Molly, FUTURES Activation Project
What does it mean to live with a Disability that people cannot see?
For many people with invisible Disabilities, this question can come up again and again.
For FUTURES alum Molly, this experience became the inspiration for their Activation Project: a small phone photography workshop for people with invisible Disabilities.
Molly led participants through a photography workshop where they learned how to use their phones to capture images representing their experiences with invisible Disability. Participants then showed their photographs in an in-person and online gallery.
The workshop created a welcoming space. Participants expressed themselves creatively, shared their experiences, and met others who understood invisible Disability.
For Molly, this project was deeply personal.
“I feel quite thrilled about this project as I have struggled to find my place in society, feeling caught between two worlds, with my invisible Disabilities.”
Living with an invisible Disability can sometimes mean having to explain or justify your experiences. When a Disability isn’t immediately apparent, people may question whether someone really needs a particular accommodation or resource.
Molly experienced this firsthand.
Their project created an opportunity to respond to those moments. Not by having to explain themselves, but by creating space for people with invisible Disabilities to tell their own stories.
Telling stories through images
Photography can communicate experiences that are difficult to put into words.
A photograph might capture an everyday moment, a place, an object, a feeling, or an experience that holds a deeper meaning for the person behind the camera. By inviting participants to photograph their own experiences, Molly created a space where people could express themselves on their own terms.
The goal wasn’t simply to teach people how to take better photographs. It was about giving participants a creative tool to explore and communicate what Disability can look and feel like when it isn’t always visible.
Participants shared their perspectives. Their work fed a wider conversation about invisible Disabilities and how they shape daily life.
Molly wanted to see the art that came out of the workshop, and to encourage others to express themselves.
“I’m excited to see the art that emerges, and to encourage others to express themselves.”
Making space for invisible experiences
Disability does not have to be visible to be real.
Molly’s Activation Project challenged us to think beyond what we can immediately see and reminded us that everyone carries experiences that may not be apparent from the outside.
Photography let participants make those experiences visible. Not because they owed anyone an explanation, but because their stories deserved to be seen.
The workshop became more than just a photography activity. It became a space for connection, creativity, and self-expression, giving participants an opportunity to share parts of their lives that are often misunderstood or overlooked.
Molly’s project showed the power of art to open conversations about Disability and create opportunities for people to see themselves reflected in the experiences of others.
And sometimes, a photograph can say what words cannot.
Read more about FUTURES Visual Arts.
You can also read what 60 Disabled and neurodivergent young adults taught us about leadership.
Apply to FUTURES
FUTURES is a free leadership program for Disabled and neurodivergent young people in Canada, ages 18 to 30.
Every participant builds their own activation project, like the one you just read about.
FUTURES Visual Arts runs six Saturdays, fully virtual. Make original work with Disabled artists, Canada-wide.
Registration closes Saturday, October 17. Art kits ship before the first session.
Want to talk through your access needs first? That conversation is optional, and it is yours to book: book an access needs conversation with Ratsamy
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