We are excited to sit down with book writer & lyricist Rebekah Greer Melocik who alongside composer Jacob Yandura is the co-creator of the upcoming Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio. Based on the award-winning HBO documentary, How to Dance in Ohio is a heart-filled new musical exploring the need to connect and the courage it takes to step out into the world. The show will include autistic actors in the seven principal roles. We talk to Rebekah about her writing process, what it was like to connect with the real life documentary subjects and how that shaped her process. We’ll also discuss the process of creating the show with accessibility in mind rather than it as an afterthought.

Rebekah Greer Melocik (She/Her)

Bridget Finkeldey

REBEKAH GREER MELOCIK is a lyricist and bookwriter. Her work with composer-collaborator, Jacob Yandura, includes WRINGER (dir: Stephen Brackett), THE LAST QUEEN OF CANAAN (book: Harrison David Rivers) and HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO (dir: Sammi Cannold), which starts performances on Broadway on Nov 15, 2023. Recognitions / residencies include: SPACE on Ryder Farm residency, Jonathan Larson Grant finalist, NAMT Festival of New Musicals, Ars Nova’s UNCHARTED residency, the Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, the York Theatre's NEO residency, the Yale Institute for Music Theatre, the Dramatists Guild fellowship, the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Cap21’s Writers Residency and Ars Nova’s ANT Fest. Rebekah holds a B.A. in Poetry from University of Southern California and an M.F.A from New York University’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. She also has written stories for the award-winning educational company Chess At Three.

We are thrilled to be joined in conversation by actor & singer Imani Russell, one of the stars of the upcoming Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio. Based on the award-winning HBO documentary, How to Dance in Ohio is a heart-filled new musical exploring the need to connect and the courage it takes to step out into the world. The show will include autistic actors, including Imani in the seven principal roles. We talk to Imani about making their Broadway debut, the journey of their character Mel, their process as an actor in the show and their own experience as an autistic person in the workplace.

Imani Russell (They/Them)

Bridget Finkeldey

Imani Russell [they/them] is a queer Black+Boricua multi-hyphenate artist from Crown Heights (unceded Lenape land). Trained in classical music, musical theatre, and acting, Imani has performed off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (EFF), and is an emerging voice actor. As a songwriter under the name NANí, they recently released a two-song EP titled "sweetbitter creature", and have an album coming out in 2024. Imani believes in art as an act of love and community. Selected credits: HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO [Syracuse Stage]; THE CIVILITY OF ALBERT CASHIER [The Player’s Theatre]; MAMMELEPHANT [Superhero Clubhouse]; SYZYGY, OR THE CEASING OF THE SUN [Two River Theater]; ABOVE THE NOISE [Dixon Place]; LEGALLY BLONDE [EFF]. For more info: www.imanirussell.com | @imanithecowboy

Disability in the workplace and why companies should prioritize the disability community.

Lex Keaton (They/Them)

Ayla Morwin

Part of the New Business Sales team at PowerToFly, Lex works with companies that care to attract, hire, and retain underrepresented talent while harnessing intersectionality. Before joining PowerToFly, Lex worked within the eCommerce industry and started their DEIB journey at birth but has 13 years of DEIB-related work under their belt.Lex was diagnosed with Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) at birth through a genetic mutation. OI is a genetic or heritable disease in which bones fracture (break) easily, often with no apparent cause or minimal injury. As a disabled queer living in the southern states of the United States, Lex is fully aware of the lack of opportunities for their communities to thrive, so they advocate for remote work and its benefits.Lex lives with their partner of almost eight years with their two dogs and two cats and has various specialist interests ranging from quantum theory to Taylor Swift's Era Tour Surprises.

Did you know there are over 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide? For a business, that means that the disability community represents a significant consumer base. By demonstrating your commitment to the disability community, you can attract customers who appreciate diversity and inclusion. Join PowerToFly’s Lex Keaton as they preview a brand new course in Disability in the Workplace, part of PowerToFly’s DEIB Business Suite, PowerUp. Lex will highlight why ongoing DEIB training is important to the disability community and leave you with action steps to take back to your organization!

While combating racism and sexism in the workplace is a key part of most companies DEIB strategies, there is another “ism” that is frequently overlooked: Ableism. According to Access Living, “ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior.” For this conversation, we’ll be joined by Sydney Elaine Butler, Founder of Accessible Creates, to discuss their own personal experiences, why ableism is frequently ignored and how we can address it.

Sydney Elaine Butler (They/Them)

Bridget Finkeldey

My Professional Purpose is that I am committed to removing physical and non-physical barriers in the workplace so that everyone can tap into their talents and fulfill their full potential. As a Human Resources Consultant and an Accessibility Consultant, this means I will be able to help employees and companies reach their fullest potential (increasing employee morale) which increases overall productivity within an organization.

According to Glassdoor, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can contribute to an increase in employee engagement by as much as 15%. They can also be a vital tool for fostering DEIB and understanding within an organization. For this conversation, several leaders from CallRail’s neurodivergence ERG Divergent Minds and how this group is positively impacting the company culture by creating an open community. Our speakers will share more about Divergent Minds, their personal journeys with the group and how they see the ERG growing in the future.

Emily Russ (She/Her)

Bridget Finkeldey

Emily Russ (she/her) is a Support Specialist at CallRail. She has three years of experience in customer support, in one form or another. Emily is one of the ambassadors for the Divergent Minds Employee Resource Group (ERG). In her free time, she enjoys drawing, tabletop role-playing games, and thrifting!

Elyse Hunt (She/Her)

Bridget Finkeldey

Elyse Hunt Elyse Hunt (she/her) is the Web Producer at CallRail. She has six years of experience in web production. Elyse is the Events & Brand Manager for the Divergent Minds Employee Resource Group (ERG). In her free time, Elyse loves to cook, spend time with her dog, and ride theme park thrill rides.

Josephina Kaiser (She/Her)

Bridget Finkeldey

Josephina Kaiser (she/her) is a Design Systems Designer at CallRail. She has seven years of experience in UI and Product Design. Josephina is the Co-Chair for the Divergent Minds Employee Resource Group (ERG). In Josephina’s free time she loves to play board games and video games with family and friends, watch movies, paint, and play with her dog.

Tiffani Rase (She/Her)

Bridget Finkeldey

Tiffani Rase (she/her) is a Senior Content Strategist at CallRail. She has six years of experience in User experience and content strategy. Tiffani is the Co-chair of the Divergent Minds Employee Resource Group (ERG). In Tiffani’s free time, she likes to paint, travel, hang out with friends, and play cozy games.