Comedy can change the world. It points out the absurdity of bigotry and makes hard truths easier to hear. Comedy exposes hypocrisy, challenges the status quo and stigmatizes bad behavior. It opens our eyes to other perspectives and experiences. Comedy serves as a form of catharsis and social critique; it opens the door to talking about taboo experiences; it normalizes groups and individuals too often portrayed as “the other.”

Yes, And...Laughter Lab seeks to start cross-sector collaborative relationships between the comedy and social justice sectors, on the way to supporting the production and distribution of new comedy work that can reframe the conversations about and encourage public engagement with the most pressing issues of today.

In its first year, Yes, And...Laughter Lab will support six incredible original comedy projects that marry quality (great, entertaining comedy) and social impact (fostering public engagement with social problems to pitch their projects at the inaugural convening in New York City on June 10, 2019.