Presented in partnership with ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York

Since launching the disability satire publication, The Squeaky Wheel, Steven Verdile has joined numerous podcasts and interviews (with Emily Ladeau, Forbes and others) on the intersection of disability and humor. Joined by other disabled humorists from The Squeaky Wheel, the panel will cover topics including the importance of on-screen representation, and why comedy is such a powerful tool in combatting ableism.

This one-hour virtual event in Zoom webinar format will include ASL interpretation and live captioning.

The event is free but registration is required. Please fill out this form or contact [email protected] or 212-875-5375 to register or with any questions about the event.

PANELISTS

Julia Lee Harter is a Texas based neurodivergent and chronically ill writer, journalist and lover of all things cozy. She’s currently working on a young adult romance novel about loving a body that doesn’t always love you back.

Leslie Moon has Chronic Pain Syndrome and ME/CFS, but somehow is still a comedy writer, video producer and script editor, who’s acted on stage and directed for film. When asked how he has the energy, he says “I don’t.”

Alexia Kemerling is a Hard of Hearing writer from Ohio. She pretends to be good at lip reading, but is actually just an expert at bullsh*tting. She is a strong advocate for disability rights and for eating breakfast foods at all hours of the day.

Nate Woogen is standup comedian and improviser from Chicago. He lives with mild ataxic cerebral palsy and is a graduate of the the Second City Writing Program. He loves wordplay, horror movies, musicals and operas.

Angela Woon works in communications and graphic design for healthcare organizations, and is currently a Squeaky Wheel contributor. Originally from Malaysia, she went to school in Iowa, and currently splits her time between San Francisco, CA, and Port Angeles, WA. She has Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease, and uses her disability to ignore people she doesn't like.

ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York
April 27-May 3
Celebrating Disability through Film

ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York is the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. The weeklong festival is renowned for its wide-ranging international film selection, riveting conversations, and performances, presented annually across the New York metropolitan area.

For full festival information, visit: ReelAbilities.org/newyork