Questlove SupremeHistorical Records: Judy Heumann (feat. Ali Stroker and Jenna Bainbridge)
Nimene learns the inspiring story of Judy Heumann, who fought for the rights of disabled people, and enlists Broadway actor Jenna Bainbridge for a fierce hip hop track to honor Judy’s legacy. Featuring an interview between Tony Award-winning actor Ali Stroker and a 14 year old named Elizabeth.
Hey, this is Questlove, and we're continuing to celebrate Women's History Month by releasing episodes of my new podcast with Story Pirates. Historical Records is an explosive fusion of hip hop and history, tailor made for music loving kids and families. In this episode, Nimine learns the inspiring story of Judy Human, who fought for the rights of disabled people, and a list Broadway actor Jenna Brainbridge for fierce hip hop track to honor Judy's legacy. We hope you enjoy Historical Records, the show that proves that in order to make history, you have to make some noise.
Hey, listeners, it's Niminy. Welcome back to Historical Records. We're doing things a little different on the show today because I am at the gardening store and whoops, I dropped my trowel. Anyway, as I was saying, I'm throwing a garden party tonight's and I need a few last minute supplies. For example, these seeds, these pruning snips ooh, and this huge clay pot. Oh.
Dear clean up on Aisle five, herb please report to the vegetable section.
My bad. I'll just grab another large clay.
Pot herb clean up on Aisle five.
Stat whoops, I'll just grab another one, Herb.
Come red. Someone is breaking all the pots in Aisle five.
What.
I don't even roots for one? What is happening?
Herb?
Where are you?
This is officially a clean up emergency?
Ole fine?
Where am I? Okay, calm down, Niminy. You're back at the bunker in your bed. There's no herb, there's no Aisle five. It was all a dream man. I guess I'm a little how you say, stressed about this garden party. I'm gonna throw later, but you know it's great for stress gardening listeners, Let's go check on those plans.
It's historical Records.
You are now listening to Historical We're.
To make history. You got to have struggles to make history. You got to show toois cannot be quiet loud as a riot to make history. You gotta make some noise. Hello, lovely listeners, Welcome back to Historical Records, the show where I dig into historical records in order to produce historically themed records. And by records, I mean songs, which is actually a bit of a history lesson in itself. Did you know songs and albums used to be called records. It's true. And if you have an adult in your life who still listens to records, be warned that if you ask their opinion about music, they're gonna talk a lot. Now follow me, listeners. We're headed to a part of the bunker you've never been to. Oh hot, Tina, where my headed? I'm on my way to the greenhouse to check on my plants for the garden party later. Where are you going? Oh, that's right. You're nocturnal, so you're going to bed. And that's also probably why you're in a dressing gown and a bonnet. And here I thought you were making a bold fashioned choice. Sleep tight, Tina. I hope you don't have any stress dreams about herb Never mind, I'll see you later anyway, listeners. Today's episode of Historical Records is all about Shooty Human, who is known as the mother of the disability rights movement. But before we learn more about her, I need to check up on my plants. I started a bunch of seeds a few weeks ago, and today's the first day I've been able to check up on them. Oh no, all the plants are dead or dying. What have I done hate him?
And I'm here for the garden party?
Me, what are you doing here? The party is not for another twelve hours.
Ah, well, the invite didn't say whether it was five am or five pm. I thought it was a little weird that a party would start at five am, But you're a little weird Nimini, like in a good way, so I just went with it.
I won't argue with you on that, but I don't know if there's gonna be a party at all. Now, just look at this garden.
It's not all bad. The leaves on this shrub here are really beautiful, bright yellow.
They're supposed to be green.
Ooh, yikes, What were the conditions like in here?
You know me? I love my gadgets, so I set my UV light timers to sixteen hours a day, programmed plant food to scatter every other day, and set the sprinklers to go off every five minutes at random intervals to mimic rain and nature. Oh and of course I programmed gentle thunderstorm noises to play whenever that happens. Oops, they're going off now. Hope you brought your umbrella.
