As part of National Bullying Prevention Month, we’re launching an exciting new film series, Extraordinary People, which includes 16 films profiling upstanders who speak up and stand up for themselves and others.

 

We kick off the series with this profile of Eliza Riley. Eliza was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child and tells us that she was raised to have a positive identity and was always accepted until one day someone called her a “cripple.” Shocked and frozen, she barely was able to mutter, “I’m not, I’m not a cripple.”

 

But then she found her voice and that incident became her wake-up call. Following the wise axiom, “Don’t mourn. Organize,” Eliza moved into action and has never stopped.

 

Everyone can learn from Eliza Riley and other disabilities rights activists like her [1]. To Eliza, being “Loud and Proud” means viewing her disability as an exceptionality, and letting others know that. 

 

In addition to the films, the Extraordinary People lesson plans will feature questions and extension activities that draw from Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies [2] and will link to the Common Core State Standards and the California Health Standards [3].

 
These films are excellent resources to use as part of a secondary SEL curriculum. They link to the Language Arts Standards and Social Studies Standards for writing and speaking and can be integrated into English and Social Studies Courses.