Introduction to genetic difference & disability, Dr. Arielle Silverman, Director of Research for the American Foundation for the Blind [00:00 - 4:15]

Excerpt from Arielle Silverman’s book, Just Human: The Quest for Disability Wisdom, Respect, and Inclusion [4:15 - 8:33]

Can you talk about your research on disability simulation exercises and emotional perspective taking? [8:34 - 13:30]

Do you think true empathy building exercises are even possible for better understanding the experiences of people living with disability and difference? [13:30 - 15:07]

What are the five stages of inclusion related to people with disabilities or difference that you write about in your book? [15:07 - 20:24]

How do you think we can shift people's mindset around inclusion? [20:24 - 22:24]

What do you wish people and clinicians understood better about your lived experience as a blind woman, advocate, and researcher? [22:24 - 25:14]

Given that genetic screening and testing has become a standard of care in prenatal medicine, how do you think genetic counselors should approach prospective parents when talking about the wide variety of genetic differences and disabilities? [25:15 - 29:55]

Could you describe the differences between how a blind person and a sighted person does complex math? [29:56 - 35:15]

Do you consider being blind a form of neurodivergence since your brain is doing the same things, but just going about it differently? [35:16 - 36:43]

Can you talk a little bit about that work and your views about how we can better support kids with disabilities? [36:44 - 39:37]

Wrap up [39:37- 41:08]