Into the Mainstream
INTO THE MAINSTREAM A film by Meryl Joseph
INTO THE MAINSTREAM
Screening March 26th at B.A.K.
“It is good to love yourself,” says Ivonne Mosquera, a gifted fourth grader who narrates a year of her life in this award-winning documentary.
Originally from South America, her family immigrated to the United States for a surgical procedure that saved Ivonne’s life, yet left her blind. To insure the best for her future, the family settled in Manhattan.
Through vivid sequences and spunky narration, Ivonne shares her world. She participates in a school play, studies with friends, and learns Braille as ably as she learns math.
In a gripping scene depicting a mobility lesson, feisty Ivonne dismisses her instructor, “Will I see you at Park and 83rd?” Then she crosses the street alone, testing her mettle while coping with the dangers of city traffic.
As a nine-year old, she contends with personal losses that unsettle her world, yet accelerate her growth and development. Empowered, she allows an interview by high school students. Standing before the class, she answers probing questions with wisdom and honesty.
In a year of challenges and accomplishments, Ivonne is determined to press on. She now surfs the city with ease, bikes across the George Washington Bridge and reflects on her dreams and ambitions.
This film is a poignant look at an exceptional child who manages her disability with support from teachers, family and friends. With grace and a courageous spirit, Ivonne is a role model whose accomplishments validate mainstreaming in education.
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