WXXI Move to Include

NOVA “Building Stuff: Boost It” • WXXI-TV

Hosted by professional engineer and former NASA researcher Dr. Nehemiah Mabry (“Dr. Nee”), this three-part series follows some of the most creative engineering experts as they build stuff that helps extend our range, amplify our abilities, and alter our environment for the better.

NOVA “Building Stuff: Boost It” airs Wednesdays, November 13-27 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

The series invites audiences to experience the ups and downs with engineers as they design, build, and test their way through challenges, inspiring the inner “maker” in all of us. The three episodes are:

● “Building Stuff: Boost It” (premieres Wednesday, Nov. 13) Around the world, engineers are finding ingenious ways to amplify our abilities and senses – allowing us to access and shape the world way beyond our natural abilities. From helping a blind man see without the use of his eyes to building a sling so powerful it can propel rockets into space, see why engineering just might be the closest thing to a superpower we humans have. This episode is presented as part of Move to IncludeTM, a WXXI and Golisano Foundation initiative designed to promote inclusion.

● “Building Stuff: Reach It!” (premieres Wednesday, Nov. 20)
From the time our species first evolved, we’ve been on the move. Not content to stay in one place, we’ve schemed and invented and built our way from one place to the next. From affordable deep sea subs to flying taxis to next-gen space habitats, see how today’s engineers are designing and building creative new ways for us to get all around — and even off — our planet.

● “Building Stuff: Change It!” (premieres Wednesday, Nov. 27)
For as long as humans have been around, we’ve been altering the spaces around us to better suit our needs. From accessing ancient wisdom to build a better water filter to designing a robot that uses acoustics to monitor coral reef health, see how today’s engineers are applying their craft to reshape the natural world and create new human-made environments to enhance our lives in amazing ways.

Photo: NASA researcher Dr. Nehemiah Mabry/ Credit© WGBH Educational Foundation

American Masters “Renegades” Screening & Panel Discussion • The Little Theatre

WXXI and Move to Include are proud to host a special American Masters screening of Renegades, a new digital series that showcases the lives and cultural contributions of little-known historical figures with disabilities. The screening will feature Extended Audio Description and large open captioning. ASL interpretation will be provided for the introduction and the moderated panel discussion.

Reserve your free seat now!

The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.

Join us Monday, December 9th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at The Little Theatre for a special American Masters screening of the following Renegade episodes – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye (1924-2012), the country’s highest-ranking Asian American political figure for nearly 50 years; Judith Lynn Del Ray (1943-1986), a science fiction and fantasy editor, who published books from sci-fi luminaries such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, and George Lucas’ “Star Wars” in novel form; and Brad Lomax (1950-1984), a key participant in the historic 504 sit-in of 1977.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion led by Markus Essien, who directed and produced the Brad Lomax episode. Panelists include Kiki Smith, a local Blind activist; and Edward Ashton, author.

MORE ABOUT OUR MODERATOR:

Markus Essien is the Photography & Digital Arts Program Coordinator at Flower City Arts. He is also a filmmaker and musician originally from Washington, DC. He received his BA in Classics from Howard University and an Ed.M. from Harvard. Markus is dedicated to championing the arts, advancing education, and celebrating underdogs. He served as Director and Producer on the Renegades: Brad Lomax episode.

MORE ABOUT OUR PANELISTS:

Kiki Smith is a local Blind activist, who serves as Outreach and Fundraising Coordinator for the South East Area Coalition (SEAC). At SEAC she develops partnerships that advance inclusive thinking and promote a sense of belonging. With roots in education and community building, her vision transcends the challenges of vision loss to shed light on the simplicity and necessity of developing systems, programs, spaces, and technology that invite all and insure accessibility. Her daily lived experience as a multi-disabled woman fuels her commitment to ensuring equitable resources an opportunity in the workplace and for the community she serves.

An organic change-maker, Kiki volunteers with several community organizations, including Upstate New York Blind Recreation (formerly Rochester Area Blind Athletes), RBTL’s audio-description program, the National Beep Baseball Association, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Genesee Valley, and Goodwill Vision Enterprises. She has served on the boards of Challenger Miracle Field, the Women’s Care Center, and the Seton Foundation.

Edward Ashton is the author of seven novels, including MICKEY7 (now a motion picture directed by Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho and starring Robert Pattinson). His newest book, THE FOURTH CONSORT, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in February, 2025. His short fiction has appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Fireside Fiction, and Escape Pod. In his free time, he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students, and boiling maple sap into syrup. You can find him online at edwardashton.com.

