Marc Musynzski

Los Angeles, September 14 – As the 2021 cohort of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities approached the conclusion of eight weeks together, the group was joined by Lab alumnus Marc Muszynski to chat about what comes next after the program. He offered plenty of insight and tips for leveraging the connections made within the Lab to help further your career, and also shared some of his own experiences after completing the Lab in 2019, including writing for the upcoming Showtime revival of Dexter.

“Sometimes, you’ve just got to ask to be a part of stuff,” Muszynski started off the conversation by urging the cohort members not to be afraid to ask for the opportunities they want. He went on to explain how before the Lab, he had trouble finding an assistant job since he does not drive due to being legally blind, and many entry-level jobs in the industry require employees to drive and run errands throughout the day. But he kept asking around for work and applying to jobs, and eventually found a part-time student internship (which he qualified for by enrolling in LA City College), which helped kickstart his career, eventually leading to more work on desks at other studios and networks, all while Muszynski also was writing and refining his own scripts, and continuing to build his network of industry connections. [continue reading…]

1978-2021

Justin W. Chappell, who devoted his life to human and disability rights, was a terrific public speaker and a wonderful friend to everyone who met him.

RespectAbility mourns the sudden loss of Justin W. Chappell, an alumnus of our National Leadership Program, who passed away in his sleep. Along with his husband Ben Spangenberg, our National Leadership Program Director, Chappell has been heavily involved in RespectAbility’s work for many years. Chappell, like Spangenberg, was a wheelchair user born with Spina bifida. He identified as “a gay man with a disability from a multi-racial family.”

Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell on the Campaign Trail in 2016

Chappell and Spangenberg attended numerous national political conventions together and met pretty much every top U.S. elected leader in their efforts to advocate for disability rights. They traveled through Iowa and New Hampshire in both 2016 and 2020 to get candidates on the record on disability issues. Chappell wrote 19 pieces for us from the campaign trail that are available to read at The RespectAbility Report. [continue reading…]

I hope that everyone had a lovely Rosh Hashanah, and especially that you were able to find the access that you needed. In fact, if you had an access experience, positive or negative, RespectAbility would love to hear about it. For those still looking for an accessible experience for next week, we have made some additions to our accessible high holiday services list, so please check it out. Also, if you find merit in all of our work, from high holiday accessibility, to resources like the list, to this newsletter, not to mention our amazing work in the world of entertainment and policy to make the world a little bit better place, please consider a visit to our Donate website to make a little New Year’s pledge. [continue reading…]

Nicole Olarsch

As we approach Yom Kippur, I’ve been reflecting on the fact that I have never been able to fast due to my varying health conditions. I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that Yom Kippur will never be a “traditional” day of atonement for me, in the sense of fasting, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t personally come up with ways to engage in self-reflection. I used to feel like I could never atone for my sins, but I still engage in prayer and take moments out of my day to go into a private room and reflect on my actions over the past year. What have I done? How can I improve my actions for this coming year?

A key practice that I’ve found helps my family and friends to include me during these times and ensure that I do not feel guilty for fasting is to acknowledge the fact that “I cannot fast for medical reasons,” and leave it at that. I welcome and encourage questions if people are unsure, but when you look at the grand scheme of things, there isn’t a whole lot that changes for others on Yom Kippur because I cannot fast. It’s important to acknowledge that I am abstaining from a major component of Yom Kippur – fasting. However, just as the Torah commands us to fast to atone for our sins, Judaism and that same Torah also want us to put our wellbeing and safety first. [continue reading…]

Nicole Olarsch

Every year on Yom Kippur, the most solemn Jewish holiday, “sin” and “repentance” are the key words stuck in my head. But for someone who is already experiencing depression and/or other mental illness, these themes can be extremely upsetting and even harmful to think about. For people like me who live with depression, especially when their thoughts are spiraling negatively, thinking about the things that one has done and how they may have harmed others creates even further self-doubt. It can also lead one down a rabbit hole of negative and anxious thoughts.