Who would go to a garden party without an umbrella, Nimoni. I understand why you programmed this room the way you did, but it looks like you have a lot of different plants in here. Individual plants need specific conditions to thrive. You can't expect a bonzie tree and a cactus to grow strong in the same kind of environment.
Wow, I guess not. I was just excited to have a garden party. I'm a tiny sandwich is.
In everything, totally understandable, and actually it makes me think about this week's episode about Judy Human Really why i'll show you here?
Oh, Lee, I think the party's off. You can put away that bird shaped whistle you brought as a party favor.
Actually, this bird whistle is this week's history simulator.
Oh you know, I love a theme. Let's go.
Just as a heads up, this whistle attracts actual birds, so you might see some after I blow on it.
It's great.
I love birds me too, But jes a reminder, there are over eleven thousand species of birds, and I can't control which ones show up.
In that case, maybe we should pause because I really don't like sign Then fly I don't know, Well, come on, let's fly. Whoa where did we travel to? Lee? I assume somewhere near an ocean.
No, we're on the south lawn of the White House.
What then, why the seagulls. The birds have.
Their own reasoning, Nimini, best not to question it. But you should look over there at.
That platform where a bunch of people are standing in front of a crowd. Wait a minute, is that President George HW. Bush?
Yup and see that woman over there wearing glasses in the wheelchair.
That's Judy Human. Does Judy Human work at the White House?
Not yet. Eventually she does end up working with President Clinton's administration, but that's still a few years away. Today, she's here because President Bush is signing the nineteen ninety Americans with Disabilities Act, also known as the ADA.
And what did the ADA do?
It's a civil rights law that says it's illegal to discriminate against people who have disabilities. The world looked very different before the ADA in what way?
Well?
Take Judy for example, when she was a kid, she had a disease called polio that forced her to use a wheelchair to get around. But many buildings were built in a way that made it impossible for wheelchairs to get inside and move around.
That's not fair.
It wasn't. But when the ADA became the law of the land. See that wheelchair ramp over there leading up to the stage where Bush is speaking. That is one small way the ADA helped to make spaces accessible for everyone. Wow, and look do you see how there's an ASL interpreter translating everything that's being said into sign language.
Yes, I love watching interpretters, especially at concerts.
That's part of the eightya two. Judy was part of a movement that wanted to change the world, to give everyone more access and the right kind of environment to feel like they belong.
Seems like everyone here is happy about the ADA getting passed. But is it just me or does Judy seem a little unsatisfied?
Spot on Nimoni. Judy showed up to support this act being signed because it was a step in the right direction, but she had openly spoken out saying she didn't think the ADA went nearly far enough.
She said that to the president.
Well, she said it to the media, so President Bush knew she was less than thrilled about it.
Oh, I really admire her honesty. Me too.
It can be really intimidating to speak up for yourself. Now, let me take you further back to another time when Judy spoke up. Just prepare yourself because you know the bird thing.
We can do this, Lee, give us a whistle. Oh, thank goodness, it's a flock of meadow larks.
Gorgeous here we are. What a beautiful way to travel.
Hey lady, are you gonna stand in the middle of this sidewalk all day?
I'm walking here.
If it's a break, we're lurking here.
All right, All right, everyone's a character in New York City, Lee, Look over, there is that.
Kid, an old timy Newsy in a cap selling papers.
It sure is extra extra read all about it. Woman in wheelchairs us to become teacher?
Whoa he must be talking about Judy Human.
Extra extra read all about it. Judy Human wins case against school board again teacher's license.
Oh wait, newsies were a fixture of life in the eighteen hundreds. How far back do we go?
Lee, the nineteen seventies.
Oh, the newsies as darkly accurate.
You Let me worry about that nmony. Listen to what the newsies are saying about Judy.
