Past Events Archives - Page 3 of 16

Learning The Lessons of 2020: Voting, Accessibility, and Voters with Disabilities

Lessons from the 2020 Election for approximately 38 million Voters with Disabilities.

Amid a global pandemic, fierce civil strife and a major economic crisis, millions of Americans safely and securely cast their ballots in 2020. More than in any previous election, the disability community was engaged, active, and made their voices heard. What lessons need to be learned from this election? How did expanded mail and absentee voting options help people with disabilities? What barriers still keep members of America’s largest minority community from casting their ballots? How did COVID-19 change the electoral landscape?

These are some of the critical questions answered by the groundbreaking work of Professors Lisa Schur and Douglas Kruse of the Rutgers Program for Disability Research. Professors Schur and Kruse joined RespectAbility for a special webinar reflecting on what their research shows and how future elections can be more inclusive. This webinar reflected on research recently published by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and identified key topics for future disability advocacy. [continue reading…]

A scene from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood with Max playing with toy cars

Example of Best Practice: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

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With one-in-five people having a disability in the U.S. today, the lack of representation – less than one percent in children’s television – means that millions of children are unable to see themselves in media today. Furthermore, when representation exists, almost all representation of autism on screen is of white males. By introducing a new character who is both autistic and Black, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is ensuring that a population, which is often overlooked, is represented. The show authentically cast Israel Thomas-Bruce, who was diagnosed with autism when he was four years old, as Max. “It was exciting to play Max because it gave me the opportunity to help shed light on children living with autism,” Thomas-Bruce said. “I am excited to know that another child can see Max on TV and see himself being represented. I felt at ease playing Max because it didn’t feel like I was pretending. I also like that Max looks like me.” Learn how the character of Max offers an authentic representation of Autism for children and adult audiences alike. [continue reading…]

Advertisement for Immigrant Women with Disabilities panel with headshots of five speakers, date and time of the event, and logos for NGO CSW Forum 65 and RespectAbility

An Untold Narrative: Immigrant Women with Disabilities

Part of the NGO Commission on the Status of Women 65th Forum

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Speakers: Baksha Ali, Dr. Nelle Richardson, Laka Mitiku Negassa, MPH, Khadija Bari
Moderated by Vivian Bass

FYC: A Conversation with the “Feeling Through” Team

Presented by RespectAbility in Partnership with Helen Keller Services & Doug Roland Films

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RespectAbility Board Member Delbert Whetter sat down with the team behind “Feeling Through” which is currently on the Academy Awards’ shortlist for Best Live Action Short. In “Feeling Through,” a late-night encounter on a New York City street leads to a profound connection between a teen-in-need and a DeafBlind man. Authentically cast in that role is actor Robert Tarango, who is the first deafblind lead in a film ever.

Watch a conversation with writer/director/producer Doug Roland, producer and CEO of Helen Keller Services, Sue Ruzenski, and co-lead actor Robert Tarango. ASL interpreters and Live captioning will be provided.

The film can be viewed below: [continue reading…]

From Mental Illness to Mental Fitness: Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hosted by Bay Area Friendship Circle and RespectAbility

Friendship Circle and RespectAbility hosted a fireside chat about mental fitness with motivational speaker Jennifer Fink. Ms. Fink is an accomplished social entrepreneur and management consultant whose passion lies in promoting behavioral and community health. Due to an accident and illness in her mid-20s, Ms. Fink lives with nonvisible disabilities, anxiety, and depression. A captivating and relatable storyteller, Ms. Fink weaves humor and grace as she embraces and shares her story, wisdom, and lessons learned from her life post-illness, trauma, and accident.

Collage of photos of people with disabilities. Text:

Save a Child’s Heart: Accessibility for All

A zoom presentation on how to make Save A Child’s Heart programs and events more accessible for all

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Download accessible PowerPoint [continue reading…]

Rabbi Darby Leigh Speaks at Center for Jewish Education ASL Meet Up

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On February 23, 2021, Rabbi Darby Leigh spoke at the Center for Jewish Education’s ASL Meet Up to celebrate Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month.

Headshots of Jennifer Fink and Dr. Arielle Silverman

From Isolation to Elevation: Tips to Disability Inclusion and Belonging

Presented by the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit’s Opening the Doors Program and RespectAbility’s National Disability Speakers Bureau

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Moderated by Mitchell S. Parker, PhD, psychologist

Speaker Bios

Jennifer Fink is a social entrepreneur and management consultant whose passion lies in promoting behavioral and community health to empower individuals learning to cope with mental health challenges. Due to an accident and illness in her mid-20s, Ms. Fink lives with nonvisible disabilities, anxiety, and depression. Fink had founded a nonprofit and co-authored a children’s book supporting military children. She collaborated with the Obama White House’s Joining Forces Initiative, and due to Fink’s finesse, former First Lady Michelle Obama filmed a video for a USO Asia-Pacific Tour that Fink co-led. A captivating and relatable storyteller, she weaves humor and grace as she embraces and shares her story, wisdom, and lessons learned from her journey.

Dr. Arielle Silverman has been both Jewish and blind since birth. She has worked with Jewish camps, congregations, and other organizations to help build a culture of inclusion. Dr. Silverman has also studied and conducted research on the psychology of disability. She speaks on the tensions between her intersecting disabled and Jewish identities; simple principles for fostering inclusion across ability lines; and learning to correct our own biases toward people who are different.

Ava Rigelhaupt smiling in front of a RespectAbility backdrop

Ava Rigelhaupt speaks at Congregation Har Shalom

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RespectAbility Communications Fellow and 2020 Lab alumni Ava Rigelhaupt speaks about autism and Judaism for Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month 2021 at Congregation Har Shalom.