I’ve been in constant pain since my teens and for so long, I have felt doubly unseen and unheard in the larger narrative of history and culture. So when I got the opportunity recently to interview the host & crew of Renegades, the groundbreaking PBS show about lesser-known historical figures with disabilities in American history, I was thrilled. Finally, a show that doesn’t just tokenize disability but centers it, celebrates it, and demands that we recognize it as integral to our shared history.
“Disability has always been part of the U.S. historical landscape: it’s one of the few identities anyone can acquire at any time. This series is about putting disability back into the mainstream narrative, where it’s always belonged.”
–Charlotte Mangin, series executive producer
At base, Renegades tells the stories of extraordinary individuals who shaped the world in ways I’d never known. These are the stories I wish I had growing up, stories that validate the truth that disability isn’t a limitation: it’s part of the fabric of humanity.
The importance of shows like Renegades, both in front of and behind the camera
Each of these trailblazers hails from a different field and deals with a different disability, but they are connected by their stories, successes and demands to be heard.
“We want this series to leave you inspired, maybe even a little mad – just enough to make you want to do something about it,” said Cashmere Jasmine, director and producer of the Celestine Tate Harrington episode. “These stories are American stories, not just for the disability community. It’s time they were recognized as part of our shared history.”
What’s more, the series comes from a host, producer, production team and other media pros that have disabilities themselves, bringing unique and invaluable perspectives to the issue. In every way, Renegades centers on how best to tell the stories of each of these little-known historical figure with disabilities– and how to make those stories more widely accessible to those with and without disabilities.
“Disability has always been part of the U.S. historical landscape: it’s one of the few identities anyone can acquire at any time,” said Charlotte Mangin, executive producer of the series. (That’s a line I use often, actually. Disability: it’s the only minority you can join!) She finished: “This series is about putting disability back into the mainstream narrative, where it’s always belonged.”
Check out the preview below! Then scroll down for more about the show, the featured historical figures with disabilities, and the people with disabilities involved in making the show, both in front of and behind the camera.
“Nothing about us without us:” disability representation in Renegade’s crew
The PBS series Renegades is a groundbreaking project because it authentically represents disability– both in front of and behind the camera. “True representation isn’t just about faces on the screen,” said host Lachi, who is Deaf. “It’s about people behind the scenes who truly know and live these stories. That’s when we’ll start to see authentic representation.” Everything here is focused on disability, with a production team comprised of a majority of disabled professionals. This ensured that they could tell these stories with genuine insight and respect.
But it’s not just about representation! A disabled crew is able to show a richer landscape, not an outsider’s view of a story about a historical figure with a disability viewed through a inspirational or trauma-based lens. “By putting people with disabilities in the driver’s seat, we’re not just telling diverse stories, we’re telling better stories, because they come from the people who lived them,” explained Day Al-Mohamed, series creator and senior producer. “Part of what led to this project was the fact that we don’t often see ourselves in history. This series shows that people with disabilities live vibrant, dynamic lives and are also shaping American history.”
Key Crew Members:
Day Al-Mohamed – Series Creator & Senior Producer
- Former White House Director of Disability Policy
- Created “The Invalid Corps,” produced “Unseen”
- Founded FWD-Doc, an organization supporting disabled filmmakers.
- Hosts Geek Girl Riot (100k+ listeners)
- Co-authored Netflix’s disability inclusion toolkit
Amanda Upson, Series Producer
- Transitioned from labor law to producing independent films
- Produced “Magnum Opus” and “A Long March”
- Forbes “40 to Watch Over 40”
- Interim Director of FWD-Doc
- Serves on the Inclusion and Structural Equality Committee of the Documentary Producers Alliance
- Also a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar.
Charlotte Mangin, Executive Producer
- 20+ years in documentary filmmaking
- Created UNLADYLIKE2020 for American Masters
- Worked at National Geographic, PBS, NBCNews.com
- Former Interim Executive Director at Futuro Media
Lachi, Host and Narrator
- Award-winning dance music recording artist and songwriter with millions of streams
- Advocates for disability inclusion, equity and accessibility in the music and entertainment industry
- Grammy Board Governor
- Founded RAMPD.org for disabled music professionals
- Featured advocate for disability pride in major media & has spoken at the White House and the U.N.
