Hop Showcases Film on Social Entrepreneurism

Despite the vast leaps that society has made in the care and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, there is still a lot to be done. Different capabilities, combined with business owners who may be hesitant to give disabled people a shot at employment has led to a staggering 85% joblessness among people with severe intellectual disabilities, even in the midst of a roaring economy. Valerie Johnson, a colorful and undefeatable educator, entrepreneur, and optimist takes aim at that problem in 25 Prospect Street, a charming documentary which chronicles the conceptualization, development, and first operating year of the Prospector Theater, located at the eponymous address in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Johnson, whose sister has Down Syndrome and plays a bittersweet role in the film, had worked extensively with adults with intellectual disabilities before coming up with the idea for the Prospector. Her dream movie theater, a gorgeous, state-of-the-art building, is designed specifically with the idea of hiring hundreds of unemployed and underemployed disabled people and giving them “meaningful work”, as well as an outlet for socialization and personal growth. Along with the many successes that the film showcases, including the remarkably charismatic “K-Mann” and the artistically talented Rachel, it doesn’t shy away from showing the difficult parts of training and employment that can be exasperating and seemingly pointless to both employees (deemed “friends”) and employers. It is a rollercoaster: there is tangible pride and joy at the sight of one’s first earned paycheck, and there are tears, denial and outbursts in a training shift gone wrong. But ultimately, 25 Prospect Street is the epitome of a feel-good movie, one that restores hope in our fellow man, and promotes the dignity of all people and of a hard day’s work.