Hosted by Thomas F. Coleman Focusing on Freedom & Justice Upcoming / Past Episodes Coming Soon The Freedom Files is a Pursuit of Justice Podcast focusing on a wide range of issues involving liberty, justice, and equal rights, with a special emphasis on people with disabilities whether they are young adults, seniors, or any age in-between. Episodes will address freedom of choice in matters such as health care, finances, living arrangements, sexual relationships, marital status, social interactions, and recreational activities. Some episodes will reminisce about past advocacy activities for other causes and issues. The tactics used and lessons learned while advocating on those issues -- police oppression, LGBT+ rights, hate crimes, family diversity, singles' rights, and trafficking of abused teens -- can be adapted to develop winning advocacy strategies for today's activities which are directed towards conservatorship and guardianship reform as well as mental health rights for people with developmental disabilities.  Attorney Thomas F.
Coleman, the producer and host of the podcast, has 47 years of experience in civil rights education and
advocacy on issues such as personal privacy, sexual civil liberties,
family diversity, freedom from violence and abuse, and discrimination on
the basis of sexual orientation and marital status. For the past decade, his activities have
focused on
conservatorship and guardianship reform and protecting the rights of people with cognitive disabilities
in these proceedings under
the Americans with Disabilities Act. Coleman is the founding
executive director and the current legal director of Spectrum Institute. He
is the author of many policy reports and legal commentaries on the
rights of people with disabilities.  Maia
Gryskiewicz, a production/journalism intern for the podcast, is an
enthusiastic and ambitious third-year student studying Multimedia
Journalism and Digital Technology and Culture at Washington State
University. She will graduate in May 2021. Maia is passionate
about visual communication and loves combining her writing skills with
her design skills to craft beautiful, high quality brand communications
and material. Maia records the podcast interviews on Zoom, edits
them for distribution on You Tube, and also edits an audio-only version
for distribution on the podcast’s website, Facebook page, and through
other podcast distributors. She also summarizes the content of the
podcast episodes to share them online with potential audiences.
 Adam
Soch, a technical and artistic advisor to the podcast, is a videographer
and editor with two decades of experience in pre to post production
projects. Adam has filmed and/or edited: live performances,
documentary films, tv pilots, web, educational and promotional videos,
projection design for performances, and movie trailers. He has
travelled the world, creating videos that make a difference, in places
such as Africa, India, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, South America, and
Central America. Adam has worked on projects that are close to his
heart, such as: teen pregnancy, overpopulation, sexually transmitted
diseases, mistreatment of ethnic groups, religious fundamentalism,
inequality, the environment, global hunger, women's rights and LGBT
rights. Diane
Coleman-Rogers, a marketing advisor to the podcast, has been involved
with Spectrum Institute in various capacities for 20 years. She
was a marketing advisor to the American Association of Single People
(AASP) aka Unmarried America from 2000 to 2008. She inspired the
formation of the Emancipation Project to rescue abused teenagers from
boot camps and so-called "boarding schools" -- a project operated by
Spectrum Institute from 2004 to 2006. With experience as a graphic
design artist, Diane created the logos for former projects such as AASP,
the Emancipation Project, and the Disability and Abuse Project, as well
as for Spectrum Institute itself. She will provide advice to a
strategic communications intern working to promote the podcast.
 Emmi
Deckard, an assistant producer and feature story writer for the podcast,
is a third-year student at UCLA. She is
majoring in bioengineering and minoring in disability studies.
Emmi is involved with a campus organization known as
Alternative Breaks. Two years ago, she traveled with the
group to New Orleans for week to learn about the widespread impact that
Hurricane Katrina had on the area and how they have been rebuilding
their community and reforming policy every since. Emmi is a
journalist with the Daily Bruin, the main campus newspaper for
students and faculty. She will use her journalism skills to
develop stories for the podcast which will help guide the interviews.
Her articles will be published online along with the release of each
episode.  Trinity
Pierce, an assistant producer and feature story writer for the podcast,
is a third-year student at Washington State University. She is
majoring in multimedia journalism as well as Japanese. Trinity has
experience working as a journalist with The Daily Evergreen, a
student newspaper distributed at 200 campus locations and which has
70,000 online readers each month. Trinity describes herself as a
"diligent college student with a passion for storytelling." That
passion will guide her as she develops stories for the podcast which
will be published online with the release of each episode. Upon
graduating, Trinity plans to teach English aboad for a year or two and
then find work at a newspaper or news desk at a radio or television
station. |
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Sponsored by: Law Office of Thomas F. Coleman and Spectrum Institute 1717 E. Vista Chino A7-384, Palm Springs, CA 92262 tomcoleman@earthlink.net / (818) 482-4485 Facebook Page |