Saturday, March 6th 

Eastern Time, ET                10:00 am

London, United Kingdom    3:00 pm

Central Time, CT                 9:00 am

EDI Committee is excited to introduce to you all our brilliant and dedicated panelists that will share inside perspectives why Accessibility is Essential to provide equal access and opportunity. We will incite and challenge one another all to see the full aspectuality of the subject, whilst always holding on to its focus and center.

Join us on the path to achieving, maintaining, and providing the best INCLUSIVE teaching and learning for those with visual, auditory, physical, cognitive, learning, and neurological disabilities! 

The panel, moderated by Junior Board Member Sammi Grant, will include:

Panelists:

MARILEE TALKINGTON is a professional actor, writer, director, filmmaker, endurance and performance artist, activity and thought leader in the Disability Justice and Arts movement and is the Founder and Executive Director of Access Acting Academy.

JENNY SEALEY is a Graeae’s Artistic Director, who has pioneered a new theatrical language and aesthetics of artistic access experimenting with bilingual BSL and English, prerecorded BSL, creative captioning, in ear/ live audio description methods.

BRIAN BALCOM is a disabled Asian-American director, working in Chicago and Minneapolis who specializes in contemporary, muscular, relationship-driven plays. 

Nothing is more wonderful or more to be celebrated than something that will unlock a person’s capacities and allow her/him/they to grown and think. Like Sammi says, “Nothing says Love like Accessibility!”

The panel will include breakout sessions where members will have an opportunity to delve deeper into the topics and contribute to the redrafting of VASTA's EDI statement. Come with your open-mindedness and compassion. 

A Zoom link and password will be emailed 24 hours before the event. To respect that conversations about accessibility, oppression and more can be sensitive, this event will not be recorded.

This event is open to anyone with an active VASTA membership.

[Image description: A image-announcement flyer with gradient background of light grey, peach and sea greens colors. Turquoise and Navy Blue font. Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA) Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility panel. A conversation moderated by Sammi Grant featuring headshot of Marilee Talkington, Brian Balcom, and Jenny Sealy. March 6th at 9 am CT / 10 am ET / 2 pm UTC / 10 pm SST. Members only. Join VASTA today to receive the link invitation!]