Philanthropic Works
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"Michele Spitz is a philanthropist whose focus is advocacy for equal access to arts and education. It is with the passion of an artist, the generosity of a philanthropist, and the spirit of joy that she enriches lives and embraces the world by inclusion."
Film & Museum Sponsorship
Woman of Her Word has sponsored and voiced audio description for select films for the 2014-2017 Superfest: SF International Disability Film Festival, and the 2015-2020 ReelAbilities: NY
International Disability Film Festival, including 2019 Deaf Film Camp Short Films. Additionally,
Michele was a sponsor for the first ReelAbilities Film Festival: Los Angeles 2018. She continues to sponsor, voice, and co-produce the audio and video description for select media projects such as the 2018 "The Senses" exhibit for the
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. Michele has provided audio description grants for 80% of the films she has audio described with the explicit intention to raise digital media and film accessibility awareness.
Woman of Her Word develops, initiates and implements unique ticket outreach programs, underwriting patron attendance tickets annually
for varied performing, visual and cultural arts platforms and venues. These programs serve multiple communities including but not limited
to senior, veteran, and disabled patrons. She
is a supporter of SFJAZZ, JCCSF Arts & Ideas,
the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, Osher
Marin JCC Senior Excursions, Lighthouse for
the Blind and Visually Impaired, Helen Keller Services for the Blind and Friends of Lockwood.
Woman of Her Word funds assistive audience technology to facilitate equality of experience for all patrons. She will be providing media accessibility for the upcoming 2020 Media Access Awards. She has supported audience accessibility technology for Deaf West Theater performances at the Wallis Annenberg Center, Superfest Film Festivals, Broadway Dreams
and technology for Positive Exposure 109 New York.
Assistive Technology
Medical Research and Recreational Therapy
Woman of Her Word supported UCSF's, medical program, That Man May See; dedicated to the
understanding of the causes and mechanisms
of eye diseases, with their goals of slowing,
halting, and preventing deterioration of sight. Michele is currently identifying opportunities
in which to align a designated hospital with
an entertainment organization to support
outpatient outings.
Underwriting
Performing Arts
Woman of Her Word believes in the power of
art behind the stage, as well as on the stage. Michele is a supporter of aspiring talent of individuals participating in programs such
as Broadway Dreams, The Miracle Project,
Actors for Autism, and Meet the Biz. These organizations enable natural integration of
life and disability through theatrical and on-screen performances. Michele is always
researching programs for consideration.
Underwriting
Outreach Tickets
Media Grants & Scholarships
Woman of Her Word initiated the first British Academy
of Film and Television Arts New York (BAFTA) Media Studies Scholarship for Feirstein graduate film students with disabilities from 2016-2019. She also initiated the first Audio Description Grant for New York Women in
Film and Television (NYWIFT) disability subject based film recipients 2015-2019, 2018 documentary film and Women in Film (WIF) 2019 first AD/CC Film Finishing Grant. She will be sponsoring the 2020-2023 Student Scholarships for ACB's ADP Audio Description Institute.