The Lucky Few

• 292. What's going on with the Department of Education? (w/guest host Ashley Barlow)

  If you’ve watched the news recently, you know that there are some HUGE changes happening in our government, especially with the Department of Education. We’re breaking it all down today with our guest host, Ashley Barlow! She’s a mother to a son with Down syndrome, special education attorney advocate, IEP expert, former teacher, current speaker and podcaster. We are so grateful she’s here to cover all these topics:Why did the administration take action so quickly?What exactly is the HR 899 bill and how will it affect students with disabilities? If the DOE gets dismantled and then redistributed, which other departments will be in control?What can parents do right now to protect their children in schools? There’s a lot to unpack here, friends! Regardless of your political party, we hope you join us for this conversation so we can stand together in agreeance on what our kids deserve in their schools. Let’s dive in.--SHOW NOTESFollow Ashley Barlow on instagram and visit her website!Shout out to Massachusetts Advocates for Children for the imporant work they're doing! Check out their website HERE.SPONSORSLearn more about Jack’s Basket.Learn more about Enable Special Needs Planning. JOIN THE LUCKY CREWJoin us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $4.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Enjoy bonus episodes where we dive deeper into the most controversial issues, shop discounts, and more! Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

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• 291. New Season, Same Us: Life Updates & What’s Coming!

  Here we are with a NEW season of The Lucky Few Podcast! Join us for this first episode back for some big life updates!From Mercedes: mother-daughter bonding with Sunny, braces, medical thingsFrom Micha: potty training for Ace, communication device debates, new therapiesFrom Heather: her mother’s health, extracurriculars.. dances, musical theater, basketballFrom the pod: BONUS episodes that you can access as a member of The Lucky Crew!Join THE LUCKY CREW for $4.99 a month for bonus episodes and MORE.Participate in the NDSS Racing for 3.21 challenge on World Down Syndrome Day. Sign up to participate from where ever you live, HERE.Some things haven’t changed though.. you’ll see that we still don’t really know what year of the podcast this is and we still think there’s room to grow in the education system (shocker!). But get excited friends! Because this season will be full of important topics + a GUEST HOST.. Ashley Barlow, a fellow lucky mama, podcaster, and IEP expert.SHOW NOTESJoin THE LUCKY CREW for $4.99 a month for bonus episodes and MORE.Participate in the NDSS Racing for 3.21 challenge on World Down Syndrome Day. Sign up to participate from where ever you live, HERE.JOIN THE LUCKY CREWJoin us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $4.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Enjoy bonus episodes where we dive deeper into the most controversial issues, shop discounts, and more!  Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!HEATHER’S NEW BOOKPre-order Heather’s newest children’s book: I Like You So Much!

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• Throwback: Is Inclusion A Privilege?

  UPDATE for 2025: First, we want to say how much this podcast community means to us. Over the past seven years, we’ve released 290 episodes, reaching millions of listeners worldwide. You’ve been with us through laughter, tears, challenges, growth, and friendships. This podcast exists because of you, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. To keep The Lucky Few Podcast thriving, we’ll be making some changes early this year. While we focus on restructuring and exploring new ideas, we invite you to revisit past episodes or relisten to your favorites. Stay up-to-date by following us on social media ⁠@theluckyfewpod.⁠ We’re excited for what’s ahead! Until then, know we’re cheering you on and love you so much. ... Friends, today we’re diving deep into the heart of our favorite topic: inclusion! We chat about the barriers preventing true inclusion and we're challenging societal norms and asking the important questions about what defines human worth. What kind of person gets to be celebrated? What kind of person with Down syndrome gets to be celebrated? We explore the buzzword status of “inclusion,” the role of privilege in accessing support and services, and so much more. As we navigate this journey, we recognize the honor and burden of advocating for a more inclusive world. Progress in inclusion is happening, but are we truly championing the essence of every individual? Is the current system promoting equal access and opportunities? We’re asking all the questions, you don’t want to miss this thought-provoking episode! --- SHOW NOTES ⁠Learn more about regional assembly member Mar Galcerán’s!⁠ Other episodes to check out: ⁠17. Self Advocacy - Down Syndrome in DC with Kayla McKeon!⁠ ⁠28. Owning Your Influence In ALL Your Spaces!⁠ ⁠40. Back to School & All Things Education, Inclusion, & Down Syndrome⁠ ⁠58. A Conversation About Race & Down Syndrome w/Mercedes Lara & Kelli Caughman⁠ ⁠64. Building Bridges Towards Inclusion w/Barbara Butler⁠ ⁠67. Unpacking Privilege & Understanding Intersectionality w/Jalondra Davis⁠ ⁠85. Is Inclusion Always The Best Option?⁠ ⁠92. Politics & Down Syndrome w/Kayla McKeon & Ashley Helsing⁠ ⁠101. Jalondra Davis on Race, Disability, & Advocacy⁠ ⁠126. Creating Opportunities & Changing Perspectives Through Inclusive Employment ft. Wendy Lacey (Cornerstone Montclair)⁠ ⁠128. What To Expect From Inclusive Settings⁠ ⁠148. Diversity in the Down Syndrome Community⁠ ⁠149. The Only Black Mama In The Room - ft. Ashley Dirks (mother/advocate)⁠ ⁠172. Defining Ableism, Allyship & Advocacy + Redefining "Inclusion" - ft. Dr. Priya Lalvani⁠ ⁠195. Connecting with the Black Down Syndrome Association (ft. Kelli Caughman & Crystal Lotterberry)⁠ ⁠197. Exposing The Roots (Racism, Ableism, Microagressions, + More)⁠ ⁠198. The Best We Can: An Unscripted Conversation on Inclusion In Our Schools⁠ ⁠203. Beyond Checking A Box⁠ ⁠204. Self-Advocates On Capitol Hill w/Kayla McKeon, Matthew Schwab, & Charlotte Woodward⁠ ⁠205. Healthcare Equity in the Down Syndrome Community w/Dr. Spinazzi & Dr. Skotko⁠ ⁠208. Growing Through Uncomfortable Conversations (w/Ashley - TLFP Producer & Self-Advocate)⁠ ⁠218. Creating Inclusion For All Learners (w/Tim Villegas) ⁠ ⁠223. Included, Seen, & Heard: The Impact of Successful Inclusion⁠ DISCOUNT CODE Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on ⁠The Lucky Few Merch Shop⁠ and use code PODCAST for 10% off! HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email ⁠[email protected]⁠ for more information! LET’S CHAT Email ⁠[email protected]⁠ with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

