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Israel Elwyn logo featuring three icons of people, one using a wheelchair, and the caption "Celebrating our Diversity." Text: Partner SpotlightIsrael Elwyn (IE), an award-winning nonprofit based in Israel, provides a wide range of supports for people with disabilities. In pursuit of a just and accessible society, IE serves approximately 5,200 individuals with disabilities of all ages. The organization “foresees a society in which individuals with disabilities will be citizens with equal rights; a society in which we all aspire to determine our own future and way of life.”

This article could only cover a sample of offerings from Israel Elwyn, so check out their website for additional information. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, March 10 – The concept of a traditional college experience has long been a popular theme explored by films and TV shows. Frat parties, keg stands, annoying roommates – chances are everyone can recall at least one movie or episode of their favorite show that focused on the character(s) antics during their time at college. However, for myself and many others in the Disability community, it’s rare that we ever get to see our unique and intersectional college experiences represented authentically on-screen. Luckily, writer-director Ashley Eakin‘s new short film, Roommates, which made its festival debut earlier this year at Slamdance and will soon screen at SXSW in Austin, TX on March 12, does exactly that.

Produced by Paul Feig’s digital production company Powderkeg, Roommates is a light-hearted but powerful film that follows two new college students, Izzy and Sophia, played by Kelsey Johnson (who also co-wrote the film with Eakin) and Kiera Allen respectively, who are placed together as dorm roommates because they’re both disabled. After a somewhat rocky start, they end up finding common ground while sharing a bottle of vodka and getting personal with each other while pre-gaming before a big dorm party. What starts out as a fun night of taking shots quickly turns into a full night of adventures, officially christening Izzy and Sophia’s year together as college roommates. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, March 10 – Excitement continues to grow for the 94th annual Academy Awards as several disabled performers and disability-inclusive films have already broken new ground by being nominated.

CODA Makes History for Deaf Representation

A still from CODA with actors in the movie standing and applauding

A still from CODA. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Arguably the biggest news is that CODA has been nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Sian Heder). In addition, Troy Kotsur has made history as the first male Deaf actor to be nominated for an Academy Award. The film sheds an intimate light on Deaf culture and being a CODA (child of deaf adult) using authentic deaf actors and incorporating deaf professionals in behind-the-camera roles throughout the development and production of the film.

CODA first broke records when Apple acquired the distribution rights for a whopping $25 million out of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Since then, CODA has won numerous awards including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an NAACP Image Award, three Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards, and a Film Independent Spirit Award. “If there were any lingering doubts as to whether authenticity sells, they were put to rest with the stunning success of this film,” said Delbert Whetter, a RespectAbility board member who is a Deaf film executive. Several individuals from “CODA” joined Whetter and RespectAbility for a conversation presented fully in ASL with interpreters held on Sundance’s digital Main Street platform during the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. [continue reading…]

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…]

Joy St. Juste smiling seated on a couch with her children lying down with her.

Joy St. Juste with her children

Los Angeles, CA, March 4 – A third-generation Los Angeles native, RespectAbility’s new Marketing and Communications Director Joy St. Juste began her career as a freelance journalist after graduating from Arizona State University. However, after facing a rut in her life, she made a leap of faith and took a job at the English language newspaper, The Guadalajara Reporter. Her time in Mexico was integral to connecting to her roots and key aspects of her identity. I asked her if she connects her Latinidad to her gender in any way:

“There is definitely a throughline there…In connecting with your ancestors.” St. Juste replied. “When I meditate, I never see a man. It’s always like my grandma and my great grandma there, you know? And it’s interesting being a mother of a boy and a girl… Having my daughter, I definitely feel that through line.”

St. Juste explains that being diagnosed with ADHD heavily plays into womanhood in a myriad of ways. She was not diagnosed until she was 37 and this presented its own unique challenges: [continue reading…]

Jewish Family Service & Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley: Disability & Inclusion in our Jewish Community

Jewish Family Service (JFS) of the Lehigh Valley hosted a virtual town hall entitled “Disability and Inclusion in our Jewish Community.” Led by Lily Coltoff, Internal Communications Associate at Hillel International, and Amanda Thomas, Disability Liaison at JFS Lehigh Valley, the program included Lily’s story, disability 101, a brief overview of RespectAbility’s national data on Jewish Disability Inclusion, community discussion, and the creation of an action plan. [continue reading…]

Jewish Disability Advocacy Day (JDAD) 2022 focused on breaking down barriers and making positive change. The two-day virtual event, hosted by the Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), featured leaders of partner organizations on panel discussions, emphasized the collective power of the disability community to advance pertinent legislation, and highlighted disability advocacy champions.

The thought-provoking panels focused on barriers to inclusion, breaking down those barriers, and advocating for change. Barriers mentioned in the panel discussions included the lack of accessible transportation, employer misconceptions about employing individuals with disabilities, and the tendency to focus solely on people’s disabilities instead of recognizing their abilities. Panel members also shared tips for successful advocacy, including concentrating on local change, ensuring all resources are accessible, and placing individuals with disabilities in leadership positions. [continue reading…]

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…]

Matan Koch, Vice President for Workforce, Leadership, and Faith Programs at RespectAbility, hosted emerging Jewish talent and debuted RespectAbility’s Jewish Disability Inclusion Toolkit at the Rising Stars event. Award-winning poet Erika Abbott read a lovely poem, included below, that conveys the theme of JDAIM, and Aaron Seglin sang an original composition. Erika, Aaron, Justin Borses, and Ava Rigelhaupt engaged in a vibrant panel discussion about what Jewish disability inclusion means to them, how Judaism and disability influence their art, and their multifaceted identities. The new Jewish Disability Inclusion Toolkit, released at the event, is a free and valuable resource for all to employ.

(Note: A version of this recording with open captions will be posted by Monday.)

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, Founder of RespectAbility, met with leaders at Tamir to discuss disability inclusion for Jewish community professionals. As explained by Jodi Green, Tamir’s Coordinator of Judaic Outreach and Inclusion, “for nearly 40 years, Tamir has supported people with developmental disabilities and people with autism to live their best life by promoting individuality, independence, dignity, and community inclusion, while embracing Jewish culture and values.” Jennifer shared ten tips to improve disability inclusion and a plethora of resources, including RespectAbility’s new Jewish Disability Inclusion Toolkit. In addition, the group discussed the difficult balance Jewish organizations face between solely serving the Jewish community and maximizing tikkun olam through intersectionality, and the challenges COVID posed to running vocational training programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

(Note: A version of this recording with open captions will be posted by Monday.)

United Jewish Federation of Utah and Utah Women’s Philanthropy hosted Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, Founder of RespectAbility, for a conversation on Jewish disability inclusion. Mizrahi presented ten practical disability inclusion tips for Jewish organizations and shared valuable resources for further learning. During the dynamic Q&A session, the group discussed disability inclusion in religious schools, inclusion vs. integration, disability representation in the entertainment industry, and personal disability-related stories.


Erika Abbott’s JDAIM Poem

My
Jewish
Education
Started
At
3.5
Years
Old
With
Names
Like
Golde
Meir
My
Grandmother
Made
Sure
That
I
Was
“Woke”
To
Israel
And
Her
Enemies
My
Jewish
Education
Continued
To
Flourish
Through
Stories
Around
The
Dinner
Table
Is
Anyone
At
Temple
Shocked
At
Your
Disability
No
I
Am
Not
Your
Mitzvah
The
Object
Of
Your
Haskivenu
I
Am
My
Own
Moses

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…]

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