EXCLUSIVE: Disability Belongs, a national disability-led nonprofit known for creating systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities, has revealed the latest cohort for its TV Writing Intensive.
This year, five disabled writers will gather from June 20 to 27 for a week of professional development, community building, and direct access to entertainment industry leaders. Disability Belongs also plans to hold a second in-person intensive focused on unscripted content later this year.
The 2025 TV Writing Intensive Fellows are:
Christopher James, San Diego, CA
Kimberly Manky, Toronto, ON
Rebekah Mueller, Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Nolly, Los Angeles, CA
Diana Romero, Los Angeles, CA
Watch on Deadline
Four of the five Fellows are alumni of the Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab, now in its sixth year.
“I participated in the Disability Belongs ™ Entertainment Lab in 2020 just after becoming a wheelchair user, and it was the first time I truly felt included in a creative space,” Diana Romero, who previously served as a writers’ assistant for the TV series Good Trouble and 4400, said in a statement to Deadline. “Being surrounded by other disabled artists and allies was life-affirming—it gave me both community and courage. One of the Lab speakers even became my solo show writing teacher, and now I’m performing Me, Myself and Other on the Fringe festival circuit. I’m so excited to continue developing my voice through the TV Writing Intensive. This community helped me find direction in my new career as a writer after years as a film producer—and has also supported me as an advocate. I’ve had the honor of being invited to speak on their panels to share my experiences as a disabled creative, which has been both humbling and empowering.”
Among the opportunities available during the TV Writing Intensive, fellows will participate in interactive sessions with writers, showrunners, and executives from major studios, networks, and production companies. From roundtable discussions to practical workshops, the Intensive offers opportunities for fellows to both learn from and network with experienced professionals in their field.
Last year, the TV Writing Intensive was divided into separate tracks for drama and comedy. However, this year, Disability Belongs has decided to combine the cohorts to foster “richer collaboration, cross-genre growth, and stronger peer support.”
For even greater networking opportunities, the 2025 cohort will also be able to interact with 10 alumni from previous program iterations: Michael Busza, Katherine Craft, David Dineen-Porter, Liz Galalis, Jeremy Hsing, Teresa Jusino, Melissa Kong, Monica Cecilia Lucas, Sandrene Mathews, and Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt.
The Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab and related pipeline programming have built a powerful community of 228 alumni who are changing the channel in the entertainment industry. Alumni have gone on to find jobs at major studios — including Netflix, Disney, and Sony Pictures Entertainment — premiere work at SXSW and join programs at the Sundance Institute, among other wins.