Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, who has dyslexia and ADHD, knows that it can be harder to get ahead with a disability. She founded the non-profit RespectAbility in 2013 to combat discriminatory practices and widespread stigmas. During her tenure as the President and CEO of the organization which she left in 2021, Mizrahi led efforts to diversify the entertainment industry, empower leadership, and expand employment and educational opportunities for people with disabilities.  

“RespectAbility fundamentally is about the opportunity agenda. We know that people with disabilities—and the people who love them—want opportunities for education, skills, jobs, independence and a better future,” said Mizrahi an event celebrating the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 2017. Mizrahi has worked tirelessly to actualize these goals, meeting with White House officials to advance inclusive legislation and providing testimony in all 50 states and at the federal level.  

In 2016, Mizrahi and RespectAbility produced a white paper that examined the school-to-prison pipeline of people with disabilities. As Mizrahi stated in a feature on PBS NewsHour, “If you are doubly disadvantaged, if you have multiple minority status, the school-to-prison pipeline is almost a direct ticket.”  

Mizrahi believes that much of the discrimination that people with disabilities face is the result of stigmatization that assumes their inability to advance in society. In an article for The Times of Israel, Mizrahi stated that “...low expectations and misconceptions are critical barriers to employment for people with disabilities.” Through RespectAbility, Mizrahi sought to combat these stigmas by promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in faith-based communities, the workforce, and the entertainment industry. “Stigma reduction,” says Mizrahi, “should be a part of our tikkun olam strategy to enable people with disabilities to have jobs, self-employment and to start their own businesses.”  

Through RespectAbility, Mizrahi has fought for inclusive practices within faith-based communities, such as Jewish congregations and organizations. RespectAbility has released accessible toolkits that advocate for inclusion through the lens of shared Jewish values. Providing guidance on fostering inclusion in settings ranging from Bar and Bat Mitzvahs to camp, RespectAbility has impacted the Jewish community through an effort to identify and combat areas that could undermine Jewish values of acceptance.   

SOURCES:

Appelbaum, Lauren. “Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi Announces Transition from RespectAbility; Search for New CEO Begins.” Respectability.org, December 2, 2021. https://www.respectability.org/2021/12/jennifer-laszlo-mizrahi-announces-transition/ 

“Faith Inclusion and Belonging.” Respectability.org, Accessed February 13, 2023. https://www.respectability.org/faith-inclusion/  

Laszlo Mizrahi, Jennifer. “Hollywood Ableism & The Crown of a Good Name.” Times of Israel, June 6, 2016.  

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/hollywood-ableism-the-crown-of-a-good-name/ 

PBS News Hour. “Prisoners with disabilities lack ‘scaffolding for success.’” Pbs.org, June 21, 2016. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/prisoners-with-disabilities-lack-scaffolding-for-success  

Robinson, Gerard. “The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Declaration of Independence.” Aei.org, August 4, 2 2017. https://www.aei.org/society-and-culture/the-americans-with-disabilities-act-and-the-declaration-of-independence/