The documentary “Intelligent Lives: A film by Dan Habib” will be screened at the Augusta Museum of History on Tuesday October 23, 2018. The three screenings will be hosted by Walton Options to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
 
“Intelligent Lives” stars three pioneering young American adults with intellectual disabilities—Micah, Naieer, and Naomie—who challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce.  The film challenges what it means to be intelligent, and points to a future in which people of all abilities can fully participate in higher education, meaningful employment, and intimate relationships.
 
“Intelligent Lives is a catalyst to transform the label of intellectual disability from a life sentence of isolation into a unifying identity for millions of the most systematically segregated people in America,” explains Dan Habib, director. “These three stories are intertwined with evolving perspectives on the nature of intelligence. Chris Cooper and his wife Marianne Leone Cooper share their connection to the film’s central themes through their son, Jesse, whose intelligence was continually questioned because he had cerebral palsy. Jesse went on to defy these assumptions, becoming a high school honor student, poet, and activist”
 
The film will be screened at three times in the Augusta Museum of History’s Theater. The screenings will be at 12:30 PM, 2:30 PM and 6:30 PM. All screenings will feature closed captions and the 12:30 PM showing is an Audio Descriptive version.
 
"We are very excited to be hosting and sharing this amazing film with the CSRA community,” explained Ann Campbell-Kelly, Development & Communications Specialist at Walton Options. “The filmmakers have not only highlighted three interesting and multi-dimensional stories from the disability community but they have presented in such a way that viewers start to look at what people with disabilities can do, not what they can’t.”
 
“Hosting these screenings during NDEAM is a perfect fit. We are working with the disability community on a daily basis at Walton Options as they work towards their independence goals. One of the main goals for our consumers is gainful employment. Educating the whole community about potential opportunities and changing stereotypes is another way we can support their goals.”
 
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is observed every October through the Department of Labor and the Office of Disability Employment. NDEAM celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates about the value. This year’s theme is “America’s Workforce: Empowering All.”

To reserve a free ticket to one of the three Film Screenings, visit http://intelligentlivesags.eventbrite.com or waltonoptions.org. Groups are encouraged to attend.