JAZZ BELL CONSULTING
Areas of Expertise
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A black cane with an orange band near the handle rests diagonally in a field of grass. Tiny pink flowers are scattered across the field.
Disability Justice
A lot of popular discussion about disability is centered on white, cisgender, and heterosexual experience of disability. We can’t think of systems of oppression as separate categories if we want to combat ableism and imagine a world where disabled people and people with disabilities can thrive. We must understand them as inherently interconnected. Jazz offers consultations geared towards the necessity of understanding how various systems of oppression work together.
Jazz can:
Connect you to or recommend resources around Disability Justice such as books, podcasts, social media accounts, blogs, videos, documentaries, movies, art, and more.
Help you explore & process your personal relationship to ableism.
Help outline how ableism interacts with other systems of oppression.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A snowy path lies before a pair of feet resting on a set of steps at the bottom of the image. On the feet are black lace-up boots with the black fabric of a skirt around the ankles. A black cane rests on top of the boots. Grass peeks out of the snow.
Accessibility
Social Justice is not possible without accessibility. Jazz offers insight into the following areas:
Jazz understands that while access for disabled individuals still does not exist in most spaces, access also extends beyond rigid understandings of disability, which are often defined by racist, classist, homophobic, transphobic (etc.) guidelines.
Jazz can provide practical tools and directions for increasing accessibility as an individual or an organization.
Jazz can engage with you in problem-solving around how to create accessibility with limited resources.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: a portrait of Jazz is shown. Jazz has light skin and dark hair in a bun on the top of their head with two strands of hair framing their face. They are wearing glasses, a rose gold flower crown, a red floral hairpin, and silver leaf earrings. They have on bright red eyeshadow, yellow paint on their face, a painted beard and unibrow, and their lipstick fades from yellow in the center to dark red. They are looking intensely at the viewer. On either side of the main image is each half of their face, so that it appears the main image is splitting their face in half.
LGBTQIA+ Justice
A lot of popular talk about LGBTQIA+ people focuses on the needs of cisgender, white, gay men. Jazz has expertise in many of the areas often overlooked by typical LGBTQIA+ trainings including but not limited to:
The consideration of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people.
The ways that white supremacy, ableism, misogyny, and fatphobia interact with with the experience of LGBTQIA+ people.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Jazz is shown in pink and soft purple lighting. Their eyes are closed with their head tilted upwards. They have light skin and dark shoulder length hair. One hand rests on their heart and the other rests on their stomach. They are sitting with legs crossed on the ground. Behind their head is a holographic circle, resembling a halo. They are wearing a black lace top, black shorts, and a black strappy necklace. The backdrop behind them is a holographic pink.
Sexuality
Jazz has a wealth of experience in supporting and working within sex positive spaces. Some of JAZZ’s expertise in sexuality include:
queer, trans, and gender non-conforming sexuality.
Considerations for those who engage in polyamory and/ or ethical non-monogamy.
How sexuality is impacted by systems of oppression.
Engaging in sexuality when one’s relationship to their body is fraught.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Jazz, a fat and cute human with light skin and dark hair pulled back, is shown smiling and looking up at the sky with their face resting on their palm. They are wearing a black tank top and glasses.
Fatphobia
Jazz understands that fat people experience forms of oppression and discrimination that exist beyond one’s own self-esteem or view of one’s body. Some of their areas of expertise include:
How fat people are impacted by medical fatphobia and employment discrimination.
How ideas of health and fatness have been misrepresented and how this affects fat people.
CONSULTING REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS
“Jazz's notes for creating accessible virtual programming was incredibly helpful for an online workshop series I planned. They were easy to work with and extremely knowledgeable not only about best practices for accessibility but also knew what kind of streaming platforms and tech services I would need to purchase or use. Jazz was able to answer all my questions and provided a detailed document summarizing the information we went over. I take these practices with me into all events I organize. I highly recommend reaching out to Jazz Bell if you run any kind of in-person or virtual event. Jazz is a natural teacher and you will learn a lot from them”.
— Ariana Brown,
Poet & Educator.
“It is about damn time that Jazz Bell set up a streamlined way to learn all of the wonderful knowledge that they hold. Jazz has been an interpersonal educator on Disability Justice years before they had the language for it. My own personal growth in understanding my disability and the way that I advocate for accessibility and Disability Justice can be directly traced back to the graceful and impactful way that Jazz speaks to folks.”
— Noor Al-Ahmadi
“Jazz has everything a great consultant needs. They have the knowledge base needed to give your organization guidance, as well as extensive experience in the necessary processes to take your organization from where it currently is to where you want it to be. They have years of experience providing consulting around disability justice, accessibility, and LGBTQIA justice, in every setting from the smallest community organizations to the largest public institutions. No matter your questions or needs, Jazz will guide you through the process and help you create a more equitable and just environment”.
— AK Krauss,
Social Worker, Violence Response Coordinator at Elon University.
Jazz is open to most types of consulting that engage with their areas of expertise.
Below are some examples of the kinds of consulting they can offer:
Gender Expansion Guide
Our understandings of gender are deeply limited by societal assumptions about biology, social power, normality, and more. Jazz does not believe that any one person can know everything about Gender Justice. Jazz’s role is to provide guidance, structure, and direction for those interested in examining transphobia and the possibilities of gender. Jazz is skillful at initiating self-reflection in a way that is both honest and tender.
Disability Justice Guide
Jazz does not believe that any one person can know everything about Disability Justice. Jazz’s role is to provide guidance, structure, and direction for those interested in examining ableism and its impact on the experiences of their community members and their own experiences. Jazz is skillful at initiating self-reflection in a way that is both honest and tender.
Therapist Consultations
Jazz is very familiar with all sides of the therapeutic process. They received their Master’s of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and can assist therapists in supporting their clients by providing insight into the needs, context, and lived experiences of clients impacted by ableism, transphobia, queerphobia, fatphobia, misogyny, and more.
Peer Support
Jazz is interested not only in educating others in their areas of expertise, but also in supporting those who are impacted by the things they speak about. If you feel you would benefit from support from someone who shares an embodied understanding of the impacts of ableism, transphobia, queerphobia, intersexism, sex negativity, and fatphobia, Jazz is here to provide support. Sliding scale, payment plans, and flexible pricing are available for this type of service.
PLEASE NOTE: Peer support is NOT the same as therapy. Jazz is not a licensed therapist. These sessions are more similar to coaching sessions or a peer conversation.
Educational Accessibility
As an educator, Jazz knows how much energy and labor goes into the act of teaching, and how difficult it can be to navigate educational accessibility tools without guidance. Jazz enjoys helping educators, teachers, and professors increase their capacity to provide access to their students and learners.
Event Accessibility
Jazz has over six years of experience organizing, planning, and participating in events. They want to help you create events that are mindful of the needs of those kept from engaging in public and community spaces. From marketing, to social media accessibility, to virtual event accessibility, to in-person events, they can provide insight and direction that meets your needs as an individual or an organization.
Small Group Trainings
Jazz is experienced as a group facilitator and can introduce your group to topics such as Disability Justice, Accessibility, LGBTQIA+ Justice, and Sexuality. They are skilled at meeting people where they are to take them to the next level. Whether you are a small group of friends or a nonprofit looking to expand your understandings of your community, Jazz can help.