RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2020
Gisselle grew up in a garment factory in Hialeah among Miami’s Cuban exile community. Her family’s tumultuous history as political refugees led to an interest in politics and human rights. Gisselle lost most of her hearing to a childhood vaccine. Growing up deaf in a hearing world gave her many opportunities to hone her observational skills, which helped her as she moved through various careers…as a ballerina, then as a judo competitor on her college women’s team, and eventually, as a scientist.
As a field epidemiologist, she spent a decade working in biodefense and chasing dis- ease outbreaks across the globe before transitioning into writing. As a writer, she draws a lot of inspiration from the conflicts she wrestled with in her previous line of work. She brings sleuthing skills to procedurals but writes character driven drama and morally ambiguous female leads. She’s staffed on ABC’s QUANTICO, where her episode “No Place is Home” was nominated for a Women’s Image Award, and written for Moonbug’s MY GO 2.0. She’s currently staffed on NBC’s NEW AMSTERDAM.
LEARN MORE
After an extensive search and interview process, 30 individuals were invited to participate in RespectAbility’s Summer 2020 Lab for Entertainment Professionals. This 5-week, 15-session virtual summer Lab series for people interested in – and with experience in – development, production and post-production, including careers as writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, animators and other production roles, will take place June 16 – July 16, 2020. Participants include diverse people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health and other disabilities. Learn more: www.respectability.org/respectability-la-lab.
This program, which continues building the talent pipeline of young professionals with disabilities looking to work behind the scenes, is made possible with support by:
- Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and The Walt Disney Company
- Gold Sponsors: Cast & Crew, Comcast NBCUniversal and Final Draft
- Silver Sponsors: Sony Pictures Entertainment and ViacomCBS