KATIE HEALEY:
Hello and welcome to the Disability Daily Podcast! I’m your host, Katie, and over the past couple years, I’ve worked on a 365-day calendar that recognizes different folks and key moments in disability history each day of the year. I’m turning this into a quick daily podcast, and I’m excited to share this with you!
From well-known figures and innovative inventions to unsung heroes and landmark legislation, each episode reveals how people with disabilities have played a crucial role in our society.
Please subscribe to the podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to learn along with me each day. To see the calendar, visit accessiblehighered.com/calendar or see this episode’s show notes for the link.
And with that, let’s dive in!
We have three folks to celebrate today.
First, Dr. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu (she/they) is an American educator, author, and advocate for autism and HIV awareness. Born in the United States to Nigerian and Cape Verdean immigrant parents, they experienced early signs of autism that were often misinterpreted through the lens of racial and gender stereotypes of "a black person [...] trying to fit into the white environment," and these assumptions delayed proper support and understanding.
Giwa Onaiwu holds a BA in International Relations from United States International University and a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. They have worked extensively in the non-profit sector, supporting refugee families, at-risk youth, and women. As both a biological and adoptive parent, Giwa Onaiwu is also the parent of two autistic children.
A prominent figure in advocacy, Giwa Onaiwu co-founded Positive Playdates, later merging it into Advocacy Without Borders to support community activism. They have held leadership roles in organizations like the Women’s HIV Research Collaborative, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and the Autistic Women’s Network, focusing on intersections of race, disability, and health.
Giwa Onaiwu is a published author and editor, with works including "All the Weight of Our Dreams" and "Sincerely, Your Autistic Child" "Neurodiversity En Noir". Through writing, speaking engagements, and activism, Giwa Onaiwu advocates for the empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly within disability and public health spaces.
Next, George W. Andree (February 7, 1879) was an American college football coach and dentist, known for coaching the Georgia Tech football team in 1902. Deaf from a young age, he attended Gallaudet College (now Gallaudet University), an the world’s first liberal arts college for the Deaf and hard of hearing, and he graduated in 1902.
At Gallaudet, Andree was a standout athlete, playing halfback on the football team for four years and serving as captain of the baseball team in 1900 and 1901. After graduation, he became Georgia Tech’s head football coach, where he used his skills as an expert lipreader to teach players non-verbal signals to outmaneuver opponents.
After his brief coaching career, Andree pursued dentistry, earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1908. He practiced in Oklahoma, where he became president of the Oklahoma Dentist Association and served on the National Dentists' Association’s legislative committee.
He’s thought to be one of the first Deaf dentists in the United States, and Gallaudet College was quite proud of him, writing: “We understand that George G.W. Andree, who, while our great halfback, could knock out teeth pretty effectively, has since graduation taken a course in dentistry in the University of Michigan, and can now yank ’em out with neatness and dispatch.”
Andree passed away in 1934 at the age of 54.
Finally, Barbara Turnbull (February 7, 1965) was a Canadian journalist, activist, and quadriplegic known for her advocacy for people with physical disabilities. At 18, while working a part-time job at a convenience store, Turnbull was shot in the throat during a robbery. The bullet severed her spine, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.
Turnbull attended Arizona State University, earning a journalism degree and graduating as valedictorian in 1990. Her story and the trial of her attackers were dramatized in the 1991 debut episode of the CBC’s Scales of Justice, where she portrayed herself.
After returning to Toronto, Turnbull became a reporter for the Toronto Star’s Life section, where she covered stories about disability rights and spinal cord injuries. In 1993, she filed a human rights complaint against Famous Players Theatres for lack of accessibility, leading to a landmark ruling in her favor in 2001, although some theaters chose to close rather than make accessibility improvements.
Turnbull passed away on May 10, 2015, at the age of 50. In recognition of her contributions to journalism and disability advocacy, she was posthumously appointed to the Order of Canada in 2015, honoring her dedication to improving the lives of people with quadriplegia.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, Dr. George Andree, and Barbara Turnbull!
Thanks so much for listening today! See the episode show notes for sources to learn more and to access the episode transcript.
If you’re committed to learning more about disability and accessibility, please consider subscribing to the Disability Daily Podcast and sharing with friends. Thanks!
