93. Advocating for Accessibility with Jenna Bainbridge - Empowered Artist Collective Podcast

What steps can we take toward a more anti-ableist approach in theater, where disability inclusion is standard, not exceptional? Jennifer talks to Jenna Bainbridge – actor, disability rights activist, and co-founder of ConsultAbility, a consulting company focused on creating safe and inclusive environments for all disabled theater artists. Jenna shares her journey as an ambulatory wheelchair user, from her early years navigating ableist barriers to her current role on Broadway in Suffs - which shes incredible in and you only have until jan 5th to check out. She gives powerful insights on fostering environments where disability is embraced and access is seen as essential to creating truly inclusive experiences for everyone. Together they discuss the importance of proactive communication about access needs, what small but impactful changes organizations and individuals can make, ways to shift cultural attitudes to foster conversations about disability, and practical tools for implementing simple solutions. Learn how we can each play a role in building a more accessible, anti-ableist future in the arts.

About Jenna: Jenna Bainbridge (she/her) is an actor, singer, and disability rights advocate based in New York. At 16 months old, Jenna broke her spine and became partially paralyzed from the waist down. She navigates the world now as an ambulatory wheelchair user. In 2024 she became the first wheelchair user to perform in a New Musical on Broadway when she made her debut in Suffs which won the 2024 Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Music. She can also be seen in NBC’s Found and you can hear her narrate the audio books for Marieke Nijkamp’s Unbroken and Alice Wong’s Disability Intimacy.In addition to performing, Jenna is also the Co-founder of ConsultAbility, a consulting firm whose mission is to work with theatrical institutions and educational programs to create more accessible spaces and inclusive programming for disabled artists, bridging the gap between what is desired and what is required when working with disabled artists in the theatrical world.

Jenna’s IG: @bainbridgejenna

Jenna’s Website: https://www.jennabainbridge.com/

Tickets for Suffs: https://suffsmusical.com/tickets

ConsultAbility: https://www.consultability.org/

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