Power Grid Blog
Marc Ecko's Contribution to the Disability Community
February 10, 2012 | AAPD Power Grid Blog Team
Fashion is serious. Style is how you want the world to see you.
That’s what Marc Ecko told us on February 7 before inviting me, my colleague Lara, and six models with disabilities plus their friends and family members to wander around his showroom and take a look at his new designs.
Style is exciting. Style can be beautiful, like the people who Marc Ecko invited to a fashion and film shoot in New York City.
Our work for civil rights is serious and beautiful. That’s my take-away from the unforgettable experience I had in New York this week.
For those of you who don’t already know, Marc Ecko is generously shaping our 2012 gala to have a style that reflects how we want the world to see us and a fashion show that features six models from our community. On Monday he shot still photos and film footage of these six diverse (and mighty stylish!) individuals, which we’ll show at the gala and share with all of you.
This is how we change the world. It’s not about clothes—though our models certainly wore Ecko Unlimited clothing well. It’s not about camera angles or lighting, though I think the crew did a tremendous job of doing these models justice. It’s about being seen as who you are, as who you want the world to see. That’s serious civil rights work.
Mark Ecko is no stranger to serious work for change. His Unlimited Justice campaign works to end corporal punishment in our schools. Did you know that corporal punishment is legal in 19 states? Did you know that corporal punishment disproportionately affects students with disabilities? Marc Ecko is fighting to end it. I encourage you to learn more about this important campaign.
In the weeks and months to come we will share more of the creative, beautiful work that is coming out of this extraordinary project. In the meantime, thank you Marc Ecko, your staff, the film crew, the stylists and wardrobe fitters who brought out the natural beauty of six wonderful people, and especially the models themselves who are changing the world by showing who we are and all we can do.
Have a great weekend.
-Mark
