cripvideoproductions

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There was a Fantastic hybrid meeting today for the Accessibility Club of Penn State Harrisburg! We had the pleasure of connecting with CUNY Unlimited FEG, welcoming both virtual and in-person guests including Professor Sue Carpenter, Professor Jeremy Sawyer of KCC and Dr Ingrid Geier of the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program (representing CUNY Kingsborough Community College). We also had great representation from Career Studies at Penn State Harrisburg and SDR, all coming together to discuss vital topics around college accessibility for all students. We were also excited to have members of Crip Video Productions in attendance! This follows up on Margot's (from Crip Video Productions) participation in a panel on disability experience at Penn State on March 20th, 2024, which included a screening of "A Stroke Of Endurance." It's wonderful to see the continued connection and plans to screen these films for college students in the U.S and Austria! 

This collaboration also highlights the important international discussions happening, like those Margot had with the Inclusion in Higher Education Advocacy Group (IHE UK) during the pandemic, shedding light on disability terms and the challenges faced by disabled actors and students in both the UK and the U.S.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to today's valuable discussion! 

These images are posted with permission. 

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Disability Studies and Eugenics

On March 24 2025, I spoke to another class of students online who are learning to be elementary school teachers. The students asked about IEPs, my (Margot’s) academic challenges and successes and “A Stroke Of Endurance���. One student told me she had a disabled son and we talked about services that help disabled people get their needs met. One student shared she had a nephew with Cerebral Palsy. To my surprise one student asked about how DEI policy affects disabled people and I explained that disability rights began long before DEI was ever a term. One student asked how I felt about the high abortion rate for babies with Down syndrome which I think is ableist, and this led to a discussion of the history of eugenics and racism, and how these things/policies are rooted in ableism.  This discussion was the first presentation I have ever given where these harder topics were addressed and I am forever grateful for the honesty of these students. One student asked where the original idea for “A Stroke Of Endurance” came from and I spoke about how it was a true story and how it was my reply to some movies that I felt were ableist stereotypes of disabled people wanting to die rather than live disabled. 

Super special thanks to the professor and the class for inviting me! 

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Fall 2024 disability talks and screenings

On October 16th 2024 I (Margot) I had the privilege of having gave four presentations on disability. I spoke to two medical student classes about disability and bioethics such as how many disability rights activists see euthanasia and medical assistance in dying, and certain genetic testing, as a violation of disability rights (Not Dead Yet 2024). This conversation highlighted the importance of understanding how society views disability and the ethical implications that arise from these views. I discussed how side effects of medications can be disabling, and how invisible physical disabilities can sometimes be misdiagnosed and therefore dismissed as psychological disorders. It’s vital for future healthcare professionals to recognize that not all disabilities are visible and that the impact of treatments can vary greatly among individuals. Then I spoke to a group of college faculty about accessible teaching strategies like UDL. Last I spoke to a class of special education teachers, and paraprofessionals about accessibility and my life story.

On October 24th 2024 I spoke to another class of students learning to be general education and special education about the film “A Stroke Of Endurance” and modifications that can be made and addressing both mental and physical disability. This session highlighted the importance of recognizing each student’s unique needs and the role of educators in facilitating their success.

On December 5th I screened “Drama Sighted” for another group of teaching students to discuss the impacts of bullying of disabled students. The conversation turned into a discussion of “A Stroke Of Endurance” when an audience member mentioned they knew someone who had died of an ischemic stroke recently. One student said they thought Crip Video Productions main mission was to let disabled people know they matter and are valued. 

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World Cerebral Palsy Day 2024

Happy World Cerebral Palsy Day 2024 from Crip Video Productions! 🎉🌍

Today, we celebrate the vibrant achievements of individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP) around the globe! CP is considered a form of neurodiversity, highlighting the unique ways in which individuals experience and interact with the world. At Crip Video Productions, we are dedicated to depicting characters with CP living full and vibrant lives, ensuring that people with Cerebral Palsy are actively involved in all our film productions.

We apologize for not always posting on World CP Day, but thanks to a fan’s reminder, we’re making it a priority to share annually! 💚

Special thanks to all our supporters for helping spread awareness! For more information about Cerebral Palsy, check out our "About Page" here: Crip Video Productions About Page.

