On Saturday, March 8, the JCC in Manhattan hosted a viewing of Reel Encounters 2014, a collection of short disability-themed international films. One of the short films, titled “The Commute”, particularly caught my interest, as it relates to Crutches 4 Kids’ mission. The film takes the viewer through a day in the life of a man who is bound to a wheelchair. It captures the struggles and hardships involving wheelchair mobility throughout New York City. It takes the main character an entire day to get around Manhattan to buy a gift for his presumed daughter. By the time he gets back to his home in southern Brooklyn, it is dark outside and the young girl has gone to sleep. The film ends with a shocking statistic – only 69 out of the 468 subway stations in New York City have wheelchair accessibility. This short, but powerful film sends an important message about the significance of mobility, and how even with assistive devices, it is still difficult to get around independently. It is something I have never given much thought of living in a large metropolitan area like New York City. I invite you to check it out and let us know what you think of it. Click here.
Blog by Camilla Stodolski, Program Assistant at Crutches 4 Kids