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Shalom Institute logoShalom Institute creates an accessible and welcoming community for all backgrounds, abilities and walks-of-life to develop deep relationships and grow physically and emotionally through our overnight camps, year-round retreats, nature education, holiday, and community experiences, all of which are grounded in Jewish values.

We intentionally foster an inclusive community. The two programs for which we are most known for doing this are Camp JCA Shalom overnight camp and Shemesh Farms. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, August 26 – For the low vision and blind communities, audio description (AD) is the equivalent to captions for the Hard of Hearing and Deaf communities. It is often the most misunderstood and underutilized accessibility asset in the broadcast TV, cable, digital media, gaming and film industries. Professionals and advocates within the audio description industry are far from scarce, however, and participants of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities were lucky enough to speak to some of the best: Michele Spitz and Alex Howard.

Michele Spitz smiling headshotMichele Spitz of Woman of Her Word is a voiceover artist, audio description (AD) consultant and educator, public speaker, and philanthropist dedicated to selectively funding AD and post-production accessibility grants to ensure that media content is equally accessible to low vision and blind audiences. With more than 8 years of experience across multiple cities, film festivals, and industry platforms, Spitz’s AD work can be heard in Emmy and the Academy Award nominated films to museums and award-winning independent films like Best Summer Ever. Spitz encouraged all Lab participants to have a common base knowledge of media accessibility overall. [continue reading…]

Four panelists from Sony on a Zoom meeting togetherLos Angeles, August 26 – During a recent session of the RespectAbility Entertainment Lab, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Joel Camarena made his second appearance of the summer to share important insight on what it is like to work for an established studio like Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). Joel also shared his journey on how he arrived at this current position as a Senior Manager of Global Talent Acquisition after starting out as a Campus Recruitment Intern. Joel was joined by a panel of SPE executives including Frank Ochoa, Executive Director Comedy Development; Amanda Richards, Director of Talent and Casting (Television); and Keleigh Slaight, Manager of Physical Production (Television). [continue reading…]

Free Resources for People Who Want to Make Their Dreams Come True

Los Angeles, August 24 – The disability advocacy nonprofit RespectAbility has released its free Disability Entrepreneurship Toolkit. The new toolkit provides an inventory of existing materials, advice and guides for jobseekers with disabilities who want to start their own enterprise, or develop their entrepreneurial skills.

Many highly successful entrepreneurs have disabilities, including Richard Branson and most of the Sharks on Shark Tank.

RespectAbility’s Disability Entrepreneurship Toolkit launch was timed to meet the heightened interest of people with disabilities and others who are watching the groundbreaking new docuseries Born For Business, which ison Peacock (USA) and CRAVE (Canada). Born For Business focuses on the talents, innovations and impact of entrepreneurs with varying disabilities. Born For Business shines the spotlight on four emerging entrepreneurs: Chris TriebesQiana AllenCollette Divitto and Lexi Zanghi. [continue reading…]

Starts streaming for free today on Peacock and CRAVE

images of 4 disabled entrepreneurs and logo for Born For BusinessLos Angeles, August 23 – A powerful docuseries that spotlights the untold stories of four entrepreneurs with disabilities, Born For Business gives viewers an insider’s look at what it takes to launch and run a thriving small business. Just as each entrepreneur is on the brink of success, they must navigate the complications that the COVID-19 pandemic presents.

The series features four talented entrepreneurs with disabilities:

  • Qiana Allen is a fashionista with lupus who creates clothing for women with curves.
  • Collette Divitto is a baker with Down syndrome who owns a cookie brand on a mission to create change.
  • Chris Triebes is a driven single dad with spinal muscular atrophy (type III) making waves in the music industry.
  • Lexi Zanghi is a millennial entrepreneur with anxiety who runs a fashion-forward brand.

“For too long, people with disabilities have been shut out of the workplace,” said Jonathan Murray, Bunim/Murray Productions. “With Born For Business, we are showing how people with disabilities have long been using entrepreneurship to create an economic livelihood for themselves.”

Watch On Peacock

[continue reading…]

Aaron Wolf headshot

Aaron Wolf

Aaron Wolf is an incredibly talented filmmaker, an award-winning actor, and an overall wonderful person! Aaron has created a multitude of films, ranging from The LD, which helped get him into film school, to the more well-known films Restoring Tomorrow and The Walk, to his recently released adventure-thriller TAR. These films are based on Aaron’s Jewish roots and experiences with his grandfather and learning disabilities. Looking at the success of these films, one might assume that Aaron has always been completely connected to his Judaism and open and accepting of his learning disabilities, however his journey and relationship with disability and Judaism has not been linear.

[continue reading…]

Logo for the Jewish Federations of North AmericaThe Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) is the umbrella organization for 146 Jewish Federations and more than 300 independent Jewish communities across North America. Each Federation supports a number of service providers, such as nonprofit hospitals, nursing and assisted living facilities, group homes, family service agencies, and vocational training organizations–programs that, taken together, provide care to more than 1.3 million people of all faiths and socio-economic levels. Many of these provide vital services to people with disabilities. JFNA’s disability work focuses on inclusion, with a particular emphasis on policies that support our Federations and their partners. [continue reading…]

RespectAbility’s Entertainment Media Consulting Team

Domenic Vermeulen smiling headshot outside

Domenic Vermeulen

Domenic Vermeulen (He/They) is a Production HR Coordinator for Lionsgate Entertainment, where they work to implement Harassment Prevention and Diversity Training for productions across the company’s Television and Motion Picture groups. They also work alongside Lionsgate/STARZ’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the DEI Committee, and hold a seat on the company’s Production Inclusion Coalition. [continue reading…]

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