Be sure to check out our films: 🎬 Drama Sighted 🎬 Only Those Who Limp Allowed 🎬 Crips Not Creeps 🎬 A Stroke Of Endurance

These films focus on the fictionalized personal experiences of individuals with Cerebral Palsy, shedding light on their unique stories and challenges. Plus, don’t miss our public speaking videos like Insights For Educators and Cerebral Palsy Awareness to further your understanding, activism, and advocacy!

Please share our films with those you love who have Cerebral Palsy or want to learn more about it! This month, we have several public speaking engagements focused on educating the community about the needs of individuals with CP. We'll keep you updated on these events!

On September 24 2024 I spoke to more teaching students. We discussed music and dance accessibility in classrooms, implementing IEPs, integrating special education disabled students in general education classrooms and accommodating anxiety disorder and Cerebral Palsy and Autism in classrooms. We discussed the challenges teachers face in providing the right support, and the importance of proper diagnoses for students.We discussed how teachers are often not given the right information to assist disabled students and how students may not be properly diagnosed. This led to some students and the instructor saying they were seeking a proper diagnosis for themselves. 

Let’s continue to advocate for a world where everyone is celebrated and valued as a human being!

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News and Updates from Our Crew, Collaborators, and Supporters

Ladies and gentlemen, young and old, it may seem unusual to hear from Michael Leslie Rubin before the film is even made, but he has an extraordinary project in the works! Michael Rubin, an independent visual effects filmmaker in his own right, and video editor at Crip Video Productions who is currently working on the upcoming documentary for Crip Video Productions that is a collaboration of PSC CUNY “What The Body Believes” co-directed by CUNY Professor Mary Lynn Navarro and Margot Cole, and produced by Dylan Rothbein., is working on his first feature film: a two-part adaptation of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Following the success of his recent short film, “Once Upon A Time On Mars,” Rubin is now seeking support through a crowdfunding campaign to bring this timeless Mesopotamian epic to the big screen. Every contribution helps, and there are exciting perks for backers!

Support Michael Rubin’s project and help make the Epic of Gilgamesh come to life. Visit the campaign page here: Support the Epic of Gilgamesh

Note: Crip Video Productions is not benefiting financially from this crowdfunding campaign. Crip Video Productions is separate!

Crip Video Productions and Teatro Paraguas News:

On July 27, 2024, Teatro Paraguas was honored with an award for hosting the Special Needs Talent Show. A big thank you to Disability Pride New Mexico for recognizing Teatro Paraguas’s work, which aligns with Crip Video Productions' mission. Mark your calendars for Teatro Paraguas's 3rd Annual Special Needs Talent Show on December 7 and 8, 2024, in Santa Fe, NM! If you are in Santa Fe until August 25th 2024 catch Atacama starring JoJo Sena Tarnoff who advised and assisted with our film "A Stroke Of Endurance".

Special Mention: Crip Video Productions received a shout-out from Judy Singer on LinkedIn—special thanks to Judy Singer for the support!

Upcoming Projects and Collaborations:

Crip Video Productions is excited to announce new projects and collaborations. Check out producer Dylan Rothbein’s latest videos on neurodiversity and genetic disability:

“My Neurodivergent Genetics Journey” explores the intricate genetics behind various medical conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, intersex conditions, and ataxia. It also delves into the role of genetics in fetal development and gene overexpression.

“Judy Singer Interview” features an insightful discussion with Judy Singer about the concept of neurodiversity and her influential work in disability studies.

Stay tuned and continue to support Crip Video Productions! For more updates, visit our blog: Crip Video Productions Blog

Crip Video Productions is now on Threads! 🎬✨

We’re excited to expand our presence and connect with you on Threads! Follow us for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and exclusive content from our upcoming projects and collaborations. Stay tuned for news on "What The Body Believes" and Michael Rubin's feature film, Epic of Gilgamesh, and more exciting developments!

👉 Follow us on Threads: @cripvideoproductions

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Join Margot Cole from Crip Video Productions as she shares her invaluable insights on Cerebral Palsy with future educators in Professor Carol Carielli's class on early childhood education and development. This presentation is a must-watch for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of disability advocacy and accessible teaching strategies.

Margot, a passionate advocate and storyteller, draws from her own experiences and the mission of Crip Video Productions to create films that increase understanding of disabilities through engaging storytelling depicting disabled people living vibrantly in the film’s narratives. Her talk is informative, providing practical tips for new educators on how to create a fully accessible classroom environment for all students.

