars in this sitcom about a family advocating for their teenaged son, JJ.

Switched at Birth (Hulu and others) This series features several Deaf actors as main characters, including Katie LeClerc and Marlee Matlin. One entire episode was filmed in American Sign Language.

The Politician (Netflix series) – This ensemble cast includes Ryan Haddad, an actor with cerebral palsy.

The West Wing (Netflix) This series features deaf actor Marlee Matlin in a recurring role as a pollster and love interest for Deputy Chief of Staff, Josh Lyman.

This Close (Sundance Now series) – This was created by and starring Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman, both of whom are deaf.