Joy as an Act of Resistance at the Fourth-Annual Disability Rights California Gala, The Art of Disability Justice
Joy as an Act of Resistance at the Fourth-Annual Disability Rights California Gala, The Art of Disability Justice
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Disability Rights California recently celebrated our third annual gala, The Art of Disability Justice. At the gorgeous Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, 366 people gathered, including extraordinary disability, policy, sports, arts, and social justice leaders.
“We’re here getting ready to have a party. Because that’s one of the things that we can do, I think, when we’re trying to fight against this machine, if you will, is to be in a place of joy,” exclaimed Keris Myrick, Disability Rights California’s Board Chair.
Finding levity through difficult times was a consistent refrain at DRC’s fourth annual gala, The Art of Disability Justice. 340 leaders in disability advocacy, the arts, and social justice luminaries gathered at the gorgeous Tsakopoulos Library Galleria in downtown Sacramento, California, for an evening of fellowship and connection through a shared mission: to advance disability rights for all Californians. As leaders in the disability space, we were proud to host a distinctly accessible evening, with accommodations for people with a variety of disabilities.
Awards for Champions of Disability Visibility
The evening honored Mychal Threets and Nyle DiMarco for their contributions to advancing disability rights.
Mychal Threets is a librarian, mental health advocate, and the host of the newly relaunched Reading Rainbow, a PBS children's television series that teaches reading skills, habits, and attitudes. Threets rose to prominence with his social media presence, where he spreads library joy infused with honest portrayals of mental health, and advocacy—especially for children and disability representation. Mychal is the author of I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy.
Keris Jän Myrick, DRC Board Chair with Mychal Threets who received the 2026 National Leadership Award.
Nyle DiMarco is an Emmy Award and Academy Award-nominated producer, an Emmy Award-nominated director, an actor, and a New York Times bestselling author. His directorial debut, DEAF PRESIDENT NOW!, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Apple TV+ in May of 2025. Nyle has become a well-recognized champion for not only the Deaf community, but also for disabled people and LQBTQ+ people worldwide.
Former DRC Board Chair and Deaf Advocate Sheri Farinha with Nyle DiMarco, who received the 2026 National Leadership Award.
Music and Dance as Expression
The evening’s program concluded with two powerful dance performances from Urban Jazz Dance Company (UJDC), accompanied by ASL interpretation from the company’s founder, Antoine Hunter. UJDC is a mix of professional Deaf and hearing dancers with a mission to provide opportunities for Deaf and other-abled artists to contribute to the arts and larger society, increasing awareness around Deaf issues via the performing arts.
The group performed to Michael Jackson’s Earth Song, accompanied by Antoine who signed in ASL at the front of the stage. Through outstretched arms and swooping pirouettes, the dancers depicted humanity's greed in lyrics like, “Did you ever stop to notice/This crying Earth, these weeping shores?” The group then performed to Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson, combining synchronized group movements with individual solo moments, showcasing each performer’s individual skills.
Antoine Hunter, founder of Urban Jazz Dance Company signs on stage before the dance company performs in the gala program.
Throughout the evening, music was provided by Bobby Cox, DJ Turn it Up!, And DJ Mama Love from ASL Love, a San Francisco Bay Area organization founded to provide Deaf expressive artists with a space to share their artistic creations with the world. The DJs played music with heavy bass for Deaf performers and presenters so they could feel the music along with the other gala attendees.
Reflections from an inspiring evening:
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“Mychal Threets, who's here, is one of our honorees. I had a chance to meet Mychal for the first time tonight. As somebody who's been out with bipolar disorder for 30 years, it's very inspiring for me to see a young person who's talking about their own experience with depression, with anxiety,” Imparato said. “Mychal's putting quality content out every day, and he's helping parents believe that a future is possible for their children. He's helping children, including children who look like him, recognize that it's okay to normalize talking about depression, talking about anxiety, and we're so honored that you're here with us tonight, Mychal.”
Andy Imparato
Chief Executive Officer of DRC
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I was a person who was given a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and across California, and in this nation, we have, along with people with disabilities, we’re under attack. And you know, I believe that what they want from us is to silence us. But where are we? We’re here getting ready to have a party. Because that’s one of the things that we can do, I think, when we’re trying to fight against this machine if you will, is to be in a place of joy. And what a better place to be than in a library! A library is such a place of joy.
Keris Jän Myrick
DRC Board Chair
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I am also a person who is realizing that they are most likely an autistic person, a person diagnosed with ADHD, even though my doctors don't necessarily agree because of my mental health history. It's something that I'm identifying with, it's something that's not embarrassing. I meet so many library kids, library teens, library grown-ups, who believe that talking about being autistic, being different is embarrassing, and I used to think the very same way, but now I know for a fact it is not embarrassing at all. It is a beautiful thing to be different, to hold space for yourself.
