Skip Navigation
Image of people smiling and posing for a photo

Hollywood Inclusion

Just Like You: Anxiety and Depression Is a Refreshing Film Breaking Mental Health Stigmas and Empowering Anxious Teens

Trigger Warning: This article and the film discussed within contains mentions of suicidality. If you need help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

New York City, March 8 – Just Like You Films released a new documentary today that tackles one of the most pervasive nonvisible illnesses in today’s youth. Just Like You: Anxiety and Depression conveys the reality of living with anxiety and major depression by exploring the lives of several people of different ages and backgrounds who struggle every day with these mental health disabilities. Just like anyone else, those with anxiety and depression can live fulfilling and meaningful lives. The film provides a blueprint for how to learn more about this serious, but often overlooked, medical condition; how to seek the necessary tools and care; and how to have open conversations with your loved ones.

The film is a necessary step toward breaking the stigma of mental illness, a stigma that can stop people from saving future lives from anxiety, depression, and suicide. Director Jen Greenstreet shared, “The World Health Organization stated that over 500 million people live with these conditions, and the CDC reports that these conditions are one of the leading causes of death by suicide. So, we decided to make this movie because we believe that watching this film will help end the stigma around these conditions, empower people, and help them live happier and healthier lives.” [continue reading…]

New PSA Spotlights Black Disabled Creatives

Los Angeles, Feb. 28 – In honor of Black History Month, RespectAbility, a diverse, disability-led nonprofit that works to create systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities, produced a new PSA campaign featuring Black disabled creatives. All month, this PSA has been in rotation on WarnerMedia’s platforms including HBO Max AVOD and others.

The PSA’s message is the importance of building a more inclusive future for the more than 5.5 million Black Americans living with disabilities.

“To me, being Black and disabled means bringing all of my lived experience to the table,” actress and model Tatiana Lee says in the PSA. Lee, who uses a wheelchair, also served as a producer of this PSA.

Actor and comedian Harold Foxx, who is deaf, adds, “We can help others through recognizing their work and then helping them to unite with allies.” [continue reading…]

Disabled Musician, Actor, and Writer, James Ian is Highlighting the Beauty in Disability Through Art & Activism

James Ian smiling headshotLos Angeles, Feb. 25 – A prolific musician, actor, and writer, James Ian feels boundless when it comes to disability representation in the arts. Ian considers himself a “truth-seeker” in all his work, looking for authenticity when it comes to expressing himself and his reality.

Ian has been honing his craft since he was a child, when his parents saw the immense joy that music brought into his life: “They enrolled me in piano lessons at the age of five, and from there I have just gone on to cultivate that.”

At the same time, Ian also was working on his acting career. His mother got him his first agent at the age of eight. His performance skills naturally bled into his writing potential.

“Once I started really doing music, I started to write my own songs, short stories, and other things that really got me on that path” Ian said. I’m working on a script right now. I’ve been involved in this since childhood and these things have just grown with love over time.” [continue reading…]

Interview with Teren’e Chambers, Aspiring Director and Production Studio Owner

Teren'e Chambers smiling headshot

Teren’e Chambers

Los Angeles, CA, February 21 – Teren’e Chambers is a Black Disabled content creator with autism who has a passion for visual storytelling. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Chambers graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2020 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Film, Cinema, and Video Studies. Chambers aspires to one day become a director, focusing on pre-production, and own a production studio that will open the door to anyone interested, and be inclusive to everyone regardless of background or status. She plans to turn this passion of hers into a career to uplift others with disabilities and people of color. Everyone’s stories matter!

“Being a filmmaker to me means that I have a vision, a different view of the world, and a creative side,” Chambers said. “I enjoy what I do! I took my hobby to a professional level.” [continue reading…]

Harold Foxx is Breaking Barriers and Challenging Hollywood Norms in the Funniest Ways Possible

Harold Foxx headshot smiling

Harold Foxx

Los Angeles, CA, February 17 – Originally from Memphis, Tennessee and now training in Los Angeles at the esteemed comedy theater The Groundlings, Harold Foxx is certain that comedy has been in his blood since day one. Foxx remembers hosting stand-up routines on the school bus every day to a loyal base of fans.

