Andrea Ambam is a Brooklyn-based artist, actress, and playwright, whose roots sprout from Cameroon. As a politically engaged storyteller who believes in the arts' potential for movement building and transformative justice, Andrea best intersects spaces where community, performance, and truth-telling pulsate. Currently, Andrea is an Artistic Fellow at Signature Theatre, a Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX) Artist-In-Residence, and a PenAmerica Writing As Activism Fellow. As a performer, writer, and facilitator, she’s worked with Broadway Advocacy Coalition, Classical Theatre of Harlem/Playbill, gal-dem, Abrons Arts Center, NYU Prison Education Program, Artists’ Literacies Institute, Centre for Social Innovation, and others. Andrea has a master’s degree in Art & Public Policy from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Imani Russell (they/them) is a queer and disabled Black+Boricua multi-hyphenate artist from Crown Heights (unceded Lenape land). Trained in classical music, musical theatre, and acting, Imani made their Broadway debut in How to Dance in Ohio. Imani has also performed off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (EFF), and is an emerging voice actor. In addition, they write music under the name NANí and will be releasing their debut album this spring. Imani believes in art as an act of love, community, and resistance. Selected credits: THE CIVILITY OF ALBERT CASHIER [The Players Theatre]; MAMMELEPHANT [Superhero Clubhouse]; SYZYGY, OR THE CEASING OF THE SUN [Two River Theater]; ABOVE THE NOISE [Dixon Place]; LEGALLY BLONDE [EFF]. For more info: www.imanirussell.com | @imanithecowboy

Jezz Chung is a writer, artist, and public speaker who studies change, movement, and performance. Their autistic, disabled, queer, Korean American experiences shape their work and their commitment to building safer, freer futures. Jezz has lived in Georgia, Texas, and California, and is now based in Brooklyn, New York. Their debut book comes out March 19, 2024, titled This Way to Change. You can listen to Dreaming Different, their podcast about building a neurodivergent future, follow their journey @jezzchung, and read about the worlds they're building at jezzchung.substack.com. If you are curious about what it means to be autistic, check out their resource guide at bit.ly/autisticguide.

Amy Gravino is an autism sexuality advocate and Relationship Coach in the Center for Adult Autism Services at Rutgers University, and the President of A.S.C.O.T Consulting. Amy is an international speaker who has given a TED talk on autism and sexuality, spoken twice at the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day, and presented to audiences worldwide. Amy currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Yes She Can, Inc. and the Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City, as well as the Scientific Advisory Board of Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research (SPARK). She has appeared in
the film version of the New York Times bestselling book In A Different Key, which premiered on PBS in December 2022. Amy is an award-winning writer who has co-authored a chapter on autism and sexuality in the Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and she is currently writing her first book, The Naughty Autie, about her experiences with dating as an autistic woman. Visit www.amygravino.com to learn more.

ARE YOU A GOOD DANCE PARTNER? ON DISABILITY ALLYSHIP

How To Dance in Ohio, the highly-anticipated new Broadway musical, follows the coming-of-age journey of seven autistic young adults preparing for a spring formal dance — better known as a young person’s right of passage into love, stress, and independence. Inspired by the events and themes within the heart-filled new musical How To Dance in Ohio, join Dr. Emilio Amigo, HTDIO Composer Jacob Yandura, Autistic Advocate, Educator, Author, and Social Justice Activist Lauren Melissa Ellzey, and HTDIO Casting Director Micah Johnson-Levy for an invigorating conversation unpacking the role of action-filled allyship in disability justice and displaying how a world that meets the needs of disabled people, meets the needs of us all.

STORY & PROCESS: ON CREATING A DISABILITY INCLUSIVE WORLD

How To Dance in Ohio, the highly-anticipated new Broadway musical, follows the coming-of-age journey of seven autistic young adults preparing for a spring formal dance — better known as a young person’s right of passage into love, stress, and independence. Inspired by the events and themes within the heart-filled new musical How To Dance in Ohio, join Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt, Becky Leifman, Nicole D'Angelo, and Rebekah Greer Melocik for an insightful conversation exploring the role of entertainment in creating abundant and accessible futures for disabled folks. Plus, an exclusive creative spotlight into the How To Dance in Ohio book writing process and a deep dive into the making of “Unlikely Animals” from book writer and lyricist, Rebekah Greer Melocik.

Special Thanks To Our Venue Partner

Brave Storytelling

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Courageous Conversations

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Enduring Impact

WITH

ANDREA Ambam

Amy Gravino

IMANI RUSSELL

JEZZ CHUNG

Madison Kopec

ARE YOU A GOOD DANCE PARTNER? ON DISABILITY ALLYSHIP

STORY & PROCESS: ON CREATING A DISABILITY INCLUSIVE WORLD

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Special thanks to our venue partner