Empowering Voices: The Role of Disability in Shaping the Pop Culture Narrative

 

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Session Summary

ASPIRE TRACK

Empowering Voices: The Role of Disability in Shaping the Pop Culture Narrative

The media has the power to shape our perceptions and understanding of the world around us, including our understanding of disability. However, too often, the media fails to accurately represent the experiences of people with disabilities.

Panelists will share their perspectives on how disability representation in media can empower voices and challenge harmful stereotypes and the importance of disabled creatives in reshaping the media industry. They will also examine the ways in which media can be used as a tool for advocacy and change. Finally, this session will explore the impact of media representation on society’s understanding of disability and examine the ways in which people with disabilities influence and shape the narrative of popular culture.

Kiah Amara
Founder of IndieVISIBLE

Pronouns: they/them

Kiah Amara is a Disabled, Queer, and nonbinary producer, activist, and production accessibility coordinator. Originally from the rural Midwest, they now work globally expanding ideas of Accessibility, Disability, and all things deviant from normal through their company IndieVISIBLE Entertainment. Kiah is the PAC on Best Foot Forward (AppleTV+) which was featured in The New York Times and awarded a 2022 Ruderman Seal of Authenticity. Other work includes the Netflix x RespectAbility Children’s Content Lab, The Greatest ad (Apple x Somesuch), Rosie’s Rules (PBS Kids), CBS and WarnerBros. Discovery Talent Initiatives, and Accessibility Lead for the Far Out product launch at the Steve Jobs Theatre.

Kiah Amara

Cashmere Jasmine
Writer/Director

Pronouns: she/her

Writer-Director Cashmere Jasmine is an Afro-Caribbean creative who blends genres with dark comedy. She tells disability-inclusive queer stories featuring unexpected anti-heroes you’ll love to hate. Cashmere has written, directed, and produced several festival official selections and will direct a short film for Disney Launchpad that will air on Disney+ in 2023

Cashmere Jasmine

Adriano Araújo Dos Reis Botega
VFX Artist, Technical Director, and Motion Designer

Pronouns: they/them

Born a Brazilian Paulista, Adriano brings the “gambiarra” spirit of alternative engineering to their international work as a VFX Artist, Technical Director, and Motion Designer. Concocted through a Latinx, Immigrant, Queer, and Neurodiverse lens, their creative solutions take an alien approach to uncovering the natural world through new technologies. Adriano’s work spans from commercials, interactive projection, documentary, and narrative (BMW Spain, Time Square Broadway event premieres, Illuminarium Experience, Selva Brasil, Ride the Omnibus). Their solo animated short Flow, a journey of adult neurodiversity discovery, is currently in post production.

Adriano Araújo dos Reis Botega

Nasreen Alkhateeb
Emmy Award-Winning Cinematographer

Pronouns: she/her

Nasreen Alkhateeb is an Emmy award-winning Cinematographer who illuminates historically excluded voices. Her ability to motivate audiences is a direct result of approaching story through multiple identities: Multi-heritage, Black, Iraqi, 1st gen, raised Muslim, LGBTQ, including being a person with multiple Disabilities. Her work has been featured by Apple+, FX Networks, NASA, Kamala Harris, Oprah, the United Nations, and the Tribeca Film Festival. An alumna of the Sundance Accessible Futures Intensive, The Disruptors Fellowship, the RespectAbility Lab, and a fellow of the Ford Foundation’s Disability Futures, Forbes described her as “breaking barriers.”

Nasreen Alkhateeb

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