“All of my classmates laughed so hard on the bus to the point where the driver moved all of us to the back because we were too loud…The driver laughed too, yet we also needed her to keep her eyes on the road.”

When his mother would go to work, Foxx would stay at his grandma’s house where he would be absorbed by legendary comedians on “Sanford and Son,” “The Jeffersons,” and “The Three Stooges.”

“Growing up watching those shows, I realized laughing is everything that will light up everybody’s day,” Foxx said, citing his early inspirations to be the likes of Richard Pryor, Sherman Hemsley, and Jamie Foxx. He constantly is learning from the best and continually is adding craft and tools from his Groundlings training into his stand-up routines. These comedic inspirations led to the genius behind Foxx’s web show, “The Harold Foxx Show,” which originally started out as short form skits on Vine where Foxx gained about 50,000 followers. [continue reading…]

New GLAAD Report Finds Greater Need for Disability Representation on Screen

Los Angeles, Feb. 17 – A new report by GLAAD found that the number of series regular characters with disabilities counted on primetime broadcast TV decreased, down to 2.8% (22 of 775) from a record high of 3.5% last year and 3.1% the year before. The number of characters counted also fell, from 27 to 22. Since Variety VIP+ reports that Americans spent 4.6 hours a day watching video on streaming services and traditional TV in 2021, this representation is vitally important to how people see – or do not see – disabled individuals in society.

“Including a disabled character does not happen by accident,” said Lauren Appelbaum, RespectAbility’s VP of Communications and Entertainment & News Media. “Inclusion of disabled people must be an intentional effort. What we see on screen influences how we act in real life. Thus, when studios make the decision to include individuals with disabilities, they are helping to remove the stigmas that currently exist about interacting with us.”

As stated in the report, “this number falls far below the actual number of those with disabilities in the United States,” as more than twenty percent of people in the U.S. have a disability.

While the numbers in this report are abysmally low, it is important to note that the GLAAD report is based on self-reporting by the networks and content providers. “While the reported numbers have gone down, it also is likely these numbers are underreported, possibly because the industry is not tracking disability internally as much as other demographics,” added Appelbaum. “Even so, the representation of disabled characters on our screens is nowhere near representative of disabled individuals in society today.” [continue reading…]

Super Bowl Commercials Still Lacking in Disability Representation Overall

Washington, D.C., Feb. 16 – Commercials play a major role in how people with disabilities are portrayed in the mass media. Including disabled people in commercials can remove the stigma and stereotypes that surround people with disabilities. While 26% of adults in the U.S. have a disability, advertising featuring people with disabilities lags is practically absent. As a Nielsen study reflects, “with a $21 billion market potential, advertisers cannot afford to miss the opportunity to engage with the disabled community and their allies.” The Super Bowl commercials, among the most watched of any commercials in the country, provide a platform to examine the representation of disabled people.

A recent Nielsen study examined nearly 450,000 primetime ads on broadcast and cable TV in February 2021. Of those ads, 6,000 (just 1%) included representation of disability-related themes, visuals, or topics. The Nielsen analysis also found that just 3% of ad spend in primetime went to ads featuring disabled people or were inclusive of disability themes in the creative. And this year’s Super Bowl commercials appeared to follow this trend.

“Including an individual with a visible disability in a commercial does not happen by accident,” said Lauren Appelbaum, RespectAbility’s VP of Communications and Entertainment & News Media. “Inclusion of disabled people must be an intentional effort. What we see on screen influences how we act in real life. Thus, when companies make the decision to include individuals with visible disabilities, they are helping to remove the stigmas that currently exist about interacting with us.” [continue reading…]

Previewing Disability Inclusion at Super Bowl LVI

Super Bowl LVI logoLos Angeles, CA, February 13 – As many fans are gearing up to watch the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals face off at Super Bowl LVI, just as many viewers are looking forward to the commercials. Television advertising plays a major role in shaping how people with disabilities are portrayed in the mass media. While 26% of adults in the U.S. have a disability, advertising featuring people with disabilities lags is practically absent. As a Nielsen study reflects, “with a $21 billion market potential, advertisers cannot afford to miss the opportunity to engage with the disabled community and their allies.”

