NACHOS S2E9 - Care Is Older Than Words: What Animals Teach Us About Being Human

What do whale pods, frozen wolf pups, disability policy, and your morning cup of coffee have in common?

More than you might think.

In this week’s episode of NACHOS (Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach and Support), we trace a powerful and tender thread of care—from prehistoric life to modern disability justice, from psilocybin-assisted therapy to the quiet brilliance of your own brain mapping movement through the world.

We explore:

• ​ What ancient animals teach us about human dignity and belonging
• ​ A groundbreaking study on psychedelics and long-term mental health recovery
• ​ How your brain senses space, movement, and possibility—before you even act
• ​ The U.S. House’s vote to prohibit disability discrimination in organ transplants
• ​ A visionary hotel redefining accessibility for disabled travelers
• ​ Why care—both daily and transformative—is central to being fully human

You’ll also hear about our upcoming events:

• ​ My keynote lecture for Yale’s CASY Summer Camp (now live)
• ​ The Breaking Barriers Disability Pride celebration in Lansing on July 29
• ​ The Michigan Disability Empowerment Conference (MDEC) on October 24 at Henry Ford College

This episode is a reflection on care, community, and what it truly means to belong. If you’ve ever felt on the margins, or longed for a softer way of being in the world—you are not alone. You are part of something ancient and rising.

Watch now. Breathe deep. And come home to yourself. This is NACHOS.

#NeurodivergentVoices #DisabilityJustice #MentalHealthAwareness #Neuroaffirming #NACHOSPodcast #DisabilityPride #TraumaHealing #AccessibilityMatters #InclusiveDesign #MicroAccommodations #SelfCareForAll #NeurodivergentSupport #MDEC2025 #BreakingBarriersLansing #CASY2025 #RadicalBelonging #UniversalDesign #Humanities101Foundation