Extra extra read all about it. In a twist of.
Fate, Judy Human wins discrimination lawsuit.
Against the school board that bought it from attending school as a child.
Okay, wild, what are they talking about.
When she was entering elementary school in nineteen fifty two, a school board in Judy's neighborhood didn't let her attend school because they said her wheelchair was a fire hazard.
That seems outrageous even for the nineteen fifties, But what does that have to do with these headlines about her getting a teacher's license.
Years later, after Judy had earned her teaching license, that same school board sai she couldn't be a teacher in their school because she failed the medical exam because she couldn't walk.
That's really unfair. She was obviously able to be a teacher. She was just going to need to get around the school in her own way. In schools today, there are not only ramps in elevators so that everyone is able to get around. There's even braille on all the signs on the walls to help those that are vision and paired.
Exactly, and all that progress is the result of Judy and her colleagues demanding that buildings be more accessible. Because the world is largely designed with able people in mind, you have to use your imagination in a new way to rethink places and make them for everyone.
If only the school board could have realized that back in nineteen fifty two.
Extra Extra Exclusive Interview with Judy Human, page four.
Oh we should read that. Excuse me, Hi, I'd like to buy a paper.
Please show a thing that'll be three fifty.
Three fifty That is expensive for the seventies.
Oh well, here you go, neosy.
Thanks Extra extra podcast assurer and swindled by anachronistic noozy. Read all about it, you little rascal.
Wait, Lee, why would we just read about it when we could go see Judy get interviewed.
Oh yeah, maybe I could return this paper to that sales final, Oh New York, let's get to that interview.
That's a burn.
Well yeah, it's called a jacksnipe.
I might need to sample it for a beat. That is awesome. Now that's the only way to time travel.
Judy Humans about to give her statement. Sorry, okay, so niminy. Here we are at the Overseas Press Club at Judy's news conference, and there she is.
Judy, how do you feel now that you've won the case?
I feel qualified to teach now and I don't want to wait.
I bet Judy was an amazing teacher.
She didn't end up teaching that much after the lawsuit.
What that makes me sad to hear?
It's actually pretty inspiring. Judy realized that her work needed to be outside of the classroom after this whole experience.
What did she end up doing?
I'll show you.
Her case. What am I supposed to.
Go with this?
Did you know that Benjamin Franklin wanted the National burn to be the anybody.
Knows that late? Where are we?
Sh try to keep your voice down. It's pretty late at night or early in the morning, depending on how you look at it.
We're in some kind of office building full of people having a sleepover.
It's less of a sleep over and more of a sit in.
Hm hm, that makes sense. People are definitely sitting, mostly at empty desks. And look, there's a few people over there on the floor in sleeping bags playing a game. And based on the various haircuts, I'm guessing we're in the seventies again.
Correct, we're in nineteen seventy seven.
I thought sit ins were like protests, like the ones from the civil rights movement.
That's right, All of these folks are part of DA Disability in Action, an organization that Judy helped create that brings people together to fight for the inclusion of disabled people.
Are they all protesting about another teacher license getting denied?
No, this is a much bigger moment. This is what many sit ins staged across the country by DIA and other groups demanding that the government take action on section five oh four of the Rehabilitation Act of nineteen seventy three.
Nineteen seventy three. But didn't you just say it's nineteen seventy seven.
Yes, So in nineteen seventy three, after other protests led by Judy in her community, President Nixon finally signed papers that basically said no disabled person should be excluded from any program, service, or similar which receives federal funds. That's great, it is great. But before section five oh four could be put into law, the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare had to come up with this sort of checklist to help determine who is disabled.
So all these activists had already helped bring about a new law, but one department delayed those laws being put into action for four years. Pretty much No wonder Judy got so feisty.
Okay, everybody, I don't want to wake you have if you're resting, but you know what time it is.
I'm not exactly sure what's happening now.
