Inevitable Foundation, a nonprofit which supports disabled writers and filmmakers, has launched a Young Adult Relief Fund for Los Angeles-based creatives, supported by Snap Foundation.
The fund arose out of the financial instability following Hollywood’s historic dual strike last year, as both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA membership hit the picket lines over a period of six months.
“The work stoppages as well as increasing instability in the entertainment industry have derailed opportunities for young disabled creatives, creating a need to ensure the next generation’s voices are heard,” notes a press release announcing the fund’s launch.
Inevitable plans to dispense unrestricted $500 grants to more than 50 disabled 18-25 year olds in the L.A. area who are pursuing careers in screenwriting and filmmaking and experiencing financial hardship. Applications are open now for creatives in living in Angeles Forest, Antelope Valley, Central L.A., Eastside, Harbor, Northeast L.A., Northwest County, Pomona Valley, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, South Bay, South L.A., Southeast, Verdugos and Westside.
“We’re proud to invest in the underrepresented young adults that represent the future of L.A.’s creative economy,” stated Inevitable Foundation co-founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska, adding that “Inevitable’s emergency relief funding during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes proved critical to the survival and inclusion of disabled creatives, and our new relief fund is an investment in the future of this workforce.”
The initial emergency relief fund provided more than 70 unrestricted grants between May and December 2023 to disabled writers (both WGA and pre-WGA) and filmmakers who lost employment contracts and job opportunities. According to the foundation, these grants were almost exclusively used to support creatives’ basic necessities like groceries, child care, and housing costs. Inevitable’s research department calculated that only 33% of the fund’s applicants could afford their housing payments and nearly 90% reported having less than $25,000 in total net assets.
Because the financial landscape still proves to be unstable following the strikes’ resolution, Inevitable Foundation and Snap Foundation have teamed up to continue subsidizing disabled creatives’ careers.
“Snap Foundation is proud to support the important work Inevitable Foundation does to provide funding, mentorship, and connections to disabled creatives,” said Snap Foundation’s executive director Joel Arquillos. “We firmly believe in the power of collaboration and community support to drive positive change, and by funding Inevitable Foundation, we’re laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and resilient future for disabled creatives in Los Angeles.”
