The Abilities Expo is a free, fun-filled Expo designed for people of all ages and ability challenges which is held in eight cities in North America. Introduces numerous innovative products, activities, workshops, assistive devices, therapy animals, sports, dance, cosplay to the disabled community, their friends and families in the United States and Canada.
Vanessa Harris, PE talks about how she founded fun4 the disabled, a website that presents events, resources, activities, people, places, organizations and products to make life enjoyable for people with ability challenges, friends and their families.
The Abilities Expo is a free, fun-filled Expo designed for people of all ages and ability challenges which is held in eight cities in North America. Introduces numerous innovative products, activities, workshops, assistive devices, therapy animals, sports, dance, cosplay to the disabled community, their friends and families in the United States and Canada.
CAN-TV is showing the interview of mixed media artist Anna Kunz during the exhibition of her work, COLOR CAST produced by fun4thedisabled. This exhibit was shown at the Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL in 2018. Kunz' 15th exhibit was designed for a diverse audience to include people with disabilities, as well as able-bodied persons. […]
The city of Chicago will be holding listening sessions to obtain feedback from Chicago residents about with disabilities about their experiences at cultural events in the city. The city wishes to get feedback about cultural events at venues such as museums, theatres, music venues, art galleries, festivals and movie theatres. These input sessions will be […]
Accessible Yoga is available to people of all abilities. The benefits of Accessible Yoga and Meditative practices can reduce stress in our modern lives and can provide a peaceful relief to our modern life. This video is being shown in Chicagoland on Channel 19, 21 AND 27!
Vanessa Harris, P.E. founder of fun4thedisabled will be celebrating International Day of People with Disabilities with Art "Chat Daddy" Sims on Real Talk, Real People. […]
Chicagoland's Chicago Access Network, Channel 19, will be presenting "My Car Purchase Odyssey-How to Buy A Car if You're Disabled" Tonight!
Vanessa A Harris was the guest on Chat Daddy's "Real Talk Real People Talk Show" during Disability Awareness Month.
The Strategy for ACCESS Fight Song was written by Vanessa Harris of Strategy for Access NFP and fun4thedisabled. The song was recorded and made into a puppet video by Mike B, Broadcastking of Los Angeles! Watch it here! Chicago Access Television Network Channel 19
The Strategy for ACCESS Fight Song was written by Vanessa Harris of Strategy for Access NFP and fun4thedisabled. The song was recorded and made into a puppet video by Mike B, Broadcastking of Los Angeles! Watch it here! Chicago Access Television Network Channel 19
Comedienne and Disability Advocate Cherise Johnson, featured on CAN-TV (fun4thedisableds conversations) will be doing STANDUP at COMEDYSPORT TONIGHT!
Thursday, January 23rd, 2020 3:00PM-5:00PM Chicago History Museum, Morse Genius Chicago Room 1601 N. Clark Street, Chicago IL 60614 Registration required FREE, $5 suggested donation at the door New Year Access Resolutions: As we head into the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, join us for an opportunity to make […]
UNITE4CRT'S mission is to provide an outlet for Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) Users to share their unique stories and educate through personal experience. Help bridge the gap between perception and reality of living with a disability. We realize that the general population may not understand the unique needs of the individual CRT user. Attend the […]
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris talked to Nate Woogen, local Chicago comedian about his life as an entertainer and writer, and how he is able to entertain while dealing with the challenges of Mild Ataxic Cerebral Palsy. Included in the interview is a funny sketch Nate wrote for Second City. The broadcast is being shown on CAN […]
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris has a conversation with Cherise Johnson who is a standup comic and improv artist. They discuss Cherise's life as a performer and how she adjusts while having two invisible disabilities: Cherise has a disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); she also talks about her experience suffering from depression and anxiety. The broadcast […]
ASL Interpreted Performance. When Sasha is assigned to write a report on the Brooklyn Bridge, she ventures around her apartment, discovering the different sides of the people around her and the power of community. Purchase tickets by phone at 312-922-1999 or online at theatre.depaul.edu. Tickets are $5 with code ACCESS. “ASL Interpreted”
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris talks with Karen Tamley, former Commissioner of the Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and current CEO of Access Living talks about the upcoming 2020 census and how important it is that the disability community get counted. #YESWECOUNT This show is broadcast on Channel 19 on Chicago's CAN TV!
