Season Two - Waves Inc.

The intention of this podcast is to provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the opportunity to be heard in everyday scenarios. The goal of the podcast is to cover topics specific to people with disabilities by talking WITH them, not ABOUT them.

This podcast is made possible by the support from Spread The Positive, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and TN’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Listen to Season One on Amazon, Apple, or Spotify.

Jimmy Parnel is a self-advocate for Waves and a graduate of the Advocacy in Motion (AIM) program. Through training, education, and advocacy, AIM transforms lives and cultivates independence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community. Jimmy has put in the hard work to have graduated from the program and has now provided himself with opportunities to obtain meaningful employment and sustainable income with his desired level of independence. Jimmy talks about the trainings he leads for AIM and how he receives income for doing so. Listen along as Lance, Matt, and Trent learn more about AIM and about Jimmy’s celebrity status in Fairview!

This podcast is made possible through partnerships with Spread the Positive, TN’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and the Community Foundation of Middle TN. If you like what you hear, share it with a friend and leave a review on this streaming service. Got an idea for a guest, email us at podcast@wavesinc.com.

We have a very exciting episode this week! Kathleen Simcoe joins the podcast from Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum! Not only does she have an extensive job title but an incredible passion for our field. Listen along as Kathleen talks about her background in Special Education and Behavioral Analysis and how it led to her current dream career with Vanderbilt, making waves! Gina Wilson, Matt Moore, and Trent Denson (Spread the Positive) join us in this exciting conversation to talk about the overlap with Waves.

TV star, Eric Wilson joins us this week to talk about his experience at Special Olympics 2022! Eric and Norris were featured on ESPN multiple times during their time in Orlando for the Special Olympics. Sadly, Norris couldn’t join us for the recording, but we are so proud of him for bringing home several medals for powerlifting. John Wilson joins us again to recount his experiences alongside his son and the enjoyable time they had together! Matt “Man” Moore catches us up on everything going on in his life and his plans to participate in the Special Olympics 2026!

We are so excited to have Laura Berry on this week’s episode! Laura is with the Tennessee Employment Pathways Project with Vanderbilt University. Listen along to hear about the difference she is making in the disability community through this research project. Gina Wilson takes part in the conversation and discusses her involvement with the project through being a mentor. Matt and Trent (Spread the Positive) catch up and learn more about the project as well.

Want to be a mentor or get involved? Please, check out the website https://employmentpathways.org/

We are so excited about this week’s episode! We sat down with Commissioner Turner from the DIDD office to talk about what’s going on in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Eric and Matt asked hard-hitting questions about superpowers, technology, and how he became the Commissioner of DIDD. Topics such as Pubix subs and the importance of diversity in the workplace were talked about, make sure to tune in. Our podcast wouldn’t exist without the grant from DIDD, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of this opportunity!

Matt and Sam are back at it, again! This time they came prepared with music to sing and an idea for a song to collaborate on. We catch up with Sam Blasko and what she’s been up to with her music career since the last time she was a guest on the podcast. As you know, Matt is a huge fan of country music – he requested a sing-along with Sam this time around. Listen along as Matt and Sam share the mic to deliver more of their musical talent.

Are you a big fan of Sam Blasko? Of course, you are! Listen to her music at https://open.spotify.com/artist/3WrPj3JigN2gPIc2hFFbYu.

Listen to Cowboys Don’t Change at https://open.spotify.com/album/5I3F5XrX1yh9bLDVlG1B6K.

Waves, Inc., Waves of Awareness and Spread the Positive do not own the rights to music by Lady A or Rachel LaRen.

This week we are joined by Graham Honeycutt from Tucker’s House. Matt, Trent (Spread the Positive), and Staci learned more about this incredible non-profit and Graham’s backstory that led him to this passionate career. Listen along to learn about the start of the non-profit and how it’s grown to be what it is today!

Tucker’s House is hosting a golf tournament on August 1st, at the Governors Club. If you’d like to support, please click on the following link to register!

https://tuckershouse.org/event/teeing-off-for-tuckers-house/

This week Trent (Spread the Positive) sits down with a couple of Waves board members. Christy Webb and Rebekah Zeitlin talk with Trent and Staci about their experience of serving on Waves board. We couldn’t be more thankful for their support and effort. Listen along to hear what it’s like to serve on a board for a non-profit!

This week we catch up with Eric and his father, John Nelson. These two have qualified to participate on the Special Olympics Golf team, accompanied by another person supported by Waves, Norris! The boys talk with Matt about what they’ve been doing to prepare for the 10-day tournament in Orlando, FL. We also hear about what they are most looking forward to at the tournament! Matt reminisces with John about the times they trained together when Matt participated in the Special Olympics.

Waves of Awareness is back with Season Two! We are so excited for this season and what’s to come. We will have even more co-hosts and guest speakers this time around! Listen in as Eric and Matt talk about their favorite moments of Season One. Gina, Staci, Chris, and Trent (Spread the Positive) sit alongside Eric and Matt to discuss their favorite moments and what they are excited about, this coming season. Tune in and enjoy!