[Greater-Baltimore] Blind Teens Fight Challenges in New Documentary

[Danielsen, Chris]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Blind Teens Fight Challenges in New Documentary

National Federation of the Blind promotes Film to Increase Understanding among Educators and Public



Baltimore, Maryland (October 16, 2017): Connor wants to be a sponsored skateboarder. Sarah wants to travel the world. Nick dreams of being a rock star. Carina wants to be the first member of her family to graduate high school.



These four teenagers are each trying to achieve their dreams. But they face an additional challenge: they are blind.


Blind people of all ages, their families, educators, and others who face discrimination based on low expectations will learn from these inspiring young people and their stories in Do You Dream in Color?, a new, critically acclaimed documentary. The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Greater Baltimore Chapter in partnership with the Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture will host a screening of the film. The event will take place on November 1, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Peale Center (225 Holliday Street, Baltimore, MD 21202). The screening is free and open to the public. The documentary depicts the problems that blind students experience in public schools and other challenges that they face due to low expectations and misconceptions about blindness. A town-hall-style discussion with audience questions answered by local blind individuals will follow the showing of the film, and the National Federation of the Blind will give a presentation on resources available to families with blind youth.



View the trailer and learn more<http://www.doyoudreamincolor.com>. (http://www.doyoudreamincolor.com<http://www.doyoudreamincolor.com>)

Awards and Praise

  *   2017 National Federation of the Blind Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award, Top Prize
  *   Official Selection, Dallas International Film Festival
  *   Audience Choice Award, San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
  *   Advocacy Award, Superfest: International Disability Film Festival
  *   "powerfully human" -- Truth on Cinema
  *   "a film that will touch your head and your heart" -- Unseen Films



Approved Quotes for This Release
"Watching this film made me more determined to fight for blind kids, like my own, against a public education system that too often fails them," said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "The National Federation of the Blind believes that the stories told in this film will spark discussion and enhance understanding of the true challenges faced by the blind, as well as demonstrating that blindness itself is not the characteristic that defines an individual or his or her future."

"As the first museum purpose-built in the United States and the first public high school for African Americans in Baltimore, the Peale has a long history of advocating and working for inclusive education," said Dr. Nancy Proctor, Executive Director of the Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture. "Accessibility is at the heart of the current renovation of our historic building, and we are honored to have this chance to host Do You Dream in Color? and support the NFB's call for equal opportunities for all students to pursue their dreams."

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About the National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at www.nfb.org<http://www.nfb.org>.

About the Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture
The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture helps people see Baltimore in a new light by enabling the city's creators and culture-keepers to produce new and more inclusive narratives of the City, its places, and the diverse people who have made Baltimore what it is today. Founded by American artist Rembrandt Peale in 1814 and designed by Robert Cary Long, Sr., the Peale is the oldest museum building in the United States. It originally showcased artistic, natural, and scientific exhibits, and was Baltimore's Municipal Museum, part of the Museums of City Life, for most of the twentieth century. In its more than two hundred years, the Peale has been a home to innovation and many firsts, as the place where Rembrandt Peale introduced gas light to the city, making Baltimore the first to be lit by gas street lights in the country; as Baltimore's first City Hall; and the first public high school for African Americans in the city. After twenty years of being mainly vacant, the Peale Center is back at the center of Baltimore culture, hosting unique events, partnering with community groups, and providing cultural organizations with a fertile testing ground for innovative projects.


CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>

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