Renegades

Hosted by musician and disability advocate, Lachi, Renegades is a series of five shorts focused on historical figures in the U.S. with disabilities.

Thomas Wiggins (1849-1908) was the first African American composer and pianist to perform at the White House. Blind and autistic, he toured internationally yet received only $20 monthly under a guardianship. This episode centers on individual capacity, control, and freedom, as well as conservatorship abuse.

Daniel K. Inouye (1924-2012) was an Army veteran who lost his right arm in WWII. Inouye went on to become a U.S. Senator, representing Hawai’i for over five decades. His profile considers disability from an intimate perspective and within the context of military service.

Judy-Lynn Del Rey (1943-1986), a woman with dwarfism, was an editor whose authors included science fiction luminaries like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Philip K. Dick. This episode explores her life and science fiction’s ability to shape collective imagination and alter perspective.

Brad Lomax (1950-1984) was a disability and civil rights leader in the 1970s—an era when the Black Panthers in Oakland spearheaded a health clinic and provided free breakfast for kids. In nearby Berkeley, people with disabilities organized for their right to live independently. Lomax bridged both communities, yet his life’s work of caring and compassion has largely been erased from history. This short weaves together both the tensions and connections of different cultures.

Celestine Tate Harrington (1955-1998) was a street musician born without limbs. When she became a mother, the City of Philadelphia claimed she could not care for her baby, but she successfully defended her right to parent. Using only her lips, teeth, and tongue, she demonstrated skills like dressing her daughter and diaper changing. This installment highlights Harrington’s custody battle in a nation where 35 states maintain laws that can deem a parent unfit due to a disability.