The School of Education and its curriculum and instruction department will screen the new film "Intelligent Lives" by award-winning filmmaker Dan Habib at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in 201 Marano Campus Center.
The film stars three pioneering young American adults -- Naieer (above), Micah and Naomie -- with intellectual disabilities. They challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college and the workforce. Actor Chris Cooper, who with his wife fought for a general education for their son Jesse, who has cerebral palsy, narrates the film.
Following the screening, there will be a discussion and panel presentation featuring guest speakers Kayla McKeon, a local woman who is the first Washington lobbyist with Down Syndrome, and Rick Meaves, a young man who uses typing to communicate.
"Intelligent Lives" has been called "a catalyst to transform the label of intellectual disability from a life sentence of isolation into a life of possibility for the most systematically segregated people in America."
Habib has won awards for documentary films such as "Including Samuel," "Who Cares About Kelsey?," "Mr. Connolly Has ALS" and other films on disability-related topics. He is a filmmaker at New Hampshire's Institute on Disability.