I've never heard of a volunteer producer at the station "suggesting" content to another producer. Perhaps I could suggest that the programming for youth do a production on how neglegent and indulgent parents of children with behavioral disabilities, who accuse the general community of "discrimination" when their children assault people and destroy property while the parents ignore it, are setting their kids up to be social rejects or criminals. But I don't think that idea would go over very well. I think I just got "complimented" on, and "congratulated" for, a piece someone didn't even hear!K said:
Thanks for such a thoughtful discussion about TBI and its effects.
Me: This was not a discussion of TBI, although some of the participants acquired Traumatic Brain Injury. As I began my research, the Brain Injury community quickly educated me to the fact that those who have NOT been labeled "TBI" get ignored and receive even worse care & treatment by the medical industry.
Personally, I can't see how the medical industry can NOT think ALL forms of brain injury are "traumatic."
K: As you know, my daughter was born with cerebral palsy and we've experienced many of the symptoms of TBI that your guests describe.
Me: No, I didn't know; nobody told me. My guests and I described experiences with brain injuries. In fact, in the intro, I tell the listeners that this is "an experience of brain injury." I could not, in the limited time I had available, address all forms of brain injury. Nor could I secure interview subjects with every label of diagnosis. A lot of brain injuries were not, specifically, listed; the list could have consumed the entire hour.
K: It's a little different to be born with brain injury, in that you
don't get plugged into "rehab" instantly, but have to seek it out on
your own.
Me: I've never "instantly" received rehab; in fact, I've NEVER received rehab, because I'm not affluent enough to afford adequate insurance which would cover diagnostic testing, beyond speculative musings of psychotherapists (I stated this in the intro). I, therefore, as is true of most people with BI, still don't have an "official" diagnosis of BI (as I stated in the intro), which is the primary reason WHY I'm not affluent enough to afford adequate insurance.
Glen Ford, founder of the now-defunct Brain Injury Clubhouse (which could not secure adequate funding, due to general community's arrogance, lack of interest, under education and nonexistant empathy) and board member of BIANM didn't, as he said in the piece, receive treatment for -- or acknowledgement of -- his brain injury for over three years. HE was a very affluent, government engineer, and the feds are STILL forcing him to fight his case, 12 years later, as he said in the piece. I also stated in the piece that apx. 85% of people with brain injuries never receive accurate diagnosis or treatment. Most people with BI have to seek therapies on their own.
I think, given limitations of time, resources, voluntary and (at my insistance, as "professionals" in the medical industry frequently have a far different, and often harmful, agenda on the subject of brain injury) nonprofessional interview subjects, I did a pretty thorough job. Ralph Shields, board member of BIA, said he thought it was the best presentation he'd seen in 25 years of advocacy for the Brain Injury community, and wants to assist me in broadcasting it nationally. That's got to count for something.
K: How about a show on autism and adults in New Mexico - possibly the most under-served of all adult developmental disabilities?
Me: You can apply for an Independent Producer's grant, if you'd like to pursue this subject. Otherwise, I could use assistance with securing the funds necessary so that I could produce it, as I'm too low income to produce huge radio documentaries for free. With a KUNM IndyProd grant, I figure my actual wages for each production at between $3-10/hour. Last I heard, KUNM only gives out 2 IndyProd grants per producer, per year. I have another project in mind this year.
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