The New York State (NYS) Office of the Chief Disability Officer (OCDO) is thrilled to announce a project in partnership with Positive Exposure entitled Beauty & Richness: Celebrating New York State’s Disability Community!
The outcome of this project will be a book representing the beauty of New Yorkers with disabilities from throughout the state with portraits photographed by Rick Guidotti, Founder & Director of Positive Exposure – an award-winning photographer, filmmaker and advocate who has spent decades “collaborating internationally… to effect a sea-change in societal attitudes” toward people with disabilities, chronic diseases and long-term health conditions. Accompanying the portraits of each project participant will be a mix of text to include quotes, brief biographies, life experience highlights and more!
Participation in this project is voluntary. Due to the purpose of this project, however, being to share lived experiences, celebrate the diversity and beauty of New Yorkers with disabilities and to proudly and enthusiastically embrace belonging to this incredible community, disclosure of disability(ies) is required for project participation.
If you choose to nominate yourself for possible inclusion in this project, by submitting your nomination form, you indicate that you are aware of – and in agreement with – sharing information about your own disability(ies) with the NYS OCDO and Positive Exposure.
If you are nominating someone other than yourself for possible inclusion in this project, by submitting their nomination form, you are indicating that the person you are nominating is aware of – and in agreement with – information about their disability(ies) being shared with the NYS OCDO and Positive Exposure. If the person you would like to nominate is not aware of – and/or is not in agreement with – information about their disability(ies) being shared with the NYS OCDO and Positive Exposure, please do not nominate them.
Nomination of yourself – or of someone else – does not guarantee inclusion in the project. Completion and submission of the nomination form is to express interest in being considered – or that you would like the person you are nominating to be considered – for inclusion in this project.
Consent for permission to use the images produced through this project and any text that will accompany the images – including information about their disability(ies) – will be obtained for all who are included in the project.
The full name, email address and phone number for the nominator and the nominee are required – anonymous submissions are not permitted, as the NYS OCDO and Positive Exposure must have full names and contact information for all nominators and nominees. If you are nominating someone other than yourself, however, you will be able to note if you would like the person you have nominated to be informed that their nominator has chosen to remain anonymous. Contact information for nominees and nominators will be kept confidential.
Nominations will be accepted through August 14 by completing the Beauty and Richness Nomination Form or by visiting the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer website and scrolling down to the section the begins with “Beauty & Richness – Celebrating New York State’s Disability Community” and clicking the “Nomination Form” button.