This April, the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) and its partner programs, Tower Guard, BOND, and the Council of Students with Disabilities (CSD) hosted a screening and discussion event for the film, Deej. Deej is a documentary that follows the story of DJ Savarese, a non-speaking autistic man as he navigates life through the end of high school and into college.
A few RCPD staff had seen the documentary in the past and were eager to share with the campus community as the film centers a lived experience not often showcased in the media. Further, the RCPD staff held their own film screening and discussion to discuss the key themes and how they can incorporate their learning into practice.
Before the event, the program organizers, Kristen Campbell, Colleen Floyd, Kelsey Foote, Lindsay Hill, and Madison Onorati worked together to create discussion questions. They were largely inspired by the discussion guide written by DJ himself.
On the night of the event, over thirty students, staff, and faculty came together to watch and discuss the film. The organizers were delighted to host an important conversation that dived into inclusion, ableist assumptions, and accessibility. The organizers and RCPD as a whole hope to continue this theme of programming in hopes to further the campus community’s understanding of disability and access.
You can learn more about the documentary and DJ by checking out the film’s website!
