We caught up with the 2016 Harvardwood Heroes and are excited to bring you their program updates throughout April!

Find out what Rylie Zhang AB '13 has been up to with her nonprofit, No Limits Media, since receiving a 2016 Harvardwood Heroes grant.

"In 2016, I had proposed that the Harvardwood Heroes grant be used for supporting students in film classes produce films involving disability-related content or disabled actors / filmmakers.... We have successfully sponsored one student from Northwestern to produce a short disability-related film; we are looking forward to be involved in the process this year and next year. In addition, the Harvardwood Heroes grant has helped us move forward with several other No Limits Media initiatives. The grant has helped provide initial funding for a new No Limits Media documentary called Rolling Across America. The focus of the film will be to show for the first time the disability community of the United States. The documentary’s host is Chris Waddell, a 13-time Paralympic champion and the co-anchor of NBC’s 2016 Paralympic Games coverage. Chris will travel around the country highlighting a variety of people with disabilities and their accomplishments.... Thank you Harvardwood for providing this generous grant and furthering our mission of changing the image of disability in society!"

Rylie is the Co-Chair of No Limits Media, a Boston-based non-profit that uses media projects such as documentaries, videos, art exhibits, and educational curriculum to showcase the talents and abilities of people with disabilities. The organization believes that having a “disability” is really about possessing a “different ability”, and that showcasing the passions, missions, and points of views of people with disabilities can empower them to be themselves and change society’s preconception that they live limited and lackluster lives.

We are now accepting applications for 2017 Harvardwood Heroes grants! Apply by April 22nd.