Acceptance is one of the hardest things for people to do but it is also one of the things that people ultimately need. People need to accept themselves for who they are and accept others for who they are. It’s so easy to say that you accept someone or something but to actually fully accept something entails understanding. In order to accept, you need to understand. That was the goal of the Center for Possibilities Foundation when they produced the “Yakap” film. They released the film to provide a medium in which people can understand what it’s like to be a person with special needs and what the people around them go through every single day.
The film “Yakap”—produced by Dolores Cheng and directed by Danny Añonuevo—shows a day in the lives of three people: Evangeline “Gelli” Aventajado, a 4-year-old with Down Syndrome; Aaron Joshua “AJ” De Quiroz, an 8-year-old with epilepsy, Autism, and Global Developmental Delay; and Kevin Avelino, a 45-year-old with Global Developmental Delay. The stories are told from the points of view of their parents. The film did not have a script, everything in it is natural and unplanned.
More than a film, “Yakap” presents profiles of true courage. First, courage of the children whose disabilities are the only reality they have ever known and who live their lives the only way they know how, in spite of curious stares, pointing fingers, and hidden smiles. Second, the courage of parents and family members who may have grown up thinking normal was everything but ended up learning that different can be the new normal.
It’s not at all easy to be a person with special needs. It’s definitely not easier on their parents, family, and friends. What’s worse is that not a lot of people understand what it’s like to go through life with people looking at you differently, laughing at you, and even ridiculing you. It hurts even more to watch your loved ones go through life this way. But they don’t need your sympathy or special treatment either. All they need is for their own reality to be openly understood and accepted.
People spend their whole lives trying to fit in but the true beauty in life is being different. How do you expect to leave your own mark on the world if you just do what everyone else does every single day? Do you want to be like them? or do you want to be YOU?
It’s so inspiring how children with special needs have more courage to be exactly who they are without a care in the world. I actually met one of the stars of the show, Gelli, and she had more confidence is her little finger than most people have throughout their lifetime. She wasn’t afraid to meet people, pose for pictures, and go up on stage and start singing. It was remarkably beautiful. I couldn’t help but wonder why there are people out there who can’t seem to accept children like Gelli when she herself is so proud of who she is and is so accepting of everyone.
There’s just so much more for us to learn and it starts with acceptance. To arrange special screenings of the “Yakap” film, visit the Center for Possibilities Foundation website or contact them at (02) 723-1242 or (0918) 888-1759.