I can tell you from experience that finding a good mood is hard for me. That’s what depression does. And when I find myself happy and enjoying the world around me, the last thing I should be doing is reflecting upon minor things that my anxiety can spin into something major. It’s not that I don’t care about my Judaism. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. However, I know I need to prioritize my mental health first. That’s why I sit with my prayers and reflect in bits and pieces on Yom Kippur, as to not let things become irrationally overwhelming. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, September 9 – In the final week of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities, participants were welcomed into the magical world of DreamWorks Animation to discover what it takes to turn a concept into a great film. Many know DreamWorks is recognized for creating some of the best disability representation in animation with features like How to Train Your Dragon but were excited to learn how the process of animation works to be accessible as well.

Janie Kahan, currently a Story and Editorial Coordinator for an unannounced feature film at DreamWorks Animation with previous credits including Trolls World Tour and Croods: A New Age, led the discussion with the help of Stacy Lindenbaum, an intern at DreamWorks’ Training Department with a background in music and animation. Kahan’s engaging presentation full of behind-the-scenes looks, included information on every role in the animation process from production assistants to story editors and the difference between CFX and VFX artists. “If you want to work in animation, really find what department interests you,” Kahan encouraged. “Learn everything you can about that department.” [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, September 9 – Several talented graduates and current members of NBCUniversal’s Page Program recently met with the 2021 cohort of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities. The team provided insight, personal experiences and a detailed description of what the Page Program really consists of.

The NBCUniversal Page Program is a 12 to 15-month rotational learning and development program that gives participants, known in the program is Pages, exposure to the inner workings of the entertainment and media industries. The program is geared toward people of various educational backgrounds, especially recent graduates. The Page Program seeks to prepare Pages for early-career entry level positions within the industry, including within NBCUniversal itself. The group of graduates and current Page program participants confirmed to the RespectAbility Lab cohort that the end goal for most Pages is to become an employee at NBCUniversal upon completion of the program. [continue reading…]

Emerlynn Lampitoc and Robert Baltazar

Los Angeles, September 9 – During the final week of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals, NBCUniversal’s Robert Baltazar, Senior Director of the Creative Talent and Content Team, and Emerlynn Lampitoc, Vice President of Creative Talent and Content, joined the eager RespectAbility cohort to discuss NBCUniversal’s upcoming programs that support emerging creatives from underrepresented backgrounds. Lampitoc, as head of the Creative Talent and Content Team for Film, oversees the Global Talent Development & Inclusion Team and their efforts to push new voices into production roles.

Despite the new challenges brought about by the pandemic, NBCUniversal continued to bring on new talent into their space through Zoom. Programs like Writers on the Verge, Female Forward and Late Night Writers Workshop carried on virtually with the goal of getting new writers staffed on NBCU TV programs. In creating space for aspiring young directors, NBCU also hosts the Emerging Directors program to allow new talent to shadow on multiple episodes of a series and eventually have the opportunity to take the lead on their own episode. “This is a one-of-a-kind directing program where you’re actually guaranteed a directing assignment at the end of the program. So, it’s a spectacular opportunity for our directors,” explained Baltazar during NBCU’s presentation to RespectAbility’s Lab participants. [continue reading…]

Get Great Talent and Help Apprentices Gain Experience

Foundations and Philanthropy Serving Organizations are invited to apply to “host” a talented emerging professional with a disability. This “earn while you learn” virtual apprenticeship program is free for host organizations.

The MacArthur Foundation is granting funds for RespectAbility to expand their National Leadership Program to include a diverse talent-pipeline of people with disabilities that will work directly in philanthropy. Participants (Apprentices) in this program will gain skills and experience while working alongside RespectAbility for the first part of the grant period. They will then transition into a role with a host philanthropic partner in a foundation or philanthropy serving organization (PSO).

Sign Up To Host an Apprentice

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