WE ARE DOING IT AGAIN!!!

July 24th {dis}ABILITIES Unleashed is coming to Cambridge!

Here are the Details:

Everyone is welcome—including those who may stim, make vocalizations, or use service animals. This is a judgment-free, accessible, and inclusive space that celebrates the full spectrum of humanity.

🎟 Tickets: $15
📍 Venue: Fairview Seniors Community – Auditorium, 515 Langs Drive (2nd Floor)
🚪 Entrance: Please use the POOL entrance at the rear of the building
🅿️ Parking: Available at Preston Mennonite Church and Preston Public School

To ensure everyone has the opportunity to attend, a limited number of Angel Tickets are available for individuals or families who may not otherwise be able to afford admission.
To request an Angel Ticket, please contact cj@cjjanzen.com.
Tickets will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

This unforgettable evening is made possible thanks to the generous support of Sir Marco Robinson, Ontario Home Health, Right At Home, and Fairview Seniors Community.

Let’s come together to celebrate and elevate the voices, talents, and stories of people with disabilities in our community.

Tickets: Range from $10 – $1500

Why $1500? This is a Sponsorship Tier for anyone who wants to sponsor the entire show and make it FREE to the public!

Want to become a Sponsor?
Click here for more details –> Sponsorship Tiers

Performer/Vendor Profiles

BARBARA ELLEN ZIEGLER SHAW

Born Galt (now Cambridge) Ontario. Canada.1937 and received her BA Fine Art from SUNY Buffalo and has an Art Specialist Certificate. Ontario Ministry of Education. She is now a Retired Elementary & Secondary School Teacher.  Barbara is an Artist and does Tapestries – In Needlepoint & Crochet Inspired by traditional needlepoint kneelers and cushions in English Churches and Cathedrals Paintings in acrylics and inks. She is an accomplished Folk Singer with an extensive repertoire of Traditional songs and plays Acoustic Guitar. She is also a writer of Free Verse poems.   www.bezstapestry.ca

Paul Robert Bender Bio

Paul R. Bender was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, among the rolling hills, south of the old order Mennonite farms of Waterloo Region. He currently resides in Hespeler, now part of Cambridge, Ontario, with his wife of twenty years and son.

Paul spends most of his time paddling his canoe along the eddies or bends on the Speed River at the face of his home, or hours pecking letters to words while dreaming of wilderness trips with his wife.

 Peter Lawryniuk. I am 47 years old. When I was 7 years old, I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle and in a coma for 11 days. I needed to relearn to walk, talk, eat and use all my muscles again. I have a Brain injury from the accident. Fast forward 40 years later, I am driving, and volunteering in a daycare where I also share my music and singing there with the children. I also volunteer at the family and children services a few days a week. I wrote a book called, “Miracles , my life’s journey”, and I like to sing on YouTube

Fred Martin

Fred enjoys talking to people, playing his harmonica, and is currently learning how to play guitar.
Fred also works at spreading his faith and love of Jesus with the world.

Oriana Abrahamse is no stranger to the local arts scene. As a former professional actor she has performed on screen and in theatre’s across Ontario.  Recently she has worked with GLT, ECT, KWLT, and has been a member of the Guelph Chamber Choir and The Rainbow Chours of Waterloo Wellington. Oriana is thrilled to be part of Disabilities Unleashed as she and is thankful for all the hard work that CJ has put into this amazing event. 

Email: oabrahamse@gmail.com Facebook/Instagram: @orianaabrahamse

Something Wilde is an exciting duo act featuring Alex Keefe on drums and Connor Wilde on keyboards/horns/vocals. You can expect to hear a wide variety of musical genres including rock, pop, jazz, funk, country, and more. Everything from old classics, new favourites, hidden gems, and original music.


Something Wilde brings together a unique blend of styles and sounds that you won’t want to miss! Book Something Wilde!

Darby Rose Kent – From the chaos of life to resolve through art
Artist | Queer & Autistic | Owner of Chaotic Resolve Creations

I’m a queer autistic artist whose journey began through art therapy — a way to process emotions when words fell short. Lyrics became part of my work, helping me name and feel what once felt unreachable.
What started as a personal practice grew when I began donating art to the Rainbow Chorus. That spark lit the path for my business, Chaotic Resolve Creations, where I now offer commissions and show my work at markets year-round.

Every piece I create speaks to emotional truth, queer joy, and neurodivergent pride. When I show up at a market, I bring all of that with me — not just in my art, but in how I exist.
From the chaos of life to resolve through art — that’s the heart of what I do.
Website: http://chaoticresolvecreations.ca Instagram: darbykent

Here’s some photos and videos from the December 6, 2024 show:

December 7th, the Region of Waterloo was the home to the first ever {dis}ABILITY Unleashed show. The show took place at the prestigious Centre In The Square – Studio Theatre and though we didn’t fill the seats to capacity, we made a good start!

