Episode 1: Families & Community

Bill Henderson started as a middle school teacher in the Boston Public Schools in 1973 and later became an assistant principal at a two-way, bilingual School. In 1989, Bill was appointed principal of the O'Hearn Elementary School with a mandate to integrate students with significant disabilities. The school gained widespread recognition for inclusion, academic progress, arts, and family involvement. Upon his retirement in 2009, the O'Hearn was renamed the Dr. William W. Henderson Inclusion School, and it now serves students in 2 campuses from early childhood through grade 12.

Bill continues to advocate for inclusion through consulting and by presenting at universities and conferences. He has facilitated efforts to promote inclusion at individual schools as well as across districts. Bill’s book, The Blind Advantage from Harvard Education Press, describes the joys and challenges of including students with a wide range of abilities.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, PhD, MA (she/they) is a global advocate, educator, disabled person of color, non-binary woman, and parent in a neurodiverse, multicultural, twice-exceptional serodifferent biological and adoptive family. A prolific writer and social scientist/activist whose work focuses on intersectional justice, meaningful community involvement, human rights, and inclusion, Morénike is recognized as a leader in various disability justice endeavors, including serving as founder/principal consultant of Advocacy Without Borders, a grassroots intersectional non-profit initiative offering DEIA, education, advocacy, keynotes/lectures, training, research, expert review, and related projects. Morénike co-chairs the Equity, Justice, and Representation Advisory Committee of the AutisticWomen & Nonbinary Network (AWN) and is also a member of several executive boards, a collaborator with various like-minded organizations, and a highly sought after public speaker, trainer, and consultant who has presented at the White House, the United Nations, and numerous peer-reviewed international conferences.