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• Throwback: Everything No One Tells You About Parenting A Disabled Child (w/Kelley Coleman)

  UPDATE for 2025: First, we want to say how much this podcast community means to us. Over the past seven years, we’ve released 290 episodes, reaching millions of listeners worldwide. You’ve been with us through laughter, tears, challenges, growth, and friendships. This podcast exists because of you, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. To keep The Lucky Few Podcast thriving, we’ll be making some changes early this year. While we focus on restructuring and exploring new ideas, we invite you to revisit past episodes or relisten to your favorites. Stay up-to-date by following us on social media @theluckyfewpod. We’re excited for what’s ahead! Until then, know we’re cheering you on and love you so much. ... Throwback: Everything No One Tells You About Parenting A Disabled Child (w/Kelley Coleman) We’re so excited to welcome feature film executive turned author and disability advocate, Kelley Coleman to the show! Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Support releases TODAY!! Friends, this book is like gold, it provides the kind of support and confidence we all need to navigate and understand the complex systems, services, and supports no matter what diagnosis our kids have. It’s a resource we’ll be looking to for years to come, providing us with helpful questions, checklists, and ways to access services based on your child's individual needs. We celebrate finding friendship and community throughout the disability community, and Kelley shares how the Down syndrome community has embraced her and her son. She even shares how disability rights activist Judy Heumann shared her enthusiasm for a resource like Kelley’s book and emphasized the importance of sharing stories as self-advocates and nondisabled advocates in the disability space. This is a book and conversation we’re so grateful for, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! --- SHOW NOTES Order Kelley’s new book⁠ Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Support⁠ To learn more, visit⁠ https://www.kelleycoleman.com/⁠  Follow Kelley on⁠ Instagram⁠ and⁠ Facebook⁠ ⁠Learn more about Judy Heumann’s legacy⁠ THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR: Thank you,⁠ Enable SNP⁠ for sponsoring this episode! ⁠47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP⁠ ⁠191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP⁠ HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information! LET’S CHAT Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

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• 290: Redefining Resolutions For Growth, Not Perfection (w/Amy Julia & Penny Becker)

  Happy New Year friends! Join us as we welcome back Amy Julia Becker and her daughter Penny for an inspiring conversation on redefining resolutions for growth instead of perfection. We’re talking about the power of celebrating small wins, how caregivers and families can support loved ones with Down syndrome in setting and achieving goals, and the transformative lessons we’ve learned from goal-setting with our children. Penny also offers her perspective on staying motivated, what success looks like to her, and what she hopes to accomplish in the year ahead. Whether you’re setting goals for yourself or alongside your loved one with Down syndrome, this conversation will leave you ready to embrace every step of the journey. This is an episode you don’t want to miss! SHOW NOTES Instagram: @amyjuliabecker Facebook: @amyjuliabeckerwriter YouTube Channel Threads: @amyjuliabecker X: @amyjuliabecker amyjuliabecker.com  Our Previous Episodes with Amy Julia:  247. The Transition To Adulthood: Fostering Independence, Dignity Of Risk, & Supporting Decision-Making (w/ Amy Julia Becker) 158. Faith, Healing, & Disability, ft. Amy Julia Becker (Mother/Autho 26. Owning Your Influence By Using Your Words with Amy Julia Becker Thank you, NDSS for sponsoring this episode! Register today for the 2025 Down Syndrome Advocacy Conference! Early bird registration is now open! JOIN THE MOVEMENT Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!  DISCOUNT CODE Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code LUCKY for 21% off! HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

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