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WHEREAS, this summer, the Arts for Autism Foundation of Pittsburgh will host the 4th annual Joey Travolta Film Workshop, where adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their 'typical' peers will spend 10 days creating short films from start to finish; and
WHEREAS, Heather Conroy, Joe Farrell, Pam Harbin, Carolyn Hare, Colin Matthews, Ryan McMullan and Dan Moses formed the Arts for Autism Foundation of Pittsburgh, whose mission is to support the creative expression of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities through financially accessible, inclusive arts programming; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh's Joey Travolta Film Workshop is the Foundation's signature event and has created 65 young filmmakers over the past three years; and,
WHEREAS, the Workshop's inclusive programming provides participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities natural supports and social modeling, and provides 'typical' peers with an opportunity to discover the personal strengths and talents that exist within every person with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and,
WHEREAS, this mutual discovery is critical in terms of increasing awareness and tolerance, and it is an essential contributor to improving outcomes for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare March 25th, 2014 the "Arts for Autism Foundation of Pittsburgh Joey Travolta Film Workshop Day" in the city of Pittsburgh.