The “Inspire, Include, Increase” DVD has just received a preview screening at Charles Darwin University in front of an exclusive audience.
The private, pre-release screening was designed to pay tribute to all those who had assisted in the project ahead of its official launch at the Pathways 9 conference in Melbourne on Wednesday 3 December, International day for people with a disability.
The DVD is a collaboration between the National Disability Coordination Officer NT Liz Reid (who is hosted by CDU) and Project Manager Youth WorX NT Local Community Partnerships Natasha Angelo.
The pair initially started work on the DVD 12 months ago and during that time they worked within a series of remote Northern Territory Indigenous communities to identify Indigenous perspectives on “disability”. These were then compiled into the DVD.
The result is a 30 minute long, inspirational and thought-provoking DVD that includes often moving interviews with Indigenous people with a disability, whose stories display their strength of character and belief in their own selves and their circumstance.
“We wanted to raise the profile of Indigenous people with a disability,” Ms Reid said.
“Our main aim was to deliver a raw edge to Indigenous disability awareness with real conversations, real issues and real attitudes based upon real exposure to the fore.”
Among the audience at the screening were two stars of the DVD, Joshua Lampton and Cece Adams, the latter of whom is a student at CDU.
Ms Adams said that to see herself on the big screen was “awesome” and she hoped it would inspire more Indigenous people with a disability to do the same. “If I can do it, then anyone can,” she said.
“I was really nervous to get involved at the start, but I ended up getting so much out of it and it was really good for my self-esteem,” Ms Adams said.
The DVD was clearly a hit with the audience who at times were moved by the footage, a good omen for the DVD’s official launch in early December.
Natasha Angelo said she hoped the project was just the start of similar activities, particularly for the NT.
“Since we’ve started speaking about the DVD we’ve been inundated with requests for copies both nationally and internationally, so clearly we’ve hit a nerve,” Ms Angelo said.
With no other DVD of the same genre available, it’s fair to say Ms Reid and Ms Angelo are blazing a trail in the field.