In this episode of the Overheard Podcast, we sit down with Rachael, a young adult living with Cerebral Palsy and Spastic Diplegia who grew up in Canmore and became Mount Allison University’s first disability representative. As the International Day of Persons with Disabilities approaches on December 3rd—and Para World Cup events unfold in the Bow Valley—Rachael offers an honest, in-depth look at what accessibility, inclusion, and independence really mean in a mountain community.

We explore Rachael’s experiences navigating employment barriers, changes to AISH and the new ADAP program, the challenges behind the Canada Disability Benefit, and the realities of housing and food security for people with disabilities in Alberta. She also shares her perspective on living in Canmore with Cerebral Palsy, why representation matters, and what t ...