This week on “Babies Down, Bottles Up,” Kisha, Terrin, and Josselyn welcome a truly exceptional guest: Qudsiya Naqui, host of the podcast “Down to the Struts,” and an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. Qudsiya, a blind mom herself, shares her unique perspective on the intersection of disability, law, and parenting. Danny, the producer, is also present for this weighty but incredibly enriching discussion.
Meeting Qudsiya Naqui: Lawyer, Professor, Podcaster, Mom
The conversation quickly turns to Qudsiya’s impressive background. She introduces herself as a lawyer and law professor living in Washington D.C. with her husband and baby Ruhi, who is nearly five months old. She also highlights her podcast, “Down to the Struts,” which she started in 2020, exploring disability and design through a diverse range of interviews.
The hosts ask Qudsiya to elaborate on her journey to becoming a law professor, a path not commonly taken by blind individuals. When she secured her tenure-track position at UDC Law, she struggled to find other blind law professors for guidance, making her role even more meaningful as a visible example for blind and low-vision law students.
Qudsiya’s journey into law began with a childhood of being told she “argued too much,” which her mother suggested would make her a good lawyer. Her early internships, particularly at the now-defunct Harlem Legal Services, exposed her to poverty law, deepening her interest in the access to justice gap, especially for marginalized communities.
Embracing Blindness and Community Through Sports
Josselyn asks Qudsiya about her personal journey in accepting her disability. Qudsiya, born with Leber’s congenital amaurosis (LCA), a degenerative retinal condition, had good vision as a child, and the thought of using a cane felt stigmatizing. After moving to D.C. at age 30, a mentor introduced her to another blind lawyer, Carla, who had started an adaptive sports group. Carla convinced her to try tandem cycling, hooking her into the blind sports world and becoming her first blind friend.
Terrin, Kisha, and Josselyn, all active in blind sports, agree that the community aspect is even more valuable than the sport itself.
Dating and Relationships: Blindness as a Non-Issue
Qudsiya met her sighted husband on a dating app, eventually adopting a “zero you-know-whats given” attitude after initially disclosing her blindness before dates. Their first date was in February 2020, just before the pandemic. Three weeks later, with the world shutting down, Qudsiya invited him to quarantine with her. He never left, leading to marriage in 2023 and the birth of their daughter.
Her husband seamlessly integrated her blindness into their lives, respecting it while also treating it as a non-issue, even becoming certified in audio description, a hobby that blended with his profession as a writer.
Blind Parents and the Legal System
Turning to a serious and extremely relevant topic, the hosts and Qudsiya discuss blind parenting and the law. Qudsiya, as a family law professor, sheds light on the “family regulation system,” which often disproportionately affects people of color, those experiencing poverty, and individuals with disabilities.
Qudsiya reveals a shocking fact: 42 states and D.C. still permit the termination of parental rights solely based on disability. Terrin adds that families with disabilities are four times more likely to have their children removed, and for some physical disabilities, up to 80% of children are removed following an investigation, sometimes based on something as minor as missed doctor’s appointments or late school arrivals due to transportation challenges.
Protecting Ourselves: Knowledge, Preparedness, and Advocacy
Kisha asks what parents can do to protect themselves, given the varying laws in different states. Qudsiya offers several suggestions: know your state’s laws, utilize resources like ADA Centers and local protection and advocacy organizations, and build both public and private support networks.
Terrin shares her personal experience with CPS involvement due to her blindness, which has instilled a constant state of preparedness: keeping children well-presented, maintaining paper trails of medical appointments, knowing your rights if CPS comes to your door, having an attorney present when speaking with CPS, and insisting on accessible formats for documentation. Kisha emphasizes the “microscope” blind parents live under, where small issues that sighted parents easily overlook can be heavily scrutinized.
Qudsiya highlights additional resources: the National Council on Disability (NCD) offers a toolkit for disabled parents, and Brandeis University’s National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities provides extensive resources, including a legislative toolkit for advocating change in state laws.
Final Thoughts
Kisha wraps up the discussion, emphasizing the episode’s importance given how frequently blind parents face these issues. Qudsiya invites everyone to visit downtothestruts.com, follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram, and subscribe to her Substack newsletter, “Getting Down to It.” She expresses her gratitude to the “Babies Down, Bottles Up” team, sharing that as a new blind mom, the podcast has been a “godsend” for practical advice.
Kisha concludes by encouraging listeners to check out the “Blind Parenting Guide” on BDBUPod.com and to email the show at info@bdbupod.com.
Listen to the Episode
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