Dr. Hallee Adelman Is Way Past Awesome
by Melissa Jacobs
With 14 films, nine books, two kids and one husband, Hallee Adelman is one of the Main Line’s most dynamic, creative forces. Even more inspiring is the mission that powers Adelman’s projects. “I genuinely believe that, in all of the work I’m doing, I’m working for kids,” she said. “I want the world to be a little bit better for them. I want the world to be a little kinder for them. And I want them to be as strong as they can be.”
Her Way Past children’s book series is aimed at exactly that. Adelman, who earned a Ph.D. in education technology from Drexel University while working as an elementary school teacher, focuses her Way Past books on emotions – and not all of them are positive. Way Past Mad was the first book, and Adelman just released Way Past Mean, her ninth.
“I try to make sure that kids are honored when they feel things that they don’t want to feel or are told they shouldn’t feel,” said the Haverford mom. Improving kids’ social-emotional wellbeing is Adelman’s primary goal. “When kids can manage their feelings, when they can empower themselves from the inside out, that’s where you see kids thriving.”
That empowerment requires honesty, Adelman said, and that’s why World Of HA, the production company she runs with Ivy Herman, creates films that tackle difficult subjects like drug addiction, gun violence, and incarceration.
That’s the topic of “Daughters,” which will stream on Netflix in August 2024. The documentary is based on a parenting program for incarcerated men created by Angela Patton through Girls For A Change, her nonprofit. The program – and the film – culminate in daddy-daughter dances held in prisons. “Daughters” won Best Documentary Feature, the audience award, and the festival favorite award at the 2024 Sundance Festival. “It’s a powerful story about how meaningful dads are in their daughters’ lives,” Adelman said.
For more information on “Daughters” and the World Of Ha, visit this website. For the Way Past book series, click here.
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