Women with disabilities are hardly ever showcased in media, but this project is changing all of that. Wendy Crawford, the co-founder of The Raw Beauty Project NYC, has committed herself to honoring and empowering women with disabilities. Crawford was paralyzed and wheelchair-bound as a teen after being hit by a drunk driver. Three decades later, she became inspired to launch the campaign and help women with similar challenges gain self confidence and embrace their beauty. The exhibit features photos of 20 diverse women with disabilities celebrating their amazing bodies.
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This is such a beautiful mission. I admire Crawford for sharing her story and challenging society's ideologies of beauty. "We want to challenge that unrealistic standard and say that beauty is in confidence, strength and uniqueness and that it can come in every shape, color, size and age," she told The Daily News.
The photographs in this exhibit are striking and provocative! One participant is Christy Cruz, who was previously diagnosed with cerebral palsy and wants to inspire other women to never give up on themselves. "I think beauty begins with how you feel about yourself within and then it can manifest physically," said Cruz.
It makes me so proud that women like this exist! There are so many women out there who are made to feel invisible because of their disabilities. Women like Cruz are an inspiration to us and the next generation of young women growing up in a world that doesn't seem to focus enough on inner beauty or challenging beauty ideals.
These women have faced so many obstacles and still look at the world with so much optimism. About taking part in the project, Cruz also said, "I was thrilled to see women with various physical disabilities unite with one another to bring forth a renewed attitude about the misconceptions of our lives." She definitely inspires me to let my raw beauty shine and encourage other women to do the same.
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_3REkm-msY
Image via Rawbeautynyc.com
