Kim Simpliss Barrow launches 3rd Inspiration Calendar
The third edition of the Inspiration Calendar was launched this morning by the office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children. The calendar showcases the artwork of children with special needs from across the country and the young artists were on hand at the launch to receive their copies. With the support of McNab Designs and its Dots Per Inch project, as of last year, the Inspiration Agenda has also been added to the initiative. Proceeds from both publications go toward the construction of the Inspiration Center and the Special Envoy, Kim Simplis Barrow, received a cheque from the sale of agendas at today’s ceremony.
Kim Simpliss Barrow, Special Envoy for Women and Children
Kim Simpliss Barrow
“For persons with disabilities, this world is often filled with barriers, but art is a medium in which they are able to roam free of any restriction. Art gives us an avenue with which we can express ourselves. It is a therapeutic, increases self-esteem, stimulates the imagination and creative thinking. Art truly has no boundaries. And this is why we came up with the idea of this calendar. The mission of the Inspiration Calendar is to showcase the talents of children with special needs; to allow us to see the world through their eyes as they should us what is important to them and most importantly, for it to be an advocacy tool to reduce stigma and discrimination and foster inclusions. What shines through in these images and even the bios for each artists, is not what they can’t do because of their disabilities, but what they can do in spite of it. It chronicles triumph in the face of adversity; hence the title inspiration.”
Anthony “Boots” Martinez
Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Minister of Human Development
“The stigma against people with disabilities must move today, must move away from everybody today. This is very inspiring, the talent that remains in this country. We as government need to make sure that we do our part, we as government need to make sure that we support each and every person or organization that supports children of all walks of life. But I want to say that I am very pleased here today.”
Tanya McNab
Tanya McNab, McNab Design/Dots Per Inch
“Over the years, McNab Designs and Dots Per Inch has established a very special relationship with the special envoy and together, we believe in encouraging the youth of Belize to reach high and to let them know that nothing is unachievable. It is for this reason that we continue to support Misses Kim Simpliss Barrow, Special Olympics Belize and CARE Belize to highlight our local stars with our yearly calendar showcasing their very own art. In addition, in our first year, we were able to contribute twenty-eight thousand dollars from our agenda issue and today we are to announce that this year through an increase of sales of these custom agendas, we will be proudly handing over thirty-three thousand dollars to the Inspiration Center. [applause]”
The calendars and agendas are now available for sale. To get your copy, call the Special Envoy office at 223-1941.
