The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) has officially announced the recipients of the prestigious 2026 Tony Coelho Media Scholarship. This year, the program has awarded eight Tony Coelho Media Scholarships to talented undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities who are actively pursuing academic degrees and professional pathways within the communications, media, and entertainment industries. By supporting these rising scholars, the initiative aims to foster their academic achievement, cultivate professional development, and amplify diverse perspectives within these dynamic, highly influential fields.
Named in honor of former U.S. Representative Tony Coelho—the primary author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—the scholarship program is designed to address the historic underrepresentation of people with disabilities in media and entertainment. Media shapes public perception, cultural narratives, and societal attitudes, making the inclusion of creators, artists, and innovators with disabilities vital for authentic storytelling and comprehensive industry growth. The 2026 cohort exemplifies the extraordinary talent, rigorous scholarship, and visionary artistry that recipients bring to their respective disciplines.
Among the distinguished recipients of the 2026 Tony Coelho Media Scholarship are exceptional emerging artists and scholars whose work spans sound art, music composition, and community-driven cultural organizing.
Stephanie Farmer: Columbia University
Stephanie Farmer, an incoming Master of Fine Arts candidate concentrating in Sound Art at Columbia University, represents a powerful intersection of multidisciplinary artistry and disability community organizing. Her creative practice and academic research are largely devoted to exploring the specialized field of Deaf Sound Art, pushing the boundaries of how auditory experiences are conceptualized, produced, and perceived.
Farmer’s academic journey is marked by high distinction. She graduated with honors from New York University after receiving a full scholarship, an achievement that laid the groundwork for an expansive global education. During her undergraduate years, she studied global media abroad in Ghana, Argentina, and France, while also completing a minor in creative writing to further hone her narrative skills.
Beyond her formal studies, Farmer is widely recognized as a dedicated creative accessibility organizer. She brings extensive professional experience in designing accommodations, accessibility frameworks, and interactive workshops for some of the nation’s most prominent cultural institutions. Her collaborative footprint includes work with Lincoln Center, the New York City Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, NYU Tandon’s Ability Project, FACESTRAPPED—an accessible rave initiative—the Queer Nightlife Community Center, and numerous other cultural organizations.
In her artistic and organizational endeavors, Farmer artistically blends the concept of expanding sound beyond traditional auditory perception with the expansion of empathy and collaboration. Her work champions a disability-first approach to community organizing, ensuring that creative spaces are not only accessible by design but are culturally enriched by the participation of disabled artists and audiences alike.
José André Montano: The Juilliard School
José André Montano, an undergraduate junior studying jazz piano at The Juilliard School, is a celebrated pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader whose musical journey began when he started teaching himself piano at the age of four. From a very young age, he quickly discovered a lifelong, driving passion for jazz, developing an artistic voice defined by expressive artistry, technical virtuosity, and a distinctive compositional perspective.
Montano’s remarkable talent has taken him to some of the most prestigious stages around the world. His performance credits include high-profile appearances at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, the Library of Congress, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. As a student at The Juilliard School, he performs regularly with leading jazz ensembles while continuing to refine his craft under the mentorship of renowned pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Ted Rosenthal. Additionally, he studies jazz theory, composition, and arranging with Michael Mossman, deepening his technical command of the genre.
His contributions to the arts have garnered widespread acclaim and numerous accolades. Montano was honored as one of the Kennedy Center’s NEXT 50 Leaders, received the prestigious 2019 VSA International Young Soloist Award, and earned finalist honors in the highly competitive Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. His debut album, Jazz Journey, serves as a testament to his evolving artistic voice, skillfully blending traditional jazz idioms with contemporary influences and deeply personal storytelling. Whether performing as a solo artist, leading an intimate trio, or collaborating with larger ensembles, Montano continually strives to connect with audiences through music that celebrates creativity, resilience, and unyielding joy.
The AAPD’s continued investment in scholars like Stephanie Farmer and José André Montano highlights the organization’s ongoing commitment to dismantling systemic barriers in the media and entertainment landscapes. By providing financial support, national recognition, and professional networking opportunities, the Tony Coelho Media Scholarship program ensures that the next generation of leaders with disabilities is equipped to shape the future of communications, challenge industry norms, and enrich the cultural fabric of society.
