Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1280987
and Hudson Yang; broadcaster Juju Chang and casting director Leslie Woo. Both panels gave eye-opening, firsthand accounts of these guests' experiences with microaggressions and stereotypes, and the ways performers are working toward change by building up their communities and opening the door for other diverse voices throughout the industry. "You needn't walk in our shoes, just listen and hear our journeys. The SAG-AFTRA Race & Storytelling panels have allowed us to share what we've been dealing with all our lives," said Kusatsu. "The rainbow isn't monochromatic but living color and, at times, we find ourselves excluded." "In a moment like this, where we have real, unique and historic disruption happening in the streets, we also have members who want us to be involved in [those discussions]. It is important that we do those things with excellence and that we move those things forward," said White. As 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the PTEOE hosted a timely Performers with Disabilities: Inclusion, Authenticity & Allyship livestream on July 28. Secretary-Treasurer Camryn Manheim, who is fluent in American Sign Language, moderated the panel, which included SAG-AFTRA Performers with Disabilities Chair Anita Hollander, New York Local Board member and New York Local Performers with Disabilities Committee Chair Christine Bruno, SAG-AFTRA members Ryan J. Haddad, Nic Novicki, Lauren Ridloff and Marilee Talkington, and Casting Society of America President Russell Boast. The discussion centered on the experiences of disabled performers both on and off set, as well as continued efforts to give performers with disabilities more opportunities to accurately portray themselves and their experiences on camera. "Disabled [performers] are often not allowed to play ourselves because disability is often seen in the industry as a technical skill or a bag of tricks … [and] many fellow actors get awarded for their performances," said Bruno, "but we're here to tell you that disability is not a technical skill. It's a lived experience." Since its start in 2015, the PTEOE has facilitated conversations and worked to ensure members have access to activities that help them manage and enhance their careers. Members of the task force are SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, chair; EVP Damon; Los Angeles Local Board member Ellen Crawford; Chicago Local Board member Catherine Brown; Vice President, Recording Artists/ Singers, Dan Navarro; Vice President, Mid-Sized Locals Michele Proude; National Board members Yvette Nicole Brown, Abby Dylan, Nick Fondulis and Joseph Melendez; Whitehair; New York Local Board member Jamal Story; and member Amy Lange. Continue to be on the lookout for details for upcoming PTEOE livestreams, and check out youtube.com/sagaftra to watch previous recordings. PTEOE Continues from page 20