QA County Special Education Citizen’s Advisory Committee hosts “Intelligent Lives Film” Viewing at Chesapeake College

–Film challenges IQ testing, limits placed on people with intellectual disabilities–
QA County Special Education Citizen’s Advisory Committee (SECAC) will host a screening of the new documentary INTELLIGENT LIVES on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at Chesapeake College.

Wye Mills, Maryland – INTELLIGENT LIVES, a documentary by award-winning filmmaker Dan Habib, has it’s Eastern Shore premiere at Chesapeake College-Higher Education Building on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a moderated discussion with Cody Drinkwater, Regional Self-Advocacy Specialist for the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), Eastern Shore Regional Office (ESRO), Maryland Department of Health (MD DOH).

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. Academy Award-winning actor and narrator Chris Cooper contextualizes the lives of these central characters through the emotional story of his son Jesse, as the film unpacks the shameful and ongoing track record of intelligence testing in the U.S. New Hampshire-based filmmaker Dan Habib, is the producer, director and cinematographer of INTELLIGENT LIVES.

“People with intellectual disabilities are the most segregated of all Americans,” Habib says. “Only 17 percent of students with intellectual disabilities are included in regular education. Just 40 percent will graduate from high school. And of the 6.5 million Americans with intellectual disability, barely 15 percent are employed.”
INTELLIGENT LIVES is 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.

Following the screening, the Queen Anne’s County Special Education Citizen’s Advisory Committee (SECAC) will provide a moderated post-film discussion, facilitated by Cody Drinkwater of the DDA. The screening and discussion are free and open to the public. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Please email SECAC to register: secac.qac@gmail.com.

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The Queen Anne’s County (QAC) Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) is committed to ensuring the provision of quality services to students with disabilities ages birth to 21 by working collaboratively with families, community, school staff, and other professionals to provide a forum to discuss issues related to and advocate for positive changes in special education in Queen Anne’s County Public Schools. The Queen Anne’s County SECAC is a part of a statewide network of advisory committees that are required by state and federal law. The Maryland State Department of Education supports the development of local advisory committees in each local school system. A Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee enables a local director of special education to seek meaningful input from parents and families, community partners, service providers, educators and administrators on local issues relative to the provision of a free appropriate public education and the achievement of students with disabilities.

Cody Drinkwater, is the Regional Self-Advocacy Specialist for the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), Eastern Shore Regional Office (ESRO), Maryland Department of Health (MD DOH). Drinkwater has been a strong self-advocate for many years and uses his experience to help support others in their own self-advocacy. In his role as the Regional Self-Advocacy Specialist for the Developmental Disabilities Administration, Drinkwater provides his clients with support in understanding DDA services; coordinates training on DDA waivers; administers tailored self-advocacy training; and provides information and referrals for supports and services available outside of DDA. For more information, contact him at cody.drinkwater@maryland.gov or 410- 572-5949.

Dan Habib is the director and producer of INTELLIGENT LIVES, and the creator of the award-winning documentaries Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS and many other films. Habib is a filmmaker at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. His films have been broadcast internationally, nominated for Emmy awards and translated into 17 languages. Habib gave the TEDx talk, “Disabling Segregation” and received the Justice for All Grassroots Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. In 2014, Habib was appointed by President Obama to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.