One film, one conversation, and one powerful reminder: belonging is the baseline.
Hello inclusionists,
Late-season baseball is my brain’s default setting right now. Every pitch matters, no panic, move the runner. Let’s go Dodgers. That is how my conversation with Samuel and Dan Habib felt on Think Inclusive. Except they are rooting for the Red Sox.
Their new film, The Ride Ahead, follows Samuel’s move into adulthood as a disabled person. No pity, no soft-focus strings, just real life and real choices. It premiered on PBS’s POV this summer and you can stream it for free, which means your next staff meeting can have an agenda item that everyone will be excited about.
What we covered
Travel with a 350‑pound wheelchair
Airlines still treat mobility like luggage. It is not. A chair is part of a person. Access is not an upgrade. It is the starting point.
Dating while disabled
Samuel talks about ableism and logistics without turning it into a Very Special Episode. It is honest, awkward, funny, hopeful. That mix is the point.
A sticky note for school leaders
Samuel’s guidance fits on one line. Do not segregate. Create belonging. Hold high expectations for every student. Tape that near your monitor. Keep it there.
Conversations with AAC users
Slow down. Give wait time. Resist the urge to jump in and finish someone’s sentence. The pause is not empty. It is the door.
Who holds the camera
The project centered disabled voices in front of and behind the lens. Representation is not garnish. It shapes the story and the result.
Why it matters right now
There is a lot of noise about what inclusion is and whether it works. We can wrestle with words, or we can notice the students who are missing from general education, and the so-called special education classrooms that are rife with low expectations. The ride is already in motion. Start where you are. Remove one barrier this week, then try another next week. Keep going, you are vital to this work.
If you need a simple place to begin, try this:
- List one place in your school where a learner with extensive support needs is not participating yet.
- Name one barrier you control.
- Remove it.
- Tell a colleague what you changed so they can copy it.
Small changes add up. That is not theory. That is practice. That is the work.
Setlist, because of course
Samuel picks Aloe Blacc. I reach for U2. Dan goes Led Zeppelin and Lake Street Dive. Your turn. Build a three-song encore about belonging and round out our playlist. Email me it to me: tvillegas@mcie.org. Extra points if one track works as walk-up music.
A Spotify playlist titled “The Ride Ahead Conversation Inspired Playlist” created by Tim Villegas
Pop culture corner
Confession. Murder, She Wrote has become a comfort show in our house. Jessica Fletcher solves a case, the town nods like this is normal, dinner gets made, and everybody breathes. Also, the family has been binging Chuck. It’s just a silly spy comedy but we’ve fallen in love with the characters. A bunch of different people bring their own skills, and the team is better for it. Schools could take notes.
If you want a sci‑fi palate cleanser, I still rotate Andor and Doctor Who. Not for escape. For the reminder that systems change when regular people keep showing up and do the right thing.
[GIF] Jessica Fletcher (Muder She Wrote) looking very interested and eating popcorn
TI is officially a teenager
Think Inclusive turns 13. Wild. To mark it, we are planning something special for Giving Tuesday on December 2. Watch for the announcement soon. Spoiler: a live event with special guests, a trip down memory lane, and a chance to support MCIE. You will want in.
Quick hits for educators and leaders
- Watch or listen to the episode. Use it to open a staff conversation about who is missing from general education and why.
- Plan a screening of The Ride Ahead. Grab the discussion guide and education kit from the film site. Let students help run the dialogue.
- Audit one routine. Transitions, group work, assessment. Make one tweak so a student who was on the edge is now in the middle.
Final thought
Tie game, late innings. You do not need a miracle play. You need contact. If you teach, make one change that says you belong to a student who has heard the opposite. If you lead, stop calling separate a support and build the capacity your staff needs in the rooms you already have. If you parent, keep telling your story until the door opens. What if everyone said, we aren’t going to segregate students anymore?
Start the ride where you are.
Tim Villegas
Director of Communications
Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education
P.S. When you listen (or watch) the episode with Samuel and Dan let me know what you think!
Listen and resources
- Show notes: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/the-ride-ahead-samuel-and-dan-habib/
- The Ride Ahead: https://rideaheadfilm.com
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Tim Villegas is an internationally recognized expert in inclusive education who joined MCIE as the Director of Communications in 2020. He has appeared on over 20 podcasts, presented at numerous conferences, and launched the Think Inclusive blog and podcast. Tim founded the newsletter The Weeklyish in 2020 and produced the audio documentary series Inclusion Stories in 2023. Since joining MCIE in 2020, he has led their communications and marketing efforts, drawing on his 16 years of experience as a special education teacher and program specialist.