Furthermore, individual episodes also had producers, directors and crews with disabilities (check out their bios on each ep below). This intentional inclusion of disabled professionals at all levels of production ensures that Renegades offers authentic and nuanced storytelling for each story, reflecting the true diversity and richness of the disability community.
My take? We truly need more shows about historical figures with disabilities
Here’s the thing. When I say “I read a lot of sci-fi,” I mean that I read a LOT of sci-fi. Almost every night. Got very excited recently to learn that Ursula Le Guin had edited the Norton Book of Science Fiction: 1960-1990. But I’ve never heard of Judy-Lynn Del Rey. Why?
Similarly, I have always been really, really, really into music. I hosted a radio show for 4 years, took a whole dang college class on the roots of rock & roll, from folk and soul and blues to the present day, and have written professionally about music for many years. But despite it all, I’ve never heard of Thomas Wiggins. Why?!
That’s a question we should all be asking. Historically, “people with disabilities have often been forced into invisibility – legally barred from public life in the past and ignored in history books,” said Marsha Hallager, director and producer of the Thomas Wiggins episode. “It’s also about who’s writing the history. When marginalized communities are left out, we lose powerful stories,” like the ones about historical figures with disabilities in this series.
“By putting people with disabilities in the driver’s seat, we’re not just telling diverse stories, we’re telling better stories, because they come from the people who lived them. This series shows that people with disabilities live vibrant, dynamic lives and are also shaping American history.”
–Day Al-Mohamed, Series Creator & Senior Producer
Series producer Amanda Upson agreed: “Hiring the right team was essential. We needed filmmakers who could build trust, knew the stories, and understood where to look for untold parts of disability history.”
For example, take Brad Lomax. Despite all he accomplished, the only written source about his life was the file that the FBI kept on him. Renegades was able to bring this incredible story to light by delving into his community and talking to the people who knew him. I’m so glad they did before that information was lost forever!
Ultimately, that’s why this project is so important: it shines a light on the people with disabilities through history that history has left behind.
Renegades Episode Guide
This series is about more than each disabled innovator’s story: it’s about reclaiming disability history. “We worked hard to include not just different types of disabilities but different ways of coping, different lifestyles, and different ways of not just surviving but thriving,” said Upson.
Renegades is part of an initiative whose goal is not just to produce shows like this, but also offer opportunities for disabled filmmakers within public media and produce more accessible versions of American Masters content going forward. Ultimately, each Renegades episode is available with audio description, on-screen ASL interpretation and open captions, extended audio description and large open captions, and descriptive transcripts.
Next up is what makes each episode of Renegades a must-watch for anyone. Whether you’re disabled or not, if you care about equity, representation, and the power of authentic storytelling, you should check out Renegades.
Judy-Lynn Del Rey: Galaxy Gal
A New York sci-fi and fantasy editor, Judy-Lynn Del Rey was a woman with dwarfism who revolutionized the world of sci-fi editing with books from luminaries such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Philip K. Dick.
Click here to read her full bio, then learn more about the interrelatedness of sci-fi and disability.
Who was Judy-Lynn Del Rey?
Jeremy Hsing, Episode Director
Jeremy Hsing is a Los Angeles-based sci-fi writer and mental health advocate. As Episode Director, he brings experience from his psychology background to create stories addressing mental health stigma, toxic masculinity, and model minority issues. His short film “Fish” screened at multiple Asian American film festivals. Hsing’s fellowships include Get Lit Screenwriters Lab, RespectAbility Entertainment Lab, and 1in4 Writers Mentorship. His mentors are Lee Isaac Chung (Academy Gold Rising) and Lee Eisenberg (Group Effort Initiative).
Ryan Camarda, Producer
Ryan Camarda is a documentary filmmaker known for directing “Royalty Free: The Music of Kevin MacLeod” (First Run Features) and “Unwavering Truth: Archive of Our Own,” a short film about Neurofibromatosis Type 2. Drawing from his experience as a disabled filmmaker, he creates documentaries highlighting impactful individuals and advocates for underrepresented communities.
