Navigating Neurodiversity

One of the things that happens during the podcasting classes at the Arc Southern Maryland is that our instructors and staff talk with clients about all sorts of neat things. One of those things was this past week's Artemis II spaceflight to the far side of the Moon, or the side of the Moon we do not see when we look up in the sky. We discussed how this moon mission harkens back to the time of the first moon flights, which coincided with the very first Earth Day, April 22, 1970.  Back then that was the very first time the world got to see our home from space, as the small blue planet that it is. That image sparked a movement for common good, cleaning up the Earth and trying to repair our world.
To help with our discussion with talked with the Environmental Educator from the Alice Ferguson Foundation, Cody Hance. This native Southern Marylander is concerned about the amount of plastics that end up not only in our food, but as micro-plastics, inside of all of us.
The music is by way of a YouTube upload of a 2017 commemoration of Earth Day at the New York City based American Museum of Natural History. We sample it with the permissions that are given productions that are made for teaching and educational purposes. The music was composed by The Turtles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzjJGGhKsHA
Episode art created using Microsoft Co-Pilot

Our podcasting class in Prince Frederick hosted the lady in charge of the State of Maryland's Autism Strategy, Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan.  She heard some of our participants' personal stories and answered questions from staff. You can find out more about where Victoria works here: https://mdod.maryland.gov/
Music: Ron Davis, jazz pianist, "All God's Children."

Arc Southern Maryland students in Waldorf recently participated in a conversation with podcast host Rita Rich about St. Patrick's Day. Listen as the class talks about being proud of their ancestry and of being an American. Hear how they learned about prejudices persisting against those considered different decades ago. Another lesson learned: If you want people to understand the prejudices and misconceptions of others about your own intellectual or developmental disabilities, you need to be compassionate about the prejudices others face.
 

Episode 75 of the See Me. See My Ability: The Podcast of The Arc Southern Maryland features a conversation that podcast host Rita Rich had with 77-year-old Tim Gowen and his sister during DD Day in Annapolis. We met after members of our Arc and Tim spoke with State Senator Jack Bailey of St. Mary's County. 
Tim is a prime example of a guy who doesn't know what it means to quit! He's thinking about his next goals as an athlete and is proud to represent our state, Maryland.

See Me. See My Ability. The Podcast of the Arc Southern Maryland recently talked with Ronnie Hammond, the director of the Maryland office for Statewide Broadband Development. He provides messages for our Arc Southern Maryland Advocates to share with state lawmakers on Developmental Disability Day on February 18th. 
#arcmaryland #annapolis #love #guyton
#dontyouforgetaboutme#breakfastclub #ddday 
 

See Me, See My Ability Podcast of the Arc Southern Maryland talked with the two organizers of the Art in Full Spectrum exhibition on the fourth floor of the Maryland House of Delegates. Listen as two colleagues, State Delegate Michelle Guyton and State Senator Sara Love talk about their lives as mothers of neurodiverse kids, and advocates for other families and friends of the IDD.  Our episode art is inspired by original art that is one of the 60 pieces on display now through mid April, 2026. Shout out to Akeem Young! 
Artificial Intelligence helped podcast host Rita Rich insert the headshots of our guests. See the original piece of art and our guests during Developmental Disability Day in Annapolis next month!
#arcmaryland #ddday #ArcSoMD 
 

Rita Rich talked with Arc SO MD clients about their wishes and hopes for 2026. For some, it was maintaining what made them happy. For others, they hope for big changes. Others quietly asked others to do their best to petition their government for a better life. 
In the end, we are all asked to try harder to listen and hear what others are saying.
 
#2026 #resolutions #wishes #hopes #arc #southernmaryland.
 

These are just samples of some of our sound-rich podcast episodes released in 2025. It highlights podcasting class lessons of Arc clients, and others, about the use of background and other sounds and how podcasts can be created outdoors. It's another way that we learn to meet our community "where they are," whether it's via Zoom, or going out and about to interact with them. It also highlights our teaching about how horrible conditions have been for people all sorts of handicaps in our country and how our people are advocating that "we will not go back."
 
#arc #maryland #disabilityrightsarehumanrights #SouthernMaryland #SouthernChesapeake #2025
 
 
 

Welcome to our first podcast of December, 2025. It's been a hard year and financially for Arcs around Maryland. Thank goodness for some good news and positive developments for the Arc Southern Maryland and it's longtime support staff and the people we serve.  Listen as one of our friends Malek Stover stands up and speaks in front of the whole podcasting class, and our our executive director, Terry Long, explains how our Arc is  growing and taking on new turf.