They're taking down that big sign that says twenty one and replacing it with another sign that says twenty two.
Fellow protesters, if you can, we'd love for you to stay just one more night.
Oh. I see all these people have been here protesting for twenty two days and twenty two nights.
That's such a long time.
Yeah, and some of the people here needed specific medical supplies to get through even a regular day, so other people from the community brought them stuff to help them keep going.
How did they know what to bring them? I mean, it's nineteen seventy seven. There are no cell phones, and I don't think they'd just let the protesters use the phones in here.
Oh they didn't. In fact, the FBI cut the phone lines in here to try and get the protesters to leave, but they found a way. Look over there, that woman.
Is using sign language to communicate with somebody on the other side of that window.
Isn't that amazing? The FBI couldn't stop asl.
Still it sounds like hard work. How much longer does the protest go?
They'll be here for a few more days, twenty four altogether.
I know this is a protest and everyone here is rightfully angry and felt called to action. But it also feels good in here. Is that weird to say?
I don't think so? And actually that makes me think of one other thing I want to show you. I really hope I don't wake anybody up with this history simulator. But here we go. Owls. What a perfect bird to take us to our next stuff.
You're right, Lee, those owls were on thepe I'm seeing a bonfire with people gathered around it. I hear frogs and crickets. There are mosquitoes.
Oh no, I do not do well with mosquitos.
We better be quick. What's the scoop on this gathering.
We're at a place called Camp jen Ed. It's a summer camp Judy went to and she was a teenager. Look, she's right over there, sitting near the fire.
Where Sorry, it's hard to tell from this far back, and there's more than one person in a wheelchair over there.
She's the one who just made everyone laugh.
Gotcha.
I wanted to bring you here because Judy talks about Camp Jened a lot. It was a camp for young people with disabilities. It's here that Judy said she realized that a lot of the limited way people view folks with disabilities comes from fear. It sparked something in.
Her to want to change that. Maybe this is where her flame for Scott it spark hard to say, but it gave Judy and many other campers an idea of how great things could be if everyone is given a chance to thrive.
Other campers from Jened went on to be disability rights activists too.
Okay, they're really getting into that song. Oh, which reminds me we better get back to the studio to we eat some music of our own. Also, it sort of looks like you're getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Yikes, let's get out of here. Whoa child swans?
We're heading back to the studio. So he's sort of our swan song.
All right, here we are back at the studio.
I'm covered in bug bites. Why did I create a history simulator that didn't protect us from mosquitoes?
Oh? All that, and you didn't even get us'more?
Oh No, one came back with us a.
BII. Okay, listeners, let's hear this song about the one and only Judy Human, featuring the amazing vocalist Jenna by Bridge.
I'm looking for feisty disabled.
People at eighteen months, that's just one and a half.
I contracted polio sort of cut me and I consume, move my arms.
And my neck and my face.
But I was paralyzed from below the wigs.
But just know that the song ain't a sod story.
Ain't the go crying home to your mom's story.
This about finding force when you're afraid, getting lemons.
Turning them to lemonade.
Jump forward to the first day of my new school.
Want to learn in the worst way, but in a curse day.
They took one look at the.
Wheelchair teachers tell me I cannot be there.
You know they called me a fire hazard.
We will show them a fire.
Hazard to go to class.
Had to give them some sass claim my dignity, change the policy.
So we had to be f see.
Be the brawler you want to be.
I see make the shift that you want to see. I see no time for the niceties. Feisty, be feisty second first second, lesson second time to fright.
I want to be a teacher, help the youth outright. Got my grades, good pass my tests, got my shock. They say I can't teach because I can't Watchcuse.
Me, this rule was blatantly I'm fair and wrong. I'm teaching school.
I'm not running a marathon.
Lord of the Education of.
New York was not the paragon of equity I needed.
So I sued them, put the pressure on.