“How to Defend Yourself” circles around seven college students who gather for a DIY self-defense workshop after a sorority sister is raped. They learn how to “not be a victim”, […]
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris talks with Karen Tamly, former Commissioner of the Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and Current CEO of Access Living talks about the upcoming 2020 census and how important it is that the disability community get counted. #YESWECOUNT This show is broadcast on Channel 19 on Chicago's CAN TV!
Welcome to a world devoted to the absurd comedy of our endless, human errors! On Saturdays this winter, our cleverly abridged, 75-minute production will have audience members of all ages reeling with laughter. Antipholus and his lifelong servant Dromio find themselves in Ephesus as they search the world over for their twins, lost in infancy. […]
The Ralstons’ house becomes lethal when four guests are snowed in amidst reports of a woman’s murder. Agatha Christie’s craft for building skillful twists and shocking turns is on full display in this famed mystery which reinforces the genre as a pillar of classic drama. The Mousetrap is revived in an exuberant staging by Sean […]
“How to Defend Yourself” circles around seven college students who gather for a DIY self-defense workshop after a sorority sister is raped. They learn how to “not be a victim”, how to use their bodies as weapons, how to fend off attackers. The form of self-defense becomes a channel for their rage, trauma, confusion, anxiety, […]
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (773) 753-4472 or online with coupon code CCAC1920 Disclaimer: $5 off Regular single ticket price only available on tickets toAudio Described and Open Captioned performances during Court Theatre's 2019/20 Season. Cannot combine with other discounts or apply to previous purchases. Not available on special events. […]
Touch Tour begins at 12:00pm. Show begins at 2:00pm. Madama Butterfly By Giacomo Puccini Language - Sung in Italian with projected English translations Running Time - 2 hours, 55 minutes with 1 intermission An enchanting geisha, Cio-Cio-San, loses her heart to an American naval lieutenant and marries him. After he leaves Japan, she waits three […]
THE GULF Written by Audrey Cefaly, Directed by AFT Artistic Director Megan Carney On a muggy summer evening somewhere down in the Alabama Delta, two women troll the flats looking for redfish and questioning where their relationship will go next. As passions and tensions flare, the couple must confront what it takes to overcome the […]
The Morton Arboretum is hosting Enchanted Railroad Sensory Friendly Times, a sensory-friendly hour to experience the annual model railroad display on select Tuesday and Sunday evenings during the Enchanted Railroad Exhibit (January - February). Since some people may be overstimulated by the sights and sounds of the Enchanted Railroad, special times have been created to […]
When the Congress of Racial Equality comes to New Orleans in the sweltering summer of 1961, Sylvie Davenport is torn. Handed a pamphlet and asked to board a Greyhound bus, Sylvie is forced to choose between her academic future and the future of the nation in a story that highlights how far we’ve come and […]
Touch Tour and Audio Description (touch tour starts at 12:30pm, performance starts at 2pm) Conceived in a pizza parlor and argued in the highest court in the land, 1973’s Roe v. Wade legalized abortion—and is hotly debated still today. The complex young women behind the trial—attorney Sarah Weddington and plaintiff Norma McCorvey (“Jane Roe”)—embark upon […]
The House Theatre of Chicago will offer a Relaxed/Sensory-Friendly performance of our new musical, "Verboten" on February 15th. This original production features punk-rock music and a multi-level story about family […]
Warning: the restrooms are not wheelchair accessible here.
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris talks with Karen Tamly, former Commissioner of the Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and Current CEO of Access Living talks about the upcoming 2020 census and how important it is that the disability community get counted. #YESWECOUNT This show is broadcast on Channel 21 on Chicago's CAN TV!