Colin Buckingham, Writer
Writer, Actor, and Producer based in Brooklyn, NY. His goal as a storyteller is to make projects that reflect the intersectional nature of disability and create opportunities for historically excluded, disenfranchised and marginalized persons. He got his start in writing through choreographing action and stunt coordinating on multiple plays, indie films and webseries. Buckingham wrote, choreographed, produced and acted in the short film November Ninth‘. He was a disability and dwarfism consultant for Tomorrow’s Today and another project TBA. He recently started his own production company, “Chromatic Lens”.
Celestine Tate Harrington: Building a Legacy
Born with a condition that left her limbs unusable, Harrington was a street performer in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1975, the Philadelphia Department of Public Welfare attempted to take away her infant daughter. They subsequently claimed that Harrington was physically incapable of caring for a child. But she successfully defended her right to parent in court.
To read Harrington’s full bio and further consider the fundamental right to parent without interference, click here.
Celestine Tate Harrington (1955-1998): Building a Legacy
Tate Harrington was born with a condition that left her limbs unusable. She was a street performer in downtown Philadelphia and on the Atlantic City boardwalk in the 1980s and 1990s who impressed audiences with her skill at playing the electric keyboard with her tongue.
In 1975, Tate Harrington had her first daughter, Nia. The Philadelphia Department of Public Welfare attempted to take away her infant daughter, claiming that Harrington was physically incapable of caring for a child. But Tate Harrington successfully defended her right to parent.
In the courtroom, Tate Harrington demonstrated her skills. These included dressing and undressing her daughter, and changing her diaper, using only her lips, teeth, and tongue.
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. (Check out Some Crawl and Never Walk (1995)!)
Renegades: Celestine Tate Harrington demonstrates how Tate Harrington created a legacy by working every angle given to her. She used the limited preconceived notions of others to change the narrative of who she was. This allowed her to prove that she was capable of raising and providing for a family, breaking the cycle of poverty for generations to come.
Harrington and the fundamental right to parent
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. At their heart, 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.
About the filmmakers
Cashmere Jasmine: director and producer
She is a Director of Afro-Caribbean descent who has worked across mediums including music video, independent film, and short-form digital media. After a diagnosis of End Stage Kidney Renal disease, she then started her own media production company and produced several short films that went to dozens of festivals and garnered over 1.5 million views.
A genre-bending Writer/Director focused on identity through class, race, disability, and criminality, Jasmine was selected for Amy Aniobi’s TRIBE, Black Magic Collective Fellowship, and RespectAbility Lab. Her short “Oreo” screened at Slamdance, “Down the Rabbit Hole” earned Sundance workshop placement, and her Disney Launchpad film received two NAACP nominations.
Marsha Hallager: producer and writer
Marsha Hallager is a writer/producer/director who started in Philadelphia radio before moving to film. She worked as EP/producer of “One Child Left Behind: The Untold Atlanta Cheating Scandal” and recently produced a Grammy winner’s music documentary. Her work focuses on invisible disabilities, drawing from personal experience to create films that inform and inspire.
Thomas Wiggins: Composing a Future
An African American composer and pianist known as the greatest musical prodigy of his time. Born into slavery, Wiggins was the first African American to perform at the White House, and toured throughout the world. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation, Wiggins was fought over in the courts like a piece of property. He was placed under a conservatorship until his death.
To read Wiggins’ full story and consider the intersection of disability, guardianship and exploitation, click here.
Thomas Wiggins (1849-1908)
An African American composer and pianist known as the greatest musical prodigy of his time, Thomas Wiggins was blind from birth. Additionally, contemporary sources mention behaviors that indicate he also had a cognitive disability such as autism. Although born into slavery, Wiggins was the first African American to perform at the White House, and toured throughout the U.S., South America, and Europe. The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863, but Wiggins was fought over in the courts like a piece of property. This led to him being placed under a conservatorship until his death.
Wiggins’ story at the intersection of disability, guardianship and exploitation
Today, an estimated 1.3 million disabled people are under conservatorship or guardianship in the United States. This intersection of disability, guardianship, and artistic exploitation continues to pervade our contemporary narratives. The recent public discourse surrounding the guardianship of pop icon Britney Spears makes this episode especially timely. Through Wiggins’ story, Renegades explores the broader, systemic issues related to lack of agency for individuals kept under conservatorships. It also poses critical questions about our definitions of individual capacity, control, and freedom.
