Tampa, FL…A-Town Community, Inc. presents an exclusive screening of the film, In a Different Key. The screening will take place at the Tampa Theatre (711 Franklin St., Tampa, FL 33603) on Thursday, April 11th at 7:30pm (doors open to the public at 6:30pm).
The film will be followed by a brief panel discussion. Seating is limited, but tickets are free and available by pre-registration. Attendees must be 13 or older.
In a Different Key is “a true story of love, autism, and the fight to belong.” The film follows a mother as she travels to find the first-ever person diagnosed with autism, still living and thriving in a small town in rural Mississippi. She connects with him, learns about his life, and ultimately finds promise for her own son and others on the autism spectrum through this experience. This award-winning film is produced by Caren Zucker, a Peabody-award-winning television news producer and 25-year ABC News journalist; and John Donvan, an Emmy-Award-winning correspondent for ABC. The film examines the best and worst of what community can mean to persons with autism, but it ends on a hopeful note that we can all do more to accept and welcome those who are “different.”
Founded in 2021, A -Town is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to develop a modern, supported residential community for adults with autism. With an estimated 500,000 teenagers with autism transitioning to adulthood over the next decade, the need for person-centered housing options is expanding rapidly. Many adults with autism live with parents or other family members. But as caregivers age, the urgency for sustainable housing solutions becomes more critical. Unfortunately, availability is severely limited, with waiting lists for housing as long as 15 years. This situation is exacerbated by issues of affordability, accessibility, and discrimination. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment often exceeds the average Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit, putting it out of reach for most (Autism Spectrum News). A-Town offers this film screening as an opportunity for education, awareness, advocacy, and support. Community leaders, families touched by autism, and those interested in supporting this cause are encouraged to attend.
A-Town’s President, Barbara Kalinowski, says, “In a Different Key shows that community can be the key to a happy and successful life for a person with autism. In the film, the community of Forest, Mississippi, comes together to embrace and appreciate its famous resident with autism. We want to bring that spirit of welcome and acceptance to Tampa. My hope is that everyone who attends this screening leaves inspired and ready to open their hearts—and our community—to support our friends with autism.”
Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance at https://tampatheatre.org/movie/in-a-different-key/
For more information, contact Barbara Kalinowski, A-Town’s President and founder, at barbara@a-town.org or 734-740-2798.
About A-Town Community, Inc.
Founded in 2021, A-Town Community, Inc. seeks to develop a modern, supported residential community that serves the unique needs of adults with autism in a setting that includes space for services, education, and socialization. Our dream is to create a vibrant hub where adults with autism can live, thrive, and become cherished members of the community.