Voice actor Jay Manuel and Co-Executive Producer Kristin DiQuollo introduce Jeff Mouse to the PBS Kids series, Donkey Hodie.

An intrepid explorer and avid nature lover, Jeff Mouse was born with congenital muscular dystrophy, which limits his physical abilities, but not his can-do attitude! He was created in honor of Jeff Erlanger, a young guest who appeared in an unforgettable episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and sang a moving duet of Fred’s song, “It’s You I Like,” with the famous show host.

To portray Jeff Mouse authentically, Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures engaged Disability Belongs, the national disability-led nonprofit that works to empower people with disabilities to have a better future, to advise on the development of the character and Permobil, a global leader in power and manual wheelchair solutions, to help create Jeff’s chair.

With the introduction of this endearing new character, Donkey Hodie is helping to further Fred Rogers’ legacy for today’s preschoolers of inclusion and kindness.

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JAY MANUEL is a music producer and content creator based in Georgia. Despite facing challenges such as being hard of hearing and living with a rare brittle bone condition known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 3, as well as Autism, Jay has dedicated his career to breaking barriers and representing young professionals with disabilities in the music industry.

As a full-time content creator, Jay produces engaging content that showcases his unique perspective and personality. He has collaborated with top companies like Coca-Cola and Snapchat and has produced songs for both independent and label artists such as Yung Bleu, Fred the Godson, Boldy James, DJ Luke Nasty, and many others. Jay is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the Recording Academy and mentors up-and-coming music producers while continuing to create content that positively impacts his community.

As Co-Executive Producer of Donkey Hodie, KRISTIN DiQUOLLO provides leadership and creative vision to Fred Rogers Productions' and Spiffy Pictures' puppet series for preschoolers. which is inspired by characters from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Prior to joining the company, she led production of broadcast and digital content for the PBS Kids series, Cyberchase as executive producer and story editor of WNET New York, helping to spearhead its expansion on digital platforms, including strategies for accessibility, as well as its evolution as a series focusing on math and environmental themes for 6-8-year-olds A nominee for multiple Daytime Emmy awards, and a winner for Cousin Hodie Playdate, Kristin was honored with Parents' Choice and Kidscreen awards and oversaw Cyberchase's national family and educator engagement efforts, broadening the series' reach to new public media audiences.

Experienced in using research to inform development and design of content, she has worked on several projects that investigate learning outcomes from educational media. Kristin previously worked in educational outreach and marketing for the IMAX Corporation and as an associate editor and projects coordinator for Merlyn's Pen, a magazine and website showcasing the works of teenage writers. She received ther B.A. in Englihs from Providence College.

HOSTS

Steven McCoy

Angie Castro

WEBSITES

PBS Kids

Disability Belongs

This episode co-produced by Steven McCoy with Alison Grand and Christina Gorski. Our producer is Akira Nakano.

www.innovatinginclusion.org

Today, SALYNE EL SAMARANY discusses Special Olympics global mission of bringing inclusion into the classroom through micro-credentialing for educators. She talks about the importance of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and how Special Olympics leads by example around the world.

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SALYNE EL SAMARANY is the Vice President of the Global Center for Inclusion in Education at Special Olympics International, where she works with a global team to lead initiatives to promote inclusive education and social inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She advocates for leveraging technology, including AI, to improve learning experiences for students with disabilities and professional development for teachers. Previously, Salyne was the CEO of Teach For Lebanon, an NGO focused on improving education for thousands of children in Lebanon, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. She addressed educational inequalities by empowering teachers and youth leaders to drive education reform, particularly in emergency settings. Salyne holds an MBA from the University of Balamand and has expertise in consultancy for change, providing strategic advice to improve organizations' social impact. She participated in the 2007 Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Program at Georgetown University, which shaped her commitment to addressing civil society and educational inequalities. Throughout her career, Salyne has received numerous awards, including the 2014 UN Special Envoy for Global Education’s Youth Courage Award. She also received the Arab Creativity Award in 2016 for her leadership in social change and was recognized by Facebook in 2018 as part of the Facebook Community Leadership Program for her leadership efforts to create informed online communities through education and technology.

LINKS

Special Olympics Global Center Webpage: https://www.specialolympics.org/what-we-do/youth-and-schools/global-center-for-inclusion-in-education

Special Olympics Global Center Briefs and Case Studies: https://www.specialolympics.org/what-we-do/youth-and-schools/resources/briefs?locale=en

Community Impact Stories :

https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/impact/pioneering-inclusive-sports-education-in-slovakia

Hosted by Katie Corbett & Lee Fox Beauregard

Opening Music by Alex Cap. Incidental Music by Bruce Maginnins.

Produced by Akira Nakano

www.innovatinginclusion.org

KEISHA GREAVES is a motivational speaker, adaptive fashion designer, and a disability advocate. She is the Founder & CEO of the brand, Girls Chronically Rock; Founder of GCR Adaptive Solutions; Founder of Trust Your Abilities Nonprofit for People of Color; and a Board Member of the Disability Law Center.

Keisha frequently speaks at conferences, for pharmaceutical companies,high schools, colleges, and universities to spread awareness about Muscular Dystrophy, work-life-chronic illness balance, raising money for causes, advocating for disability, and other related topics. Keisha has been featured in several national media outlets including Good Morning America, The Today Show, ABC News, and more. One of her proudest moments is when she was featured in Today Style Heroes 2018.

Keisha has personally worked alongside Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and successfully got September 30th officially proclaimed as Limb- Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day. Furthermore, she also received theproclamation from previous Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern and current Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. Keisha earned her BA in Fashion Designand Merchandising from Framingham State University and an MBA from Cambridge College.

LINKS:

WEBSITE: girlschronicallyrock.com

INSTAGRAM: @girlschronicallyrockclothing

X: @girlschronical1

HOSTS: Steven McCoy & Amgie Castro with Katie Corbett

CO-PRODUCER: Angie Castro

PRODUCER: Akira Nakano

www.innovatinginclusion.org