The 2025 Virtual Entertainment Lab is a five-month program to empower disabled creatives in development, production, post-production, and roles such as writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, animators, and more. Hosted by Disability Belongs™, the Lab offers an opportunity for participants to sharpen their skills, build connections, and advance their careers in the entertainment industry. 

Running from May to September 2025, the Lab will bring together up to 20 Fellows for weekly sessions every Tuesday afternoon. Between sessions, Fellows will have time to apply what they learn through hands-on practice. Optional Thursday sessions will cover specialized topics tailored to smaller groups of Fellows. 

Disability Belongs™ ensures accessibility by providing ASL interpreters and captioning for all events and welcomes additional accommodation requests. For questions about the Entertainment Lab, please contact Isabella Vargas at Lab@DisabilityBelongs.org or 323-607-0039. 

As a Fellow, you will gain: 

- Exclusive Industry Access: Participate in interactive presentations, roundtables, and workshops with high-level executives and talent from major studios, networks, and production companies. 

- Valuable Networking Opportunities: Build lasting connections with your cohort and alumni from previous cohorts. 

- Creative Project Support: Option to pursue an independent creative project such as a script or short film, and receive feedback through guidance, project workshops, and table reads. 

The Disability Belongs™ Entertainment Lab aims to transform the entertainment industry by fostering inclusion and elevating the voices of disabled creatives. Since its inception in 2019, the Lab has pursued key goals that drive its mission:  

1. Build a Thriving Community of Disabled Creatives 

The Lab seeks to cultivate a collaborative network of disabled entertainment professionals across television, film, and streaming. By empowering Fellows to connect, share knowledge, and uplift one another, the program builds a strong foundation of support for creatives pursuing careers as writers, directors, producers, and more. 

2. Break Down Barriers to Employment 

By connecting disabled creatives with industry leaders, the Lab opens doors to historically inaccessible opportunities. Through guidance and direct connections to studio executives, producers, and decision-makers, the program ensures that talented disabled professionals are recognized, supported, and hired. Alumni have secured positions at Disney, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and more. 

3. Eliminate Excuses and Advocate for Representation 

The Lab challenges the misconception that talented disabled creatives are hard to find. By spotlighting alumni who have secured roles at top studios, the Lab demonstrates how hiring disabled professionals spurs greater innovation and representation in the entertainment industry.