Mason Ald

This week we continue our series Voices of Disability Pride with an interview between freelancer Mason Ald and community leader Sam Mattle. Mattle is the executive director and founder of the Center for Self-Advocacy, a local organization which advocates for equity and empowers people with disabilities.

This week on Voices of Disability Pride, advocate Courtney Deuro discusses with WBFO’s freelance disability reporter Mason Ald the importance of self-advocacy in medical settings and the current gaps in support services. Deuro shares how maintaining contact with disability services and medical professionals can help prevent those with fluctuating support needs from falling through the cracks.

Our series “Voices of Disability Pride” continues this week with spoken word poet and writer J.B. Stone. Stone discusses with WBFO’s freelance reporter Mason Ald the importance of not letting others define one’s journey, and how finding balance in his life played a critical role in their career as a neurodivergent person.

Every December 1st honors World AIDS Day, a time to remember those who fought for better treatment and to combat ongoing stigma. Recently, WBFO’s freelance reporter Mason Ald spoke with Matt Crehan Higgins, the Vice President of Specialty Care at Evergreen Health about both progress and barriers found in AIDS and HIV treatment.

This week on the Disabilities Beat, we highlight some of the voting access issues that disabled voters in Buffalo say still existed in 2024.

The election season is coming to a close. While many voters said their voting process was simple– others in the disability community still face barriers when casting their ballot. WBFO’s Freelance Reporter Mason Ald has more.

Senior citizens all over Western New York gathered to let loose at a senior prom hosted by Buffalo Toronto Public Media this weekend. The annual senior prom aims to combat isolation while connecting seniors to each other and their community.

With election season rolling in, Western New York Independent Living hosted a “Meet the Candidates” forum– where candidates spoke about their qualifications and relevance to the disability community.

WBFO’s Freelance Reporter Mason Ald speaks with Autistic Self Advocacy Network Director Zoe Gross on the employment barriers for neurodivergent adults.

Last week, news broke that Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown might resign early to take a new job. But what happens next? And what does this mean for the disability community?