Los Angeles, April 1 – Diving In is a fun and exciting short film premiering at the Aspen Film Festival this year. A familiar story about the thrills of high school crushes, the quick seven-minute film follows Alex’s epic adventure to delete the texts his friends sent to his crush before she can read them. It’s tough to say more about the film without spoiling it, as it is only seven minutes long, but it is most definitely a must see. The film is full of clever comedic characters, hilarious moments, and brilliant cinematography. It’s truly a feat just how much this crew was able to accomplish in only seven minutes.

Diving In is a shining example of how people with disabilities can and should be depicted in media. [continue reading…]

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are those of the author.

Nicole LeBlanc (on the right) with other panelists at RespectAbility’s 2019 Summit

As we celebrate Women’s History and Developmental Disability Awareness month, we must recognize the struggles women continue to face in our society. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the social and economic injustices that women, and especially women with disabilities, face. Millions of women, especially mothers, have dropped out of the workforce due to caretaking responsibilities and layoffs. Since the start of the pandemic 2.5 million women left the labor market, compared to 1.8 million men. As a society we must do better to ensure our workforce can accommodate the unique needs of women and women with disabilities in general. [continue reading…]

Submitted testimony will help inform Department of Education efforts to collect better disability data.

Washington, D.C., March 22 – As the nation continues to grapple with the lessons learned from one year of lockdown, virtual education and the other results of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education solicited new ideas to support the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2021 School Survey. In response to this opportunity, the RespectAbility team rapidly solicited insights from board members, partner organizations and self-advocates to push for the collection of better disability data as part of the NAEP.

“Distance learning has been a disaster for teachers, parents and students alike. Over time, some of the impacts are recoverable,” said Jaime H. Pacheco-Orozco, who serves as the Assistant Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Department on Disability and on RespectAbility’s Board of Directors. “It won’t be easy, but there is a path forward. That path must include capturing clear data that will help future generations of students with disabilities.” [continue reading…]

Carol Gould smiling in front of a painting of Israeli Prime Minister Ben Gurion

In my first essay for RespectAbility I mentioned the problems single, sick or disabled congregants of modest means have in this modern world because we as a people have excelled in so many pursuits.  From the outset I must make it clear the second part of my essay is not a bitter mega-kvetch about poor cousins envying rich cousins. It is an overview of modern Jewry contrasted against the world my grandfather inhabited – a world of tzedakah. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, March 18 – After launching a new campaign to inspire the love of reading featuring a diverse group of talent from across the Disney family, Disney is shining the spotlight on two actresses with disabilities who are reading Disney books.

This is important, as almost seven million children in America have a disability; to see readers with disabilities represented in this campaign gives children with disabilities the confidence they can be part of the next generation of storytellers. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, March 18 – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 SXSW Festival was canceled. However, this year many of the best films from 2020 are returning to SXSW. Best Summer Ever is one such film. This musical, filled with talented individuals with disabilities, is a must-see.

Best Summer Ever is a musical directed by Michael Parks Randa and Lauren Smitelli and co-written by Randa, Smitelli, Will Halby, Andrew Pilkington and Terra Mackintosh, produced by the nonprofit Zeno Mountain Farm. Given the production’s deep connections to the disability community, it comes as no surprise that Best Summer Ever is one of the most disability-inclusive films I have ever seen. [continue reading…]

Passover is coming up soon, and depending on whether or not you and your family have been vaccinated, you might be able to safely celebrate in person this year. It’s important to remember that it’s easy to hold festivities where all guests — with and without disabilities — feel welcomed, respected and have fun. But it takes some extra thought. For example, children with learning disabilities generally do not want to be called on to read the part of the “Simple Child” at the Seder. If you are celebrating online, our Virtual Events toolkit is for you! If you are celebrating in person, here are some tips to ensure your gatherings are inclusive, thoughtful and welcoming to all. [continue reading…]

How will this $1.9 trillion law help the 61 million Americans living with a disability?

Washington, D.C., March 12 – This week, Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This massive bill includes a range of policies and programs intended to get more Americans vaccinated, help working families, and lay the groundwork for a post-pandemic economic recovery. Critically, it also contains key proposals that will directly benefit millions of people with disabilities, including helping students with disabilities get back to the classroom and directly sending stimulus checks to many people left out of previous relief efforts. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, March 11 – In today’s cultural landscape, we are seeing an unprecedented explosion of media that presents a fusion of entertainment and education. Resources like these allow people to look for help in an inviting, compassionate situation before venturing out into other social spaces. We Got You is a podcast that both entertains and educates teens on mental health issues and other disabilities that often are stigmatized or rarely spoken of in an earnest manner. It is through anecdotes that the show explores the truths of its collaborators’ unique predicaments.

Hosted by Samantha Logan of 13 Reasons Why and All American, each episode focuses on a single issue as presented through the narration of teenagers of various backgrounds. This format allows for frank and accessible discussions of real, lived experiences without the barriers of clinical jargon and other hurdles for non-specialists. [continue reading…]