Creative Access Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2000 - CONNECTICUT TO FOLLOW PHILADELPHIA WITH MOVIE ACCESS PROTEST

In the name of Elizabeth Rigney, whose life was cut suddenly short from illness at 24 years of age, the entire Deaf community of friends and families (deaf and hearing) is rallying around the single most important challenge Elizabeth took on in her beloved Waterbery, Connecticut. Access for herself and millions of others to the nation's number one choice of popular entertainment 'goin' to the movies!!'

Carol Finkle, Founder/Director of Creative Access in Phila., PA and hearing mother of two deaf children (now 30-somethings) will keynote Connecticut's rally for equal access to American movies. Finkle will meet with legislators, press, the entire community urging Connecticut and every other state in the nation to block film studios from bringing movies into their state without Open Captioned versions beins screened simultaneously.

The story of Movie Accessibility in America is long, and deep (Before the 'talking pictures' came in, EVERYBODY LOVED THEIR 'CAPTIONS.' But since 1935 when the 'talkies' came, the Deaf world was heralded back into the 'dark ages' for the next sixty years. That picture is changing with activism spreading like wildfire in cities like Waterbery, Philadelphia, Chicago, LA, NY to champion the dream of Elizabeth.