American artist Riva Lehrer was born with spina bifida. She endured countless medical procedures through her childhood and adolescence and was told she would never have a job, a romantic relationship or an independent life. But everything changed when as an adult Riva was invited to join the Disabled Artists Collective, a group of artists, writers and performers who were challenging myths around disability in their work. She tells Emily Webb how she began to paint their portraits - and through her art started to transform the stories she’d been told about herself. (This interview contains language that some listeners might find offensive)

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Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Zoe Gelber

Picture: '66 Degrees'. A self-portrait by Riva Lehrer, 2019.
Credit: Riva Lehrer