Transcript (PDF or download Word document)

As the National Director of Disability Without Poverty, Rabia Khedr is building a vibrant intersectional movement led by people with disabilities to end disability poverty through a new federal Canada Disability Benefit. Listen to this episode to learn from Rabia about why this benefit is so necessary and what is still needed to deliver meaningful change. Jonathan Heller, a visiting scholar at the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, then shares practical strategies that public health can use to build community power and support movements like Disability Without Poverty.

(00:00) Introduction

(6:49) Interview with Rabia Khedr

(40:46) Interview with Jonathan Heller

Episode Guests: Rabia Khedr is dedicated to equity and justice for persons with disabilities, women, and diverse communities. She is the National Director of Disability Without Poverty and CEO of DEEN Support Services. A founder of Race and Disability Canada, she is also a board member of the Muslim Council of Peel and the Federation of Muslim Women. Rabia draws on her lived experience of being blind and advocating for siblings with intellectual disabilities. Reflective guest Jonathan Heller (he/him) is a Visiting Scholar at the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health and a Senior Health Equity Fellow at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. He is the co-founder and until 2020 was the co-director of Human Impact Partners, a US-based non-profit focused on bringing the power of public health to campaigns and movements for a just society.

Learn more:

• Disability Without Poverty
• Let's Talk: Redistributing power to advance health equity (NCCDH, 2023)
• Building community power for health equity: A curated list (NCCDH, 2023)

Episode Credits: Production for this episode was led by Carolina Jimenez and Rebecca Cheff, with contributions from Pemma Muzumdar and host Bernice Yanful (NCCDH). The Mind the Disruption project team is led by Rebecca Cheff, with technical production and original music by Chris Perry. Promotion by Caralyn Vossen (NCCDH). Artwork by comet art + design. Sound credits: Clips used from Elisa, Jen Gammad, Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Michelle Hewitt and Where's the bill? Mind the Disruption is a podcast by the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health. NCCDH is hosted by St. Francis Xavier University and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the PHAC.