Today, SALYNE EL SAMARANY discusses Special Olympics global mission of bringing inclusion into the classroom through micro-credentialing for educators. She talks about the importance of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and how Special Olympics leads by example around the world.

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SALYNE EL SAMARANY is the Vice President of the Global Center for Inclusion in Education at Special Olympics International, where she works with a global team to lead initiatives to promote inclusive education and social inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She advocates for leveraging technology, including AI, to improve learning experiences for students with disabilities and professional development for teachers. Previously, Salyne was the CEO of Teach For Lebanon, an NGO focused on improving education for thousands of children in Lebanon, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. She addressed educational inequalities by empowering teachers and youth leaders to drive education reform, particularly in emergency settings. Salyne holds an MBA from the University of Balamand and has expertise in consultancy for change, providing strategic advice to improve organizations' social impact. She participated in the 2007 Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Program at Georgetown University, which shaped her commitment to addressing civil society and educational inequalities. Throughout her career, Salyne has received numerous awards, including the 2014 UN Special Envoy for Global Education’s Youth Courage Award. She also received the Arab Creativity Award in 2016 for her leadership in social change and was recognized by Facebook in 2018 as part of the Facebook Community Leadership Program for her leadership efforts to create informed online communities through education and technology.

LINKS

Special Olympics Global Center Webpage: https://www.specialolympics.org/what-we-do/youth-and-schools/global-center-for-inclusion-in-education

Special Olympics Global Center Briefs and Case Studies: https://www.specialolympics.org/what-we-do/youth-and-schools/resources/briefs?locale=en

Community Impact Stories :

https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/impact/pioneering-inclusive-sports-education-in-slovakia

Hosted by Katie Corbett & Lee Fox Beauregard

Opening Music by Alex Cap. Incidental Music by Bruce Maginnins.

Produced by Akira Nakano

www.innovatinginclusion.org

KEISHA GREAVES is a motivational speaker, adaptive fashion designer, and a disability advocate. She is the Founder & CEO of the brand, Girls Chronically Rock; Founder of GCR Adaptive Solutions; Founder of Trust Your Abilities Nonprofit for People of Color; and a Board Member of the Disability Law Center.

Keisha frequently speaks at conferences, for pharmaceutical companies,high schools, colleges, and universities to spread awareness about Muscular Dystrophy, work-life-chronic illness balance, raising money for causes, advocating for disability, and other related topics. Keisha has been featured in several national media outlets including Good Morning America, The Today Show, ABC News, and more. One of her proudest moments is when she was featured in Today Style Heroes 2018.

Keisha has personally worked alongside Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and successfully got September 30th officially proclaimed as Limb- Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day. Furthermore, she also received theproclamation from previous Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern and current Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. Keisha earned her BA in Fashion Designand Merchandising from Framingham State University and an MBA from Cambridge College.

LINKS:

WEBSITE: girlschronicallyrock.com

INSTAGRAM: @girlschronicallyrockclothing

X: @girlschronical1

HOSTS: Steven McCoy & Amgie Castro with Katie Corbett

CO-PRODUCER: Angie Castro

PRODUCER: Akira Nakano

www.innovatinginclusion.org

The hosts talk to Blind, Not Broken author, LUCY EDWARDS, a UK based, RTS award-winning presenter, journalist, content creator, speaker, entrepreneur and disability activist.

After losing her sight at 17 due to Incontinentia Pigmenti, Lucy committed to sharing her experiences and raising awareness about disability.

Her engaging personality and open commentary have garnered her a social media following of over 2.8 million, with her content being viewed over one billion times. Lucy's influence makes her a leading voice in the global diversity, equity, and inclusion space.

WEBSITE: https://www.lucyedwards.com/

COMPANY: etia

LINKS

• https://www.instagram.com/lucyedwardsofficial/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@lucyedwards
• https://www.youtube.com/lucyedwards
• https://linktr.ee/ellajonesvsthesunstealer
• https://blindnotbroken.cmpgn.page/LGZ6f6

MENTIONS: Grace Beverley

HOSTS: Katie Corbett & Angie Castro

C0-PRODUCER: Angie Castro

PRODUCER: Akira Nakano

www.innovatinginclusion.org