Limb difference, disability and workplace diversity – with Ruth Rathblott

Limb difference, disability and workplace diversity – with Ruth Rathblott

Author: Carolyn Kiel February 28, 2022 Duration: 37:56

For 25 years, Ruth Rathblott hid her limb difference.

She doesn't hide it anymore. As she explained in her recent TEDx Talk: when she stopped hiding, she found freedom.

Ruth has been a leader in nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years, with 15 years at Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, and more than eight years as CEO of the Harlem Educational Activities Fund. She currently serves as a Board Member of The Lucky Fin Project. She speaks about inclusion and diversity, the gifts of being unique and the freedom that comes with accepting your differences.

During this episode, you will hear Ruth talk about:

  • Her decision to start hiding her limb difference as a teenager, and how it impacted her mental and physical health for decades
  • The people in her life who encouraged her to stop hiding and start sharing her personal experience with disability
  • The chance encounter in a store where she first learned about the wider community of people with limb differences
  • How people have reacted to seeing her limb difference – and how kids react differently than adults
  • Her mission to convince companies to include disability in their definitions of workplace diversity 

For more about Ruth and her work, follow her on LinkedIn and check out her website www.ruthrathblott.com.

Watch Ruth's TEDx Talk: When I stopped hiding, I found freedom

 

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes!

Click here for the episode transcript.

 

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not represent those of my employer or other organizations.*


Hosted by Carolyn Kiel, Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people moves past the snap judgments that so often define how neurodivergent people are perceived. Each conversation here is an invitation to listen deeply, exploring the nuanced realities of entrepreneurs, artists, advocates, and other neurodivergent individuals as they share their own experiences in their own words. You’ll hear personal accounts that challenge stereotypes, not through abstract arguments, but through the vivid details of lived experience-the unique pathways to creativity, the challenges navigated in work and relationships, and the personal definitions of success and well-being. This podcast creates a space where identity is explored with authenticity, highlighting the strengths and perspectives that arise from thinking differently. Tuning in means connecting with stories that are as diverse and dynamic as the neurodivergent community itself, offering genuine insight into mental health, societal norms, and the richness of human cognition. Carolyn guides these discussions with a focus on depth and connection, ensuring every episode goes far beneath the surface to celebrate the vibrance of neurodiversity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
Podcast Episodes
Art and Disability Advocacy – with Justin Valenti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:08
Justin Valenti is an artist and disability advocate. He enjoys creating artwork in his home studio and at the VisAbility Art Lab at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland. He is also the business owner of Artistic Expressions by…
Connecting disabled leaders and advocates – with Max Barrows [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:38
Max Barrows is an award-winning disability rights leader and advocate based in Vermont. As the Outreach Director for Green Mountain Self-Advocates, Max mentors people with developmental disabilities to speak up for thems…
Fashion model & artist with Down syndrome - Sania Khimji [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:41
Sania Khimji is an accomplished artist, model, influencer, and international beauty pageant winner based in India who continues to redefine boundaries and inspire inclusivity in every space she enters. Living with Down s…
Living with Dyscalculia – with Ivy Rizzo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:59
Psychotherapist Ivy Rizzo has a master's degree, speaks multiple languages, and owns her own business... but she struggles with doing basic math, remembering important dates, and recalling events in chronological order.…
Schizoaffective disorder – with Sonido Reyes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:12
Sonido Reyes is an award-winning and bestselling author who is best known for tackling difficult topics through a hopeful lens. They write stories celebrating their own queer and Mexican identities, including The Lesbian…
Neurodivergent communication differences – with Patti Kasper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:36
This episode is a special collaboration between Beyond 6 Seconds and the Living with FASD podcast hosted by Patti Kasper. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are lifelong conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposur…