Resources
PARTNERS
Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is a not-for-profit advocacy organization established in 1986, serves as an expert advocate and educational resource for full diversity in theatre, film, television and related media. www.inclusioninthearts.org. Contact: Sharon Jensen, Executive Director, (212) 730-4750 or sjensen@inclusioninthearts.org
Disabilities Network of New York City is a coalition working for the full participation of New Yorkers with physical, visual and hearing disabilities in all parts of life. http://dnnyc.net. Contact: Lawrence Carter-Long, Director of Advocacy, (212) 284-4160 or lawrence@dnnyc.net
Down Syndrome in Arts and Media works with the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles and other DS Affiliates across the US to provide: 1) Casting Liaison for Talent with DS and other developmental disabilities, 2) Script Consultation, 3) Visual Artist Referrals and 4) Media Advocacy. www.DSiAM.org. Contact: Gail Williamson, Executive Director, (818) 893-1166 or (818) 242-7871
Media Access Office (M.A.O) is a no fee casting liaison service representing over 900 performers with disabilities. Created in 1980 by the California Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities under the California Employment Development Department, M.A.O. actively promotes the employment and accurate portrayal of persons with disabilities in all areas of the media and entertainment industry, ensuring that the industry recognizes people with disabilities as part of cultural diversity. Contact: Gloria M. Castañeda, Program Director/Casting Liaison, (818) 409-0448 or gloria.castaneda@edd.ca.gov.
Performing Arts Studio West provides professional hands-on individualized training, career management, and on-location support for performers with developmental disabilities working in film, television and commercials. www.pastudiowest.com.
Contact: John Paizis, Founder/Director, (310) 674-1346 ext. 201
Writers Guild of America, West, Writers with Disabilities Committee seeks ways to aid disabled writers in pursuing their careers in Hollywood and to encourage accurate portrayals of the disabled in film and television. Contact: Kimberly Myers, Director of Diversity, (323) 782-4589 or KMyers@wga.org
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
Ability First provides programs and services to help children and adults with physical and development disabilities reach their full potential throughout their lives by offering a broad range of employment, recreational and socialization programs and accessible residential housing complexes. Contact: Carolyn Aguayo, Director of Communications, (626) 396-1010 or caguayo@abilityfirst.org
American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California was founded to defend and secure civil liberties and civil rights of all types, including freedom of speech, association and religion, freedom of the press, and the right to privacy, to equal protection of the laws and to due process of law. Contact: Gordon Smith, Communications Director, 213-977-5247 or gsmith@aclu-sc.org
Bethune Theatredanse is one of the first dance companies in America to create and conduct participatory arts programs for disabled youth using multi-media and dance. Contact: Zina Bethune, (323) 874-0481 or zina@bethunetheatredanse.org
Braille Institute’s mission is empowering visually impaired people to live fulfilling lives. Contact: Carmen Apelgren, Community Relations Coordinator, (323) 663-1111 or capelgren@brailleinstitute.org
Disability Rights Legal Center is a non-profit civil rights organization that has been protecting the rights of people with disabilities for 33 years through litigation, advocacy, training, mediation and education. Contact: John Longoria, Director of Community Outreach Programs, (213) 736-8365 or John.Longoria@LLS.edu
Film Independent champions the cause of independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Contact: Michael A. Lopez, Director of Diversity, (310) 432-1282 or MLopez@FilmIndependent.org
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc. (GLAD) ensures equal access of the deaf and hard of hearing community to the same opportunities afforded their hearing counterparts by promoting of social, recreational, cultural, educational and vocational well-being of its constituents. Contact: Dr. Patricia Hughes, CEO, (323) 478-8000 or phughes@gladinc.org
Media Image Coalition is a program of the Los Angeles Country Commission on Human Relations, with a mission to promote increased visibility, diversity and balanced imagery of ethnic, cultural, racial and religious groups, women, LGBTQ, seniors, people with disabilities and other protected groups subject to unfair portrayals in media and the arts. www.lahumanrelations.org/programs/mic/mic.htm. Contact: Ava Gutierrez, (213) 974-7654
National Arts and Disability Center at UCLA provides resources, information and training focused on the inclusion of audiences and artists with disabilities into all facets of the arts community. http://nadc.ucla.edu/. Contact: Dr. Olivia Raynor, (310) 794-1141 or oraynor@mednet.ucla.edu
Tarjan Center at UCLA provides leadership in education, research and innovative practices that support the quality of life and community inclusion of all people with disabilities. http://tarjancenter.ucla.edu/. Contact: Dr. Olivia Raynor, (310) 794-1141 or oraynor@mednet.ucla.edu
National Coalition for Disability Rights/ADA Watch is an alliance of hundreds of disability, civil rights, and social justice organizations united to defend and promote the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the human rights of children and adults with physical, mental, cognitive and developmental disabilities. Contact: James P. Ward, M.S.W., Founder and President, www.adawatch.org
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California Chapter, funds more MS research, provides more services to people with MS, offers more professional education and furthers more advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world. Contact: Marni Deckter, Vice President of Communications, (310) 479-4456 or marni.deckter@cal.nmss.org
PARTICIPATING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is the largest state civil rights agency in the country with a statutory mandate to protect the people of California from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations pursuant to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Government Code section 12900, et seq., the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civil Code section 51, et seq., and the Ralph Civil Rights Act, Civil Code section 51.7. Contact: Phyllis Cheng, Director, (916) 478-7251 or phyllis.cheng@dfeh.ca.gov
City of Los Angeles Department on Disability administers AIDS Education and Prevention Programs and the ADA Compliance Unit, among other programs, to ensure that all services and programs administered by the City of Los Angeles are accessible to people with disabilities. Contact: Regina Houston-Swain, Executive Director, and Betty Wilson, Community Affairs Director, (213) 485-6334.
New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities works hand-in-hand with other City agencies to assure that the voice of the disabled community is represented and that City programs and policies address the needs of people with disabilities. Contact: Commissioner Matthew P. Sapolin, (212) 788-2830, www.nyc.gov/html/mopd
New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting is the first film commission in the country, and the one-stop shop for all production needs. The agency markets NYC as a prime location, provides premiere customer service to production companies and facilitates production throughout the five boroughs. Contact: Katherine Oliver, Commissioner, (212) 489-6710, www.nyc.gov/html/film
