Almost Live | Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution

In the early 1970s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened, a ramshackle camp “for the handicapped” (a term no longer used) in the Catskills, exploded those confines. Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place with summertime sports, smoking and make-out sessions awaiting everyone, and campers experienced liberation and full inclusion as human beings. Their bonds endured as many migrated West to Berkeley, California — a hotbed of activism where friends from Camp Jened realized that disruption, civil disobedience, and political participation could change the future for millions.

Crip Camp is committed to using the film’s platform to amplify additional narratives in the disability rights and disability justice communities – with a particular emphasis on stories surrounding people of color and other intersectionally marginalized communities. They stand by the creed of “nothing about us, without us.” Please visit the Crip Camp website for more resources and opportunities to get involved.

Winner at Sundance and nominated for this year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary, this special screening includes Audio Description for audience members who are blind and partially sighted. Joining host Amy Amantea is special guest, disability advocate and post-doctoral research fellow, Alfiya Battalova.

The VocalEye virtual lobby opens at 6:30 pm Pacific Time for some socializing and community updates with host Amy Amantea. The pre-show introduction will begin at 6:45 pm with Amy and special guest Alfiya Battalova. The film begins at 7 pm with a running time of approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, followed by conversation, Q and A and a prize draw.