Qudsiya Naqui is Assistant Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law and the creator and host of Down to the Struts, a podcast about disability, design, and intersectionality.

Qudsiya shares her journey from growing up in a car-centric suburb to discovering the freedom of urban transit in New York City. She discusses the importance of accessible transportation, the role of law and culture, and her work in disability advocacy and podcasting.

Listen to Down to the Struts: https://www.downtothestruts.com/episodes

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Qudsiya Naqui and her background

02:02 Growing up in South Brunswick, New Jersey, without public transit

03:53 Transition to college life in New York City and discovering the subway

05:46 The expansive and accessible nature of New York's subway system

08:49 Choosing transit over driving in DC and the importance of trust and orientation

12:07 Living in walkable neighborhoods and the role of urban design

14:59 Experiences with ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles

20:03 The origins of the Down to the Struts podcast and advocacy work

23:47 Favorite episodes and stories, including the Braille Challenge

30:10 The significance of Braille literacy and disability culture

35:10 The impact of media and representation on disability identity

39:56 Future hopes for disability inclusion and advocacy

41:54 Closing thoughts and gratitude

Questions? email [email protected]

nondriver is a production of Nondrivers Alliance. More info: https://nondrivers.org

Hosted by Anna Zivarts and Devin Silvernail. This episode was produced by Devin Silvernail.

Pick up a copy of Anna's book When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. https://annazivarts.com/