You know, they settled out of court. First ever teacher in a wheelchair in New York. Plus, I got a lot of press from a stress and so got so many letters piles all up on the tests, those from scared adults and from nervous kids being denied their basic services.
I now know what my purpose is.
Activists who makes disturbances. If there's dreading and it is uncurbing and unscurving fervently and urgently.
I'm hidding sight saying being a brawl or you want to be, I say, make the shift that you want to see. See no time for the niceties.
Feisty, be seisty.
As you can SeeMe of facts of led to many positives, but disabled people still in their policy parrogatives, prison by pity, paternalism and persecution perpetrated by politicians, immuneful prosecution.
Ooh, we need a little traction. How about I'm selling ash Now.
We on a mission to improve the positions of people who won't be hidden, will be told that we don't fit in. So we went to a building and started what's called the city. And that's where you show up on bidding and basically get to sit. You stay twenty six days without a stock, wouldn't move even when they brought.
The army and the cops.
It was worth it when we finally got our props, when we got the regulations that we wanted from our arms and we learn the space of fact. People don't clean up their axe just for kicks. Need a nudge and a push and a flick.
They need by.
Sae be the brawl or you want to be I say, make the shift that you want to see sisty, no time for the niceties.
Feisty, be feisty.
Feisty, be the brawl or you want to be feisty, Make the shift that you want no time for the niceties.
Feisty, be feisty. We'll be right back after a few words for the grown ups. Listeners, thanks for joining in today and for learning more about the mother of the disability rights movement, Judy Human. In fact, she inspired me so much I've changed my plan for the garden party. Hey Nedy Haley, Hey, Hi Man, Hey Tina Yo.
I showed up today around five thirty am for your party because I'm always fashionably late, but I think I actually ended up being fashionably early.
Ah, it was up, Mum, up Pazon, you did.
I thought it was kind of weird to have a party so early in the morning, but then again, you're pretty weird too, fuddy in.
A good way. Thanks Phil, You're kind of weird too, I know.
Also, I just want to say, to this pile of dirt and empty planter boxes we're all standing around off fantastic love that pre playing esthetic.
Wah.
I actually had a question about that, Niminy. I thought you were inviting us to a garden party, but there's no garden in here.
I thought we could change this from a garden party to a gardening party. I have all these different types of seeds here, and they each need different conditions to help them grow. So will you help me create a better environment for each of these different types of plants.
Sure, what are all these birds doing here? I'll explain later.
Wow, that's what is very good with a wheelbarrow.
Let's get gardening. Thanks everyone. While we all work on the garden, I am gonna briefly sneak away for an interview. Hi, Alie, can you introduce yourself for our listeners.
My name is Ali Stroker and I am an actress and a singer and a dancer. I have had the privilege of performing on Broadway and winning a Tony Award for my performance in Oklahoma, where I played ado Annie. And I also am an activist and an advocate for people with disabilities. I was injured in a car accident when I was two and use a wheelchair for mobility. I have a two year old son named Jesse, who is hilarious and such a joy. And I'm married to the love of my life named David, and we live in Westchester.
Amazing. Now, Elizabeth, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Okay, So I'm Elizabeth.
I'm fourteen and I'm in theater at my school. I do chorus, and I like to play slued hockey, baseball, swimming.
So Elizabeth, I know you have some questions prepared? Do you want to jump in with your first one?
What was the one thing that was most challenging for you with your disability to start your acting career.
I began singing and doing theater when I was seven years old. And before I began doing theater, I was really shy and I felt really different being a little kid with a disability.
It felt really hard.
It felt like when I would enter rooms, I was being stung by base It was just so uncomfortable. And then when I got on stage, everyone was staring at me, but it was for a different reason. Now it wasn't because of my wheelchair. It was because I was the star of the show and I was totally hooked.
Yeah.
I can relate to that a lot, because like when I was in sixth grade, it was really hard and I went to theater and I was on the stage and it kind of felt like it was where I was supposed to be. I saw myself as a normal kid, not with the disability.