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris talks with Karen Tamly, former Commissioner of the Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and Current CEO of Access Living talks about the upcoming 2020 census and how important it is that the disability community get counted. #YESWECOUNT This show is broadcast on Channel 19 on Chicago's CAN TV!
#fun4thedisabled.com presents Mainstay Farms: Where Everybody Belongs on the Chicago Access Network Television Station--Channel 19!
Open Captioning. First Floor Theatre presents PLANO. First Floor Theater is happy to present an open captioned presentation of our show PLANO by Will Arbury as part of Steppenwolf's LookOut Series. Tonight, and later, and earlier, three sisters (no, not those ones) are stricken with a series of strange plagues. Isabel's got pains. Anne's got […]
Chicago Children's Museum, 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA map The Museum opens at 9:00 a.m. for Play for All events to individuals with disabilities and their families. During our Play for All events, we invite children disabilities and their families to experience CCM’s playful, multisensory exhibits for a special private hour inside the museum, […]
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, USA map Autism Friendly Performance, Sensory Friendly Performance, Relaxed Performance Shedd’s aquatic presentation offers guests an exciting introduction to Pacific white-sided dolphins, beluga whales and a changing lineup of other favorite animals! This experience is included with general admission. Reserve seat for the low sensory aquatic presentation […]
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris has a conversation with Cherise Johnson who is a standup comic and improv artist. They discuss Cherise's life as a performer and how she adjusts while having two invisible disabilities: Cherise has a disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); she also talks about her experience suffering from depression and anxiety. The broadcast […]
#fun4thedisabled's Vanessa Harris talked to Nate Woogen, local Chicago comedian about his life as an entertainer and writer, and how he is able to entertain while dealing with the challenges of Mild Ataxic Cerebral Palsy. Included in the interview is a funny sketch Nate wrote for Second City. The broadcast is being shown on CAN […]
This Audio Described performance will feature a Touch Tour pre-show program beginning at 6:30pm. Curtain is at 8:00pm. James Ijames’ New York Times Critic Pick play is a powerful and provocative reflection on recent events, illustrating the possibilities of collective transformation and radical acts of joy. Torn from the world they know without warning, Isa, […]
Theater Wit, 1229 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657, USA map Audio Description, Touch Tour. Now is the winter of discontent made glorious summer at Roseland High. Theater's most famous disabled character comes to Theater Wit like you've never seen him before—in the vicious, no-holds barred brutal politics of high school. Richard, picked on because of his […]
ASL Interpreted. Join us at the Art Institute of Chicago for the monthly American Sign Language Gallery Talk series. Generally held at 6pm every final Wednesday of the month, these interactive tours of works in the collection are presented in American Sign Language. This public program is offered primarily for the Deaf community. All visitors […]
Autism Friendly Performance, Sensory Friendly Performance, Relaxed Performance. TIMES MAY VARY; last presentation of the day. Shedd’s aquatic presentation offers guests an exciting introduction to Pacific white-sided dolphins, beluga whales and a changing lineup of other favorite animals! This experience is included with general admission. Reserve seat for the low sensory aquatic presentation onsite, day […]
Edlis Neeson Theater, MCA Chicago, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA map ASL Interpreted. Taking Naomi Rincón Gallardo’s fictional account of Mixtec activist Bety Cariño’s journey through the underworld, The Formaldehyde Trip, as a point of departure, join a panel of artists and scholars in a conversation about using fiction, fabulation, speculation, and radical histories […]
Please plan to join us for our next disability film conversation, in collaboration with Netflix's new groundbreaking disability documentary Crip Camp (streaming on Netflix now with audio description & captions). We'll host a panel discussion with three of the film's subjects, Judith Heumann, Corbett O'Toole and Dennis Billups, all of whom participated in the 1977 occupation of […]
Houston, We Have an Expo! Even better than Tex-Mex, the Houston Abilities Expo brings you out-of-this-world opportunities. It could be the products and tech. It could be the chance to play sled hockey or dance with Auti Angel. It could be the workshops or connections you make with others in the disability community. It's free […]
#Fun4thedisabled and Children's Books4thedisabled present Julia Inserro's book, the Do Over Day on Chicago's Access Network Television Channel 19!! In this book, all of LAYLA's plans go astray. She wants to fix it with the do-over day. The video is closed-captioned and includes ASL interpretation.
