Past Events Archives - RespectAbility

Fireside Chat with RespectAbility’s Ollie Cantos and Ariel Simms

Hear directly from RespectAbility’s President and CEO Ariel Simms and Chairman of the Board of Directors Ollie Cantos, as they celebrate the achievements of RespectAbility’s first decade as an organization, including achievements in developing leaders, changing policy, ensuring authentic representation, and creating more accessible and inclusive communities. They discussed their vision for RespectAbility’s next 10 years and the organization’s renewed efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).

Learn more about RespectAbility’s 10th Anniversary virtual event series.

Read RespectAbility’s 2022 Annual Report.

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From Assessment to Participation – Supporting Individual Preferences to Find Their Faith Community

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How do you determine ways to support individual spiritual and religious preferences? Evergreen Life Services has developed its own spiritual assessment practice. This presentation described how Evergreen utilizes its successful approach to support an individual’s preferences and participation in their chosen spiritual and religious expressions. The assessments include targeted questions that help create a pathway for providers to support individual religious and spiritual preferences and practices. The presenters from Evergreen shared the stories of peoples’ journeys to belong to their chosen faith communities. [continue reading…]

Q&A: Disney Junior’s Firebuds

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“Cleft Hood,” a new episode of Disney Junior’s hit series “Firebuds”, introduced Castor, a vehicle character born with a cleft hood. The episode was written by Emmy-Award winner Jeremy Shipp and inspired by his own son, Henry, who was born with a cleft lip and palate. Henry also voiced Castor in the episode.

Following a screening of the episode was a Q&A with Jeremy and Henry, as well as “Firebuds” creator/executive producer, Craig Gerber, speaking to the importance of onscreen representation. The conversation was moderated by Lauren Appelbaum from RespectAbility, who advised on the episode.

Presenting the Business Case For Disability Inclusion Within Your Organization

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The passionate advocates of the disability community have long come together to advocate for inclusion in our places of work. Our focus often has been on legal rights, or the inherent justice of our cause. But lately, the business community has come to recognize the economic value of disability inclusion. This webinar equipped internal advocates to make the business case at their place of work, becoming champions of disability inclusion while raising profits and revenue. [continue reading…]

“Black Excellence” – A Celebration of Black Disabled Filmmakers

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In recognition of Black History Month 2023, RespectAbility was excited to continue our “Black Excellence” series featuring a conversation with Black and Disabled filmmakers in our network who discussed their film work and creative careers. Moderated by Diane J. Wright (Writer and Development Consultant), we also amplified the work of featured panelists Juliet Romeo (Filmmaker and Festival Programmer), Cashmere Jasmine (Writer and Director), Nikki Bailey (Performer, Author, and Producer), Erika Ellis (Writer), Nasreen Alkhateeb (Filmmaker), and Tameka Citchen-Spruce (Filmmaker). [continue reading…]

Direct Support Professionals – Accompanying People in their Spiritual Journeys

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Disability Inclusion in Entertainment: Beyond the Pipeline

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BRIC Foundation and RespectAbility presented: “Disability Inclusion in Entertainment: Beyond the Pipeline,” a conversation about breaking into the entertainment industry and building community as creative professionals with disabilities. The event was moderated by Lesley Hennen (Writer, Entertainment & News Media Associate at RespectAbility), and featured panelists Jeremy Hsing (Writer, RespectAbility Entertainment Apprentice and Lab Alumnus), Samuel Krauss (Writer, RespectAbility Entertainment Apprentice and Lab Alumnus), and Myles Hunt (Visual Artist, Writer, and RespectAbility Lab Alumnus). They discussed navigating the Entertainment industry, why their voices are important, and details of the Entertainment Labs and other leadership programs that RespectAbility has to offer. [continue reading…]

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History of Racism in U.S. Healthcare: Root Causes of Today’s Hierarchy and Systems of Power

This was the inaugural event in the National Health Equity Grand Rounds series, History of Racism in U.S. Healthcare: Root Causes of Today’s Hierarchy and Systems of Power. This event highlighted the root causes of present-day health inequities by tracing the social, economic, political, geographic, and environmental forces that shape opportunity for health in the United States. Keynote speaker Harriet A. Washington, MA, author of Medical Apartheid, explored the history of structural inequities in health care and unethical medical experimentation followed by a panel conversation moderated by American Medical Association (AMA) Chief Health Equity Officer Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH, and featuring Rupa Marya, MD; David Ansell, MD, MPH; and Jack Resneck, Jr., MD.

The Intersection of Race, Disability and Religion: A First-Person Experience

Attendees of this event hosted by The Branch heard from webinar speaker Asha Chai-Chang who talked about the growing community of Jews who identify as Jews of Color. Born in Long Island as the Jamaican/Cuban/Chinese/Jewish daughter to immigrant parents, Asha is an Actuary by Trade turned Award-Winning Director/Writer with invisible disabilities. Asha created an open dialogue about being a person of color with multiple disabilities and spoke about the intersectionality of being a Jew of Color with disabilities. She also explored ways Jewish communities can increase visibility and create safe spaces for Jews of Color. Attendees learned informative statistics and factual findings, had an opportunity to connect within the webinar, and walked away with new tools and best practices.

JDAIM Reflections on Faith and Disability with Judy Heumann

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