"A society is best judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members."
(Multiple Attributions)
Best Judgment: The Complex Legacy of the Joseph H. Ladd Center
Advocates in Action is currently working with independent producer Jim Wolpaw on a documentary about Ladd School. We think "Best Judgment" will be unique because it is also embraces the philosophy of the Self-Advocacy movement. People who have a developmental disability, many of whom once lived at Ladd School themselves, are working together to direct and produce the film!
This documentary will look at the history of Ladd School and the "systems of care" that developed in Rhode Island for individuals who have a developmental disability after the institution was closed. It is not an expose about the abuse that took place at Ladd! It also isn't an editorial about the current system of care in our state.
Our goal is to produce a film in which the complex history of Ladd School is told simply by the people who used to live there. As a statewide self-advocacy organization, Advocates in Action has connections with former Ladd residents. We are committed to helping them speak up about the things that are important to them.
Before we began working on this project, we asked former Ladd residents what they thought about it. Their overall response was loud and clear: people want to make this documentary. They have a life story to share! The thoughts and recollections of former Ladd Center residents will drive this film.
We have begun filming for the project, but are in need of financial support as we move forward. In January, 2010, we received a grant from the RI Council on the Humanities. We're also currently applying for several other grants and looking for funding opportunities to support this important work. CLICK HERE to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
There are a lot of words on this page, but as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand of them, so here are a few pieces of our work in progress:
Click here to watch the movie trailer and see the work in progess.
Click here to view a clip from an interview with a former Ladd Resident
You may also find the following information useful:
Click here
to read "Days of Darkness, Days of Hope". This 1988 publication by the RI Historical Society shares some of history about Ladd, along with personal stories from former residents and their families.
Click here to download Joey's Story. This short essay was written by former Ladd resident Joey Sabo, who appears in Best Judgment.
This is just the beginning of our journey to capture the complex legacy of the Joseph H. Ladd Center!
If you or someone you know is a former Ladd resident, or has a connection with the instituion, we'd love to hear from you!
Click on the button to send us an email:
Please include some brief information about your connection to Ladd School, along with your full name, email address and a phone number where we can reach you. We will be in touch!
(c) 2011, www.advocatesinaction.org
This page was upated on
February 13, 2012