After a bit of a hiatus while the InvisiYouth team wraps up building another NEW VIRTUAL PROGRAM, we got Dominique back in the studio for another episode in our career-finding guidebook theme. We know the drama arts is an interest for the illness/disability community, and many of the InvisiYouth family live with physical difference, so we wanted a guest expert that knows a thing or two about body positivity and fighting stigmas on disability. So…we got our Celebrity Ambassador, the stellar British actress and disability activist, Melissa Johns. She’s had TV roles like Imogen Pascoe on ITV’s British Soap, Coronation Street, to her current stage role of Emilia in OthelloMacbeth at London’s Lyric Hammersmith. Born without her right hand and forearm, Melissa has lots of perspectives on getting into the acting industry, being a drama teacher, and cofounding a drama workshops nonprofit, TripleC, which enhances lives of people with disabilities. In this episode, Melissa and Dominique chat all about the misconceptions of being an actor with illness/disability and how to “read a room” instead of judging first impressions, build a list of tools anyone can add like to-go snacks, workouts, and organizer diaries if you want to be a balanced working actor, examine the vital reasons accurate casting and frequent representation of illness and disability on TV/film will improve society’s openness, and give away the best advice on maintaining confidence as an actor when between jobs and working with a diverse group of people.

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