Mimi Scardulla and Dr. Joy Cox to Speak At Broadway Body Positivity Project

The Broadway Body Positivity Project partnered with the Upper East Side Athleta in their Speaker Series that addressed diversity and inclusivity on the Broadway Stage. The event featured stories of resilience from Stephanie Lexis, founder of BBPP, Dr. Joy Cox from Jabbieapp and MiMi Scardulla of the Broadway Dance Center.

"Our Speaker Series highlighted the importance of conversation around inclusive sizing and the continued work of the Black Lives Matter movement," says Ogheneochuko "Ochuko" Ojakovo, Assistant General Manager at Athleta Upper East Side. "At Athleta, inclusion and diversity is at the core of our DNA. We see the power in every body."

"Plus size women are marginalized in both the theatre and fitness industry. When Athleta tasked me with selecting insightful speakers on body positivity and size inclusion, Dr. Joy Cox and MiMi Scardulla immediately came to mind. They are true leaders in their chosen fields," says Stephanie Lexis.

The Broadway Body Positivity Project is an online initiative to promote body positivity and diversity in theatrical casting, with a mission to make theatre equitable for actors of all shapes, sizes, and abilities.

DR. JOY COX is a body justice advocate using her skill set in research and leadership to foster social change through the promotion of body diversity. She is the co-founder of Jabbie, an identity inclusive, body affirming app that encourages people to move their bodies in their own way, and the author of, "Fat Girls in Black Bodies Creating Communities of Our Own," an ode to intersectional fatness and togetherness. Dr. Cox has been featured on several podcasts and media productions such as Food Pysch with Christy Harrison, Nalgona Positivity Pride with Gloria Lucas, Fat Women of Color with Ivy Felicia, and Huffington Post's piece, "Everything You Know About Obesity is Wrong." She is the voice of an overcomer, looking to propel others into a place of freedom designed by their desires.

STEPHANIE LEXIS is a multi-hyphenate artist and body positivity advocate from New Jersey. In 2019, Stephanie launched Broadway Body Positivity Project, an initiative to make all theatre spaces equitable for actors of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Since the launch, Stephanie and the Broadway Body Positivity Project team have become highly requested guests for speaking engagements at universities and theatre companies. Stephanie writes, directs, and performs comedy sketches on her Youtube channel (youtube.com/StephanieLexis). Stephanie is also a singer-songwriter whose music has had commercial placement (in Japan!!). Personal Social Media (IG and Twitter: @stephanielexis, Facebook: @stephanielexisofficial)

MiMi Scardulla is a performer originally from Louisiana. She has been seen Off Broadway in Gigantic and We are the Tigers and on Broadway in Kristin Chenoweth's For the Girls. She has worked as an assistant to Chase Brock, Lorin Lotarro, and Spencer Liff. She is also Kristin Chenoweth's Associate Choreographer. MiMi is ecstatic to keep working on Once Upon a One More Time when this "Intermission" is over! All she wants is to spread glitter, self love, and joy to everyone she meets. 468-9344