"Nobody understands what it's like to have a child with a disability unless you have one."
- Taffy Nothnagle, mother, advocate, founding member of the South Shore Mother's Group
When Producer Jen Plante Johnson steps in to help plan for her brother Peter’s care, she is profoundly moved by her mother Maria’s journey as a trailblazing parent advocate, alongside a dedicated group of local mothers who found each other when their kids were babies. Together, they’ve navigated five decades raising children with Down syndrome and autism.
In this film, these women share their compelling stories, reliving personal triumphs and challenges which mirror a broader historical narrative of evolving attitudes, barriers broken and walls that still remain to be knocked down today.
Their mission and their experience as mothers and activists in the community underscores the ongoing struggles for societal inclusion, belonging, and the quest for dignity, autonomy, and opportunity for all people born with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and neurodivergence.
This film is one way to shed light on the often overlooked impact and contributions of parent advocates.
"The funny thing is, of course we raised our kids...but I can't imagine what my life would be like without Peter.
He really raised us."
- Maria Plante, founding member of the South Shore Mother's Group
RAISING US is a feature documentary produced by Jen Plante Johnson, daughter of founding mothers' group member Maria Plante. Alongside Emmy-winning director Sandi Johnson, Jen has spent the last six years capturing the stories of these pioneering women, filled with wisdom, humor, and a relentless spirit of advocacy. Read more in Jen's Producer's Note here.
The stories these mothers share are raw, vulnerable, and often humorous. Together, they paint a vivid picture of friendship, advocacy, and hope, revealing how they've spent five decades breaking down barriers to create a path of dignity and independence for their children and others.
