Notice: This program has moved entirely online via Zoom, and will now begin at 4:00pm.
Camp Jened was a summer camp in the Catskill Mountains established in 1952 to serve teens with disabilities. In the 70s, Jack Birnbaum and Larry Allison took on leadership, endeavoring to developing a camp culture that was more unstructured and free-spirited. Under this dynamic duo, the camp provided a fertile environment for political and social discussions, inspiring many to become activists. Judith Heumann, Bobbi Linn, and other Jenedians in fact formed the Disabled in Action advocacy group in 1970, part of the grassroots beginning that led to the 1990 passage of the American Disabilities Act.
The documentary, set at the camp in 1971, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020 and a nomination for an Academy Award as Best Documentary Feature soon followed. Written, directed, and co-produced by Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht, the film’s executive producers were Barack and Michelle Obama, under their Higher Ground Productions banner.
Watch the film on Netflix on your own before joining the discussion. Ellen McBride leads.
Suggested Readings:
The A.D.A. at 30: Beyond the Law’s Promise – The New York Times
Fulfilling the Promise of the Americans With Disabilities Act – The Conversation
Click to join at start | Zoom ID 838 1778 1084 | Passcode 675527
If you would like to lead a discussion, please contact jrose@nysec.org