Fun4thedisabled Presents Reveca Torres, power wheelchair user, and founder of Backbones on CAN TV, Channel 19. Reveca presents 5 tips on remaining balanced during the pandemic. The video is closed-captioned and includes ASL interpretation.
In "My Camel Wants To Be a Unicorn" by Julia Inserro and Tanja Varcelija, our narrator learns that her camel might want to turn into a different kind of animal. Let's see what she finds out. This read-along will be shown on CANTV Channel 19. The video is closed-captioned and ASL interpreted.
Vanessa Harris of fun4thedisabled discusses how mask usage affects people with sensory sensitivity with Susie Redfern of Milestones Magazine. This video is shown on Chicago's Access Network Television on Channel 19. The video is close-captioned and ASL-Interpreted.
Chicagoland's CAN-TV will broadcast There Once was a Camel written by Michelle Friedman and illustrated by Debbi ScherGeller. This read-along is for a book about a girl who is visited by a special camel named Milly, who has three humps, wears shoes, bakes, and even goes to the movies. It will be shown in Chicago […]
Chicagoland's CAN-TV will broadcast Piano Starts Here by Robert Andrew Parker. This read-along is for a book about the young Art Tatum discovers his passion for piano, and learns to see through music. It will be shown in Chicago on Channel 19
Chicagoland's CAN-TV will broadcast Jilly's Terrible Temper Tantrum written by Martha Heineman Piper, PhD and illustrated by Jo Gershman. This read-along is for a book about Jilly, who learns to control her emotions and not look so silly. It will be shown in Chicago on Channel 19.
Chicagoland's CAN-TV will broadcast Are They Really scary? written by Julia Inserro and illustrated by Tanja Varcelija. This read-along is about a girl who is scared of spiders, until one day, she gets to know a spider better... and wonders for herself: Are They Really Scary? It will be shown in Chicago on Channel 10
Chicagoland's CAN-TV will broadcast The Conversation written by Michelle Massie and illustrated by Stella Green. This read-along is for a book about a young wheelchair-user named Cole who has a grand adventure with his service dog, Ilia; and he finds out he and his dog and TALK! It will be shown in Chicago on Channel […]
Chicagoland's CAN-TV will broadcast Just Ask! written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. This read-along is for a book about a group of children with different disabilities, who come together to plant a beautiful garden. It will be shown in Chicago on Channel 19.
Two college students discuss how mask usage affects people who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. The conversation will be broadcast on Chicago Access Television Network Channel 19.
#Children's Books4thedisabled Presents:: Just Ask! This is a children's story of kids of all kinds of disabilities. The video is ASL-Interpreted and closed-captioned. The video will be shown on Chicago's Channel 19.
#Fun4thedisabled Presents:: The Hiccupotamus, a hippo with a ridiculous case of the hiccups! The video is ASL-Interpreted and closed-captioned. The video will be shown on Chicago's Channel 19.
#Fun4thedisabled Presents:: Hello goodbye dog! This is a children's story of a special pet that gets a special job. The video is ASL-Interpreted and closed-captioned. The video will be shown on Chicago's Channel 19.
#Fun4thedisabled Presents:: A Splash of Red, the life story of Horace Pippin. This is a children's story of Black artist Horace Pippin. The video is ASL-Interpreted and closed-captioned. The video will be shown on Chicago's Channel 19.
#Fun4thedisabled Presents:: Ricky the rock that Couldn't Roll This is a children's story of a rock that couldn't play with his friend because he was different. The video is ASL-Interpreted and closed-captioned. The video will be shown on Chicago's Channel 19.