Mychal Threets
National Leadership Award Honoree
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Sheri introducing Nyle DiMarco: So, no matter where he goes, or what project he is working on, Nyle has been a strong advocate for more opportunities for deaf and disabled creatives behind the camera.
Sheri Farinha
Former DRC Board Chair and Deaf Advocate
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Everything I've made, every film, every role, every story that I've told has been truly a way of saying that we're here. Not only are we here, but we are whole, and we are deserving of being seen. But obviously, nothing like that happens in a vacuum. It’s organizations like DRC that are the reason that advocates like myself have the ground to stand on.
Nyle DiMarco
National Leadership Award Honoree
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When you go home, I want you to feel proud of yourself. I want you to be proud of everything that you've been through, you've been through surprises, and you're still doing it. Give yourself one little celebration. Once you go home, take a deep breath and think, I made it.
Antoine Hunter
Urban Jazz Dance Company and DRC Board Member
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On what disability joy means to them: Oh, my goodness. Um, just being happy to know that, for such a long time, being a person with a disability was seen as such a negative thing even with the ugly laws, right? They didn't want people with disabilities out, and if you were out, you'd go to prison. And so now, disability joy for me is, like, I can be out and just be myself, and in all my glory, and just, and just be myself with my disability, be proud of it, and joyful that my disability has also made me the person that I am today. And so a lot of times, we think about what disabilities take away from us, but in this case, I would like to say that disability has allowed me to learn so much, meet so many people that I would have never met, if I weren't blind, and also being able to be in this space and change the world for people with disabilities you know, so that's what disability joy is to me. It's just being happy and accepting it and confident in your disability.
Elizabeth Campos
DRC Talent Liaison and Coordinator for 2026 Gala Accessibility Team
Gala attendees listening to the featured speakers.
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Disability is, runs the gamut of so many challenges and really kind of sub- issues that are significant in our community, you know, in our families, and we've certainly dealt with disability issues, you know, in our own family, and you realize that you need organizations like this, especially here in Sacramento, you know, in and around the state capital and around the policy opportunities that are here to make sure that we're playing offense and defense, too.
Dave Cortese
State Senator and member of the California Legislative Disability Caucus
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On what it means to be at a disability-centered event: As an educator, I think that's super important, because we don't often highlight those things, and as a person who is always striving to figure out, like, how my students, how to serve my students best, recognizing and acknowledging their disabilities, and making those modifications and accommodations are super important.
Valerie Nyberg
High school teacher and three-time gala attendee
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I think it’s really special to share a room with so many people who fight for an inclusive community, and inclusive California for everybody. I think every room should be a room like this, where disability is welcome, and everybody is welcome and seen and affirmed. But, to create this space intentionally is also really powerful, and I’m just grateful to join.
Isaac Bryan
California State Assemblymember and Chair of the California Legislative Disability Caucus
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It really just, it's remarkable to hear each other's stories, our experiences, and what's possible when we get in a room together. I learned something brand new from another person with a disability, meeting at galas like these, then if I just was going about my daily life. And so it's an enormous privilege to be here, especially as a young person, for the first time. Seeing so many other people who are thriving in our communities. The stories that we have, it really energizes me to keep going in terms of the advocacy that we're pursuing in the Bay Area to connect transportation and housing, climate resilient through people with disabilities. And so, yeah, it's just a real privilege to be here. I'm excited, and I'm sure I'll have a lot of takeaways after tonight.
Ryan Manriquez
Member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, California and first-time gala attendee
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It’s so beautiful, this awareness about how Disability Rights California advocates, and works with people about legal rights, accessibility, because there is a voice.
Mari Dorenstreich
Program Manager & Independent Living Specialist, Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity Counties and third-time gala attendee
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On what he’s excited about at the gala: I’m excited to see my connections. I have people I’ve been working with over 20 years, and it's, I just see, I can see the future of self-advocates, I want to see the presence of advocates, and I just want to pass my work along to the future self-advocates out there.
Wesley Whitherspoon
DRC Board Member
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On what disability joy means to them: Yeah, I think for people like Nyle and Michael, continue to advocate on our behalf. Bringing that, it's okay to be a person with disability. It's not a stigma. You are who you are.
Richard Gallo
Self-advocate and first-time gala attendee
Thank you to everyone who was able to come!
We look forward to another great event next year and appreciate all your continued support for Disability Rights California. Special thanks to our wonderful sponsors for their support. Follow updates from the gala at #DRCGALA2026.
