Los Angeles, CA, July 15 – “We’re not necessarily looking for a culture fit, but a culture add,” Rebecca Martinez, a recruiter from ViacomCBS, told 30 participants in RespectAbility’s Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities. “What voices are not represented within the department? So, it’s not about fitting in. It’s what value do you bring? [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 15 – RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab Fellows recently were joined by RespectAbility’s own Matan Koch, Vice President for Workforce, Leadership, and Faith Programs, as well as Leah Romond, Senior Production Advisor at RespectAbility, for a conversation around when and how to disclose your disability in the workplace. Despite the passing of the [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 13 – On the third week of RespectAbility’s Summer Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities, actors and disability advocates Tatiana Lee and Eileen Grubba teamed up to lead a conversation on how to pitch yourself to industry professionals. Entering the entertainment industry is an incredible feat as a person without a disability. [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 8 – RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab Fellows recently chatted all things TV writing with a panel of esteemed writers and writers’ assistants including Katherine Beattie, NCIS: New Orleans; Diana Romero, 4400 (2020 Lab alumna); Ashley Eakin, Mech Cadet (2020 Lab alumna); and Maddy Ullman, WarnerMedia. The panelists shared their individual journeys to [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 8 – Amber Espinosa-Jones manages the Outreach & Inclusion department of the Sundance Institute, where her team runs Fellowships, facilitates intensives, and oversees grants. Further, she is a driving force in the support of Sundance’s initiatives for diverse talent like the Director’s Lab, Editing Lab, and the Producing Program. She recently spoke [click to continue...]
“For years the industry has talked about diversity and inclusion and representation, and every single time we have been left out of the conversation…and that time is over.” – Steve Way Los Angeles, July 8 – Steve Way is a substitute teacher by day and a stand-up comedian by night in the New York and [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 8 – Family doctor turned TV writer, David Renaud has fought his way to the top of the Hollywood industry. Now as supervising producer of ABC’s The Good Doctor, Renaud looked back on his journey with the RespectAbility 2021 Summer Lab participants. For Renaud, story is king and he credits his unique [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 7 – During a recent session of RespectAbility’s 2021 Summer Lab, participants were joined by Megan Halpern, VP of Programs, Partnerships and Production at The Black List, along with a group of screenwriters and 2019 and 2020 Summer Lab alumni, Shireen Alihaji, Michael Dougherty, Shea Mirzai and Andrew Reid, in a conversation [click to continue...]
“Andrew and I have been partners for a few years now, and to me, we are like the dream team, because the things that I have challenges with are his strengths, and vice versa.” – Leah Romond, Senior Production Advisor at RespectAbility Los Angeles, July 7 – Leah Romond and Andrew Pilkington were both producers [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, July 1 – Whitney Davis was one of the first guests to speak with RespectAbility’s 2021 Lab participants, and she was not short on advice. “It’s never too late to pivot, it’s never too late to wake up and start over…don’t put any kind of limit on your success.” Davis began her career [click to continue...]
