Easterseals hosted “Abilities Unlimited: The Real ‘D’ in Diversity,” at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, January 26, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. MST. The panel called attention to the need for persons with disabilities to be included in diversity and inclusion conversations within the film industry. Additionally, Easterseals worked with Sundance Institute as the go-to resource for filmmakers and actors with disabilities, helping to make the annual Festival more inclusive and accessible.

The panel united actors with disabilities and decision makers from their recent films to discuss the process, challenges and takeaways from the experience. The panel included Alice Austen (writer/producer, Give Me Liberty), Lolo Spencer (actor, Give Me Liberty), Millicent Simmonds (actor, A Quiet Place) and Maribeth Fox (casting director, A Quiet Place), and was moderated by Smita Pillai, chief diversity and inclusion officer of Dow Jones.