Special Olympics: Kat & Nat Podcast

Two teen girls from Salt Lake City, Utah named Katie and Natalie, ages 18 and 19 respectively, created a podcast which highlights individuals with and without intellectual disabilities as well as adults who have connections with Special Olympics. Their podcast is inspirational to many, including me. Their inspiration stems from a trip they made to Abu Dhabi. On this trip, the two girls met Dan Smrokowski on his Special Chronicles podcast. Said the girls of Dan’s podcast, “We thought it was neat and that it was something we could do where we got to share stories of diversity and inclusion.”

Kat and Natalie, or “Kat and Nat”, are some of the sweetest and most genuinely kind people I have known. These girls first met in 2017 when they were chosen to represent the state of Utah at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington. Kat’s journey in special Olympics thus far has included cycling, where she won 2nd and 1st places, and joining the first-ever Special Olympics Real Salt Lake Unified Soccer team. Nat’s journey in Special Olympics thus far has included being an athlete, youth leader and Special Olympics Utah Global Ambassador.

When two people meet, sharing the same similarities and passions, it often leads to a wonderful friendship. This podcast has helped them become close and maintain that special relationship. The girls commented on their friendship, “One thing we learned from each other doing this podcast is that we make a really good team. We bring out the best of each other and we have the same positive energy.”

The behind-the-scenes of making a KatnNat Podcast starts with gathering information about the person they will be interviewing. Second, they create specific questions for the person and then send them the list of questions so they have an idea of what the interview will focus on. After the interview is over, they do edits, which definitely takes awhile. Once the podcast is ready, they post it online and use social media to promote the show. I recently was interviewed on the podcast and spoke about food and inclusivity.

Take some time to listen to the Kat & Nat podcast and learn about individuals with disabilities. Learn valuable lessons from true experiences and show support by listening regularly!