Hi! Welcome to the KIDS LIKE ME newsletter. This is the place where you'll find updates about the documentary film, our screenings & events and exciting behind the scenes news. We'll also feature information about youth & disability rights, details on our impact programs and partnerships, advocacy tools to champion equity for people with disabilities and other resources. We're so happy to have you here!
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Kids Like Me: Kickoff newsletter + Fall 2026 update
Published 2 days ago • 3 min read
FIRST NEWSLETTER • FALL 2026
Kids Like Me
Welcome to our first newsletter! From the Tribeca Festival in New York to the Bergen International Film Fest in Norway, Oliver’s story is reaching new audiences—and our next chapter is taking shape. We're so glad you're joining us on the journey!
Tribeca and Beyond!
Since premiering at Tribeca Festival in June, the film has traveled to festivals and communities around the country, with screenings at DC/DOX, Bentonville Film Festival, Milwaukee Film’s Dialogues Documentary Festival, ReelAbilities, Charlotte Film Fest, Twin Cities Film Fest, and a special homecoming screening at Amherst Cinema.
The protagonists and team behind 'Kids Like Me' congregate together on a red carpet at the Tribeca Festival, in front of a step-and-repeat backdrop. Most are standing, while three people in the front kneel or stand. The group smiles and faces the camera, with Oliver in a bright red suit front and center, standing with his 'croc' walker.
Next, we’re heading overseas. Our international premiere will take place at the Bergen International Film Festival in Norway this October, where we’ll also share the film with young people through their schools program. Check out the Bergen festival page!
This November, Kids Like Me will also be part of SFFILM’s Schools at Doc Stories program, reaching students across San Francisco, including an in-person screening and live Q&A at SFMOMA.
Resilience Awards Winner!
We’re thrilled to share that Kids Like Me has been named the 2026 Shine Global Resilience Awards Grand Prize winner.
On September 29, Oliver and his family traveled to New York City, where Kids Like Me was honored at Shine Global’s Fearless for the Future Gala where the Resilience Awards were announced. The Resilience Awards celebrate films that center young people’s voices and can create meaningful change.
In September, Kids Like Me was also featured at the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) annual gala. We’ve been working closely with DREDF to develop resources for families and caregivers of young people with disabilities. Oliver and our executive producer Jim LeBrecht joined by video. Watch an excerpt from their remarks!
On the left, Jim LeBrecht, with gray hair and a grey goatee is on screen, behind him is a red wall ad the 'Crip Camp' poster. On the right is Oliver sitting at a dining room table wearing a red shirt surrounded by mystery books, behind him is a yellow sheer curtain.
From the Big Screen to Impact
We're striving for Kids Like Me to reach young people, families, educators and communities—and help ignite positive change. Our impact campaign has two central goals:
Amplify the voices of young people with disabilities and champion them to create and lead
Equip families, peers, and educators with tools to foster inclusion, equity, and disability rights
We’re focusing on partnerships with public libraries and local civic organizations. Our first program is taking shape with the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities and Queens Public Library, with more partnerships to come. We hope to develop a model that communities across the country can use.
Planned resources include Oliver’s Book Club; age-spanning books on disability advocacy; a collaborative table-top-role-playing mystery game based on “Detective Oliver”; Oliver’s short film, The Game is Murder; and resource sheets for families and caregivers created with the Disability Rights Education Defense Fund (DREDF) and more!
We’re raising $30,000 to develop and produce the materials that will make our impact programs possible. Kids Like Me is fiscally sponsored by Women Make Movies; contributions to the project are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Every contribution helps bring the film and programs to young people, families, schools and communities across the U.S.
We look forward to sharing more screenings, partnerships and programs and exciting news about the film and beyond with you.
And wishing you a Happy Halloween!
Warmly, Cynthia, Jon & the Kids Like Me Team
A group of people dressed in Halloween costumes stand on the porch. In the foreground is a jack-o-lantern, behind it, Oliver is dressed in a Ghostbuster's costume, Willa is dressed in a astronaut costume, another child wears a red wig, other adults wear headpieces and a person in a big unicorn costume is at the left of the frame.
Meet Oliver, a mystery buff with a vivid imagination who takes his family and community on a journey to create the perfect murder-mystery-caper!
Hi! Welcome to the KIDS LIKE ME newsletter. This is the place where you'll find updates about the documentary film, our screenings & events and exciting behind the scenes news. We'll also feature information about youth & disability rights, details on our impact programs and partnerships, advocacy tools to champion equity for people with disabilities and other resources. We're so happy to have you here!
