Meritzer Award Night
September 3, 2026
Enjoy a block of 7 short films featuring people with diverse abilities in the grand PNC Theater!
The films will be preceded by the 8th annual Meritzer Award ceremony honoring recipient Tina Calabro and followed by an after-party.
Come early to shop the ReelAbilities Art Market showcasing the work of adult artists with developmental and intellectual disabilities and stay late for an after-party in the Playhouse lobby.
8TH ANNUAL MERITZER AWARD
Preceding the short film program on September 3, the 8th annual Richard Meritzer Award will be presented to Tina Calabro, a writer and speaker specializing in disability issues.
The Richard Meritzer Award, co-sponsored by the City of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Task Force on Disabilities and ReelAbilities Pittsburgh, recognizes outstanding leadership in advancing the letter and spirit of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The award is named in memory of Richard Meritzer (1953-2019), who served as ADA Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2019 and was a leader in promoting understanding and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
2026 Meritzer Award Winner Tina Calabro’s work as a communicator and community builder is focused on expanding public understanding of disability and highlighting the work of people and organizations that create opportunity and positive change. Her popular newspaper column, “Breaking Down Barriers,” which ran for 12 years in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, has been recognized for increasing awareness of issues, initiating positive changes and providing a voice for the disability community.
Previous Meritzer Award recipients include The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Oakland for All, Dr. Josie Badger, FISA Foundation, Mary Anderson Hartley, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Nancy Murray.