Photography

The “Brilliant & Resilient” exhibition is a collection of professional photographs generously contributed by multiple photographers. Selected works in Windowfront Exhibitions feature the personal stories of 30 women with disabilities, all alumni of Mobility International USA’s (MIUSA) Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD). These leading disabled women activists represent diverse countries, cultures and disabilities: physical, visual, hearing and cognitive. Their frustrations, victories and beauty are celebrated in a world that for so long has overlooked their experiences. These stories are powerful examples of how one person’s leadership and initiative can change the world. All these women, through resilience and determination, have made a positive impact on the world. By documenting their lives, we move toward a world where all people, with or without disabilities, are honored, valued and respected. Their powerful portraits and vignettes illustrate the issues that significantly impact their lives, including access to education, employment, political power, reproductive health services and HIV/AIDS and violence prevention.

A growing number of disabled women worldwide are proud of who they are, passionate about their work and committed to making their voices heard. Women with disabilities are serving as government ministers and elected representatives to national parliament: founders, directors and officers of national and international organizations; Fulbright scholars and fellowship recipients. They are creating opportunities for countless other women with disabilities, initiating microenterprise programs, employment training, health projects, violence prevention and empowerment programs for disabled girls. With a unified voice, women with disabilities are successfully articulating their needs, issues and achievements to the world and infiltrating broader human rights and gender equality movements.

The portrait photographs were generously contributed by multiple photographers, including Darcy Kiefel, Paola Gianturco and the late Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Lanker. Brian Lanker’s “I Dream a World” photo exhibit was influential in creating this exhibit.

More Brilliant and Resilient information