One in four Americans has a disability, yet only 3.1% of characters in the media do. Dialogue on Disability, WXXI’s annual initiative with Al Sigl Community of Agencies, aims to change that by showcasing stories of people with disabilities and sparking conversations about inclusion.
Since 2003 WXXI and the Al Sigl Community of Agencies have worked together to help break the ingrained stereotypes about individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities with its week-long initiative, Dialogue on Disability. Held every January, the initiative is designed to stimulate community dialogue about the perspectives and abilities of people with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities.
Throughout the week, WXXI presents kids programming and primetime specials on WXXI-TV and WXXI-WORLD (and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps), special reports from WXXI’s news team and the Inclusion Desk, and community conversations on Connections with Evan Dawson. New this year is the launch of the Move to Include podcast, a six-episode audio and video podcast that puts the voices of people with disabilities at the center of the conversation about inclusion. Click here to learn more about about the podcast and hear the trailer.
In an effort to continue its commitment to motivate individuals to take action and to include more people with disabilities in the workplace, in schools, neighborhoods, and in all aspects of society, WXXI has partnered with the Golisano Foundation in a multi-year initiative called Move to Include™.
Dialogue on Disability is a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies – in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series. Dialogue on Disability is supported by the Fred L. Emerson Foundation with additional support from The Golisano Foundation.