Dominick Evans

Dominick Ławniczak Evans (born December 26, 1980[1]) is a Polish-American filmmaker, activist, Twitch streamer,[2] public speaker, writer, and former activist for disabled people[3][4] and the LGBT community.[5][6][7][8][9] His works and activism tend to focus on the LGBT community and the disability rights movement.

Dominick Evans
Born
M. Ławniczak

(1980-12-26) December 26, 1980
Toledo, Ohio
NationalityPolish American
Alma materWright State University, University of Michigan
OccupationFilmmaker, public speaker
Known forFilmmaking, disability rights and LGBT activism
Websitewww.dominickevans.com

Early life

Evans was born in Toledo, Ohio to a Polish-American father, David Ławniczak (d. 2001), who was deaf, and American mother, Pam Ryan. Dominick grew up in Walbridge, Ohio with an older brother. He also has two half brothers from his father's first marriage who did not live with his family.

Evans had a contentious relationship with his parents, particularly his mother, which escalated when he came out at the age of 16.[5] His father died of heart failure in 2001.[10] Evans was close with his grandparents Willis "Willie" and Melba "Noonie" Ryan, who helped raise Dominick and his older brother. His grandmother, Noonie, was a singer on the radio in Toledo and taught him to sing.[11]

Dominick was a child actor and singer, as well as a poster child for the Muscular Dystrophy Association,[1] although he no longer supports the organization, claiming it does harm to the disabled community.

He attended Lake High School in Millbury, Ohio, where he graduated with honors in 1999. He had trouble finding the right college, where he was initially studying theater and acting.[1] Dominick originally attended Bowling Green State University while still in high school. He left BGSU in 2000 to attend Wright State University, but had to leave due to an injury.[1][11] He returned to WSU in 2010, where he completed his BFA in Motion Pictures Production.[11] He also spent a year studying theatre at a satellite school for the University of Michigan from 2009 to 2010.

Evans had a difficult childhood where he was bullied incessantly at school.[12] In 2018, Dominick was featured in the book American Hate: Survivors Speak Out by community activist and professor Arjun Singh Sethi. His chapter explores an experience in high school where he was tortured by classmates as a part of a senior prank when he was a sophomore. He also talks about the rise in bullying and hate for disabled and transgender people during the Trump presidency along with his fear of being outed publicly in his neighborhood as a result of the political climate.[13]

Career

Film

Evans completed his first film, trip, in 2013.[1][14] It won a 2015 Indie Fest Award of Recognition.[15] He has worked on other films including the short film, Nance + Sydney.[1] As of 2020, he is currently producing two short films, Inamorata and Overture. Inamorata is about a lesbian couple in the 1960s, while Overture is about two queer wheelchair users who meet in a nursing home. Dominick's films tend to be about marginalized individuals, and he works with diverse film crews that are predominantly made up of minority filmmakers.[11][16]

Activism

Evans has been advocating for the disability community since his youth. He has been heavily involved in the movement for better portrayals of transgender people[17] and disability in film and other media,[18][19] as well as the marriage equality movement for both LGBTQ and disabled people.[8][20][21] He was invited to attend the White House's first forum on disability and LGBT issues in June 2014.[7]

While in college, Evans studied disability in film, television, and other media. He was disturbed by what he felt was a huge lack of inclusion for disabled actors and filmmakers in the industry.[22][23][24][25][26][27] He has made it a tenet of his activism, speaking on the topic regularly, including at Lights, Camera, Access! 2.0 at New York University and John Jay College in July 2015[20][28][29] and mentoring disabled media, film, and communication students at the White House in November 2016 via the video robot ALF. Dominick is one of the few people to have the privilege of controlling a robot at the White House from across the country.[30]

In 2014, Evans started the Twitter discussion #FilmDis, a now-monthly discussion that explores the problems with inclusion of those with disabilities, as well as portrayals of disability in film, television, and other media.[20][31][32][33][34][35][36] Discussions have been attended by notable filmmakers, comic book writers, and actors. He also hosted a panel on this topic entitled "Crip Culture and the Media – Perceptions of Disability in Film and Television" at 2015's New York Comic Con.[36][37][38] In 2016, he returned to New York Comic Con via Skype for the panel "Where are the Wheelchairs?", which also included author and activist Day Al-Mohamed; model and activist Jillian Mercado; actress, comedian, and advocate Maysoon Zayid; and actor, comedian, and activist Steve Way.[39][40]

Dominick previously worked at the Center for Disability Rights in New York as a media and entertainment advocate.[41]

In 2016, Dominick was involved in protests against the film Me Before You, a film in which a disabled man travels to Switzerland for assisted suicide.[41][42][43][44]

Evans is a leading voice in the movement for marriage equality for people with disabilities. He worked with LGBT marriage equality activists in Ohio, to discuss the issue and its relations to the topic of LGBT marriage.[6][21]

He currently streams video games and web shows on Twitch. As of 2019, he has been working in Hollywood with film and television studios, such as  Lionsgate and Netflix, as an independent consultant.

Honors

Evans was named one of eight "LGBT influencers you need to know in New York City" in the summer of 2016 by Time Out.[45] Evans was named one of New Mobility's 2016 People of the Year for being part of a protest against assisted suicide.[46]

Personal life

Evans lives in Detroit, Michigan. He has worked primarily with his creative partner, Ashtyn Law, since 2002. Dominick has started consulting on scripts for studios such as Lionsgate and shows airing on networks like Netflix.

