Dear Everybody

The brief wasn’t healthcare – it was stigma: the quiet assumptions, the awkwardness, the ways disability is misunderstood or ignored. We started by listening to the kids, youth, and families at the center. Their insights became a letter addressed to everybody – written to take a little stigma out of the world. Direct. Sometimes uncomfortable. Often funny. Always human.

This was about fighting stigma from the very beginning. An absolute dream project for me – I was welcomed into the Holland Bloorview world, which is unlike any other, and given so much patience and trust. It kicked off a journey – the platform persisted and evolved for years after. I’m deeply grateful to Sandra Hoffman, her incredible team, and the families who shared their time and experiences with us.

A phrase stayed with me long after the project wrapped: “Nothing about us without us.” It continues to shape the way I think about creating work with – and for – audiences.

Created with Art Director Jess Carter, Producer Nick Hutcheson, CCO Matt Hassell, Director Jesse Hunt in aclose collaboration with Zack, Gavi, Sheriauna, Tai, Casey, Jud, Jes, Jadine, Maddy, Junayd, Alifa and their extraordinary families.