Inevitable Foundation, Loreen Arbus Launch Professional Development Grants for Disabled Women and Nonbinary Screenwriters

Loreen Arbus and Inevitable Foundation Logo COURTESY OF LOREEN ARBUS; COURTESY OF INEVITABLE FOUNDATION, THE LOREEN ARBUS FOUNDATION

The Elevate Collective Awards will bestow four recipients with $8,000 along with mentorship, coaching and connections to advance their careers.

By Abbey White

The Loreen Arbus Foundation and Inevitable Foundation have teamed on a new series of professional development grants aimed at supporting disabled women and nonbinary screenwriters.

The Inevitable Foundation x Loreen Arbus Foundation Elevate Collective Awards will bestow four recipients with an $8,000 grant along with mentorship, coaching and connections to advance their careers.

“As someone who is a lifelong advocate for the rights of and opportunities for people with disabilities, I couldn’t be more excited to join forces with Inevitable Foundation to invest in writers and filmmakers with disabilities. Together, we can provide them with the resources and support they need to not only succeed but thrive in this industry,” Arbus said in a statement. “The stories and perspectives of disabled creatives are essential and deserve to be heard. Our collaboration will help provide job placement, professional development, funding, and mentorship to this community, giving them the tools to build fulfilling and impactful careers.”

Arbus, an Emmy-nominated writer, producer, author and disability rights activist, was the first woman to serve as the head programming for Showtime and Cable Health Network/Lifetime, and currently serves as the president of The Loreen Arbus Foundation and Loreen Arbus Productions Inc. The Elevate Collective Awards are just the latest in a series of funds and scholarships Arbus has founded or co-created to increase social consciousness around her philanthropic interests, including the employment and representation of people with disabilities in media.

The awards, for which applications are already open, are part of Inevitable Foundation‘s larger Elevate Collective program, which has already supported a handful of creatives, including Zayre Ferrer (Our Flag Means Death), Brett Maline (Loki), Marc Muszynski (Dexter: New Blood), and Keisha Zollar (Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show).

“We are thrilled to partner with The Loreen Arbus Foundation, who share our unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of disabled creatives,” said Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska, co-founders of the nonprofit that invests in disabled creatives’ artistic and financial freedom. “Loreen has an incredible track record of supporting disabled creatives and upholding our shared belief that they have unique perspectives and experiences that contribute to the diversity and richness of storytelling.”