This documentary depicts the pivotal 1988 student protests at Gallaudet University, the world's first deaf university, when students opposed the appointment of a hearing president. Led by passionate students, the protest aimed to champion deaf culture and leadership. The board chair, Jane Bassett Spilman, faced backlash for her lack of understanding of deaf issues. Utilizing archival footage and re-enactments, the film captures the intense emotions of the uprising, ultimately resulting in the appointment of I King Jordan, the first deaf president, marking a significant cultural shift from an outdated mindset towards deaf empowerment.
The film's heroes are the four students who led the uprising: Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Jerry Covell, Greg Hlibok and Tim Rarus; they entertainingly interviewed here.
With a blend of archive footage and re-enactments the film-makers skilfully recreate the urgency, passion and energy of their protest.
What Spilman and her cronies represented was an old mindset that deafness was something to be fixed, that deaf people needed to be helped.
Their energy and spirit of resistance are glorious.
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