Vermillion, S.D. – This Thanksgiving, SDPB invites viewers to gather in gratitude and inspiration with a special lineup of programming that shines a light on the extraordinary stories of young people living with disabilities. These powerful programs showcase resilience, creativity, and the unbreakable human spirit, reminding us of all of the strength found in community and compassion.
The Thanksgiving lineup includes a series of documentaries, short features, and performances that highlight youth from Rapid City and Spearfish who are not defined by their disabilities but empowered by their determination to thrive. The lineup also features residents of Rock Island, Illinois.
Airing at 8:00 pm Central, 7 Mountain, FashionABLE is a documentary that follows 26 designers with various intellectual and physical disabilities that are partnered one-on-one with community volunteers to bring their one-of-a-kind fashion design to life. The film offers a behind the scenes look at the month-long journey, and the relationships developed along the way, culminating in a sold-out fashion show at a Rapid City green house. This intimate glimpse into the lives of several of the designers and the challenges they rise to, illustrates the ability that the arts have in changing perceptions and celebrating the human spirit.
“FashionABLE shows how anyone, when given an opportunity, can create and contribute beauty to a community,” said Heather Pickering, Artistic Director for Flutter Productions. Part of the Black Hills Works family, Flutter Productions is an all-ability dance company.
At 9:00 pm Central, 8 Mountain follow the heartwarming stories of nine youth with disabilities and their families in I am disABLEd. Filmed in Rock Island, Illinois, this heartwarming documentary highlights the challenges and triumphs of students with disabilities and their families, focusing on their abilities and similarities with their typically developing peers rather than their disability. The film seeks to ignite conversations about inclusion and action and encourages thoughtful conversations about what it means to destigmatize disabilities.
Dominique airs at 10:00pm Central, 9 Mountain. This short documentary follows Dominique and her tight-knit family in Spearfish, South Dakota, portraying the simplicity and warmth of their daily life. From bonding over target practice and gardening to Dominique's infectious positivity at the restaurant where she works, the film showcases their resilience and joy amid everyday life. Through intimate moments and outdoor adventures like hunting, we are drawn into their world and experience Dominique's role in teaching her family valuable lessons about gratitude and embracing challenges. Dominique has Down syndrome.
“Dominique's story is a reminder that joy, independence, and belonging are universal,” said Christopher Larson, producer. “Making this film was about seeing the person beyond the label — and I'm incredibly proud that audiences across South Dakota will get to meet Dominique and her family in their full light.”
The evening begins with The Bob Ross Experience. The documentary showcases the transformation of Bob Ross's original studio at Ball State University into a museum and documents his time filming The Joy of Painting from 1983 to 1988. And it concludes with an SDPB-produced short, The South Dakota Kid, a portrait of Shane Van Boening, considered one of the best pool players of all time. Shane is also hearing impaired.
7:00 pm Central, 6 pm Mountain The Bob Ross Experience
8:00 pm Central, 7 pm Mountain FashionABLE
9:00 pm Central, 8 pm Mountain I am disABLEd
10:00 pm Central, 9 pm Mountain Dominique
10:15 pm Central, 9:15 Mountain The South Dakota Kid
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About SDPB South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) is a statewide, multi-platform public media service providing television, radio, and digital content that informs, educates, entertains, and inspires. SDPB operates nine television transmitters, twelve radio transmitters, and multiple translators reaching approximately 98% of South Dakotans.