The Abilities Virtual Experience is back to connect you with the disability-focused resources your need from the comfort of your living room. So settle in for more engagement, more interactivity, and more accessibility! Live Workshops Daily from 9 am to 5 pm, and Exhibitors Available 24 Hours!
Fun4thedisabled presents Emmanuel's Dream The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, about a young man from disabled man from Ghana who roade his bicycle all around his native country.
Fun4TheDisabled presents The View from My Chair, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! Guest contributor Frank Petrie gives viewers a look from his eyes through a GoPro camera as he journeys from his apartment to a nearby crowded bar.
Fun4TheDisabled presents When God Made the World, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! When God Made The World is a book that tells kids about the wonder of nature and the science that binds our world together, all from the perspective that it was all created by God, for us. The book was written […]
Fun4TheDisabled presents Close Your Eyes, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! Close Your Eyes is written by Michelle Friedman and illustrated by Nicole Fiddler. In this story, a little girl tells us all about her life as a blind person. She tells us about all the things she loves to do, how she is […]
Fun4TheDisabled presents When God Made You, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! "When God Made You" is a book that teaches kids that they are perfect the way they are, and have incredible talents to share with the world. The book was written by Matthew Paul Turner and illustrated by David Catrow. Watch as […]
Fun4TheDisabled presents Piano Starts Here, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! Hear the true story of Art Tatum, a blind pianist, in today's story, "Piano Starts Here." Art came from humble beginnings and became a renowned jazz musician. His story is both sweet and exciting, and it is one that you will not want to miss.
Fun4TheDisabled presents A Splash of Red, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! Horace Pippin loved creating art. But when he lost the use of his right arm during World War I, he had to completely relearn how to paint. "A Splash of Red" tells the true story of how an artist overcame his difficult […]
Fun4TheDisabled presents Piano Starts Here, this Saturday on Channel 19 on CANTV! Hear the true story of Art Tatum, a blind pianist, in today's story, "Piano Starts Here." Art came from humble beginnings and became a renowned jazz musician. His story is both sweet and exciting, and it is one that you will not want to miss.
Fun4TheDisabled presents Close Your Eyes, this Thursday on Channel 19 on CANTV! Close Your Eyes is written by Michelle Friedman and illustrated by Nicole Fiddler. In this story, a little girl tells us all about her life as a blind person. She tells us about all the things she loves to do, how she is […]
Watch "There Once Was a Camel," a story about a camel named Millie who has three humps! That's not the only special thing about her, though. Watch our video to find out more about this unique animal. Written by Michelle Friedman and illustrated by Debbi Scher Geller.
Watch Karmzah! on CANTV. Karmzah is a superheroine with cerebral palsy whose quest is to fight bad guys in Africa and beyond! The animation or comic character was created by Farida Bedwei and the Leti Arts team from Ghana.
Watch Fun4TheDisabled's Vanessa Haris interview disability activist and community leader Judith Heumann on her new book, 'Being Heumann’ and the international disability rights movement.
#Fun4theDisabled’s Vanessa Harris and Capt Chris of Froglegs, Inc. chat about five easy ways to maintain your wheelchair during the pandemic that are entirely manageable with just a few simple tools. Watch on CANTV!
Two college students discuss how mask usage affects people who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. Watch on CANTV!
Vanessa Harris of fun4thedisabled discusses how mask usage affects people with sensory sensitivity with Susie Redfern of Milestones Magazine. This video is shown on Chicago’s Access Network Television on Channel 19. The video is close-captioned and ASL-Interpreted.
Join 2axend for the 1st ever #DeafInHealthcare Summit for Interpreters! A total of 1.4 CEUs will be offered during this action-packed, virtual summit. Sessions range from hands-on workshops to panel discussions focused on providing interpreters with insight, solutions and best practices to position Deaf and hard of hearing clients for success!
