New documentary examines Ann Arbor's history of disability rights advocacy

Director Zach Damon says his film, "Resilience Revealed: Ann Arbor’s Disability Legacy," is for "anyone who wants hope."

"If you need hope, or a reason to be inspired about your community and where you're living, and if you need a film that can help you become resilient in your own life, this is it," Damon says.
Zach DamonA still from "Resilience Revealed: Ann Arbor’s Disability Legacy."
"Resilience Revealed,"  which will premiere July 27 at 6 p.m. at the Ann Arbor District Library's downtown branch, takes viewers on a deep dive into Ann Arbor's disability rights history. Damon says that Ann Arbor has a rich history of disability advocacy. In his film, he highlights historical touchpoints and local disability advocates who shaped both the local disability rights landscape and the broader disability rights movement. Ann Arbor residents' early advocacy efforts, for example, were foundational to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"Ann Arbor is a symbol of resilience," Damon says. "As a community, they have stood up throughout history for what they thought was right – whether that was the treatment of other people, the environment, or different viewpoints on different issues."
Zach DamonA still from "Resilience Revealed: Ann Arbor’s Disability Legacy."
As a disability rights advocate and a person with cerebral palsy, Damon brings deep personal insight to the screen. He shares that a pivotal moment in his own story unfolded when he was quite young and volunteering at the Ann Arbor Art Fair with his mother. 

"A photographer asked my mother if he could take my picture, and apparently the picture turned out all right," Damon says. "One thing led to another, and I ended up becoming an ambassador for the March of Dimes."

In that role, Damon traveled statewide for speaking engagements in the '90s. The early exposure to media and influential public figures propelled him onto a path of public speaking- and performance-related endeavors.  

Damon was also an Eagle Scout and a member of the wrestling team at Pioneer High School for four years. During that time he became more actively involved in disability advocacy. He became a National Council on Disability youth advisory committee representative for Michigan, and even spoke to Congress.

"I think it's important to understand that standing up for oneself is hard, and being able to stand up for oneself is not something that everyone is born with. It's a skill that's taught," he says. "I give credit to being given opportunities and then doing my best to make those into something. But I also give credit to my family, my team, and my great community."
Zach DamonZach Damon.
Today, Damon hosts "Ann Arbor Tonight," a local late night variety show that has earned multiple Philo T. Farnsworth Awards. He's also served as chairman of the city of Ann Arbor's Commission on Disability Issues for nearly 10 years. 

"Resilience, to me, means knowing when to be strong, but also knowing when to be vulnerable enough to use the resources around you," Damon says. "I hope 'Resilience Revealed' helps people understand that even though we may be behind our phones or in our apartments, we are not on our own. There's a collective community that all face a lot of similar challenges."

He says he wants filmgoers to leave knowing that "they too can be resilient and possess the strength needed to fight for something important in their lives." Damon sees great potential for "Resilience Revealed" beyond the premiere screening. He envisions it being shown in schools, inspiring students. 

He shares a behind-the-scenes moment that unfolded when he visited the Bentley Historical Library for the first time to do research for the film. In the first folder he flipped open, he discovered an old poem titled "What is Right" by Miss Wheelchair Michigan from 1988. The poem is featured in the film.

"It really made me tear up. There were individuals that came before me who faced the exact same issues, yet they fought and advocated," Damon says. "I just was overcome with gratitude for everyone who fought and [was] resilient, so that me as a little child, and me growing up, and me as an adult can now reap the benefits."

He hopes that audiences will also be touched and encouraged to stand up for what they feel is right for their children, their loved ones, and themselves. 

"There's definitely something universal in Miss Wheelchair's words," Damon says. "Doing what's right is something we all struggle with, just in different situations."

More info on the premiere screening of "Resilience Revealed" is available here.

Photos by Doug Coombe.