Yes, exactly.
Wait, can I ask you a few questions?
Sure?
Yes, Okay, what is your dream role in a show?
I really want to try out for Dorothy and Wizard of All Yes, But like I'm shy, and it's like very scary.
For me totally.
I don't know what your audition will be like, but I always say to people like, if you have any questions about what I can do and sort of you know how I moved in my physical vocabulary.
I'd love to talk to you guys about it.
Because the truth is, like, when you're collaborating on a show, you probably have as many ideas as they do. Yeah, and maybe even more that they wouldn't even think of because you live with your disability and you know what is really kind of unique and cool about it, and there's ways to be creative and incorporate it into the show. Yeah, you know this concept of clicking your heels three times?
Like I wear a lot of rings.
Yeah, I don't know if you use a wheelchair or not, but like I like to click my rings against my wheels.
All of a.
Sudden, It's like, who says clicking your heels three times has to look the same as it's always look like I can click my wheels instead of heels three times. There's so many cool opportunities to come up with creative options.
Yeah, Elizabeth, is there anything you want to ask Ali? About Judy Human.
I thought it was kind of cool that like she thought for like our rights because of our disability.
Judy's whole thing was she was sick of hearing no. She believed that we as a community of people with disabilities deserved to have access and rights. By the way, Elizabeth, like, I believe that the future is accessible. And that's the life that I'm leading and the work that I do in my life.
To make it so.
I always say when someone is not able to see that, that's not a person for me, and that's okay too.
Like, I surround.
Myself with people who are passionate about my ability and access to the world, and you will have the same Elizabeth. You're so bright, you're so smart, Like, continue to surround yourself with people who believe in accessibility and change.
Ah, this was an amazing conversation. Thank you both so much for being here.
Thank you so much.
Do you inspire me?
I'm inspired by you.
Great to meet you and have a wonderful day, But by.
Bye, listeners, Thanks for joining in today and for going on a journey with me to learn about the disability rights activist Judy Human. And a huge thanks to today's guests Jenna Bainbridge, Ali Stroker and Elizabeth. We'll be back next week with another episode, another song, and another hero. After all, someone's gotta make more historical records. Until then, remember to make history, you gotta make some noise. Oops. Forgot to turn the random sprinkler timer off. Gotta go signing off. This is Niminy reminding you to stay my seat. Bye.
Historical Records is produced in partnership with Story Pirates Studios, Questloves two on five Entertainment, John Blickman and iHeart Podcasts. Executive producer by Amir Questlove Thompson, John Glickman, Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. Executive produced for iHeart Podcasts by Noel Brown. Producers for Story Pirate Studios are Isabella Riccio, Sam Bear, Eric Gerson, Andrew Miller, Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney and niminy Ware. Producers for two one five are Sean g Brittany, Benjamin and Zarah Zolman. Hosted by niminy Ware. Our head writer is Duke Doyle. Our historians are Gabe Pacheco and Lee Polis. Music supervision for two one five by Stroe Elliott. Scoring and music supervision for Story Pirate Studios by Eric Gerson. Sound designed and mixing by Sam.
Bear at the Relic Room in New York City.
Additional recording by Brett Tuban, song mastering by Josh Han. Theme song by Dan Foster and Eric Gerson and produced by Eric Erson. Production coordination by Isabelle Riccio, Production management by Maggie Lee. The line producer for Story Pirate Studios is Glennis Brault. Pr for Story Pirate Studios is provided by Naomi Shaw. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. This episode was written by Megan O'Neill. The song Judy Human was written by Dan Foster and produced by Eric Gerson. Special guests Ali Stroker, Jenna Bainbridge, and Kid interviewer Elizabeth. This episode features performances by Peter McNerney, Megan O'Neill, Lee Overtree, Lee, Polis, Austin Sanders, Jamie Watson, and Nimini Ware
