Be on Offense: Navigating Inclusion and Accessibility with Dustin Giannelli ~ 1325

Dustin Giannelli is the CEO and founder of Hears Dustin, a consultancy dedicated to helping organizations create more inclusive and accessible workplaces. Profoundly deaf since childhood, Dustin navigates the world through lip reading, captions, and a strong sense of self-advocacy. His professional journey is marked by a commitment to enhancing communication, inclusion, accessibility, and workplace culture. Giannelli is a nationally recognized keynote speaker known for his authentic storytelling and leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion spaces. In this episode of Think Inclusive, host Tim Villegas engages in a meaningful conversation with Dustin Giannelli, a prominent advocate for inclusion and accessibility, and the founder of Hears Dustin. Dustin, who is profoundly deaf, shares his life journey, highlighting the importance of self-advocacy, the motto of being "on offense," and how inclusion is a continuous journey rather than a destination. This episode sheds light on the nuances of communication for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and emphasizes the significance of making small adjustments to daily practices, which can foster inclusivity and participant engagement in various settings, including schools. Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/be-o... Chapters 00:00 Be On Offense: A Self-Advocacy Mindset for Inclusion 01:16 Profound Hearing Loss Diagnosis: Dustin's Story 05:37 Positive Mental Attitude: Lessons from a Double Amputee Grandfather 13:26 The Michael Jordan Camp: Why Self-Advocacy Matters 21:46 Coaching Basketball with Hearing Loss: Communication Strategies 26:35 Deaf Identity, ASL, and Accessible Technology Tools 31:00 Inclusive Classroom Practices for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Learners 33:59 Captions, Open Access, and Universal Design for All Learners 37:41 Ableism, Disability Disclosure, and Adaptive Fashion 51:26 Building Inclusive Schools: Practical Takeaways for Educators