After Season 2 of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory explored how Brooklynn survived a dinosaur attack and was living as an amputee, Season 3 allows Brooklynn to explore using – and not using – a prosthesis.

The show handles Brooklynn’s disability brilliantly. She doesn’t need help, and she doesn’t need sympathy. She is completely capable of achieving her mission with or without the prosthetic arm. While it takes Brooklynn some time to get used to her prosthesis, she ultimately learns it is not required for her to be her full self, nor does it hinder her mission to take down Santos, the villain of the story.

“Getting a prosthesis is a personal decision that Brooklynn doesn’t get the chance to make when it’s given to her this season,” Kiersten Kelly (voice of Brooklyn) shared with Disability Belongs™. “Not knowing anything about prostheses, she’s pushed to adapt quickly and discovering ways the device can be useful to her and the different comments people give when wearing a prosthesis all while not knowing if she wants it. We see Brooklynn dealing with a lot of complex feelings, with the most important one being that she didn’t get to decide if it was right for her.” [continue reading…]

“The biggest barrier to change is this tiny sliver of fear that people have surrounding disability, and I made this film to push people over that barrier.”

The new documentary Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution grabs viewers’ attention from the opening, pulling both disabled and nondisabled audiences in to become immersed in a world full of authentic disability representation.

The film is directed by Sheridan O’Donnell, who was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease while having an active career as a filmmaker. This has slowly rendered him legally blind. Trying to navigate this new world of being disabled, O’Donnell seeks out accomplished disabled individuals from multiple sectors and walks of life, and highlights their struggles, and eventual achievements. The point of O’Donnell’s film is not to showcase these achievements in spite of disability; rather, he showcases these achievements in spite of the social perception, lack of access, and lack of understanding that too often befalls the disability community.

With a goal of redefining the world’s image of disability, the film features a variety of disabled individuals including actor Lauren Ridloff (Eternals), Paralympic Gold Medalists Ezra Frech (Track and Field) and Anastasia Pagonis (Swimming), filmmaker Jim LeBrecht (Crip Camp), MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemel (Q) Arroyo, Valuable 500 Founder Caroline Casey, and more. [continue reading…]

With 433 sites covering more than 85 million acres across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories, the United States’ National Parks offer a plethora of opportunities for visitors to engage with the country’s natural and cultural resources.

The National Parks are a much-beloved American attraction, but it might not be immediately obvious how they cater to people with disabilities or access needs. In reality, the parks have a variety of accommodations available to visitors. With National Park Week happening April 19th to 27th, it is important to acknowledge how disabled people can access the parks. [continue reading…]

Leadership development is a critical component of every workforce. For both employers and individuals, leadership development that addresses the fundamentals as well as principles of accessibility, equity, and inclusivity are ideal.

There are various ways to support employees as they enter leadership roles. These include organization-based programs that help employees looking to advance their careers within the company, as well as external programs where employees can independently enhance their leadership skills. One notable example is our Leadership Program.

Disability Belongs™’ Leadership Program emphasizes disability inclusion and accessibility, recognizing that these concepts are essential for any initiative aimed at developing leaders, regardless of the field. Leaders who prioritize inclusion create environments where employees feel they belong and where their perspectives are valued. [continue reading…]

Welcoming disabled individuals into leadership brings fresh perspectives, challenges stereotypes, and deepens the sense of belonging for all. When leadership is truly inclusive, faith communities become more compassionate, equitable, and reflective of the diverse people they serve.

Varied Perspectives and Experiences

People with disabilities bring unique insights shaped by navigating a world not always designed for them. Their experiences often lead to innovative solutions that benefit entire communities. For example, Dr. James Marsters, a deaf orthodontist, co-developed the TTY (text telephone) system and made the first long-distance TTY call in 1964. This technology revolutionized communication for the deaf and hard of hearing, and inspired text messaging which is widely used today. Similarly, disabled faith leaders may help design more inclusive worship services, events, and outreach programs. [continue reading…]

As we begin the spring season, we recognize several important religious observances happening across different faiths. Embracing and accommodating these events within our faith communities fosters inclusivity and respect for all traditions. It’s essential that we create spaces where everyone, regardless of ability, can fully engage in these celebrations.  [continue reading…]

Image Credit: ANNA KOORIS/Netflix © 2024

Netflix’s new medical drama PULSE takes the genre to a place that feels refreshing and exciting. Filled with an exceptionally talented ensemble cast of complex and endearing characters, PULSE takes viewers through an intertwining narrative that’ll have you reaching for the clicker to play the next episode the second the credits start rolling.

Viewers should prepare for an emotional ride through countless well-written story arcs, like the questionable behavior of Dr. Tom Cole (Jack Bannon), the weight of consequential decision making by head of surgery Dr. Natalie Cruz (Justina Machado), the unlikely friendship blossoming between Dr. Camila Perez (Daniela Nieves) and Dr. Sophie Chan (Chelsea Muirhead), and a good ol’ fashioned love triangle between Dr. Danielle Simms (Willa Fitzgerald), Dr. Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell), and Dr. Sam Elijah (Jessie T. Usher) that’ll leave viewers wanting more. [continue reading…]

Work requirements are federal or state policies that mandate individuals to work or participate in job-related activities in order to receive benefits such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and housing assistance. While framed as promoting independence, too often these policies fail to account for the challenges faced by people with disabilities.

The Problem

Many disabled individuals who rely on benefits already have jobs. Those who are not employed often face systemic barriers that make employment difficult or impossible. Work requirements risk cutting people off from essential services—not because they do not want to work, but because the system fails to accommodate them. [continue reading…]

Jeff Mouse

After hearing how excited Samuel Krauss was for people to meet Jeff Mouse, I went into this episode of Donkey Hodie with high expectations. Donkey Hodie is an Emmy^®-winning puppet series inspired by the funny, quirky side of Fred Rogers produced by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures for PBS KIDS. Knowing that Krauss, an alumnus of the 2022 Disability Belongs™ Entertainment Lab and the 2023 National Leadership Program, consulted on the episode gave me a lot of hope for the quality of disability representation, and I was not disappointed.

In this preschool series inspired by characters created by Fred Rogers, Donkey Hodie and her friends Bob Dog, Purple Panda, and Duck Duck empower kids to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives.

The show is introducing a new character – Jeff Mouse – in a new episode called “Hee-Hee Hider Seekers.” Jeff Mouse is an intrepid explorer and avid nature lover. He was born with congenital muscular dystrophy. Jeff is named in honor of Jeff Erlanger, a young guest who appeared on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in 1981. In this episode, Jeff and Purple Panda both use accessibility tools to help them on their adventure. Jeff’s grabber and binoculars and Panda’s telescope are all shown as just part of how the characters experience the world. For young viewers, seeing such tools framed as everyday supports destigmatizes them and builds early disability awareness, acceptance, and advocacy. [continue reading…]