Carl the Collector • WXXI-TV & WXXI PBS KIDS 24/7

This new animated series for children ages 4-8 follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who loves collecting things.

Carl the Collector airs daily at 8:30 a.m. on WXXI-TV and on the Live Stream, daily at 11 a.m. on WXXI PBS KIDS & Live Stream and anytime on the PBS KIDS Video app

His talents – a laser-focus pursuit of his goals, attention to detail, and a distinctive way of looking at and experiencing the world around him – have helped him amass a collection for just about every occasion and come in handy for solving problems around the neighborhood with his friends. Carl has a lot of energy and is logical and precise, yet he often struggles with anxiety in new situations and has difficulty when things don’t go according to plan. Like all of his friends, he is learning that there is no right or wrong way to be himself.

Carl the Collector is presented as part of Move to Include^TM, WXXI and The Golisano Foundation’s award-winning national initiative promoting disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media. Visit movetoinclude.org to learn more.

Photo: Carl the Collector
Copyright Fuzzytown Productions, LLC

Learn More About the Series & Resources

Renegades: Celestine Tate Harrington: Building a Legacy – On-Demand

Discover the story of a street musician, born with a condition that left her limbs unusable. In 1975, Tate Harrington won a custody battle against the Philadelphia Department of Child Welfare, which sought to take away her infant daughter, claiming that she could not provide adequate care. See how Tate Harrington’s fight to be a mother and earn an independent living was a revolutionary act.

Educational Resources: Celestine Tate Harrington: Building a Legacy PBS LearningMedia Video, Discussion Questions and Teaching Tips (Grades 9-12)

Watch Full Episode

Watch Full Episode(Open Captioning + ASL)

Watch Full Episode(Extended Audio Description + Open Captioning)

Learn More About Celestine Tate Harrington

Learn More about American Masters Renegades

More About Celestine Tate Harrington:

n 1975, Tate Harrington had her first daughter, Nia. When the Philadelphia Department of Public Welfare attempted to take away her infant daughter, claiming that Harrington was physically incapable of caring for a child, she successfully defended her right to parent. In the courtroom, Tate Harrington demonstrated her skills – dressing and undressing her daughter, and changing her diaper, using only her lips, teeth, and tongue – and retained custody. She went on to share her story on radio and television shows like Howard Stern, Sally Jesse Raphael, and Donahue. Tate Harrington even self-published a book which she wrote with her tongue on a typewriter titled Some Crawl and Never Walk (1995). Renegades: Celestine Tate Harrington demonstrates how Tate Harrington created a legacy by working every angle given to her and using the limited preconceived notions of others to change the narrative of who she was, and prove that she was capable of raising and providing for a family and breaking the cycle of poverty for generations to come.

The fundamental right to parent without interference has been argued in courts and is protected by the U.S. Constitution. But a recent study found that nearly 20% of children in the U.S. foster care system have a parent with a disability. Almost fifty years since Tate Harrington’s custody battle, 42 States and the District of Columbia have laws in place that cite parental disability as grounds for termination of parental rights. For Tate Harrington, fighting to be a mother and earn an independent living was a revolutionary act, and her struggles mirror those of the broader disability community today.

The episode features interviews with: Nia Tate-Ball and Coronda Tate, Celestine Tate Harrington’s daughters; Jannie Watson, Nia Tate-Balls’s godmother; Tamogene Tate-Ebataleye, Harrington’s sister; Alberto Esquenaz, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, and Nathaniel Mayer, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist at Jefferson Moss Magee Rehab; and Robyn M. Powell, Ph.D., J.D., Family Law & Disability Rights Attorney.

Renegades: Daniel K. Inouye: Life of Service – On-Demand

Explore the story of the U.S. Senator for Hawai’i who was injured in battle during World War II, resulting in the amputation of his right arm. Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his lifelong public service, Inouye championed the cause of justice and equality for all Americans, including people living with disabilities.

Educational Resources: Daniel K. Inouye: Life of Service PBS LearningMedia Video, Discussion Questions and Teaching Tips (Grades 9-12)

Watch Full Episode

Watch Full Episode(Open Captioning + ASL)

Watch Full Episode(Extended Audio Description + Open Captioning)

Learn More About Daniel K. Inouye

Learn More about American Masters Renegades

Audio Description on PBS Videos

How do I enable Audio Description on PBS videos?

