Over 26 years ago, paramedic Tom Felter and nurse Tina Felter welcomed Emily into the world. It wasn’t long before baby Emily was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Almost 20 years later, the Felters set out to develop and share The Emily Talk, a presentation that teaches first responders and the greater community about individuals with disabilities, like Emily.

Emily finds her place in the world through her colorful language and sense of humor, her fondness of routine, and her deep love for those around her, who love her equally in return. The film shows that, just like everyone else, she has her good and bad days, and her unique ways of communicating her feelings are worth learning and listening to.

Sometimes that takes patience, which is a difficult skill to learn for everyone, but especially for those in the first responder field where things are always fast-paced. First responders are often required to make quick decisions and snap judgments, which can lead to unnecessary and unwanted tragedies. This is why Tom developed The Emily Talk with first responders in mind.

The purpose of the film is to show stories like Emily’s and the efforts she and her family are taking to educate first responders and the general community so tragedies like the one that happened to Ethan Saylor don’t happen again. Tom urges first responders to be patient with individuals who have Down syndrome and other disabilities, because patience could have prevented Ethan Saylor’s death, and many others like his.

Ultimately, this documentary was created to serve as an educational tool for first responders, a source of validation and comfort for families touched by disability, and kindling for open-minded discussion about disability, inclusion, equity, and accessibility.

Filmmaker Carmen Vincent will be in attendance at the screening, along with Emily and her family. There will be a panel Q&A after the film. The film has burned-in English captions for accessibility.