Ellice Patterson
I am a multi-disciplinary artist who uses dance, writing, science communication, and other forms of artivism to pursue disability justice in greater Boston and beyond.
My Approach
Dance
As the founder/executive and artistic director of Abilities Dance Boston, I am interested in pursuing movement that centers diverse voices and stories. I am interested in dancing in and creating work around topics of disability justice that lead to both community level and policy level change.
Boston Transportation Department Residency
Since 2022 I have worked with the Boston Transportation Department to use art as a way to bridge divides between communities and city government. Through speaking with community, writing the Manifesto Against Defensive Design, and doing protest crawls, I have been able to affect change in how BTD creates more accessibility in their streets and sidewalks.
Discovery Museum’s Black Women in STEM
With a degree in Biology, I have longed to merge my interests in intersectional equity with desires for science. I am privileged to co-create a workshop series for children with Discovery Museum in Acton that highlights black women past and present through various STEM fields. In addition, there are activities based on their various research so kids learn scientific concepts and skills t
What Supporters are Saying
"Ellice’s Manifesto Against Defensive Design is a critical document in the work we do with engaging in community."
Charlotte Fleetwood, Boston Transportation Department
"Ellice is a young woman with amazing drive. Embodying multiple identities, she provides an important and often marginalized voice on disability, race, gender, and sexual expression."
Charles Baldwin