The episode features interviews with: Angela Miles-Williams, a descendant of Thomas Wiggins; jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker; composer and musicologist George E. Lewis; classical pianist John Davis; Lydia X.Z. Brown, Founding Executive Director of The Autistic People of Color Fund; and Dr. Dwandalyn Reece, Curator of Music and Performing Arts at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The episode also features performances by Lachi, Matthew Whitaker, and John Davis.
Who’s behind the camera?
Marsha Hallager, Director
Tameka Citchen-Spruce, Producer
Tameka Citchen-Spruce is a Disability Justice activist, filmmaker, screenwriter, and public speaker. Won 2021 ARC Detroit Advocate Award and 2022 NACCD Betty Williams Award. Started advocacy as Ms. Wheelchair MI 2006, earned Journalism degree from Oakland University. 15+ years advocating for accessible housing, voting rights, and health equity. Currently mentored by W. Kamau Bell through Unlock Her Potential program.
Diane J. Wright, Writer
Diane J. Wright is a biracial Canadian-American filmmaker and disability advocate, serving as 2023/24 Visiting Fellow at University of Michigan’s Ford School. Founded Autastic.com in 2018, providing resources for late-identified autistic adults, especially people of color. Currently developing documentary “#AutisticWhileBlack” and writing a manuscript based on Autastic community insights with the Center For Racial Justice.
Brad Lomax: Creating Communities of Care
A civil rights and disability rights leader who had multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair, Lomax was a member of the Black Panther Party, a dedicated community organizer, a key player in the historic 26-day 504 sit-in at the Federal Building in San Francisco in 1977, and so much more.
To read Lomax’s full story and explore his contributions to both disability justice and inclusion, click here.
Brad Lomax (1950-1984)
A civil rights and disability rights leader who had multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair, Brad Lomax was a member of the Black Panther Party and a founder in the ’70s of the East Oakland Center for Independent Living, an organization focused on assisting people with disabilities to live on their own, rather than with family or in institutions. Furthermore, Lomax built a Black Panther health clinic in DC. He was later in charge of the first aid tent at the Black Panther Convention and the 1972 African Liberation parade.
Lomax’s contribution to disability justice and inclusion
To begin with, Lomax was one of the key protesters during the historic 26-day 504 sit-in at the Federal Building in San Francisco in 1977, which demanded the government enforce regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, to prohibit discrimination of people with disabilities. He subsequently brought in the Black Panther Party to feed the protestors, which many credit for the success of the sit-in. The sit-in led to powerful results. Entities receiving federal funds would henceforth be required to make their programs and spaces accessible. This consequently paved the way for the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Despite his pivotal role in the disability justice movement, the story of Brad Lomax is largely overlooked. Later descriptions of the Black Panther Party’s alliance with the 504 demonstrators rarely mention Lomax’s work in civil rights and disability justice or his coalition-building efforts.
The episode features interviews with: Glenn Lomax, Lomax’s brother; Corbett O’Toole, disability rights advocate and a contemporary of Lomax who participated with him in the 504 sit-in; Cara Reedy, Director of the Disabled Journalists Association; Sami Schalk, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Gender & Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin Madison, whose book Black Disability Politics provides scholarship and perspective on Brad Lomax’s life and legacy.
Who’s behind the camera?
Markus Essien, Director/Producer
Essien is a writer-director of the upcoming film “Teranga: An African Homecoming.” He directed U.S. and New York opera premieres, founded the Equity and Social Justice Quartet, and composed for Jeffrey Robinson’s podcast. With 20+ years in education, he’s consulted globally for organizations like Chan Zuckerberg and African Leadership Group. What’s more, he currently leads a FWD-Doc incubator program for disabled filmmakers.
Cara Reedy, Producer/Writer
Cara Reedy is the Founder/Director of the Disabled Journalists Association and mentor for the Disability Justice Project. Former CNN producer/writer for 10 years, she created “Dwarfism and Me” (2019). Studies disability media coverage, teaches disability reporting, works in narrative change, and finally, serves on the TV Academy Diversity Committee.
Daniel K. Inouye: Life of Service
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. Inouye consequently championed the cause of justice and equality for all Americans, including people living with disabilities. He later posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his lifelong public service.