Hello and welcome to the Disability Daily Podcast! I’m your host, Katie, and over the past couple years, I’ve worked on a 365-day calendar that recognizes different folks and key moments in disability history each day of the year. I’m turning this into a quick daily podcast, and I’m excited to share this with you!
From well-known figures and innovative inventions to unsung heroes and landmark legislation, each episode reveals how people with disabilities have played a crucial role in our society.
Please subscribe to the podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to learn along with me each day. To see the calendar, visit accessiblehighered.com/calendar or see this episode’s show notes for the link.
And with that, let’s dive in!
We have three folks to celebrate today.
First, Dr. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu (she/they) is an American educator, author, and advocate for autism and HIV awareness. Born in the United States to Nigerian and Cape Verdean immigrant parents, they experienced early signs of autism that were often misinterpreted through the lens of racial and gender stereotypes of "a black person [...] trying to fit into the white environment," and these assumptions delayed proper support and understanding.
Giwa Onaiwu holds a BA in International Relations from United States International University and a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. They have worked extensively in the non-profit sector, supporting refugee families, at-risk youth, and women. As both a biological and adoptive parent, Giwa Onaiwu is also the parent of two autistic children.
A prominent figure in advocacy, Giwa Onaiwu co-founded Positive Playdates, later merging it into Advocacy Without Borders to support community activism. They have held leadership roles in organizations like the Women’s HIV Research Collaborative, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and the Autistic Women’s Network, focusing on intersections of race, disability, and health.
Giwa Onaiwu is a published author and editor, with works including "All the Weight of Our Dreams" and "Sincerely, Your Autistic Child" "Neurodiversity En Noir". Through writing, speaking engagements, and activism, Giwa Onaiwu advocates for the empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly within disability and public health spaces.
Next, George W. Andree (February 7, 1879) was an American college football coach and dentist, known for coaching the Georgia Tech football team in 1902. Deaf from a young age, he attended Gallaudet College (now Gallaudet University), an the world’s first liberal arts college for the Deaf and hard of hearing, and he graduated in 1902.
At Gallaudet, Andree was a standout athlete, playing halfback on the football team for four years and serving as captain of the baseball team in 1900 and 1901. After graduation, he became Georgia Tech’s head football coach, where he used his skills as an expert lipreader to teach players non-verbal signals to outmaneuver opponents.
After his brief coaching career, Andree pursued dentistry, earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1908. He practiced in Oklahoma, where he became president of the Oklahoma Dentist Association and served on the National Dentists' Association’s legislative committee.
He’s thought to be one of the first Deaf dentists in the United States, and Gallaudet College was quite proud of him, writing: “We understand that George G.W. Andree, who, while our great halfback, could knock out teeth pretty effectively, has since graduation taken a course in dentistry in the University of Michigan, and can now yank ’em out with neatness and dispatch.”
Andree passed away in 1934 at the age of 54.
Finally, Barbara Turnbull (February 7, 1965) was a Canadian journalist, activist, and quadriplegic known for her advocacy for people with physical disabilities. At 18, while working a part-time job at a convenience store, Turnbull was shot in the throat during a robbery. The bullet severed her spine, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.
Turnbull attended Arizona State University, earning a journalism degree and graduating as valedictorian in 1990. Her story and the trial of her attackers were dramatized in the 1991 debut episode of the CBC’s Scales of Justice, where she portrayed herself.
After returning to Toronto, Turnbull became a reporter for the Toronto Star’s Life section, where she covered stories about disability rights and spinal cord injuries. In 1993, she filed a human rights complaint against Famous Players Theatres for lack of accessibility, leading to a landmark ruling in her favor in 2001, although some theaters chose to close rather than make accessibility improvements.
Turnbull passed away on May 10, 2015, at the age of 50. In recognition of her contributions to journalism and disability advocacy, she was posthumously appointed to the Order of Canada in 2015, honoring her dedication to improving the lives of people with quadriplegia.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, Dr. George Andree, and Barbara Turnbull!
Thanks so much for listening today! See the episode show notes for sources to learn more and to access the episode transcript.
If you’re committed to learning more about disability and accessibility, please consider subscribing to the Disability Daily Podcast and sharing with friends. Thanks!
