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Making the unseen seen. Visible and invisible disabilities are rarely featured in creative media.
Good Deeds
- Combats lack of IDD representation
- Promotes a local and national non-profit
- Practices responsible recycling and sustainability practices
- Supports community-building and volunteering city-wide
- Selected as a Quercus Pro Bono project
Along with the Arc of Greater New Orleans, Quercus joined forces to produce a one-day photoshoot recording the stories and portraits of their participants. Representing those with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and their story was imperative to echo their authorship. The experience was unusual because those with IDD are often underrepresented and forgotten in traditional advertising and photography. For many Arc participants, this photo shoot was the first time a photographer professionally capture their portrait.
Design for Good
Quercus is proud to present our first Pro-Bono project. We chose The Arc of Greater New Orleans (ArcGNO) as an inspirational organization representing the IDD landscape for good. Established in the 1950s, ArcGNO is one of 600 chapters nationwide with cultural programming — only New Orleans can claim. Our goal is to provide our creative resources and design services to a community-driven organization — which may not have the time or opportunity to capture its mission with a new audience.
This post shares impactful data, stigma, discrimination, and strategic examples of how we can improve. The World Health Organization eloquently states, “Disability is part of being human and is integral to the human experience." Additionally, we explain and represent best practices we can all implement.
First Impressions of Arc GNO
Assume you attend a Mardi Gras parade in Greater New Orleans. Locals often bring their Mardi Gras beads and throws to colorful recycling bins provided by Arc GNO. The resale of these throws financially supports the organization, comprised of five major community centers offering services to anyone with IDD.
Suppose you do not have a family member or a coworker with IDD. If so, interacting with an Arc participant may be out of the ordinary. IDD can range from blindness, down syndrome, deafness, a chromosomal disorder, epilepsy, Aspergers, or even Invisible Disabilities you may not visually recognize.
How far and how wide does disability exist in our communities?
Based on World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Report on Disability from 2011, it’s essential to recognize that 15% of the world's population has a diagnosed disability. Furthermore, 2-4% experience difficulties functioning, which must be aided by private or public institutional care and/or family support.
Based on the world's population in 2011, 7.054 billion people, of that, 1.058 billion individuals have a disability. In December of 2022, WHO now estimates 16% of the world's population, or 1.3 billion people—or 1 in 6 people—experience significant disability.
Disability Insights into Advertising in the United Kingdom
In December 2016, United Kingdom's Lloyds Bank published a study titled “Reflecting on Modern Britain: A study into inclusion and diversity in advertising.” This study found that “19% of people featured in advertising are from minority groups, and of that 19%, only 0.06% are disabled.” So, if we do that math, based on Britain's population in 2011, which was 63.26 million people, only 7,211 individuals with IDD were ever featured — in advertising campaigns, clothing catalogs, commercials, packaging design, online brand-centric websites, and more. Why is this the case?
Searching for ‘disability’ stock images?
Stock photography search results often show straightforward, unimaginative depictions of a disability. These photographs display individuals with significant disadvantages. From there, the viewer compares and contrasts the differences, mainly if numerous subjects are featured.
IDD is considered tragic, medical, overly heroic, and unrelated to a business setting. These glorified images are nowadays referred to as “inspirational porn” — coined by the late Australian disability activist Stella Young for a loose genre of media depictions of disabled people. Those with IDD are objectified, and now the viewer sees grief, pity, and sentimentality. On the other hand, the subject may be fully capable of an ordinary life well lived.
Is an individual’s story richer than the environment or space they reside?
Representation Matters
Visible & Invisible Disabilities
As brand managers, creative directors, and photographers, we are responsible for fairly creating images showcasing diversity across gender, race, and sexual orientation. To achieve these standards, the talent pool with an IDD is scarce across many talent agencies. But if you cannot create a custom photo shoot due to budget or subject availability, a keyword search on many stock photography websites or search engines is the next avenue to explore.
The next time you buy a product, service, or experience, notice if the employee, model, or subject represents someone living with IDD. Observe how particular poses, body shapes, eye contact, expressions, grooming, wardrobe, and gestures are rarely pictured in the creative media industry.
HOW WE SOLVED THE CHALLENGE CONCEPTUALLY
How best to change the conversation? Listen first.
It is not surprising to find these individuals appearing less than independent, without a voice, or overly exceptional. Solving this problem conceptually, regarding representation and lackluster storytelling, involves listening to those unheard and acknowledging their life choices and journey. These relevant stories strongly refute the traditional norms of success, wealth, and well-being we see in advertising, for example.
HOW WE SOLVED THE CHALLENGE VISUALLY
We’re glad we aren’t the first.
Creating an alternative view of a stereotype requires a 'can't look away' image, and strategic copywriting, which challenges the viewer to realize a deeper context is at play.
Featuring anyone with IDD should not require radical thinking, laborious set design, expensive wardrobe, contoured makeup or complex post-production. Revisualizing the traditional picture of success, well-being, independence, or beauty — for someone hardly invited or seen into those arenas — was the main challenge for design, layout, and captioning.
Forcing a viewer to no longer find imperfections or differences in the subject matter is keenly crafted with ambient light, soft draping, natural expressions, and clear focus. Reading relevant ambitions or passions of Arc GNO's participants set in Ogg, a higher contrast calligraphic typeface remains to reminisce the high craft of Oscar Ogg's handiwork.
What we can do
Observe a flight of stairs, a bookstore minus braille, a movie without closed captions, and websites without WGAG color ratios with a new focus. These spaces challenge the mobility, hearing, speaking, or seeing of those with IDD. Look for brands and spaces that offer full accessibility.
Centralizing disabilities in creative media reinforces a narrative of difference and exception. Careful how one subject may constantly appear in need or in a secondary role. Begin capturing those with IDD from various vantage points. Consider how we all shop as consumers.
Spend time listening to others about their place in the world, and how they choose to be described. Honestly, just let them speak for themselves. Record their words and publish them. And most importantly, ask for permission to publish their image from a caretaker, family, or themself.
Disabilities should not be featured as exceptional but rather the norm. Support the work of creatives, writers, photographers, videographers, and talent agencies booking or representing IDD. The more we demand to see and hear diversity of all kinds, brand guidelines will reflect these choices as brand standards. We can choose stock photography companies ensuring individuals with IDD are included as the norm and not the exception.
Scope
- Initial concept development, ideation
- Various conversations across key staff and participants
- Creative direction and prototyping for portrait photography and messaging
- Custom photoshoot
Credits
PHOTOGRAPHY
Craig Mulcahy
Assistant: Jean Michael
CREATIVE DIRECTION
Mary Louise Killen
SCHEDULING, SUPPORT & LOGISTICS
Participants across Greater New Orleans
Arc GNO team members
Sandee Williamson
Latonya Quillens
Location
ArcGNO Uptown & Bead Collection
1771 Nashville Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70115
For more information
arcgno.org (New Orleans)
thearc.org (United States)
ONCE A YEAR QUERCUS GOES PRO-BONO
Know an organization, worthy cause, or small startup doing big things with little resources or funding? Quercus is accepting entries for our next project, as we are eager to Design For Good in 2023. Fill out the contact form or email us directly to apply.
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