About - 1IN4

About 1IN4 Coalition

1IN4 is an intersectional coalition of disabled creatives currently working in Hollywood focused on long-term institutional shifts to increase employment and authentic representation of disabled people. Now is the time – to employ disabled people, to tell authentic stories, and to ignite change for the 1.85 billion disabled people around the world.

The co-founders of the 1IN4 include:

Eryn Brown is a talent manager who has helped nurture and build the careers of acclaimed writers, directors and actors from around the world. As demonstrated through her clients’ work and her social activism, Eryn believes in the power of positive cultural change through art.

Sara Fischer is the head of Production at Shonda Rhimes’ production company Shondaland.

Elaine Hall is the founder of The Miracle Project, a groundbreaking, award-winning inclusive theatre, film and expressive arts program, profiled in the Emmy-winning HBO documentary, AUTISM: The Musical. During her career as a top acting coach in LA, her son was discovered to be severely autistic. After multiple meetings with doctors yielding no progress, she decided to enter his autistic world rather than trying to “fix” it. She allowed herself to be curious, rather than judgmental, and as a result, she and Neal began to connect. As a media personality and world-renowned keynote speaker, Elaine gives audiences the ability to change their mindset, break through obstacles, and celebrate uniqueness.

David Kurs is the artistic director of Deaf West, a theatre in Los Angeles founded in 1991 by deaf actors and bridging the deaf and hearing worlds through vibrant theatre incorporating ASL, speaking and movement. He has staged innumerable productions including some that have gone on to wild acclaim regionally and on Broadway. A graduate of Gallaudet, David has worked as a writer and a producer of documentary, commercial and theatrical projects.

Andraéa LaVant is founder and president of LaVant Consulting, Inc. (LCI), a social impact communications firm that offers cutting-edge corporate development and content marketing for brands and nonprofits. LCI’s specialty is helping brands “speak disability with confidence.” As a communications consultant and inclusion specialist, Andraéa has over a decade of experience working with programs that support youth and adults with disabilities and other underserved populations. Her professional roles and personal advocacy have presented her with a variety of notable opportunities to share messages and prompt change for people with disabilities across the globe. She currently serves as the impact producer for Netflix’s feature-length documentary, Crip Camp, where she is charged with leading the campaign’s efforts to promote understanding of disability as a social justice issue and build across lines of difference. Andraéa is a strong advocate for exploring disability from an intersectional lens and offers a unique perspective on the initiatives that she supports.

Jim LeBrecht is the co-director and co-producer of Crip Camp. He has over 35 years of experience as a film and theater sound designer and mixer, author and disability rights activist. Jim began his career in theater, working as the resident sound designer at the Berkeley Repertory Theater for 10 years. His film credits include The Island President, The Waiting Room, The Kill Team and Audry and Daisy. A complete list of his film credits (over 180) can be viewed at IMDB. Jim co-authored Sound and Music for the Theater: the art and technique of design. Now in its 4th edition, the book is used as a textbook all over the world. Jim’s work as an activist began in high school and continued at UC, San Diego, where he helped found the Disabled Students Union. Jim is currently a board member of the Disability Education and Defense Fund, which works for the rights of the disabled through education, legislation, and litigation.

Stephen Letnes has composed music for over 130 feature films, documentaries, and short films, including the 2019 Emmy-nominated and Academy Award-qualifying documentary film “Beneath the Ink”. Stephen also founded – and is the Executive Director of – Able Artist Foundation. AAF supports artists with disabilities in over 17 countries with programs that empower artists who are looking to develop careers in the entertainment industry. Stephen is visually-impaired (RP) and advocates for further inclusion of people with disabilities in the Film/TV industry.

Ryan O’Connell is a writer, producer, and actor. He made Special on Netflix (Season Two is now live!), which was nominated for a couple of Emmy’s and is about to premiere its second season. He’s determined to push disabled stories to the forefront and make sure actual disabled people are given the keys to tell those stories.

Natasha Ofili is known for her acting work, including Netflix’s The Politician (Ryan Murphy), Amazon’s Undone (Deaf Teacher; first Black Deaf animated character), playing the first Black deaf video game character, Hailey Cooper, in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Spider-Man 2 video games, and Saturday Night Live with Coldplay. She is a staff writer on the Starz/Warner Brothers “Untitled Show,” produced by Ava DuVernay’s company, Array, featuring Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson. Under Natasha’s production company, NIOVISION, she has written, produced, directed, and acted in her award-winning short film, The Multi. She wrote an original play, The Window (theater), that was workshopped by WACO Theater and Deaf West Theater. natashaofili.com | IG @Natasha_Ofili

Kaitlyn Yang is the CEO of Alpha Studios, and a visual effects artist turned supervisor for the last 14 years. She is also a list maker for Forbes 30 Under 30 for Hollywood. As a Chinese American immigrant woman, and a wheelchair user, she believes that more overlooked talents can be found at the intersection of disability and all other diverse populations.

Staff of the 1IN4 include:

Dr. Grishma Shah is a South Asian visual artist/storyteller, producer and Entertainment Psychologist based in Chicago. With the belief that art can be transformative, Grishma founded her company LaGrish to reframe cultural messaging on disability+ stories in entertainment. Through LaGrish, Grishma supports filmmakers, film festivals and organizations in Hollywood at various stages of content creation. When Grishma isn’t consulting, she is painting up a storm for an upcoming art exhibit or facilitating a workshop at academic institutions like Northwestern University and Harvard University. To access her audio PhD dissertation exploring gender, skin tone, caste, religion and disability in South Asian “Desi” culture, visit www.lagrish.com.

Violet is a Canadian producer/director , disability advocate, and social media manager. Over the last few years, she’s focused on sharing disability-led stories and uplifting disabled voices through her filmmaking and advocacy work. She recently completed a short portrait piece on Academy Award nominee Graham Greene for Canada’s Walk of Fame and NBCUniversal and is currently in the midst of associate producing her first broadcast series.

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