OUR WORK
Fire Through Dry Grass
"An intimate and raw film… a powerful reminder of how defining and devastating the pandemic was, and gives space to those whose voices were long ignored."
Concepción de León, The New York Times
Co-directed by one of our own, Andres “Jay” Molina, with Alexis Neophytides, the PBS documentary Fire Through Dry Grass uncovers in real-time the devastation and abuse the Reality Poets experienced living in a New York City nursing home during the coronavirus pandemic. The film captures the battle we fought for our survival and a seat at the decision-making table where the policies that impact our lives are made. This powerful, transformative film won the Jury Award for Best Documentary at the BlackStar Film Festival, as well as other accolades. It is now available to screen at universities, conferences, and community groups! Fire Through Dry Grass and its complementary resources will bolster the work of disability justice advocates and support equitable practices in healthcare and filmmaking.
FADE
WHEELING & HEALING 2
Wheeling & Healing 2: Holding the Mic in the Middle of the Storm is a poetry anthology edited by the Reality Poets. For this project, we invited our fellow nursing home residents, neighbors, mentors, and friends, including those incarcerated at Folsom State Prison, to contribute their voices in honor of all those we lost during the pandemic. Jim LeBrecht, co-director of Crip Camp and disability rights activist, offers his praise, “Powerful words that opened my mind to a world that I knew existed but didn’t know at all.”
Covid Dayz and Covid Nightz by Alhassan “EL” Abdulfattah
It’s hitting close to home They want you to stay all alone Just social media, Netflix, and phone It’s taken so many lives who could’ve known I pray God bless the people who’ve gone I pray God bless the loved ones who mourn Hug and kiss your loved ones And survive the storm
Wheeling & Healing
ALONE AGAIN
This visual art installation, at Roosevelt Island’s Motorgate, was one of several across New York State, titled Alone Together, initiated by the Memory Maker Project—an art, culture and advocacy program for aging adults, people living with memory loss, and individuals living in care communities. Alone Together brought forward the voices of community members who suffered the brunt of isolation due to Covid-19. This Roosevelt Island iteration of the project was a collaboration between OPEN DOORS, RIOC, Friends of Coler, The Memory Maker Project, Nursing Home Lives Matter, iDig2Learn and island kids.
FADE is an original play written by the Reality Poets and Joel François. It premiered in June 2019 at the Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance on Roosevelt Island. The production brought audiences into “the barbershop,” where humor and courage transform violence and injustice into a redemptive force. Based on the real-life stories of men who use wheelchairs because of gun violence, FADE delivers a message of realness, resilience and healing with a hip-hop beat.
Reality poets TV
an OPEN DOORS Podcast
The Collection is an annual virtual arts showcase that uplifts the voices of gun violence survivors, people with disabilities and their allies.
OPEN DOORS Reality Poets, Vol. 1 was produced by Reality Poet Vincent Pierce in the OPEN DOORS music studio at Coler. Vince learned how to mix and edit music from Pavel Bez, a music industry and film sound engineer who has worked on several well-known TV shows like “Love & Hip-Hop,” and music albums like Biggie Smalls’ “Duets.” About his creative process, Vince said, It’s real amazing when you create a beat from scratch. It feels like you did something out of nowhere. You feel like a proud father.” The album showcases spoken word from all of the Reality Poets and vocals from Vince, King Tito Love, and Melanie Greenberg.
Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a collective of disabled artists, nursing home residents, advocates and allies led by the experiences and voices of the Reality Poets. Hosted by Vince Pierce and Var Viggz. Available in audio format on all podcast platforms and in video format on YouTube.
New episodes drop on the last Friday of every month!
On March 11th, 2019, the Reality Poets launched their first collection of poetry at the iconic Bowery Poetry Club, rousing the packed house to their feet. After the event one member said, "I woke up feeling like a rock star." So to all who helped make this magical night possible, we want to say Thank You—for showing up, for lending your hearts, for sharing your voices, and most of all, for believing in us.
