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A different radio station every hour.
Disabled and Proud is up next.
Media stories about people with disabilities have changed
over the years and Minnesota media have often lead the nation
in responding to the concerns of the disability community
and reporting on the issues that affect them.
But still, stories that are intended to be inspirational
and moving have often rested on popular misconceptions.
Highlighting someone's disability or someone
that was just injured, turning that into a pity situation.
There for the Grace of God Go I, you know.
There's so much of that.
Today, many more journalists and media outlets are more careful
about making assumptions and understand
that to get the real story, they need to listen
to the disability community.
It wasn't that we became enlightened,
it was because those people in those communities
with these disabilities found their voices and they spoke up.
The disabled people themselves have redefined what it means
to be disabled.
I often only think about my disability
when I encounter barriers in life or in attitude
that don't allow me to do the things that I need to do
in the course of my daily living.
We represent 20% of the population.
We are a significant portion of this community
and our issues are very real issues.