Episode 5.5: Two Identities, One Fight—Danise Sugita on Surviving and Speaking Out
Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is struggling and you are living in Canada or the United States, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). You can also find support and resources at https://helpguide.org/.
What You’ll Learn
How Danise’s lived experience shaped her work and her approach to healing and support
What suicidal thoughts can look like (and why they’re often hidden or misunderstood)
Whether Danise identifies more closely with being a disabled Asian American or a disabled person
How the dual identity impacts her ability to seek help
The frustration and challenges of living with an invisible disability (including being doubted, misunderstood, or having to repeatedly self-advocate)
How a passion for disability rights and justice can stem from multiple things that are not related to being disabled
What the relationship between attendants and their clients are like
Topics We Cover
How trauma can lead to suicidal thoughts
Lived experience
Recovery and resilience
Identity
Disability justice
Attendant care
Who This Episode Is For
Anyone who’s personally navigating suicidal thoughts or mental health challenges
Anyone who has or wants to know more about living with an invisible disability
Listeners who want to know more about the struggle of being a member of two minority groups
Those interested in mental health advocacy and stigma reduction
Anyone who wants to know more about the relationship between an attendant and client
Follow Danise
LinkedIn: Danise Sugita
Podcast — The Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Community
Episode (Spotify) — The Voices That Propel Us (with me as a guest)
Episode (Apple Podcasts) — Beyond the Barriers: Hollis Peirce on Disability
