GII Symposium 2026

Kickstand Comedy’s “Finding Your Voice in Comedy” explores how creating affinity spaces for strategically underrepresented communities transformed not only who gets to do comedy — but the comedy itself.

Through the development of our BIPOC Comedy Program, our nonprofit theater in Portland, Oregon examined long-standing barriers within improv and comedy education and reimagined what it means to create truly welcoming creative spaces. This panel shares the practical, cultural, and artistic lessons we learned — and the assumptions we had to unlearn — while building affinity-based programming.

Hosted by Eric Simons & co-host Kristen Schier, this panel will discuss representation, authenticity in performance, and how centering marginalized voices has made our comedy stronger, fuller, more relevant, and more joyful.

Because improv is for everyone. Joy is for everyone. Comedy can save the world!