Lighting the Stage & the Page: A Story of Inclusion

This week, Waves of Awareness welcomes Melissa Smith, the Executive Director of Backlight Productions and the author of the Friends of Franklin children's book series. Backlight Productions provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to receive education in the arts and perform lead roles in integrated productions. Staci and Johnny Sunshine co-host this episode alongside first-time co-host, Jeni, one of our Waves residents! Jeni has a leading role in one of Backlight's upcoming performances, The Spongebob Musical, that you can learn more about during this episode. Melissa shares about the journey that led her to create Backlight Productions, what she loves most about her role, and some of the ways she's seen the organization impact its students' lives. We also learn about Melissa's hopes for her Friends of Franklin book series -- that it will spark important conversations for families about disabilities and how to be a friend to all.The Great Changeup is available for purchase through Amazon (see below) and in-person at Backlight Productions events. Tune in to hear about all things Backlight Production, Friends of Franklin and how YOU can support Melissa and her endeavors. You won't want to miss this episode that features singing, laughing, and thoughtful reflection! ______________________________________ To learn more about Waves go to: wavesinc.com For volunteer opportunities with Waves go to: https://wavesinc.com/volunteer/ To watch Waves of Awareness on Youtube go to: https://www.youtube.com/@Waves_of_Awareness To learn about Spread The Positive go to: https://spreadthepositive.net/ To learn more about Backlight Productions go to: https://backlightproductions.org/ You can also find Backlight Productions on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @backlightproductions To Learn More About the Friends of Franklin County book series visit: https://www.friendsoffranklincounty.com/ To purchase The Great Changeup, visit: https://a.co/d/d2RhCuQ You can also find Friends of Franklin County on Instagram and Facebook: @fofcbooks