The idea for this show didn’t even exist prior to the end of June when I learned that July was Disability Pride Month! I was so excited to learn about July and immediately started googling and search for events in my Region and found NOTHING…zip…zilch…nada! I was so disappointed! I wanted a chance to speak, to volunteer, to meet other people with disabilities and yet, there was nothing for me. I decided then and there, I was going to change that, I didn’t know how, but I knew things couldn’t remain the same.

After doing some research, I learned that the US started Disability Pride Month in 1990, but that Canada only brought it into law in 2023! So, I guess it’s not THAT surprising that people hadn’t yet picked up the ball and run with it, but who was going to start?? I decided then and there, it would be me. I knew I had a LOT to learn. I knew nothing about applying for grants, bursaries, etc. and I also had little event creation experience. I spoke with Ben Gorodetsky at Pinch Arts and ask him about applying, costs, budgets, etc. Little did I know that those conversations and his belief in me, who lead him to speak with @Lisa O’Connell with Pat The Dog Theatre Creation #patthedogpdc who contacted me in September and ask me if I wanted to run my show idea in December. After I picked my jaw up off the ground and squeaked out a “yyyYYEss?!?!”, {dis}ABILITY Unleashed was born!

In just under 3 months I found and auditioned musicians, poets, comics, authors, and artists, all the while participating in 4 choirs, several concerts, swam 1 km for the CIBC Run for the Cure and raised $3297 dollars for Cancer research. All of these things impacted my fragile health, and I lost several weeks to backlash and exhaustion.

I had to learn how to communicate with co-producers, the venue, and performers. It was interesting as each stakeholder had very different and distinct needs.

I also had the pleasure of being featured in Cambridge Today, Mike Farwell‘s Radio Show/Podcast, on CBC Morning Show – with Craig Norris, on What’s Buzzin with Chris & Cam on RogersTV, and Your Region This Week on RogersTV. This kind of media attention was hard to attract but with determination and persistence, I was really pleased with how many opportunities there were. It again showed me that disability is an important topic in our community.

My show also attracted the notice of City and Regional Councillors in Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, and Waterloo, so much so, there is already talk about holding more shows in 2025!

Special thanks also to @Kimberly Sproul of Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region for your assistance in trying to help us acquire an ASL interpreter and be an energy giver in the final week when I needed it most!

The show wasn’t a complete sell out, but enough people came for it to be enjoyable, interactive, and a sense of community. I was so thankful for Ken Roche RMT, Emily Akerman, Siyobin Blanco, Connor Wilde and Alex Keefe from Something Wilde and the {dis}ABILITY Singers which consisted of CJ Janzen, Matt Hunter-Tribe, and Spencer Yates, who made this show amazing and all gave stellar performances! Our authors Richard H. Stephens and Lauren Dawn Davidson sold a number of books and Emily Ackerman also successfully sold many of her amazing artworks.

December 7th, 2024, marked the first of what I hope to be many shows in the future. If you are or know of someone who is disabled and would like to perform in a show, and artist, author, craftsperson, etc. please have them reach out to me at cj@cjjanzen.com as I have a feeling I’m going to need a LOT more folks this year ❤

Thanks once again to everyone who participated in this event, who cheered me on, who believed in my and my dream and turned it into a reality! I don’t know where this will take me in the future, but I can envision so much more. A festival, a conference, school interactions/shows, and so much more!

If you or your company would like to help sponsor a show, please reach out! I’m willing to travel, to work with your communities, and to elevate, celebrate, and create new opportunities for persons with disabilities ❤

🌊🌊Oceans of Love🌊🌊

CJ Janzen | The Singing Speaker

Creator and Producer of {dis}ABILITY Unleashed

Congratulations on the amazing event!  I heard it was fantastic and I’m so disappointed I couldn’t attend.  I would love to support the work you’re doing and please let me know how I can help moving forward.
 
Best Regards,
Sheri Roberts

City of Cambridge Councillor

“{dis}ABILITY Unleashed is a celebration of performers, authors, and artists in conjunction with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Dec 3rd).

Our goal is to provide a performer and audience friendly, inclusive as we can make it, environment so that no matter what your disability is, you feel welcome!”

Tickets can be purchased Here:
https://tinyurl.com/disABILITY-Unleashed

Or you can call the Centre In The Square Box Office:
(519) 578-1570 or 1 (800) 265-8977.

