Join us for a special virtual edition of our annual celebration and fundraising event from Thursday, November 12 through Sunday, November 15th. [[link removed]] We’re so excited to share the gala with disability community members and allies from across the country and around the world, who usually wouldn’t be able to attend in-person.

We’re happy to announce that Hannah Gadsby is receiving the Harriet McBryde Johnson Award for Nonfiction!

Comedian Hannah Gadsby in a suit on stage. There are lights and theater seats behind her. She has one hand on a microphone stand and one hand in her pocket. She is looking at the camera. [[link removed]]

Hannah Gadsby stopped stand-up comedy in its tracks with her multi-award winning show, Nanette, which played to sold-out houses in Australia, the UK and NYC. Its launch on Netflix, and subsequent Emmy win, took Hannah to the world.

Gadsby named her difficult second album after her dog, Douglas. Douglas moved beyond the trauma at the centre of Nanette and instead shared the view from Hannah's brain – one that sees the world differently but with breathtaking clarity. The show, which covered Hannah's autism diagnosis, is a grand tour of guffaw, going from the dog park to the High Renaissance and back into an unnamed box. After taking her metaphorical muse for a world tour of a walk, Douglas was released on Netflix and earned its very own Emmy nomination.

Hannah has done many other things over the course of more than a decade in comedy, but that will do for now.

We’re happy to announce that Michelle Bishop is receiving the Ally of the Year Award!

Michelle Bishop looking up at the camera and smiling. She has glasses and short curly brown hair. [[link removed]]

Michelle Bishop is a Voter Access and Engagement Manager at the National Disability Rights Network, providing training and technical assistance to the P&A network regarding voting rights and access for voters with disabilities. This year, she has been working to ensure access for all voters with disabilities during the unexpected and challenging environment of the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing systemic and legal advocacy to challenge voter competency laws and limiting voting rights under guardianship, and ensuring elections security concerns are balanced with federal mandates to making voting accessible for all. She has also been leading NDRN’s effort to include more plain language and Easy Read materials to ensure that all people with disabilities can understand the importance of our vote.

We look forward to hearing from Hannah and Michelle at our annual gala and hope that you can come celebrate with us! [[link removed]]

We ask that our gala attendees donate if they are able, but no donation will be required to attend our virtual gala events. Proceeds will support our advocacy work and programs for the coming year, and allow us to continue working to empower disabled people across the country.

Master of Ceremonies: Nicole Cliffe
More honorees and speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

You can RSVP to our Facebook event [[link removed]] and invite your friends!


Autistic Self Advocacy Network
PO Box 66122
Washington, DC 20035
United States
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