During  this enlightening presentation, other impactful resources are discussed such as videos created by Dylan Rothbein, including those about the historic capitol crawl in 1990. https://youtu.be/7srPFCa2QU0?si=5N_vVTGlfkZQV1CY  These videos offer a glimpse into the pivotal moments of the disability rights movement and serve as a powerful educational resource, along with information about Teatro Paraguas https://www.teatroparaguasnm.org .

‍ What You'll Learn:

•  Understanding Cerebral Palsy and its impact on learning.

•  Effective teaching methods for students with disabilities.

•  The importance of disability advocacy in education.

Further Viewing:

"A Stroke of Endurance" - A film by Margot Cole

“Drama Sighted” A Film by Margot Cole

•  Dylan Rothbein's videos on the capitol crawl, a significant event that led to the Americans with Disabilities Act 

For more information on Crip Video Productions and their work, visit their official website http://www.cripvideoproductions.com/. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more content on disability awareness and advocacy.

This video is posted with Carol Carrielli’s full permission.  

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Theater that screened Crip Video Productions films gets award!

I am thrilled to announce that the theater I(Margot) am a proud board member of that has screened Crip Video Productions films in 2018 and has hired Crip Video Productions actors John Diodato and Izabela Ginda and our producer Dylan Rothbein who does grant research from Crip Video Productions, Teatro Paraguas https://www.teatroparaguasnm.org has been awarded the Community Champion Award by Disability Pride New Mexico for exceptional contribution and steadfast dedication to enhancing accessibility to all people with disabilities in the Santa Fe community. Disability Pride is in July and is an important month dedicated to disability culture and disability history celebrating the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the theater is honored to receive this award! Umbrella Childrens Theater at Teatro Paraguas was the first theater where I was accepted as an actor and where my disability was treated as an asset to the performance. I am forever grateful to Teatro Paraguas for the opportunities they give me as a disabled actor and writer. 

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Crip Video Productions director interviewed about disability awareness on Facebook. https://fb.watch/r3bQwdQulc/

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Penn State Harrisburg (@pennstateharrisburg)

Crip Video Productions director interviewed about Disability Awareness.

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On March 20th 2024, I(Margot) was part of a panel about disability experience that was particularly geared towards celebrating neurodiversity. We discussed academic challenges and academic successes with a disability. “A Stroke Of Endurance” was shown after the panel. One of the audience members said they loved physical therapy after seeing the physical therapy line in the film. Many people expressed interest in getting involved with Crip Video Productions! Special thanks to all of the panelists and audience members. 

Images taken courtesy of Penn State Harrisburg and fans of “A Stroke Of Endurance” in attendance including Accessibility Club at Penn State https://www.instagram.com/psh_accessibilityclub/ . Photos posted with permission from Penn State.

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Talk to teaching students about stroke in adults and toddlers

On November 21 I spoke to another  class of Carol Carielli’s students learning to be teachers who had seen “A Stroke Of Endurance”. One student asked if the real professor who “A Stroke Of Endurance” is based on had his stroke in class, and I told them he had the stroke on campus but not during our class. I explained to the student the character in the film and the real professor did have side effects of the stroke that made him dizzy which led to a discussion of other different types of strokes, emergency treatments to stop a stroke, and individuals who had mini strokes and concussions which led to questions about institutional developmental delay, early intervention, Cerebral Palsy and my science essays https://medium.com/@dylanrothbein/how-does-mammal-fetal-development-relate-to-developmental-disability-guest-post-by-margot-8d52475fdaec  on Cerebral Palsy like The Moro Reflex https://medium.com/@dylanrothbein/the-moro-reflex-guest-post-by-margot-3d9ccc4758b2  and how the Moro Reflex and gag reflex effect children with Cerebral Palsy and Autism and how some children have both Cerebral Palsy and Autism at the same time. We discussed how teachers must also accommodate parents who have disabilities who have to meet with teachers and access the school buildings. 

This post is posted with permission of Professor Carol Carielli.  

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Announcement from our producer

Crip Video Productions is thrilled to announce that our producer Dylan Rothbein has been accepted to Rabbinical School. 

