«It was 2015. I was driving Milan's night trams for Atm, the city's transport company, and by day, as a physical therapist, I worked with the National Italian Television Artists and the Colorado Charity Team. That's where the world of comedy and the world of activism collided,» recalls Salvatore Ferrara, describing the encounter that led him to found the Nic association (Nazionale Italiana Comici) with comedians Angelo Pintus and Stefano Chiodaroli. Based in Rozzano outside Milan, the organization runs a soccer team designed to raise funds through sport—inclusive sport, where teenagers and young people with disabilities take the field.
Within a few years, participation from families grew so much that the group expanded into other initiatives. The more people encountered different abilities, the more hidden energies emerged, unsuspected talents waiting for their moment. «This October we launch the sixth season of Diversamente Comici,» Ferrara explains with pride. «Young people with disabilities from across Italy will take the stage, interacting with professional comedians. They are the true stars of our theatrical shows, and every ticket sold goes directly to the families of our performers or to nonprofits working alongside them—right there between the first and second halves. Since 2015, we've supported twenty-two organizations!»
There is one condition for receiving Nic's support: the young people must develop their own project, which Nic staff then help bring to life. For years, for example, the organization has collaborated with the De Marchi Foundation, which works with children living with cystic fibrosis. «Many adolescents with disabilities feel excluded or pushed to the margins of their community, even though they know they possess extraordinary abilities, share the same passions as their peers, and have something to offer all of us,» Ferrara says. «That's why it's essential to create spaces where they can express themselves freely. In our meetings, we receive far more than we ever give, discovering unexpected talents and resources we can bring back to our communities.»
The experience transforms the young performers themselves. They step into the spotlight, perform before strangers outside their daily circles, and the recognition they receive strengthens their confidence and self-worth. Gaia, eleven years old and a seasoned joke-teller now fully recovered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, puts it plainly: «I overcame the shyness that always held me back at school. Most importantly, I've never felt discriminated against here—only valued for what I can do.» And comedy, after all, is a uniquely effective weapon against prejudice. Nothing dismantles fixed assumptions or breaks down barriers to understanding quite like laughter at the flaws and limits we all share.
Beyond the human and social value comes professional growth. Cristiano Rossi, known as Cris Brave, has served as co-presenter for several seasons despite his spastic tetraparesis. «I've learned countless tricks of the trade and discovered theatrical techniques and language I never knew existed,» he says. The greatest satisfaction, though, comes from what the audience gives back. «They recognize the value of what we do freely, with only one aim: to show that everyone can do good, and everyone must come to terms with their limits,» Cris concludes. Isn't it in imperfection that we discover what makes us unique?