Book Club 2.0 · Sept 2026 to Feb 2027
This is a space built by Disabled and neurodivergent people, for us.
A free, twice-monthly virtual book club for people aged 18 to 30 across Canada. No assignments, no grades, no right way to show up.
• ASL at every session
• Session recordings and transcripts
• Camera off always okay
• Free
• Open to anyone 18 to 30 in Canada
How it works
Every two weeks, you read something from our communities. We talk about it together.
It’s run by Disabled and neurodivergent facilitators who know what a genuinely accessible space feels like. No performance required.
Before the session
Read or listen
Each gathering is anchored in text from Disabled, Deaf, or neurodivergent writers and thinkers. Books, essays, podcasts, or audio. Find it in whatever format works for you.
Session night
Gather on Zoom
Twice a month on Monday evenings, 6:00 to 8:00 pm ET. ASL interpretation at every session. Session recordings and transcripts provided after each gathering.
Between sessions
Connect on Discord
The conversation continues in a private Discord community. Share thoughts, reactions, and recommendations between gatherings.
What we read
Writing from our communities. That’s the whole point.
The reading list is built from Disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent writers, thinkers, and community makers. Identity, community, and change are the themes that run through everything we choose.
Books
Four full-length books on Disability identity, community building, and social change are included with your registration. Let us know if you prefer an audiobook or a digital copy.
Essays
Shorter pieces that go deep on a single idea. Good for weeks when time is tight.
Podcasts and audio
Not everyone reads the same way. Audio is always a full option, not an afterthought.
Community writing
Blog posts, manifestos, and zines from Disabled creators and community makers.
I almost didn’t sign up because it sounded too good. Free. Virtual. No expectations. I thought there’d be a catch. There wasn’t.
FUTURES Book Club participant
Your facilitation team
Led by Disabled and neurodivergent facilitators who know what inaccessible looks like.
Primary facilitator
Eden Middleton (they/they)
Eden Middleton is a playwright, dramaturge, researcher, and social worker based in Treaty 7 (Moh’kins’tsis) and Treaty 1 (Winipek). They are a co-creator of Sunflower Collective Theatre (2023), a home for their practice of Disability dramaturgy and audience-engaged theatre work. Eden is completing their Master of Social Work at the University of Manitoba, where their research explores autonomy in psychiatric settings through arts-based methods.
Rotating secondary facilitator
Breanna Manley (she/her)
Breanna Manley is a Disabled and neurodivergent writer, scholar, and advocate. She is a Program Coordinator with FUTURES at AccessNow and a FUTURES alum from the first cohort. Breanna brings years of experience in social work, Disability advocacy, and facilitation with queer and Disabled youth. Her poetry has been published in Sick Stories: My Body My Story, a zine by and for Disabled young adults.
Rotating secondary facilitator
Bethany Schaufler-Biback (she/her)
Bethany Schaufler-Biback is an arts practitioner and PhD candidate at the University of Toronto. Her research lives at the intersection of Disability studies and audience studies, exploring Disability community and access at live performance gatherings. She has worked as a stage manager, producer, and accessibility coordinator, and brings deep commitment to teaching and community mentorship.
The Facts
Everything you need to know before you register.
Cost
Free
Format
Virtual, Zoom
Who can join
Anyone 18 to 30 in Canada
Number of sessions
12 sessions
Schedule
2nd and 4th Mondays, 6:00 to 8:00 pm ET
Dates
September 2026 to February 2027
ASL interpretation
Yes, every session
Session recordings and transcripts
Yes, every session
Community
Private Discord server
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of texts do you choose?
Four full-length books on Disability identity, community building, and social change are included with your registration. We send you each book in the format you prefer: audiobook or digital copy. Just let us know when you register. Alongside the books, we also use essays, podcasts, and audio from Disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent writers, thinkers, and community makers. We share each month’s selection in advance so you have time to prepare.
Do I have to finish the reading before the session?
We ask that you engage with as much as you can. Showing up having tried counts. The conversations go deeper when people have spent time with the text, but nobody gets quizzed at the door.
What if I miss a session?
Every session is recorded and a transcript is provided. You can catch up at your own pace at any point during the relevant month. You can also join the conversation about that month’s reading in the private Discord community, where members share thoughts and reactions between sessions. Life happens. Missing a session does not mean you’re out.
What access features are available?
All sessions include ASL interpretation. Session recordings and written transcripts are provided after every session. You can keep your camera off at any time. You can participate entirely via chat if speaking on camera is not accessible for you. Books are provided in audiobook or digital format, your choice. If you have a specific access need not listed here, email us at studio@accessnow.ca before you register and we will work it out with you.
How do I find out what we're reading?
Each session’s reading and details go out to registered members in advance. Once you’re in, you will receive everything you need to prepare.
I’m grateful to be alive at the same time as the rest of my cohort, because FUTURES helps me realize that none of us are alone.
FUTURES participant, Spring 2025
You will meet people who get it. That’s the whole point.
Twelve sessions. Six months. Free, virtual, and built for us.
Questions first? Email studio@accessnow.ca or DM us on Instagram.
At AccessNow our mission is to establish a go-to resource for accessibility information. We are building a connected platform to empower people to discover a world of accessible opportunities and remove barriers.