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Barrier-Free Blog

Actor Spotlight - Jenny Laatsch

12/15/2020

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Jenny Laatsch is a veteran Barrier-Free"er" who has performed onstage in over 10 Barrier-Free shows!
​
Today, she gives a first-hand account of her experiences being part of Barrier-Free's inclusive theater companies and classes.

Enjoy the lovely, talented, and always bright, Jenny Laatsch!

View the video interview or read the full transcript below. 

Question 1: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?


​My name is Jenny Laatsch.  I live in New Windsor Maryland and I go to day program.  [I am] thirty-one.  Activities [I like] are bowling and dancing.
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Question 2: When did you become involved in Barrier-Free?


​JENNY: Barrier-Free for 5 years.

INTERVIEWER: Wow, five years!! That's a lot of shows!
​
JENNY: Yeah!
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Rehearsal for 'Cosmic Crime' (2020)

Question 3: What is your favorite part of creating our original shows?


​Pick our character's names and singing!
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Tech rehearsal 'Cosmic Crime' (2020)

Question 4: Do you have a favorite character you've played?


​Princess Pamper.
👑
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Jenny onstage as Princess Pamper in 'Dischord' (2014).

Question 5: How has Barrier-Free impacted your life?


​That it makes me happy and proud.
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Jenny poses with her cast-mate and friend, Nicole (2014)

Question 6: What interests do you have outside of Barrier-Free?


​JENNY: Outside of Barrier-Free, [I like] bowling and dancing.

INTERVIEWER: Awesome!  Recently you've been very into painting too, right?

JENNY: And painting!

INTERVIEWER: Jenny, those paintings you shared, oh my gosh, they are so beautiful!!

JENNY: [with a big smile] Yeah!

INTERVIEWER: Thank you!
​
JENNY: [still smiling] You're welcome!
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JOY in the Time of Coronavirus Class on Zoom (2020)

Question 7: What would you tell someone that is interested in becoming involved in Barrier-Free programs?


​You should sign up and join the fun to make new friends.
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Jenny participating in our International Collaboration with Blue Apple Theatre UK (2020)

Keep Shining Jenny!!

Catch Jenny and her Company A cast mates in the short-film ​Salty Seas premiering LIVE on Youtube & Facebook on Friday, December 18th at 8pm. 

Catch a sneak peek below!

Happy Birthday Jenny!!

Jenny celebrates her birthday on December 22nd and is generously sharing her special day with Barrier-Free!

She has raised $346 on her way to her $1000 goal!


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Click Here to Support Jenny's Fundraiser
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December Bulletin

12/12/2020

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A Peek Inside:
Giving Tuesday
Film Premiere
Barrier-Free Merch Store
Art of Performing Season II
Zoom Holiday Hangout
Today is Giving Tuesday!

#GivingTuesday is an opportunity to uplift non-profits and support their mission by committing a financial gift as part of the kick-off to the holiday season.

Will you commit a Giving Tuesday gift to Barrier-Free this year?

Yes, I'd like to donate now!

Thank you for supporting Barrier-Free this holiday season!

Film Premiere Friday Dec. 18th!
Our Art of Performing Companies have been hard at work creating, rehearsing, and filming their original short films.

These short films will premiere on Friday December 18th at 8pm live on Youtube!

Company A's film Salty Seas will be Act I & Company B's film Family is Family will be Act II.


Barrier-Free Merch Store
In case you missed it!
PLEASE NOTE: T-Shirt orders will be placed to Fam Dog Printing on December 7th.  Shirts will be ready in time for Christmas.

Bags, hats, and jackets are screen printed in-house by Barrier-Free staff. All products are washing machine & dryer safe.

ACT FAST - Most product quantities are extremely limited!

 
Click Here to Shop
Now Enrolling!
Join us for The Art of Performing Season II as we explore the performance trifecta - acting, singing, & dancing!

We will once again be creating an original short film inspired by the ideas and creativity of our actors through improvisational acting work.

 
Enroll Now
Zoom Holiday Hangout
Join us for this FREE event on Zoom to hangout with friends and spread holiday cheer!
 