A recent Nielsen study examined nearly 450,000 primetime ads on broadcast and cable TV in February 2021. Of those ads, 6,000 (just 1%) included representation of disability-related themes, visuals, or topics. The Nielsen analysis also found that just 3% of ad spend in primetime went to ads featuring disabled people or were inclusive of disability themes in the creative.

“Including an individual with a visible disability in a commercial does not happen by accident,” said Lauren Appelbaum, RespectAbility’s VP of Communications and Entertainment & News Media. “Inclusion of disabled people must be an intentional effort. What we see on screen influences how we act in real life. Thus, when companies make the decision to include individuals with visible disabilities, they are helping to remove the stigmas that currently exist about interacting with us.” [continue reading…]

RespectAbility to Receive Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts logoLos Angeles, CA, Feb. 10 – RespectAbility has been approved for a Grants for Arts Projects award to support the RespectAbility Lab for Disabled Entertainment Professionals. Now entering its fourth year, the Entertainment Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television and film, while introducing them to studio executives and other decision makers who advise Lab Fellows on various aspects of the industry and their craft. This also enables studios and production companies to learn about the talents and benefits of hiring disabled people to work in all aspects of the storytelling process. As such, Lab alumni currently are working at Disney, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Showtime, and more. The RespectAbility Entertainment Lab is among 1,248 projects across America totaling $28,840,000 that were selected to receive this first round of fiscal year 2022 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects category.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects like this one from RespectAbility that help support the community’s creative economy,” said NEA Acting Chair Ann Eilers. “RespectAbility is among the arts organizations nationwide that are using the arts as a source of strength, a path to well-being, and providing access and opportunity for people to connect and find joy through the arts.”

“The Entertainment Lab is a unique program that merges our work in the entertainment industry while pulling in the reason RespectAbility was founded – to create more opportunities for people with disabilities who desire to be employed,” said Lauren Appelbaum, Vice President of Communications and Entertainment & News Media at RespectAbility. “We do not want anyone to have an excuse that they could not find a disabled writer, animator, director, or any other position. We are thrilled to receive this grant from NEA that will enable more disabled entertainment professionals to benefit from this program.” [continue reading…]

“892” Tells A True Story About One Man’s Journey with Mental Illness and Systemic Failure

John Boyega plays desperate and disabled Marine veteran Brian Brown-Easley in "892."

Courtesy Of Sundance Institute | Photo By Chris Witt

Los Angeles, CA, January 28 – “892” is a film that stands out with beautiful cinematography, strong characters, and a powerful message. Recently making its debut at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, the film tells the true story of Marine veteran and father, Brian Brown-Easley, and his experiences with PTSD, schizophrenia, and paranoia while living in a $25 daily-rate motel in Atlanta, GA, and a system that failed him.

“I have to tell my story.” These words said by Brown-Easley couldn’t be more true, and he will get his wish with “892,” which highlights the valuable lessons the audience will learn after watching it.

Leading actor John Boyega gives a masterclass performance as Brian Brown-Easley, taking us through the various stages of his moods: paranoia, shyness, rage, and so much more. One of the sad moments for me was realizing this was actor Michael K. Williams’ last role, who tragically passed away in September 2021. In the film, Michael K. Williams played Eli Bernard, a Marine veteran, who now leads a law enforcement team that is called to the Wells Fargo Bank that Brown-Easley is holding hostage to gain media attention to share his story. Eli was one of the few people in this film that showed an understanding with Brown-Easley that not many others can relate to. [continue reading…]

1 2 11 12 13 14 15 51 52
Respect Ability - Fighting Stigmas. Advancing Opportunities.

Contact Us

Mailing Address:
RespectAbility
43 Town & Country Drive
Suite 119-181
Fredericksburg, VA 22405

Office Number: 202-517-6272

Email: info@respectability.org

Operational Excellence

RespectAbility is recognized by GuideStar at the Platinum level, and has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator.
© 2023 RespectAbility. All Rights Reserved. Site Design by Cool Gray Seven   |   Site Development by Web Symphonies   |      Sitemap

Back to Top

Translate »