Why Do You? Episode 2 – Jake marrazzo

In episode 2 of “Why Do You?” Ryan welcomes 19-year-old Jake Marrazzo to the podcast sharing his experience with his latest short film, Stuck. In the film he showcases what it is like to navigate life with a disability. Jake was diagnosed with DMD at age 8. As the disease progressed he became wheelchair bound and Jake had a hard time when he realized that buildings weren’t accessible for him. Last year Jake created this short film with the skills he learned at his first semester of college, allowing him to convey his feelings of frustration in his film. Jake hopes his film will bring forth more awareness about making events, institutions and businesses more wheelchair accessible. 

Jake and Ryan have both seen the power of media, whether that be music or the art of the motion pictures, can be used to spread positivity, awareness and understanding. There’s beauty in creating that also gives you a new perspective. Film and music give Jake and Ryans’ viewers some insight into who they are as a person. 

Jake is not only a film editor in the making, but a published author of a children’s book. One Wants to Be a Letter, which came to life when Jake was a kid himself and expressed his idea to his Dad about how all of One’s friends are letters and he wants to be just like them. The inspiration behind this children’s book is to teach kids that they can have their own identities and to not compare yourselves to other people. 

Jake is actively involved in his families non-profit, For Jake’s Sake, which helps families living with Duchenne’s to make their homes and lives more accessible. He continues to have an impact on the Duchenne community and plans to share more important messages through his passions in film and writing books. 

Listen to the full podcast here:

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