I’m a long-time fan of Gaelynn Lea. She is a musician, public speaker, and disability advocate from my home state of Minnesota. Recently, she appeared in a video featured in the closing ceremonies of the 2024 Paralympics. Less recently (but also wonderfully) she delivered an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.
The TPT series Art + Medicine explores healthcare through story, song and the arts. Hosted by Drs. Jon Hallberg and Tseganesh Selameab. This series is a co-production of TPT-Twin Cities PBS and the Center for the Art of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Gaelynn Lea’s episode about disability, culture, and creativity was nominated for an Upper Midwest Emmy. Artists and healthcare clinicians create alternative perspectives on disability, through stories and performances, and redefine what we perceive as normal. Watch the episode in full on the TPT website.