*To purchase an “Angel Ticket”, you MUST call the Box office

Emcee and member of {dis}ABILITY Pride Singers

CJ Janzen | The Singing Speaker (xe/xym/xer) is an award winning Keynote Speaker, Creator and Producer of {dis}ABILITY Unleashed. CJ is a Singer/Songwriter, a myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) activist, is an active community volunteer, and is a council member on the City of Cambridge Accessibility Advisory Counsil. CJ lives with several learning disabilities and a few serious chronic illness that leaves xyr 80% bed bound yet xe refuses to let any disability prevent xyr from achieving xyr dream of making Speaking xyr full-time occupation.
CJ created a life quote – “Choose to live joyously within the tempest of adversity”.

Siyobin Blanco (she/they) is a well-respected and award-winning multidisciplinary dancer, activist, community organizer, accessibility consultant and Reiki Master, currently studying Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. They dance primarily with the award-winning troupe, Invoketress Dance, in Guelph, ON. Siyobin is a queer person of colour with multiple non-apparent disabilities and uses all of her avenues of creativity as a platform for social justice, representation of intersectionality and healing.

Something Wilde is an exciting duo act featuring Alex Keefe on drums and Connor Wilde on keyboards/horns/vocals. You can expect to hear a wide variety of musical genres including rock, pop, jazz, funk, country, and more. Everything from old classics, new favourites, hidden gems, and original music. Something Wilde brings together a unique blend of styles and sounds that you won’t want to miss!

Emily Akerman is from the heart of Downtown Toronto. She has a cochlear implant and often prefers to exist in the world in silence. Emily has a hearing guide dog from Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. Her dog’s name is Yuki and they have been a team for over a year now. Emily is currently at OCAD University studying Illustration and Creative Writing. She will be performing 3 poems, one that will be an interactive performance with Yuki. Emily creates work that expresses the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) community, expressing awareness and advocating for accessibility and accommodations. 

Member of {dis}ABILITY Pride Singers
Spenser Yates (any pronouns) is a recent graduate with a degree in Psychology from the University of Waterloo. She primarily works as a pet care provider and has a passion for working with dogs with behaviour issues to help improve both pet and human family members’ lives. Spenser currently sings soprano with the Rainbow Chorus of Wellington-Waterloo directed by Allison MacNeill and has previously sung with the University of Waterloo Choir with director Liska Jetchick, as well as the John F. Ross Concert Choir and the vocal jazz group Ross Singers with Dale Hobbs as choir director. Spenser has several disabilities including a form of binocular vision dysfunction, learning disabilities, “may-b-ADHD?”, and probably some type of dysautonomia.”

Member of {dis}ABILITY Pride Singers
Matt Hunter-Tribe, A quiet unassuming loveable bear with a beautiful Bass voice.

Image thanks to Free Images  @v_g

Blind & Dangerous and Guide Dog Gromit 

Ken Roche grew up progressively visually impaired in the Preston area of Cambridge. He attributes having a good sense of humor to keeping his sanity while slowly going blind over almost 40 years. Ken got his start in stand-up comedy at Kitchener’s Yuk Yuks in 2009. Since then, he’s been making people laugh all over Ontario and performed in most popular comedy clubs including: Absolute Comedy, Yuk Yuks, Crickets in Thunder Bay and has been a local regular with Rusty Nail and many other pubs and corporate events. Guide Dog Grommet first joined Ken on stage in 2015, but doesn’t think he’s very good at comedy since any time they perform people just keep laughing at them. Come listen to funny stories related to how he went blind and his life as a Registered Massage Therapist, North America’s only totally blind downhill ski racer, Martial artist and guide dog operator. After this uplifting hilarious experience, you won’t see things the same ever again!

Richard H. Stephens – Author
Richard began writing circa 1974; a bored child looking for something to do. A trip to a local bookstore saw the proprietor introduce him to the works of Terry Brooks and Stephen R. Donaldson and his writing life was forever changed.

Richard worked in a warehouse for 22 years, before going back to school. Graduating with honours, he joined the local Police Service. Having a visual impairment, Richard was not able to pursue a career as a regular constable, but held down a position in the court system for 12 years before resigning to pursue his real passion.With the support of his family, Richard realized his boyhood dream in September of 2017 and published his first book. Since then, he has published 14 more and is currently writing book 16. With at least 20 more books in his head, there’s no limit to where his imagination will take his readers to next.

Lauren Dawn Davidson – Children’s Author
Lauren,published her first children’s book in October 2019. When Lauren was born in 1999, the doctors suggested to her family to get ready to choose an institution. That she would never learn or live a meaningful life. Born with a severe heart defect, her start in life seemed grim. Ignoring the advice, her family brought her home, and soon Lauren began to thrive. In early 2019, Lauren expressed an interest in writing a book. With the support of her family, Lauren’s dream of writing and publishing a book is now a reality and as of now, she has completed 6 books! Lauren’s ambition is to be happy, successful, and independent. She hopes her stories will help her attain and sustain her life goals while bringing joy to others. https://www.laurendawndavidson.com/