WXXI LIVE FORUM: The Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities

WXXI explores the unique challenges people living with disabilities have faced as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. 

WXXI hosts its third live, televised forum covering issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This edition explores the unique challenges the coronavirus outbreak has posed to people living with disabilities. WXXI LIVE FORUM: The Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities airs Thursday, July 23 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV and simulcast on AM 1370. It will also stream on WXXINews.org and @WXXINews on Facebook Live.  

In this forum hosted by Evan Dawson of WXXI News’ Connections,  local people with disabilities discuss how disparities they face in health care and society have been exacerbated by the pandemic They also explore how they expect issues related to access and inclusion to change after the pandemic ends. Panelists include:

• James Branciforte, president and CEO of Lifetime Assistance Inc
• Jeiri Flores, disability advocate
• Jerri Lynn Sparks, a regional lead of the Finger Lakes chapter of the NY Alliance for Developmental Disabilities, human rights advocate, and loving mother of an adult son with autism who lives in a group home
• Malik Paris, RIT/NTID alumnus, and Deaf actor and artist
• Stephanie Woodward, J.D., disability rights advocate with Disability Details

Community members will have the opportunity to ask industry leaders questions during the broadcast. Viewers can also submit questions in advance by calling 585-209-3180 or posting them on Twitter/Facebook, tagging @WXXINews. Questions may also be emailed to: forum@wxxi.org. 

WXXI LIVE FORUM: The Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities will be recorded and will repeat WXXI-WORLD (DT21.2/cable 1275) on Friday, July 24th at 10am, Monday, July 27th at 8pm, and Wednesday, July 29th at 9am, and on WXXI-TV on Saturday, July 25th 4pm, Monday, July 27th at 2:30am, and Wednesday, July 29th at 9am.  Viewers can also find the recorded broadcast at WXXINews.org. 

This program is part of Move to Include, a partnership between WXXI and the Golisano Foundation designed to promote inclusion for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. This Move to Include model expands nationally this year to five additional communities with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. To learn more about the national efforts, visit movetoinclude.us.

WXXI LIVE FORUM: The Impact of COVID-19 is made possible with support from the Golisano Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Greater Rochester Health Foundation.