Show Notes

Summary

Shelly and Veleeta DaCosta discuss their experiences in the entertainment industry, focusing on personal challenges, resilience, and disability representation. The episode emphasizes authentic storytelling, personal growth, and the importance of inclusivity in media, highlighting the evolution of industry practices and the need for genuine opportunities for all.

Watch or listen to the episode

Chapters

• 00:24 Introduction to Friends and Journey
• 05:22 Introduction to Veleeta DaCosta
• 08:04 Recollections of the Entertainment Industry
• 09:48 Personal Reflections on Change and Health
• 15:32 Representation and Inclusion in Media
• 17:11 Creating Opportunities in a Changing Landscape
• 18:38 The Future of Disability Representation
• 24:34 Exploring Creativity and Artistic Expression
• 28:17 Challenging Internalized Ableism
• 31:45 Finding Joy and New Experiences

Key Topics

• Shelly’s journey from California to Minnesota and back
• The impact of health challenges on personal and professional life
• Representation of disability in the entertainment industry
• The evolution of industry practices and inclusivity
• The importance of creating one’s own opportunities in media
• Reflections on friendship, community, and personal growth
• The shift from traditional to independent content creation
• The internalized ableism and societal messages about disability
• Future aspirations for authentic representation and inclusion

Takeaways

• I miss more than California or the entertainment industry. I miss how I felt about myself.
• Sometimes the loudest ableist voice was my own.
• There is a difference between what disability changed and what I decided disability meant.
• In media, representation means more than disability-specific roles.
• Creativity didn’t disappear. It changed form.
• Access shouldn’t be something society reluctantly gives to “those people.”
• Maybe I’m not looking for my old life. I’m looking for joy.

Sound Bites

• “You were always so effervescent, the life of the party.”
• “I miss my life, the challenge, the laughter.”
• “Everyone will become disabled at some point.”

You Heard it Here:

• Kim Wayans on YouTube: Still Got It https://www.youtube.com/@thekimwayans

• The book co-authored by Rev. Barbara Meyers and Shelly Rohe: Beloved as We Are: Building a Congregational Culture of Disability Inclusion Available at: InSpirit Bookstore, Walmart, or Amazon