One incredible Experience

This summer,  I had one of the best experiences of my 33 years of life, thanks to Chelsea Hill. Chelsea, now 32, has turned becoming disabled in a car accident into creating the most incredible organization I know of for women who use wheelchairs, called the Rollettes Experience. The Rollettes Experience, which was  originally formed as an empowerment conference for women and girls with disabilities soon became my dream come true weekend. At the Sheraton Hotel near LAX Airport, Chelsea and the rest of the women who work for the Rollettes organized the best conversations on topics like disability and dating, and what it means to have intersecting identities, like being both disabled and LBGTQ. On one panel was both Ali Stroker, the first woman who use a wheelchair to grace Broadway, and Andraea LaVant, the first physically disabled, Black, woman to be invited to the Oscars. These powerful leaders spoke about the need to create something you want in your community, if it doesn't already exist. The Rollettes Experience inspired me and if you need some disability magic in your life next summer, check out the Rollettes.

Shamelessly boosting a podcast

For  Disability Pride month, I am 100 percent shamelessly boosting the podcast, ''I Weigh with Jameela Jamil.''  For those of you who may not know, ''I Weigh,'' hosted  by the amazing Jameela Jamil from ''The Good Place,'' is a podcast fighting against shame  and promoting mental health. I LOVE Jameela Jamil because as a famous person with a disability, called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, she truly makes the effort to elevate the experiences of people with disabilities. In both her interviews with Jillian Mercado from ''The L Word Generation Q''' and Lauren ''Lolo'' Spencer from ''The Sex Lives of College Girls,'' Mx. Jamil  discusses the importance of having people with real disabilities being represented on screen. Being a person with Cerebral palsy who has thought about disability representation for 14 years, it feels deeply validating to hear a Hollywood actress talk about this issue with such passion. So thank you Jameela Jamil.

What's wrong with the Oscars?

 The lack of diversity in 2024’s Academy Award winners astounded me. I was absolutely appalled by the fact that Barbie was nominated alongside one of the most unique films of the 21st century, American Fiction. Several critics hail Barbie as being a revolutionary reimagining of feminism. However, I observed It as a capitalist celebration of the white, heteronormative,  able-bodied, standards of beauty that Americans hold, clearly personified by its leading actors, Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie. On the other hand, I thought that American Fiction, starring Jeffery Wright and Sterling K.Brown brilliantly satirized the fact that Black writers are put into stylistic boxes by white audiences. Therefore, I do not understand how the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences categorized these two movies as being of the same quality.

A little bit of happiness

In such a dark time in the world, with the threat  of Trump regaining power, we still need to find a little bit of happiness wherever we can. Personally, one major  way of finding my joy, besides my amazing Sins Invalid community is by watching YouTube videos of my friend David Zimmerman's interviews with impactful people with disabilities. David works for an incredible program, Performing Arts Studio West, PASW, that trains people with disabilities who wants to be part of the entertainment industry. PASW, created by the kindest person I know, John Paizis, has opened so many doors for people with disabilities to be on film and television. In its 25 years  PASW has booked members of the disabled community, including myself, roles on ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager,'' ''ER,'' ''The Nick Kroll Show,'''  '''Saving Grace,'' and dozens more. John is one of those everyday heroes who makes our world a better place.

Anyway, I digressed...back to David. One of my favorites is his interview with Ali Stroker, the first woman who uses a wheelchair to take Broadway by storm and win a Tony for her role in '''Oklahoma.'' Since David knew what a huge fan I am of hers, he created an opportunity for me to meet and ask her a question on Zoom.  This was definitely a highlight in my life. Another huge moment for me, thanks to David, was participating in an online interview with Disability Rights icon Judy Heumann. This was amazing enough, but then David surprises us with incredible guest stars, such as Ryan O'Connell from Netflix's ''Special'' and the history making Geri Jewell, who was the first actress with a disability to be on TV when she co-starred on ''The Facts of Life.'' I don't  know how David does what he does,  but he is magic.