Isaac Zablocki always had messy handwriting and trouble getting his thoughts down on paper. When he was growing up, teachers in both Israel and the United States assumed his challenges had to do with switching between languages. It wasn’t until college that he was diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyslexia, and ADHD.  

Because it was hard for Isaac to express himself through writing, he found himself drawn to film. Now, he’s the director of film programming at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Manhattan. He’s also the co-founder of the ReelAbilities Film Festival, the largest U.S. film festival dedicated to showcasing films by or about people with disabilities. Learn how Isaac’s work in the disability film world highlights differences and promotes stories of those who are often unheard.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

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Related resources

• ReelAbilities Film Festival New York
• What is dysgraphia?
• Signs of written expression disorder

Listen to Everyone Gets a Juice Box, a new podcast from Understood.org where host Jessica Shaw has honest talks with parents raising kids who learn and think differently.

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