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(calm music)

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- Art has the power 
to transform us

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by allowing us to experience

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a different viewpoint 
in the world

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from a non-judgmental space.

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And the music that we write

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is really just the 
human experience.

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(calm music)

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My music is 
primarily folk music.

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I'm really into lyrics 
and melodies and harmonies

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in the folk tradition.

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And then I also 
have some influences

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from Celtic music, specifically.

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But because of a looping pedal,

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there's also this element of 
experimental ambient sounds.

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And so it's sort of a blending 
of different traditions.

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(calm music)

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I think the role of art

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is to connect with 
our creative energy.

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I think something 
in us, very human,

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is just this desire 
to play and create

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and experience new things

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and I think art 
accomplishes all of that.

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(calm music)

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And also helps us 
to express emotions

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that we might not 
have words for.

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And it's a really human thing

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to wanna express what's inside 
of us in a creative way.

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♪ Can you see me, way 
in the back here ♪

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♪ I've been waiting, I've 
been waiting in line ♪

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♪ It's been a long time

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♪ Can't get no service

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♪ Still I'm hoping, I 
am hoping for a sign ♪

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♪ That one day 
things will change ♪

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♪ And we can finally 
take our place ♪

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♪ That history won't forget us

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♪ Or try to minimize our pain

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♪ And so I wait

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I got started in 
music in fifth grade.

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There was an orchestra that 
came to our elementary school

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and played for us.

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And I loved the sound of 
all the strings together.

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And I knew that that's 
what I wanted to do.

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And so we figured out a way 
that I could hold the violin.

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I hold it in front of 
me like a small cello.

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And I've been 
playing ever since.

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♪ Did you know that 
when I get angry ♪

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♪ I breath fire, I can 
burn this place down ♪

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♪ You may not realize 
all of the small ways ♪

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♪ I am not welcome, but 
just take a look around ♪

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Disabled people are 
resilient, we're adaptable,

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we're creative, and I 
think we see the world

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and our relationships in it 
through a different lens.

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To me, that is the essence 
of disability culture.

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♪ Pushing up, pushing up

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♪ Through the dirt 
just like a seed ♪

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♪ But you're never 
quite a flower ♪

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♪ You feel more 
just like a weed ♪

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♪ Driving through, 
driving through ♪

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♪ You don't know 
where you are going ♪

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♪ But the windshield's 
always dirty ♪

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♪ And you never get to see

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♪ What makes you think that 
you'll ever get there? ♪

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♪ What makes you think 
you deserve to know? ♪

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♪ Who are you really, 
are you so important? ♪

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♪ Take a look around

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♪ and watch the world unfold

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♪ Watch the world unfold

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Disability culture has been 
like an evolving thing for me,

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just like realizing 
that it's out there

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and that you're not alone.

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- I feel like 
there's this aspect

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of like we are creating 
the culture as we make art

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and as we connect with people.

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- One thing that's been 
really important to me

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in the last few years is 
nurturing a sense of community

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among other disabled artists.

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Part of it is because

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we haven't been 
amplified in our society,

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so a lot of us 
felt very isolated,

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because we were navigating 
the music industry

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in a way that it was not 
very accessible right now.

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- For a lot of my life,

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I lived in a world 
not designed for me.

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- Yep.

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- And so I hid it 
for a long time.

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And it wasn't until I 
understood that, hey,

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I'm not gonna get anywhere 
in life without asking for,

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not help, but, hey, support.

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And being open and becoming 
vulnerable with other people.

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- I love thinking about 
disability culture,

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because it reframes disability 
from something negative

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into just a form of diversity 
that really can be celebrated.

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- It lets other people into 
the world and into the culture,

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because we're all just 
different bodies and we're all-

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- Exactly.

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- Trying to figure out how to 
be in the same space together.

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- Well, what I love about this

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is that we've built a 
bit of culture here.

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We are a culture of three. 
We are a community of three.

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- Mhm-mm. 
- Right.

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♪ Who are you really, 
are you so important ♪

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♪ Take a look around

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♪ and watch the world unfold

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♪ Watch the world unfold

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♪ Watch the world unfold

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♪ Watch the world unfold

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- [Announcer] This program 
was produced in collaboration

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with the Center for 
the Art of Medicine

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at the University of 
Minnesota Medical School.

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And funded by the Minnesota 
Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund

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and the citizens of Minnesota.

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(calm music)