What’s PRAWN?
PRAWN stands for Pay Rate for Access Workers Now. We are a duo of queer and disabled access workers — Madison Zalopany and Alison Kopit — who noticed the need for more transparency surrounding pay for access workers. We advocate for the value of access work, and for more consistent standards for pay.
In late 2023, we released a survey asking access workers in the United States about the rates they were paid, their satisfaction with this work, and stories they had from the field. We synthesized this data into a report, and released it as an open source resource.
Now, we are expanding this work. We have developed a webinar, in which we teach institutions about access work and train them to work with access workers. We also have developed a much lower-cost community-based webinar, where we guide access workers in learning more about pay standards and to grow in their advocacy for their work.
We also provide consultation services for institutions who want more customized guidance about access work and access workers.
About Us
Madison Zalopany is an access worker, artist, and cultural critic. In these roles, they foster cross-disability solidarity, support access logistics, and operate from an anti-ableist framework. They have worked with institutions such as The Guggenheim Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, Laundromat Project, Storm King Art Center, and United States Artists. Their work experience includes acting as The Whitney Museum’s Coordinator of Access and Community Programs; the Director of Community Programs and Partnerships at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; and most recently, the Lead Access Coordinator for the beloved disability culture event series I Wanna Be with You Everywhere. Through their popular TikTok platform Disability Pop, they bring a needed disability lens to movies, TV, art, pop culture, and more. They live and work in New York City with their cat Petra.
Alison Kopit is a queer and disabled access worker, access dramaturg, and movement artist based between Chicago and New York City. She was awarded the Michael Feingold award for Dramaturgy in the 2023 Obie Awards and was an Action Movement Play resident at Movement Research in November 2024. She holds a PhD in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Alison’s access dramaturgy practice approaches access as central to the creative process, and integrates access into all levels of a performance. Access dramaturgy credits include Ryan J. Haddad’s Dark Disabled Stories (Spring 2023, produced by the Bushwick Starr, presented by The Public Theater), Maggie Bridger’s Radiate (Winter 2023, Chicago Dancemakers Forum & Links Hall), Dan Fishback’s Dan Fishback is Alive, Unwell & Living in His Apartment (December 2024, Joe’s Pub) and Ryan J. Haddad’s Hold Me in the Water (April 2025, Playwrights Horizons).