Evans was born with a degenerative neuromuscular disability, spinal muscular atrophy.[14] He was diagnosed with Type III of SMA at age 4, and has had to use a wheelchair full-time since 1997.[14][47] He also has asthma, chronic pain, ADD, OCD and is hard of hearing.[48]

Evans is non-binary, transgender and queer, and uses he/him and they/them pronouns.[49][50]

References
  1. "Dominick Evans". IMDb. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  2. "Mixer".
  3. "Behind the Voices: The Power of Social Media in the World of Disability -". The Good Men Project. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  4. "People Who Are Not Disabled Need To Check Out #AbleismExists Right Now". The Huffington Post. April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  5. "Transgender Today: Dominick Evans". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  6. "KosAbility: The "Other" Marriage Penalty". Daily Kos. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  7. "Question Reality Show - May 2015 Archive". LA Talk Radio. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  8. "Wright State Graduate, Director Rips Film Industry; Dominick Evans Says Disabled Are Underrepresented - Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) | HighBeam Research". www.highbeam.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  9. "Why The Danish Girl's Oscar loss is a satisfying win for trans women". Public Radio International. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  10. "My Dad, David Lawniczak". Dominick Evans. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  11. "A Talk with Dominick Evans - Able Pathways Media". Able Pathways Media. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  12. "I Was Bullied…". Dominick Evans. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  13. Singh Sethi, Arjun (2018). American Hate: Survivors Speak Out. New York: The New Press. pp. 123–130. ISBN 978-1620973714.
  14. "Burton couple win film award, look for actors before production in May". MLive.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  15. "Award of Recognition October 2015". theindiefest.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  16. "Represent | Dayton City Paper". www.daytoncitypaper.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  17. "Why The Danish Girl's Oscar loss is a satisfying win for trans women". Yes! Magazine. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  18. "Kylie Jenner's provocative and infuriating photo shoot". The Daily Dot. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  19. Perry, David. "The Problem With The New Down Syndrome PSA Starring Olivia Wilde". The Establishment. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  20. "Independence Today". www.itodaynews.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  21. "Love Wins! What's Next for Marriage Equality?". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  22. "Disabled Filmmakers Breathe New Life Into Storytelling Through Web Series". The Huffington Post. May 2, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  23. "Independence Today". www.itodaynews.com. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  24. "Interview: RJ Mitte on 'Who's Driving Doug'". ScreenPicks. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  25. "The world's largest minority is speaking out. This is what they have to say". Upworthy. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  26. "Dayton Daily News Neighbors Feature". www.daytondailynews.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  27. "Why Marketing Cannot Afford to Exclude 'Disability'". www.viscardicenter.org. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  28. "Lights! Camera! Access! 2.0 Think Tank Comes to NYU".
  29. "Breaking Silences Academic Conference Schedule of Speakers" (PDF).
  30. Coalition, DisMentors (December 7, 2016). "ALF Goes to the White House – #DisabilityMentors". Medium. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  31. "#OscarsSoAble and the Failed Annenberg Report: The Missing Disability Dimension in Diversity Conversations & Actions | RespectAbility". respectabilityusa.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2016. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  32. "DisBeat Announces the "Disability Narrative Imperative" in Hollywood's "Diversity" Conversation".
  33. "Talking disability and film on #FilmDis". The Daily Dot. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  34. "Autism Community Criticizes Hit Broadway Play for Opting, Again, to Cast a Non-Autistic Lead". Village Voice. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  35. "Spidiversity: Disability in Spider-Man Comics | Superior Spider-Talk: A Spider-Man Website". superiorspidertalk.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  36. "Comedian Calls Out Big Issue With Hollywood's Disabled Characters". The Mighty. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  37. "Crip Culture and the Media – Perceptions of Disability in Film and Television". nycc15.mapyourshow.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  38. "Four Panels Not on the Main Stage to Check out at NYCC". Women Write About Comics. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  39. "People With Disabilities Say What They Want To See In Comics". BuzzFeed. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  40. "Entertainers With Disabilities Speak Out At NYCC "Where are the wheelchairs?" - YUYU". YUYU. October 13, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  41. "Why Some Disability Rights Activists Are Protesting 'Me Before You' - SELF". SELF. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  42. "Me Before You, starring GoT's Emilia Clarke, is a 'disability snuff movie', say protesters". Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  43. Elyse Wanshel Associate Editor, Good News (June 10, 2016). "The Disability Community Is Pissed AF About 'Me Before You'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  44. "The "Me Before You" Backlash Was Bigger Than Anyone Expected". BuzzFeed. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  45. "Eight LGBT influencers you need to know". Time Out New York. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  46. "2016 People of the Year: The Resisters". New Mobility. January 1, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  47. "Disabled film student directs his vision". www.mydaytondailynews.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  48. Reporter, Elyse Wanshel Trends; Post, The Huffington (April 22, 2016). "People Who Are Not Disabled Need To Check Out #AbleismExists Right Now". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  49. "Bios". Dominick Evans. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  50. Evans, Dominick. "Dominick Evans (@dominickevans)". Twitter. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
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