NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 10, 2020 /Inclusion for the deaf & disabled to be included in the diversity conversations and movements in the entertainment industry is vital, and Keely Cat-Wells is one of the people who are at the forefront of this battle for representation.

Today, when audiences see characters with disabilities in the media, the stories are either degrading, not authentic and usually ableist. Often this is because the stories have originated from those who are not from that background, being disbaled is not something someone can learn, it is a lived experience. This is why it is important that the industry diversifies on every level, from the actors to the studio heads to the camera operators. This is exactly why inclusion and representation is important, it changes the way people are seen, the way people treat others and the words we use. Diversifying the stories and the people who tell these stories will unveil a new wealth of entertainment.

For Keely, this has become her lifelong mission. Keely, herself, has faced major health issues throughout her teenage years. She has been through surgeries and hospital stays. And complications that lead her to experience near-death. Her struggles were too much to handle. But Keely was resilient; she braved all the storms to fight for her purpose. For her, there is so much that she can do to change the industry with hopes to change society.

Keely is the CEO of CCA, a London-based talent agency and recently moved to the US to set up a talent management company in Hollywood called C Talent representing the D/deaf, disabled, and minority talent. Keely is disabled herself, and she fights for representation for many others who don't.

Amid everything she had been through, Keely is working on building her major film and television studio in the UK, Zetta Studios. Zetta is revolutionizing the industry - it's the first studio to ever be fully accessible for people with disabilities. It's also carbon-neutral, which means there are no carbon dioxide releases from the building and surrounded by plants.

Keely knows the importance of inclusion. She believes it's the start of empowerment for young girls and boys who are deaf, disabled and minorities. She recalls looking at photos on subways or ads on television and characters on films, none of them felt like herself or her friends or clients, it's time to change that. For many deaf, disabled, and minority talents, looking at someone like them on film and television was only a dream, but with people like Keely, it's becoming a reality.

Keely had been in many auditions her life, but the reality stands that she and many of her underrepresented allies often don't have the luxury of just being good at what they do. This pushed her to diversify the face of the industry when she got rejected from a leading role because of her scars and disability. The fact that the industry values looks more than the talent shows that we have a lot farther to go. While this has become the reality of many aspiring artists, Keely is doing all she can to change that.

To get more information about Keely and what she does, you may contact her through info@ctalent.org.

SOURCE: Keely Cat-Wells

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