Isabelle’s third date with Jason goes from promising to disastrous in Astoria, where recent subway renovations cost millions of tax dollars but kept the stations inaccessible.
Winner of the Sundance Co//ab Speak Your Truth Challenge
A message from the writer:
“March 3rd, 2012 is a date that I will never forget. On my way to an audition, I was hit by a car and lost my leg on impact. In that split second, my life spun into a new trajectory.
The amputation of my leg has affected my health and mobility enormously, but the biggest struggles in my life come from the way society views disability and handles accessibility.
One of the worst barriers to true access and inclusion is public transportation, which can affect every aspect of life; from medical care, to grocery shopping, to employment.
Most of the subway stations in New York City are not accessible, and when the old stations are renovated, accessibility is ignored. When this happened in Astoria, I had to channel my rage into my art.
“DERAILED” highlights the frustrations of living in a world still filled with systemic barriers, while also bringing attention to the personal and emotional impact of such everyday obstacles.”
-Rachel Handler