WATERLOO – The Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society (WWDSS) has released its 10th installment of a photo series aimed at challenging stereotypes of people with Down syndrome.
“Decade” is part of an ongoing collaboration between the society and photographer Hilary Gauld.
It features photos of 62 people with Down syndrome who range in age from one to 36 years old and “commemorates 10 years of impactful advocacy through image-based storytelling,” states a WWDSS news release.
The collaboration began in 2014 when Gauld was approached by a friend to photograph a fundraising calendar for WWDSS.
Photo fabulous – The photo of Kate is part of a series entitled “Decade,” produced by photographer Hilary Gauld in collaboration with the Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society. For the past 10 years, Gauld has been working with the organization on photo projects aimed at challenging stereotypes. Submitted photos
As she took on the project, it became apparent that not only did very little imagery exist of the Down syndrome community, but the images that did exist were tokenistic and stereotypical, officials say.
In an effort to properly represent the lived experiences of people with Down syndrome, “what began as a single, community-based photoshoot blossomed into a yearly advocacy series that has since garnered global recognition,” the release stated.
“These images have not only raised awareness but have sparked meaningful dialogues and challenged stereotypes,” Gauld stated in the release.
“I believe in the power of a photograph.”
To further amplify their message and celebrate these past 10 years of advocacy, Gauld and WWDSS have commissioned a documentary film, also entitled Decade.
The short film centres around three families across three different generations, as well as the journey of Gauld and WWDSS over the past 10 years, “reflecting on the evolving landscape of mainstream media representation and the growing visibility of individuals with Down syndrome,” the release states.
Produced by Digital Sabbath Film Company with funding from over a dozen community and corporate sponsors, the documentary is set to be released, along with the photo series, on Oct. 27 to coincide with Down Syndrome Awareness Week in Canada.
To see a trailer for the film, visit decadedocumentary.com. To follow the photo series, visit instagram.com/wwdss_wwdss or instagram.com/oneforthewall.
