Hi! We are Jessica and Lauren,
best friends turned Ambassadors for InclusiV!
We both attended InclusiV (formerly DanceABLE) together in 2024 and 2025 as a group of ladies. We had such a blast! Jessica first learned of the event through her drama company, DramaWay. Jessica then invited Lauren and Lauren invited more friends. Together, we’ve made this celebration an annual tradition!
Thinking back to last year, we remember being greeted at the beautiful venue by so many friendly volunteers. There was a table set up with gemstones so we could embellish our faces, and a photobooth with lots of fun props. We lined up for pizza, grabbed our unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, and then hit the dance floor. Jessica even got up on stage to dance to the song “APT” – a favourite moment of ours! Between the amazing DJs, dance lessons from Bam, and live Caribbean dancers, we danced the night away. Our feet were hurting by the end of the night, but it was so worth it!
Beyond the music and dancing, we both recognize what makes parties like these so special. For Jessica, inclusive events are so important because they give us a place to socialize with our friends and family, and we get to meet amazing new people.
Lauren believes that inclusive events tell the disability community: “You matter, we care about you, you deserve to have fun.” We think this is so important to a good life. What’s louder than words? Actions. To all the sponsors and volunteers who make InclusiV possible—thank you! Thank you for showing up for others, for the ones who need it most. Dancing knows no difference and holds no judgment; it is simply a freedom to express oneself through movement. Plus, what a great workout it is!
With the event’s 10th anniversary fast approaching, we really are so excited because we loved everything from last year and heard this year is going to be bigger and better than ever before! Lauren is ready for more throwback songs, live Zumba, and entertainment. For Jessica, the highlight is the reunion aspect: “I love going because I get to meet old friends that I haven’t seen all year. Everybody shows up. I also love being a brand ambassador with my bestie!” As always, we are both so excited to make new friends!
For anyone thinking of attending, here’s our message to you: “This is your night to shine! Come as you are, invite your bestie, your neighbour, your support worker, or even your boss (we bet they like to dance too!).”
You are beautiful, God loves you. Now let’s dance!
JESSICA’S BIO:
I’m Jessica Rotolo, a 28-year-old model, public speaker, artist, and actor. You may have recently seen my viral video “Just Evolve” which has over 1.6 million views. I’ve appeared in global award‑winning campaigns for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, my original Heart design helped raise over $100,000 for Down Syndrome International, I partnered with Adidas Germany as the only Canadian on accessible footwear, and I co‑directed a documentary which will debut in 2026.
I first learned about InclusiV through DramaWay, where I’ve been a participant and Ambassador for 15 years. I’m thrilled to be an Ambassador for InclusiV because I want to show my disability community how fun and welcoming it is, and how many amazing friends, old and new, they’ll meet there. I can’t wait to dance the night away for my third year with my best friend, Lauren Abela.
I’m a young woman who was born with Down syndrome and is ROCKIN’ LIFE!
● Instagram: @jessica.rotolo20
● YouTube: Jessica Rotolo – YouTube
LAUREN’S BIO:
Hi! Nice to meet you! My name is Lauren Abela and I am a 25 year old Disability Inclusion Advocate, Educator, and Placement Advisor for Humber Polytechnic. I graduated from the University of Guelph-Humber’s Psychology program and, alongside my best friend Jessica Rotolo, we are Canada’s first Global Ambassadors for Best Buddies International. I am passionate about promoting kindness, inclusive education, and friendship. In my free time, I love watching VIP movies and riding roller coasters at Wonderland with Jessica. I first got involved with InclusiV when she invited me to attend with her in 2024, and I am very excited to be an ambassador because of how much fun we had together. Jessica is an incredible dancer! Will you join us?