Our director Margot also gave a speech on accessible teaching and screened "Drama Sighted" yesterday. '

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World Cerebral Palsy Day 2023

Today is World Cerebral Palsy Day. Happy World Cerebral Palsy Day 2023 from Crip Video Productions! On October 2nd I(Margot Cole) gave a talk to a bunch of education majors about disability advocacy. We discussed how advocacy can impact someone’s life. We discussed the meaning of internalized ableism. We discussed “A Stroke Of Endurance” and the character Ava’s anxiety which lead to a discussion of how mental health and physical health are inter related. Some students shared their disability experience of listening to their body. We discussed best practices for paraprofessionals. 

On October 5th, I I(Margot Cole) gave a talk to a biology class involving disability and populations and screened the film “Crips Not Creeps” and the audience was very interested in what inspired me to write the film “Crips Not Creeps” particularly the false accusation plot.

We have had more production meetings with Mary Lynn Navarro and Dylan Rothbein about our upcoming documentary CUNY collaboration “What The Body Believes”.  

This post is posted with permission. 

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"Best Practices in Action by Dylan Rothbein

When it comes to best practices in media and accessibility, which is my main concern with Dylan Rothbein Liberty Coalition, too many companies have decided to ignore disability or tokenizing disabled in their brand which is not accessibility or social model of disability. There is one company however that deserves to be celebrated for their leadership and best practices which is Crip Video Productions. Crip Video Productions has put out 4 short films which showcase disabled actors in their natural habitats and each actor get accommodations. Crip Video Productions follows the ADA to the letter which is a best practice. Crip Video Productions exists to make sure everyone has value from conception to natural death. Crip Video Productions has also partnered with many organizations like Students Unlimited at Kingsborough, Teatro Paraguas, and Dylan Rothbein Liberty Coalition, and embodies Nothing About Us Without Us because everyone has a disability or is an allay. I was hired by this company to produce “What The Body Believes” a collaboration between Crip Video Productions and CUNY. Crip Video Productions also conducts ethical business practices every day because our director makes sure everyone is compensated in some way. So many times disabled people are exploited but not at Crip Video Productions. This is why it is an honor to be affiliated with this company which is disability oriented, stands for free speech and free expression, and knows every life matters.     Crip Video Productions excels and employs best practices at all stages, our director makes sure shoot locations are accessible so we can contribute our skills as human beings not just because we are disabled. In casting our casting director sees the potential in every actor regardless of experience because Crip Video Productions believes in opportunity and responsibility. In post production Crip Video Productions excels at audio description, with audio description on each production and screen reader access so I am honored to work there as a blind person and I know that no matter how impaired I get I will always have a place at Crip Video Productions. Crip Video Productions is a role model for the disabled because many disabled people feel like they can’t start a business but our director is also a writer and editor with Cerebral Palsy, which teaches us you can succeed with a TBI.  "

References 

Cole, Margot. “Crip Video Productions” 2023 www.cripvideoproductions.com 

“Dylan Rothbein Linkedin” 2023 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-rothbein-a86140147 

Cole, Margot. ”3 presentations in a single day!” Crip Video Productions 2020. https://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.com/post/190517942026/3-presentations-in-a-single-day 

“Students Unlimited” https://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/access-ability/contact.html 

“Teatro Paraguas” teatroparaguasnm.org  

This is a review of Crip Video Productions by Dylan Rothbein posted with permission. Dylan Rothbein is the producer on a new Crip Video Productions film project which is a collaboration between PSC CUNY and Professor Mary Lynn Navarro. Happy Disability Pride Month/Disability History Month from Crip Video Productions!

Dylan Rothbein Liberty Coalition is seperate from Crip Video Productions.

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I(Margot Cole) wrote biology essays that combine biology with disability studies themes. This one covers Cerebral Palsy, the Moro Reflex, and neurodiversity.

This essay was generously consulted on by Dylan Rothbein who is the producer on a new Crip Video Productions film project which is a collaboration between CUNY PSC and co directed by Professor Mary Lynn Navarro. Happy Disability Pride Month/Disability History Month from Crip Video Productions!

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I(Margot Cole) wrote 2 biology essays that combine biology with disability studies themes. This essay covers Cerebral Palsy, Autism, diabetes, dyspraxia, hemophila, epilepsy, and Down Syndrome.

This essay was generously consulted on by Dylan Rothbein who is the producer of a new Crip Video Productions film project which is a collaboration.

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I(Margot Cole) wrote biology essays that combine biology with disability studies themes. This one covers evolution and neurodiversity.

This essay was generously consulted on by Dylan Rothbein who is the producer on a new Crip Video Productions film project which is a collaboration.