Deej

Collaborating with filmmaker Robert Rooy, DJ Savarese (Deej), tells his own story of what it's like to be a nonspeaking autistic person and describes his dream of pursuing full inclusion for himself and others. Deej is an honor student at Grinnell High School, IA, interested in writing and poetry (his insightful poems are interspersed throughout here), who has goals of attending college and getting published, and he helps others understand his autism by writing a play for students. Deej describes his difficult upbringing: abandoned by his mother at age three, Deej was abused but could not speak. With a loving new family, Deej learned to read and write. Aided by a text-to-voice synthesizer, Deej is now included in classroom discussions and is assisted by his mother who helps steady his arm movements while typing. Pursuing colleges that value inclusion, Deej applies to Oberlin College in Ohio where he hopes to be the first non-speaking autistic student; he is accepted but decides to take a year off to acquire more life skills. In the end, Deej fulfills his dream of living in the dorm—with assistance, but maintaining his self-determination. Deej offers a vivid insider's view of autism, as Deej describes how his senses sometimes overpower his functioning, the effort it takes to stay on track, and how his body acts silly when excited, fearful, or anxious. Presented in both the full-length version and a 53-minute abridgement, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (T. Root)