As I reflect on the importance of Black History Month and the work I do as a clinician and member of the Easterseals Southern California IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) team, I think of my own cultural background and how that shapes how I see, experience and perceive the world. I realized that although I was raised by my grandmother, in her home, we had different experiences within the same culture. That keeps me mindful of seeking to understand other’s experiences within and across cultures. Recently, I further reflected and appreciated my grandmother’s experience, and I listened to her recall some very trying times. 

Crystal Leonard, PsyD, BCBA (right) with her grandmother Mary (left).

I had the privilege of visiting my family in McAlmont, Arkansas for the holidays and was immediately transported back to the days of me growing up in the kitchen, cooking many of the holiday black family staples with my grandmother. We made black eyed peas, greens, yams, dressing, ox tails (this was a first for me), and the most touted delicacy of them all, chitlins, or chitterlings if you will. 

Slave owners would take the best part of the pig while enslaved people were given the scraps of pigs, which included the intestines, feet and ears. Chitlins (chitterlings), the pig’s intestines, cooked and served by slaves became a demonstration of surviving, persevering and making the best of the worst. 

The pride I felt in the kitchen this holiday season while we prepared chitlins and ox tails was a realization of my grandmother honoring where she came from, recognizing the peril of that time while appreciating the freedom of the present. I listened as I cleaned out the deep freezer for her and she talked about the big boss and the straw boss of the cotton field; she described her picking cotton for the boss and the urge to meet the quota for the day fast enough to still be able to pick enough for her to sell to provide for her own family. 

It took a while for me to understand and not groan when I had to clean out the deep freezer as a young child. I loathed the days of taking out all the frozen food, leftovers and on sale food items packed full to the brim of the deep freezer kept in the laundry room of our house. After removing all the food, the task was to chip away built-up ice so that we could of course fit more leftovers and food to use for the next holiday or any old Tuesday. But what I didn’t immediately understand was that my grandmother had an internal worry that she wouldn’t have enough because of the many days when she didn’t have enough. So, she stocks up, to never have to be without. Trauma response to some, survival and celebration to others. I get it, and happily clean out the deep freezer and revel in the goodness and the beauty of her pride of owning her own home, filling her deep freezer weekly and her 89-year-old memory that keeps her cooking on any old Tuesday, because she can. 

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In January, representatives from Easterseals Southern California attended the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. From a discussion with TheWrap to the announcement of the 2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge genre, Easterseals’ footprint was unmissable at the festival. 

TheWrap Panel: Reimagining Hollywood

Easterseals Southern California representatives at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

While at Sundance, Easterseals participated in an insightful discussion, hosted by TheWrap, about the state of disability inclusion in Hollywood. Easterseals Chief Advancement Officer Nancy Weintraub and Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Founder Nic Novicki sat down with TheWrap CEO Sharon Waxman to discuss a ground-breaking new report conducted by Easterseals. This report shows that representation of disabilities in media has stagnated despite a U.S. audience commanding $490 billion in spending power.  

Watch the full panel discussion on TheWrap’s website to hear more about what Easterseals is doing to address disability representation in entertainment.  

Learn more about the report and how Easterseals is putting disability in Hollywood front and center by visiting our Reimagining Hollywood webpage.  

Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Announcement  

On Saturday, January 25th, Nic Novicki, founder of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, announced this year’s film challenge genre: Thriller and Suspense!  

The 12th annual film challenge will kick-off on April 1st, so interested filmmakers must register by March 31. Winners will be announced in May at an awards ceremony at Sony Pictures Studios. Learn more about the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge on our website.  

Watch Nic’s Announcement from Sundance 

More Highlights from Sundance 

(L to R) Easterseals CEO Mark Whitley, Chief Advancement Officer Nancy Weintraub, and Senior Director of Partnerships Brynne Jones.

This year, Easterseals Southern California had the honor of being Sundance’s official press inclusion sponsor to help ensure diverse coverage of the festival. We also had the opportunity to support the launch of Shoshannah Stern’s directorial debut, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, a documentary about Marlee Matlin’s life and journey as the first deaf actor to win an Oscar.  

“The Sundance Film Festival attracts the world’s most creative minds and innovative thinkers in entertainment,” said Brynne Jones, Easterseals Senior Director of Partnerships. “Over the years, Easterseals has had a presence at Sundance to ensure that the disability community continues to be at the table. We look forward to seeing the fruits of these important conversations and initiatives as our Reimagining Hollywood report reaches new audiences.”  

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If you’d like to partner with Easterseals Southern California in our efforts to support disability representation in Hollywood or want to learn more about our Reimagining Hollywood report, please reach out to Brynne Jones, Senior Director of Partnerships.  

The post Easterseals Takes Center Stage at Sundance 2025 appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.

During the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, leaders from Easterseals Southern California had the opportunity to discuss the future of healthcare delivery. 

Easterseals was honored to be among some of the world’s most influential tech companies, from healthcare and transportation innovation to personal technology.  