Click Here to Register
Happy Holidays!
Pictured Above: Barrier-Free Social Clubbers at our Nov. Zoom Hangout
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November Bulletin

11/7/2020

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A Peek Inside:
Greene Turtle Fundraiser
New Class - Register Today
Let's Get Social
Having a Disability Blog
October Fundraising
Dine Out to Support Barrier-Free

Come out to the Greene Turtle on Market St. in Westminster on Tuesday, Nov. 17th to have 20% of your food and drinks donated to Barrier-Free. 

Dine-in and carry-out are eligible for the fundraiser.

Make sure to mention Barrier-Free and show the flyer when ordering or picking up!

Registration Now Open
Our JOY class was such a hit, we are adding a second seasonal offering!

This class is 3 weeks long and will meet Thursdays on Zoom Dec. 3 - 17.


Registration cost includes materials to be mailed to your home.


Class Description:
Join us on Zoom for a class to spread holiday cheer!
Holidays plans get changed or cancelled?  Let’s get together weekly to foster friendships, enjoy Christmas songs, theater and more!


This class is for adults 18+ with intellectual/developmental disabilities and autism.
 
Register Today
November Social Clubs
This month brings two new social club opportunities! 

Our November Zoom Hangout will be Virtual Bingo!  You'll need access to a printer prior to the event in order to print your BINGO card that will be emailed to you. This event is FREE.

On Saturday, November 21st, we will have an in-person social club to Hershey Park!  This social club is strictly limited to 10 participants.  View all of our safety precautions for this event on the online registration page.  Carpooling is available and masks are required for this event.

Only 2 spots remain for Hershey Park!

Click Here to Register for Social Clubs
Fresh off the Press!
Barrier-Free's blogger, Emily Wachter, shares a raw & honest first-hand perspective on life with a disability.

"Having a disability means when I mask my autism I pay for it later.
Having a disability means the employer can decide to pay me less or to not interview me at all based on my application.
Having a disability is worry about if I’ll secure housing when I’m older."

View the full post at
barrierfreemd.com/blog

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In addition to her work as a blogger, Emily is a lifelong writer and photographer with a passion for disability rights, social justice, and psychology. She is the founder of
Photography through Autism.
$1170 raised in October!
Thank you for helping us keep Barrier-Free programs affordable and accessible for all families by participating in our Virtual 5k & Lauren's Birthday Fundraiser - Happy Birthday to our Executive Director Lauren! 

View all the ways to donate or give back to Barrier-Free here.
Stay Joyful!
Pictured Above: Barrier-Free Joy class participants
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What having a disability means?

10/30/2020

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​This blog post is different from what I normally post. This is just a free form write up on how having multiple disabilities affects my life. 

Having a disability means fighting everyday to prove why you’re worthy of receiving services.

Having a disability means fighting insurance, social security, and medicaid to prove why you need services.

Having a disability means having to explain what it is, what it means to you, and how it affects your life.

Having a disability is answering the same questions over and over again.

Having a disability means I may get judged just for having autism.

Having a disability means I have to protect my health especially in the season of COVID-19. 

Having a disability is deciding whether or not to disclose your disability to a friend or not.

Having a disability is deciding whether or not to disclose a disability on a job interview.

Having a disability is deciding when I need to mask my autism and when I don't.

Having a disability means when I mask my autism I pay for it later. 

Having a disability means the employer can decide to pay me less or to not interview me at all based on my application.

Having a disability is worry about if I’ll secure housing when I’m older.

Having a disability is worrying about if I’ll be able to provide for myself when I’m older.

Having a disability means having an ABLE account.

Having a disability means signing over power of attorney at age 18.

Having a disability means my parents have to sit in on IEP meetings through kindergarten to twelfth grade.

Having a disability specifically autism is having scripted language so you don’t stumble on words when I speak.

Having a disability specifically autism means I prefer to have text communication over spoken communication.

Having a disability specifically autism means social communication is exhausting for me.

Having a disability specifically autism means having backup communication like text to speech in case of a meltdown or medical emergency where I’m unable to speak.

Having a disability means I’m unable to drive long distances.