Fun4thedisabled Presents Reveca Torres, power wheelchair user, and founder of Backbones on CAN TV, Channel 19. Reveca presents 5 tips on remaining balanced during the pandemic. The video is closed-captioned and includes ASL interpretation.
Vanessa Harris talks with Professor Allison Bethel, director of the UIC John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Clinic, to discuss the pressing issue of COVID and housing discrimination. Watch today on CANTV Chicago!
"The Hiccupotamus" follows the antics of an elephant, a centipede, and a rhinoceros as they try to find a cure for Hippo’s colossal case of hiccups. This book is written and illustrated by Aaron Zenz. Check out this children's book reading on CANTV today!
"Ricky, The Rock Who Couldn't Roll" is a story about a rock who has a flat side, and because of this cannot roll like his friends can. But his friends refuse to let him miss all the fun, and they are going to help him roll in a completely different way. The book was written […]
“Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors” is written by Hena Kahn and illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. This book showcases the colorful world of Islamic culture seen through the eyes of a young Muslim girl. Watch this wonderful story on CANTV!
“Ricky, The Rock Who Couldn’t Roll” is a story about a rock who has a flat side, and because of this cannot roll like his friends can. But his friends refuse to let him miss all the fun, and they are going to help him roll in a completely different way. The book was written […]
"When God Made You" is a book that teaches kids that they are perfect the way they are and have incredible talents to share with the world. The book was written by Matthew Paul Turner and illustrated by David Catrow. Watch as our friend Jamie Pavlofsky reads this uplifting book.
Watch as Fun4theDisabled explores the history of the Chicago Lighthouse and details its services for the visually impaired and beyond. Visit their website here: https://chicagolighthouse.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw78yFBhCZARIsAOxgSx2ArSX68BfVdDXHfVu3rFG2tcHK9CvMupgYsj2_PMYs1TVwrLxPW-oaAmrCEALw_wcB
Fun4thedisabled Presents Reveca Torres, a power wheelchair user, and founder of Backbones on CAN TV, Channel 19. Reveca presents 5 tips on remaining balanced during the pandemic. The video is closed-captioned and includes ASL interpretation.
The Abilities Expo is a free, fun-filled Expo designed for people of all ages and ability challenges which is held in eight cities in North America. Introduces numerous innovative products, activities, workshops, assistive devices, therapy animals, sports, dance, cosplay to the disabled community, their friends and families in the United States and Canada.
Fun4thedisabled’s Vanessa Harris previews the 2019 Abilities Expo, and shows off just what will be in store for those who attend the event the 2021 event!
Visit Strategy for Access at booth 712 at this year's Abilities Expo! Come meet the Fun4TheDisabled team and we'll give you some tasty treats. Click the link below to learn more about this year's Chicago Ability Expo. https://www.abilities.com/chicago/
The adult class will incorporate stretching and strengthening, with explanations of body-appropriate adjustments and/or the use of applicable props. It will begin with centering, flow through easy-to-follow (and remember) sequences and close with meditation/relaxation to refresh both the body and mind. Check it out at the Abilities Expo today! Abilities Expo event page: https://www.abilities.com/chicago/events.html
Curious about how horses can help people with disabilities? Bring your questions! Miniature horses have been gaining attention for their strengths as therapy animals. This is your chance to meet some "mini's"! This event is presented by Jodie Diegel from the SOUL Harbour Ranch Animal Therapy Program. Watch Fun4TheDisabled's video on Soul Harbour Ranch to […]
Are you looking for employment? Do you want to enhance your employability? Do you want to learn about assistive technology? The Chicago Lighthouse has an educated and experienced team that can offer a variety of programs to prepare you for employment, every step of the way. This workshop will cover some of the benefits and […]
This children's class uses imagination and music to inspire yoga-oriented play. We will energize, then calm, bringing awareness to our actions and teaching love and respect for ourselves and others. Check out this event at the Abilities Expo today! Link to Abilities Expo event page: https://www.abilities.com/chicago/events.html