To read Inouye’s full story, click here.
Daniel K. Inouye (1924-2012)
The first-born son of Japanese immigrants, Inouye’s early life started as a balancing act of heritage and identity. This delicate act was put to test in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. The subsequent wartime hysteria dubbed him and all Japanese Americans as “enemy aliens.” After petitioning the U.S. government, Inouye got a chance to prove his Americanism and was soon among the first 75 to enlist in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated Japanese American unit, in 1943. During his World War II service, he was injured in battle, resulting in the amputation of his right arm.
From fighting in the war to fighting in the Senate
Following the war and 22 months of rehabilitation, Daniel K. Inouye pivoted into law and public service, first winning territorial seats, then moving up to the U.S. House of Representatives, then to the U.S. Senate. His national policy work grew to revolve around civil rights, civil liberties, and support for policies that promoted equality for all peoples. He received critical committee appointments in Congress and eventually ascended to President Pro Tempore (third in line to the President of the United States). For his public service, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2000. Finally, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.
The episode features interviews with: Inouye’s son, Ken Inouye; Inouye’s fomer chief of staff, Jennifer Sabas; longtime friend and colleague Jeff Watanabe, J.D.; and Robert Stodden, Ph.D., Founder of the Center on Disability Studies at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. They all speak about Inouye’s complicated relationship to disability and his refusal to be pigeonholed as someone with a “dis.” Inouye’s self-identity comes into focus as generational definitions break down. It ultimately reveals that in all parts of his life, Inouye lived as a person who was always “equal to.”
About the filmmakers
Tammy “TS” Botkin: writer, director and producer
Her feature directorial debut is the Better Angels Lavine Fellow documentary, A Long March, which she created with a diverse crew under the guidance of the Filipino American community and broadcasted nationally in April 2024 via PBS member stations. She also co-produced the award-winning documentaries Her Turf (2018, pilot) and Mary Janes: The Women of Weed (2017, feature). A member of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, Botkin’s Indigenous writing has garnered recognition at Austin Film Festival (2016) and Atlanta Film Festival (2018). She currently serves on the board of Women in Film and Media Colorado and volunteers across communities.
Angel Williams: Cowriter and producer
She is an award-winning writer, and producer, who hails from Washington, D.C but currently lives in Denver, CO. She is an U.S. Army disabled veteran that previously attended the Writer’s Guild Initiative. There, she was encouraged to turn her short stories into screenplays. Even after having a stroke, she has not given up on subsequent opportunities to be creative. She focuses on telling the stories of those who live with non-visible disabilities and family dramas. Williams had the honor of being a fellow with the 2022 cohort of Respectability Entertainment Lab. Her sci-fi project, Stone Fate, was a semi-finalist in the The ScreenCraft Film Fund and made Coverfly’s Red List.
But wait, there’s more (little-known historical figures with disabilities)
Renegades barely scratches the surface of the amount of amazing stories there are out there to tell. In fact, series producer Day Al-Mohamed told me that they had to winnow down a list of 160 people to just these five. “We wanted to have a good mix of a variety of disabilities, a variety of locations in the U.S., and, probably most importantly, a variety of industries,” she explained when we spoke. “I think one of the things people forget is disability is everywhere, and so we wanted to be able to showcase that everywhere. And I love the fact that you talk about invisible disabilities because that’s one of the things I really wanted to make sure is addressed, as it’s so often left off the consideration when it comes to disability as a whole.” (Hell yeah!)
By bringing together a cast and crew that understood disability inside and out, they’ve created something special here. And they’re perfect lil bite-sized docs! I feel honored that I recently got the opportunity to speak one-on-one (well, one-on-two, usually) with the people behind the camera and the host Lachi. I wish this post could be 5x as long so I could include all the amazing quotes I got! But alas.
So hey PBS: I want more shows about disability like this!
Renegades came out in October 2024 to coincide with National Disability Employment Awareness Month… but American Masters should make this a regular thing. There are so many amazing stories about historical figures with disabilities that are out there to tell. But that only happens when the people telling them understand their subjects, and their struggles, inside and out. So get crackin’, guys! I heard a rumor that there are 155 more names on an Interesting Disabled Historical Folks list, and I wanna know who they are and what they did!
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