Having a disability means time flies by or it goes super slow.
​
Having a disability means I be hyperfocused on a task for a long period of time.


This blog is also posted on Photography through Autism Blog.
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Written by Emily Wachter

Emily Wachter is the owner and entrepreneur of Photography through Autism. She is a lifelong writer and photographer with a passion for disability rights, social justice, and psychology. She is a college student at Carroll Community College with dreams of being a social worker. In addition to autism, Emily has a plethora of other physical and mental conditions, which include: Attention Deficit Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, 3Q29 Deletion Syndrome, Non-classical Diamond Blackfan Anemia, and Deaf in my right ear. Emily has spoken on a number of disability panels on living with autism and experiences of bullying. She is involved with a number of disability groups in Maryland, including YoungLife Capernaum, Disability Express Group, and Special Olympics. In her free time, she likes spending time with family and friends, coloring, and shopping.

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October Bulletin

10/2/2020

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A Peek Inside:
Register for our Virtual 5k
New Class
Let's Get Social
Staff Announcement
World of Possibilities Disability Expo
Register for our Virtual 5k
We are excited to announce our first-ever Virtual 5k!

This is a virtual race which means you participate from anywhere in the world! 
 

How it works:

  • Register for the race.
  • Complete your 5k in whatever way you prefer - walking, running, biking, etc.!  Make sure to time your race.
  • Return to the virtual results portal by October 31st to input your race time and distance results.
  • Check the mail for your medal!

We hope you'll join us for this awesome Barrier-Free fundraising event!
 
Click Here to Signup
New Class
We've been having so much fun on Zoom, we are adding additional class offerings.

This class is 4 weeks long and will meet Thursdays on Zoom Oct. 15 - Nov. 5.

Class Description:
Feeling a little blue and out-of-sorts lately?  Navigating life in a pandemic can be difficult!  Let’s get together weekly to foster friendships, mindfulness, and joy during these uncertain times.
Register Today
October Social Clubs
This month is FULL of social club opportunities! 

Register for one event or all three, there's certain to be something for everyone.

Our October Zoom Hangout will be Halloween themed!  Feel free to come dressed in a costume!  This event is FREE.

On Friday, October 23 we will have an in-person social club at the Maryland Corn Maze in Gambrill, MD!  This social club is strictly limited to 10 participants and has a low cost of $20.  Carpooling is available and masks are required for this event.

NEW to the social club lineup, we will have a Virtual Gaming with Friends event on Zoom on October 16th!  Nintendo Switch required for this FREE event.

Click Here to Register for Social Clubs
Welcome Back Evan!
On October 12th, Evan will be joining Art of Performing Co. A as an Assistant Teaching Artist!

Evan Darr is a sophomore majoring in psychology at McDaniel College. This will be his second year working with Barrier-Free after serving as an intern for the 2019 - 2020 season.  Evan has always gone above and beyond the call of duty for Barrier-Free by taking on extra responsibilities that include set painting, social club mentoring, and more.  Outside of classes, Evan is a member of the McDaniel tennis team and Alpha Phi Omega - a co-ed service fraternity. In his free time, he likes to hang out with friends and family, watch sports, and listen to some classic rock music. Evan is super excited for his second year working with Barrier-Free!

We look forward to having Evan with us again very soon!
World of Possibilities Disability Expo
Barrier-Free will be a part of the World of Possibilities Disability Expo at Westminster TownMall this weekend!

"The World of Possibilities Disabilities Expos provide an opportunity for you to enhance your knowledge and explore disability related products, services, technology and resources available."

 
Click Here to Learn More
Art of Performing Companies
We are having a blast on Zoom each week at the Art of Performing!

Make sure you're following us on social media to see all the fun.

 
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    About our Blog

    The Barrier-Free blog exists as a space to share Barrier-Free news, helpful information, and a creative sharing space.

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 Mail: 23219 Stringtown Rd #373 Clarksburg, MD 20871    |    Email: info@barrierfreemd.com    |    Phone: 301-799-8669   |    EIN: 84-2964880
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We are proud to be funded in part by an Arts Opportunity Mini-Grant from the Carroll County Arts Council.
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  • Home
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
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