ANN ARBOR—A play about a blind woman about to regain her sight through surgery; a film about the brutal treatment of disabled people in Nazi Germany; a new film about depression on college campuses. These are only a few of the events comprising Investing in Ability, which focuses on important issues for people with disabilities and promotes a greater recognition of the skills and talents contributed by those with disabilities to the University and the greater society. The program is in its 13th year. “It is critical to the intellectual vitality of the University that we examine how disability has affected our past and the role it currently plays in this country and the world. We need to confront the myths and stereotypes that affect people with disabilities in order to create a more just and inclusive community,” said Brian Clapham, Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator in U-M’s Office for a Multicultural Community. “During the past decade our society has removed many of the architectural barriers that limited access for people with disabilities. Now we need to move forward by eliminating the attitudinal barriers that impede equal opportunity for individuals who have disabilities.” In “Molly Sweeney,” by the contemporary Irish playwright Brian Friel, a blind woman undergoes an operation intended to restore her sight. It is a tragic yet inspiring play about seeing and not seeing, with performances Oct. 3-5 by U-M’s Theater Department Graduate Studio and Basement Arts group. Show times are 6 p.m. Oct. 3, 7 and 11 p.m. Oct. 4 and 7 p.m. Oct. 5. Seats are free and available on a first-come basis. “Disability and the Holocaust: A History Revealed” includes a showing of the video “Liebe Perla” and a discussion by a panel of University faculty, Oct. 7, 4-6 p.m. in the Michigan Theater Screening Room, 603 E. Liberty. “Liebe Perla,” the 1999 award-winning film by Shahar Rozen, deals with the experiences of a Hungarian Jewish family of actors and musicians, all people of short stature, who were victims of “scientific” experiments by a Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele, during the Holocaust. The subject of depression is the focus on Oct. 8, also at the Michigan Theater Screening Room, with the premier of “The View From Here: Depression on College Campuses,” a video documentary produced at U-M President Mary Sue Coleman will introduce the video that gives voice to the realities of depression in a college community. Students and faculty candidly share their experiences, from the pain and confusion of symptoms, to the ways in which they found help. On Oct. 21 from 6-8 p.m., there will be Family Education Workshop on depression, presented by U-M’s Depression Center, at the East Ann Arbor Health Center, 4260 Plymouth Road. Register by calling 734-764-0267 or online at www.depressioncenter.org. Sponsors for Investing in Ability Week (Oct. 21-25) are: Council for Disability Concerns; Office for A Multicultural Community, a unit of HRAA; Center for Research on Learning and Teaching; Dance Marathon; Dialogues on Diversity; Office of the General Counsel; Global Ethnic Literatures Seminar; The Adam Miller Fund; Services for Students with Disabilities; Theatre and Drama Department; U-M Depression Center and U-M Wheelchair Seating Service.

Investing in Ability events are scheduled through Dec. 5. A complete listing is available on-line at http://www.umich.edu/~hraa/ability/ability.htm.  

www.depressioncenter.orghttp://www.umich.edu/~hraa/ability/ability.htm