Audio Description (AD) or Descriptive Video Service (DVS) is a secondary audio track that describes what’s appearing on screen during a video. This option is made available to audiences who are blind or visually impaired.

Not every video on the PBS and PBS KIDS sites and apps offers AD. To find all videos with AD from PBS click the button below or scan the QR code. You can use the filter options on the left side of the page to filter by show and video type.

Find PBS Programs with Audio Description

PBS Audio Described Program List QR Code

QR code to find Audio Described Videos from PBS

Once in the video play window, go to the lower right of the window to toggle through the icons to choose options such as extended audio description, captioning, on-Screen American Sign Language (ASL) when available.

Screen capture of the lower part of the video window to allow turning on accessibility features

For videos that do offer AD, you can enable AD by following the steps below on your respective device. The English (AD) track option will not appear for videos that do not offer the secondary audio track.

For PBS Video

PBS.org Website
iPhones and iPads
Android Mobile
Roku
Apple TV 4
Amazon Fire and Android TV
Samsung TV
VIZIO SmartCast TV

For PBS KIDS Videos

For PBS Videos

PBS.org Website

At the bottom of the video player, select the headphones icon and select the English AD track option.

iPhones and iPads

On the video player, select the three dots icon (. . .) and select Languages. Select the English AD track option.

Android Mobile

At this time, AD is not supported on Android mobile for the PBS app.

Roku

While the video is playing, press the star / asterisk button on your remote. Scroll down and select Audio track to change it to English AD. Select Close to return to the video.

Apple TV 4

Pause the video and select the Audio Levels icon above the video track on the right-hand side. The Audio Levels icon appears as a series of vertical bars – you may have to “scroll up” or press the up button on your remote to see this icon. After selecting the Audio Levels icon, select English AD from the options underneath Audio Track.

Amazon Fire and Android TV

At this time, AD is not supported on Amazon Fire and Android TV devices for the PBS app.

Samsung TV

At this time, AD is not supported on Samsung TV devices for the PBS app.

VIZIO SmartCast TV

At this time, AD is not supported on VIZIO SmartCast TV devices for the PBS app.

For PBS KIDS Videos

PBSKIDS.org Website

At the bottom of the video player, select the gear icon. Under Audio Selection, select the Audio Description (English) track option.

iPhones and iPads

On the video player, select the gear icon and select the English AD track option.

Android Mobile

On the video player, select the gear icon and select the English AD track option.

Roku

While the video is playing, press the star / asterisk button on your remote. Scroll down and select Audio track to change it to English AD. Select Close to return to the video.

Apple TV 4

Amazon Fire and Android TV

While the video is playing, press up on your remote to select the gear icon at the top right corner of the screen. Select English (AD). Press up on your remote to close the prompt and return to the video.

Samsung TV

At this time, AD is not supported on Samsung TV devices for the PBS KIDS Video app.

VIZIO SmartCast TV

At this time, AD is not supported on VIZIO SmartCast TV devices for the PBS KIDS Video app.

Source: PBS Help

Renegades: Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal – On-Demand

In this new digital series, musician and disability inclusion advocate Lachi explores the cultural contributions of people with disabilities and how they transformed America.

The episode exploring Judy-Lynn del Rey’s life is the story of a woman with dwarfism who revolutionized the world of science fiction by editing and publishing books from sci-fi writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick and George Lucas’ “Star Wars” in novel form. See how science fiction narratives, through their speculative and imaginative nature, offer a more inclusive and equitable lens through which to redefine disability.

Educational Resources: Judy-Lynn del Rey: Galaxy Girl PBS LearningMedia Video, Discussion Questions and Teaching Tips (Grades 9-12)

Watch Episode with Open Captioned with On-Screen American Sign Language (ASL)

Watch Episode with extended audio description and large open captions

Learn More About Judy-Lynn del Rey

Learn More about American Masters Renegades

A Good Life • WXXI-WORLD

Life is full of joys and challenges for us all — but the experiences of individuals living with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) is something that not everyone understands or appreciates.

A Good Life airs Saturday, October 26 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

A Good Life, a WXXI production, takes an intimate look into the lives of six adults living with I/DD and their families. The film shares the challenges and opportunities they face, while leading national experts and historians in the field offer insight.

This documentary is presented as part of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation’s Move to Include^TM, an award-winning national initiative to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

Photo: Title card • Credit: WXXI