Ways You Can Support RespectAbility
You can support RespectAbility by donating to our anniversary fund, or by participating in our virtual silent auction! You can bid on trips to Lake Tahoe, South Africa, Mexico, Bali, Nashville, and more. You can also bid on exciting memorabilia, and a virtual cooking lesson by a Top Chef. Every bid brings us closer to a more inclusive and equitable society. Spread the word, invite your friends, family, and colleagues to join in!
Donate to the Anniversary Fund
Explore the Silent Auction
Celebration Event in Los Angeles
On November 2, 2023, RespectAbility celebrated 10 years of fighting for full inclusion of people with disabilities! The 10th Anniversary Celebration Event, featuring Platinum Sponsor Wells Fargo, not only celebrated the many wins within the disability community over the last 10 years, but also helped RespectAbility prepare for an even more successful future.
Attendees joined us for dinner, music and dancing with DJ Sabeerah Najee, live entertainment from musician James Ian and the disabled dance troupe Straight Up Abilities, and so much more!
10th Anniversary Virtual Series
Earlier in 2023, RespectAbility held a series of virtual celebrations, fireside chats, and networking opportunities as we entered our second decade fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities. Through a combination of interactive fireside chats and breakout networking rooms, participants learned more about RespectAbility’s work, our values, and our vision for the future. Learn more about this series, and watch recordings of the fireside chats, below!
Fireside Chat with RespectAbility’s Ollie Cantos and Ariel Simms
Hear directly from RespectAbility’s President and CEO Ariel Simms and Chair Emeritus of our Board of Directors Ollie Cantos. Among other topics, they discussed our vision for the next 10 years and renewed efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).
Fireside Chat: Advancing Opportunities for Disabled Individuals
Advancing opportunities means that we take down barriers to education, employment, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement and create pipelines to enable disabled individuals to lead the lives of their choosing. Watch the recording of this fireside chat and learn from members of our Staff and two of our key partners about our work in this area and our vision for the coming years.
Fireside Chat: Developing Disabled Leaders
Developing leaders means that we model the practice of training and empowering the next generation of leaders in disability advocacy across our pillars. This includes investing in our staff through professional development and building new pathways for employee recognition and advancement. We also created new policies to shape a workplace environment that centers equity and inclusion. In 2022, RespectAbility trained 34 Apprentices and ran three Labs for 52 disabled entertainment professionals. More than 400 people have graduated from one of our pipeline programs since 2013. Watch the recording to learn from members of our Staff, and alumni of our pipeline programs, about our work in this area, and our vision for the coming years.
Fireside Chat: Changing Attitudes by Amplifying Authentic Disability Narratives
Changing attitudes means that we challenge stigma and amplify authentic narratives on disability. We’re proud to be a “nothing about us, without us” organization, led by those with a diversity of disabilities and other intersectional identities. Disabled people are the best experts on their lived experience, and we work to promote this reality across our pillars. Watch this webinar to hear from members of our Board and Staff about our work in this area, and our vision for the coming years.
Learn More About the Virtual Networking Opportunities
As part of our series, we hosted virtual networking opportunities seeking to build community and provide opportunities for connections. Each week was focused related to the week’s prior fireside chat and focus on advancing opportunities, changing attitudes, and developing leaders.
Breakout rooms included conversations centered on education, employment, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, faith inclusion, journalism, and the entertainment industry. In addition, there were identity-based rooms available, including for those seeking to meet others with an acquired disability, a visible disability, a nonapparent disability, who are disabled parents, who are disabled and 50+, as well as groups for folks looking to be in a room with others who are Queer, Black, AAPI, or Latinx. Each event lasted one hour, with participants being placed into 2 networking groups based upon their choices. ASL interpreters and other accommodations were provided.
