Solecast: Kalyn Heffernan of Wheelchair Sports Camp

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In this episode of the Solecast I sit down with Kalyn of Wheelchair Sports Camp. Wheelchair Sports Camp is a hip-hop band out of Denver that makes light-hearted yet politically charged rap songs with a dope live band setup. The lead singer in the group, Kalyn is a disabled queer with a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta. Her condition is sometimes described as “fragile bones” and she has had over 100 fractures, this really took me by surprise because I have been in many marches and situations with her where shit could have easily gone sideways, but that doesn’t deter her.

We talk about her evolution in activism from participating in Occupy, Black Lives Matter, Standing Rock and her own personal/political journey that lead her to examine the plight of disabled people. She discusses learning about the history of disabled folk and how her music has brought her into community with disabled people all over the world. We talk about her recent tour through Mexico. She also talks about her experience as a music teacher at Youth on Records, the organization started by The Flobots.

Pick up their new album “No Big Deal” out now on Strange Famous Records.