San Mateo County Libraries is thrilled to partner with San Francisco Public Library, opens a new window in the creation of the “Changemakers” Exhibit to showcase Bay Area disability pride and the contributions of people with disabilities.
In fall 2018, San Mateo County Libraries, San Francisco Public Library, and San Jose Public Library, opens a new window reached out to our communities and our partners, as well as the general public, to nominate individuals with disabilities who have made a positive impact on their community. We received nearly 100 submissions that nominated 60 people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse experiences, all of whom are featured in the exhibit because of their important contributions.
Each Changemaker’s story will be accompanied by a unique portrait of the individual. All nominee portraits were commissioned by external artists, who are either a person with a disability working independently or are participating in one of the following programs for artists with disabilities: Artful Steps, opens a new window, ArtReach, opens a new window, Creativity Explored, opens a new window, NIAD, opens a new window, and the Pomeroy Center, opens a new window. A large print version of the Changemakers’ stories, and a braille version, will be available at the exhibit.
The first exhibit opening ceremony takes place on Saturday, March 9 at 1:00 PM at the Half Moon Bay Library. The event features entertainment by "The Advocates," a musical group from Person Centered Services, opens a new window which is composed of adults with disabilities. Also in attendance will be the Canine Companions, opens a new window and some of their amazing service dogs; the organization has provided assistance dogs free of charge for their recipients since 1975. The traveling exhibit will stay at the Half Moon Bay Library through the end of March and then travel to the other San Mateo County Libraries listed below. Each hosting library will have its own opening ceremony.
Exhibit Dates at San Mateo County Libraries
- Saturday, March 9 - Thursday, April 4 at the Half Moon Bay Library
- Saturday, April 6 - Thursday, May 2 at the Belmont Library
- Sunday, May 5 - Thursday, June 6 at the San Carlos Library
- Saturday, June 8 - Thursday, July 11 at the Foster City Library
- Saturday, July 13 - Thursday, August 15 at the Millbrae Library
- Wednesday, August 28 - Monday, September 30 at the Pacifica Sanchez Library
The Bay Area has been a hub for disability rights since the beginning of the Independent Living Movement, opens a new window in the 1960s at UC Berkeley, along with the disability civil rights movement with the Section 504 occupation of federal buildings in 1977. Bay Area locals were Changemakers then and continue to be in the present day. Join us and discover what newer generations of local disability Changemakers are doing now and how they are making the world better for all of us.
Thank you to San Francisco Public Library and their exhibition team for their tireless work in creating this exhibit. The original portraits and nominee stories will be featured in an exhibit at San Francisco Public Library sometime in 2020.
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