A release from Disability Rights of West Virginia:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Bottom Dollars, a Rooted in Rights original documentary, will be screening in Charleston, W.Va., presented by Disability Rights of West Virginia.
Bottom Dollars exposes the exploitation of nearly 250,000 people with disabilities in the U.S. that are legally being paid less than the minimum wage, on average, less than $2 an hour. The documentary calls for the phase out of the unfair practice of sub-minimum wages and sheltered workshops, and offers solutions for fair wages and inclusive employment.
Bottom Dollars will play on Sept. 22, beginning at 3:30 at Embassy Suites, 300 Court St, Charleston. Following the premiere, panelists will be available to discuss the issues and explore alternatives to segregated employment and unfair wages.
Steve Wiseman, executive director of the W.Va. Developmental Disabilities Council, Doug Auten, rehabilitation services manager, Division of Rehabilitation Services, Jeff McCroskey, executive director of Community Access, Inc. and president of Vocational Services, Inc., Jeannie Elkins, parent and Susan Given, executive director, Disability Rights of West Virginia, will participate on the panel.
“Disability Rights of West Virginia is very excited to bring this eye opening documentary to West Virginia. West Virginia has the highest number of people with disabilities per capita than any other state in the nation. At the same time, West Virginia has the highest rate of unemployment for people with disabilities in the nation It’s time to turn that number around. Integrated employment with competitive wages is the American dream, yet people with disabilities have been excluded from that dream for decades,” a spokesperson said.
“Now is the time to end this antiquated and downright insulting exception to minimum wage laws,” said David Carlson, executive producer of Bottom Dollars and director of Legal Advocacy at Disability Rights Washington. “The exception was written in a bygone era, long before children with disabilities were allowed to go to school to get an education and marketable skills, long before state and federal anti-discrimination laws protected employees with disabilities from discrimination, and long before multiple state and federal programs were created to support people with disabilities secure and keep meaningful employment. Nothing short of fully repealing this exception is acceptable and I hope this film helps people see how flawed the assumptions underlying this exception are.”
The goal of Bottom Dollars is to empower advocates and policymakers looking at the needs of workers and start focusing on giving workers with disabilities the basic protection of a minimum wage.
The documentary features personal stories and expert interviews with advocates that have been working on improving the employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Expert appearances include the National Disability Rights Network’s Senior Disability Advocacy Specialist Cheryl Bates Harris, National Federation of the Blind President Mark Riccobono and Director of Advocacy of the Center for Disability Rights Stephanie Woodward, among others.
A trailer for the film is available for preview at BottomDollarsMovie.com. The film is also available on the website to rent for those who are unable to attend. For a full list of people and organizations that made this documentary possible, please visit: BottomDollarsMovie.com. Seating is limited. To register for the screening in Charleston, please visit http://drwv40anniv.eventbrite.com.
For more information, contact: Sarah Mathis, community education and resource development specialist, at [email protected]g or (304) 346-0847.
