BEING MICHELLE: OUR IMPACT
Advancing Deaf Rights, Disability Justice & the Right to Communication
Since its world premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in 2022, BEING MICHELLE has grown from an award-winning documentary into a national and international platform for disability justice, communication accessibility, trauma-informed advocacy, and systems change.
Through educational screenings, institutional partnerships, and conversations led by Deaf and disabled leaders, educators and advocates, the film continues to advance awareness of communication access as a fundamental human right.
OUR IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
2022-2026
1.27M+
ESTIMATED PEOPLE REACHED
159
CONFIRMED SCREENINGS & EVENTS
719,909
ESTIMATED ATTENDEES
16
FILM AWARDS
ACCESSIBILITY AS A CORE COMMITMENT OF BEING MICHELLE
Accessibility is central to the mission of BEING MICHELLE. The filmmakers have worked to make the documentary accessible to Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and low-vision audiences through American Sign Language (ASL) Picture-in-Picture, open captions, audio description, and multiple language versions.
These efforts reflect the film's core message: communication access is a fundamental human right, and inclusive storytelling is essential to meaningful representation.
EDUCATION, ADVOCACY & SYSTEMS CHANGE
Through educational screenings, institutional partnerships, and community conversations, BEING MICHELLE creates opportunities to examine the systemic barriers faced by Deaf and disabled people within social and criminal justice systems.
The film brings together educators, legal professionals, disability advocates, correctional professionals, and community leaders to explore communication accessibility, trauma-informed practices, and the fundamental human right to communication.
Screenings are often accompanied by curated discussions featuring filmmakers, Deaf and disabled advocates, legal experts, and local community leaders, helping audiences move from awareness toward meaningful action.
BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR LASTING CHANGE
BEING MICHELLE brings together Deaf and disability rights organizations, educators, legal professionals, advocates, and community leaders to advance conversations about communication access, disability justice, and systemic reform.
Through partnerships and collaborative screenings, the documentary creates opportunities for audiences to engage directly with people with lived experience and professionals working to address barriers within social and criminal justice systems.
These collaborations extend the film's impact beyond the screen, fostering dialogue, strengthening community connections, and inspiring collective action toward more accessible and equitable systems.
Join us in advancing Deaf rights, disability justice, and the fundamental human right to communication. We welcome partnerships with organizations, institutions, advocates, and community leaders committed to creating meaningful change.
BEING MICHELLE producer Mae Thornton Mehra speaks at the 2026 American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) Conference, alongside Anne Precythe, former Director of the Missouri Department of Corrections.
ADVANCING DISABILITY JUSTICE & SYSTEMIC CHANGE
BEING MICHELLE brings attention to the systemic barriers Deaf and disabled people face within social and criminal justice systems, particularly when their communication and accessibility needs are not recognized or accommodated.
Through Michelle Romaine Ricks' lived experience, the documentary raises critical questions about disability rights, access to justice, trauma-informed practices, and the consequences of communication deprivation.
By engaging legal professionals, correctional institutions, policymakers, educators, and disability advocates, BEING MICHELLE provides a powerful educational resource for examining existing practices and encouraging more accessible, equitable, and humane systems.