An Important Discussion with Easterseals Leaders 

Nancy Weintraub, Easterseals Chief Advancement Officer

At this year’s event, Easterseals Chief Advancement Officer Nancy Weintraub moderated a panel that included our Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven, and Women’s Digital Health Founder Dr. Brandi Sinkfield. The live discussion, hosted by the organization Female Quotient, was called “Innovate to Include: Female Leaders Redefining Healthcare Delivery.” 

The panel focused on pressing healthcare challenges and talked about ways that technology, collaboration, and health literacy can create meaningful change. 

Panel Discussion Takeaways: 

• Community-based clinics and partnerships play an essential role. Local organizations, such as churches and community centers, are a highly effective way to reach underserved people, talk to them about their healthcare needs, and help amplify their voices. We need to meet people where they are. 

• Technology has great potential to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery. From telehealth advancements to virtual reality (VR) tools that help patients overcome barriers like transportation, technology is transforming care.  

• Training healthcare providers, particularly in working with neurodiverse populations, is critical to addressing systemic inequities. VR can help in this area as well, by giving providers insight about what to expect. 

• We need to continue investing in women’s health, including outreach and mentorship for women of color in healthcare leadership. This is an ongoing effort. 

Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven, Easterseals Chief Clinical Officer

Easterseals is in a position to push the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare and create better experiences for everyone involved. By sharing our expertise on panels like this, we can help influence the conversation, introduce new ideas, and change the way the world sees disability. 

Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven said, “We want to serve people where they are and provide technology in innovative ways…and we want to honor and listen to the voices of the neurodiverse population.” 

Watch the full conversation on LinkedIn and be sure to follow our LinkedIn page to stay informed about Easterseals’ involvement in innovation and inclusion efforts.  

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Positive psychology is transforming the way individuals and organizations approach wellness in their communities and in the workplace. At Easterseals Southern California, we’ve seen its impact first-hand. That’s why in 2025, our Autism Therapy Services team is thrilled to launch a new initiative for staff, participants, and their families centered around the PERMA+ model, a framework rooted in positive psychology.

The PERMA+ model highlights six essential elements that contribute to a person’s well-being: Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning (Mattering), Accomplishment (Achievements), and Health. Each of these concepts play a vital role in enhancing an individual’s wellness, and we are committed to including this in our therapy services.

A child in Easterseals Therapy Services program participates in an activity centered around joy.

Why PERMA+ Matters to Easterseals

The PERMA+ model aligns with Easterseals’ holistic approach to care, emphasizing that wellness has many aspects. By focusing on the key elements of PERMA+, we can support not only the physical, emotional and mental health of our participants, but also the caregivers and associates who support our community. Balanced wellness leads to greater resilience, increased satisfaction, stress management, and the ability to navigate life’s challenges more effectively.

Our Commitment to Wellness

The Therapy Services team at Easterseals Whittier, CA location expresses what brings them joy through a collage project.

Over the next six months, the Autism Therapy Services team will take a deep dive into each of these PERMA+ categories. We will provide strategies, activities, and resources tailored to the unique needs of our associates, caregivers, and participants.

These activities will be showcased at all ten Easterseals therapy centers, spanning from San Diego to Thousand Oaks, with each therapy supervisor supporting the implementation of PERMA+ practices.

Additionally, we will hold monthly meetups to review and discuss our overall wellness scores and identify ways to better support employees and all members of our community. These gatherings will serve as an opportunity to share insights, celebrate progress, and foster a collective commitment to well-being.

We encourage employees and our community to join us on this journey as we explore workplace wellness.

The Therapy Services team at Easterseals Northridge, CA location expresses what amuses them through a collage project.

Our Partnership in Wellness

Easterseals Southern California’s partnership with Proof Positive has been vital in applying the principles of positive psychology to create meaningful impact. Through the integration of the PERMA+ framework—focusing on Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment, and physical well-being—this collaboration supports the development of strengths-based approaches that empower individuals and communities to thrive. Together, we aim to foster resilience, enhance well-being, and build inclusive environments where everyone can flourish.

Stay tuned throughout the next six months and follow us on social media to see how Easterseals is making positive psychology an integral part of what we do through participant and employee engagement.

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If you’re interested in joining a supportive work environment that strives to make a positive impact, discover career opportunities with Easterseals  Southern California’s Autism Therapy Services on our website.

The post How Easterseals is Fostering Wellness Through Positive Psychology appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.

Easterseals Southern California had a groundbreaking year in 2024, providing services to more than 20,000 children and adults. We have continued to drive innovation that makes independence and inclusion a reality by leading the disability services field forward. Take a look back at the advocacy efforts, new initiatives and programs, success stories, partnerships, events, and PSA campaigns that made 2024 such an impactful year!

Watch Our 2024 Year in Review Video 

Learn more about Easterseals Southern California’s disability and community support services on our website.

Start the New Year off with a new career at Easterseals and join an organization that is leading the way to full equity, inclusion and access for individuals with disabilities and beyond. Check out our job openings.

The post Easterseals Southern California’s 2024 Year in Review appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.