HOLLYWOOD RADIO & TELEVISION SOCIETY (HRTS) SETS FIRST DISABILITY INCLUSION WORKSHOP
October 10th Event Features Announcement of New Insights & Resources from Presenting Sponsor Easterseals Disability Services
Amazon MGM Studios to Host
LOS ANGELES, CA, September 12, 2024 – In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, The Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS) has set its first ever Disability Inclusion Workshop for Thursday, October 10th, it was announced today by President of the HRTS Board of Directors, Tim McNeal, HRTS Chairperson, David Madden and HRTS CEO, Melissa Grego.
The workshop will gather individuals from across the industry to learn from presenting sponsor Easterseals Disability Services’ powerful new multimedia project highlighting the current state of disability inclusion in entertainment. Attendees will hear from disabled talent and creatives behind Easterseals’ report and industry resource showcasing progress and action towards greater inclusion and access in entertainment.
Additionally, the workshop will feature:
- A networking lunch provided by the event’s host sponsor Amazon MGM Studios
- An expert panel of speakers positioned to elaborate first-hand on how to support disability representation in entertainment.
- Post-panel breakout groups on key topics diving further into how the findings apply to all aspects of the entertainment business.
“This inaugural workshop offers an important forum to discuss the many opportunities we have to cultivate a more inclusive and productive industry,” said McNeal, who also serves as Senior Vice President of Creative Talent Development & Inclusion, Disney Television Studios. “It also showcases the exciting possibilities that present themselves when HRTS members come together for conversation and collaboration.”
“We are honored that Easterseals Disability Services selected our event to share these important findings and resource—one that was more than a year in the making,” said Madden, who also serves as Head of Global Entertainment for Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. “And we are so grateful to member company Amazon MGM Studios for welcoming the industry to their space as our host sponsor.”
“The powerful combination of convening our community around new information that helps move our industry forward is a hallmark of the HRTS organization,” said Grego. “We look forward to modeling additional new, high-impact collaborations on this special partnership.”
Easterseals Disability Services’ new report builds on the organization’s 2018 award-winning special report with Variety, “Abilities Unlimited: How People with Disabilities are Helping Hollywood Win.” www.variety.com/disability
Produced alongside some of the most talented disabled actors, writers, directors, producers, influencers and advocates, this newly updated edition will feature wisdom from industry leaders, offers tangible resources and success stories, makes the business case for how to reach this global billion-person market, and covers what’s working and what needs to change.
Attendees of the event will receive valuable resources and HRTS will make the full report available digitally upon its official release. The workshop is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, from 11:45 am to 2 pm Pacific Time. HRTS Corporate Member benefits apply, and individual member tickets are available at hrts.org.
About HRTS
Led by a Board of Directors comprising TV and entertainment’s most distinguished leaders, Hollywood Radio & Television Society is the premier networking, education and mentorship association in the industry. Our membership community includes 50+ Corporate Members and 2100+ individual members, representing the top companies across the landscape. We build on HRTS’ rich, 75-year tradition of providing an unparalleled forum for conversation and community through events, our best-in-class mentorship program and other initiatives for professionals at all career stages — from student to C-suite — in Los Angeles, NYC and around the world.
Press Contact:
Joe Schlosser / Schlosser Communications
joe@schlossercommunications.com