Alissa Beth Photography at the Embracing Our Differences, 2017 Sarasota Exhibit: Teaching A Lesson on Diversity

Last week I had the privilege and honor to be one of 45 artists to have their artwork displayed on a HUGE banner at Bayfront Park in Sarasota, Florida as part of the the juried exhibit Embracing Our Differences. Embracing Our Differences in a non for profit company who's mission is through the arts to educate and inspire individuals on the importance of diversity to help create a better world!

Patriotic Drops can be purchased at the Long Island Photo Gallery
10% of the Profits will now be donated to Embracing Our Differences

Some of you may or may not know, by day I am a Speech-Language Pathologist working in a Middle School on Long Island, NY. So this honor is doubly important to me!

As stated from the Embracing Our Difference website (because they really wrote it best, so why should I try to reinvent the wheel?) 

• "Embracing Our Differences is a not-for-profit organization that uses the power of art and education to expand consciousness and open the heart to celebrate the diversity of the human family. It accomplishes this through an annual, large-scale outdoor juried art exhibition and a comprehensive series of educational initiatives, programs and resources designed for teachers and students.
• We believe that diversity is one of the world’s greatest assets. To realize the promise of diversity, we must ensure that everyone is respected, included and valued for his or her individuality. Our goal is to create a community where diversity and inclusion are honored while teaching the importance of being an “up-stander,” and not a “by-stander.” 

As an artist, it was an unbelievable honor to be one of the small group of 45 individuals who were chosen to be exhibited. Embracing our Differences received almost 11,000 submissions this year! Wow!!

The contest has both an art piece and a writing component to it. Almost half of the winners were students whose teachers submitted for them! The artwork and quotes were amazing! Each visual art piece was displayed on a huge banner and underneath it was a quote written by a different person. You can see all of the art that was exhibited here: Embracing Our Differences Winners  2017

As an educator who works with teenagers in a school that promotes diversity, has an active LGBT club, does tremendous Holocaust education and actively teaches anti bullying strategies, this was a double honor where my art can be used to help promote such an important lesson! 

The Embracing Our Differences exhibit runs from April 1st through May 31st, 2017 at Bayfront Park in Sarasota, Florida. On April 24 there was a wonderful reception held at the Ringling College of Art and Design. It was there that I was able to meet some of the behind the scenes people who were instrumental in the success of this very important organization! 

Photos Below:
Photo 1 and 2: The exhibit at Bayfront Park
Photos 3 and 4: The winners reception at Ringling College of Art and Design

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I have decided that from now on, I will donate 10% of the profit from any sales of this photograph purchased to the Embracing Our Differences organization in order to become an "upstander" and not just a "bystander"! 

You can purchase the Alissa Beth Photography image of Patriotic Drops here:
Long Island Photo Gallery
10% of the profit from this image will go to Embracing Our Differences Organization

All photographs are the property of  © Alissa Rosenberg from Alissa Beth Photography and Long Island Fine Art Photography. Reproductions and downloads without permission is prohibited. 

However, you are welcome to share this post on your own site or through social media. :) ​​​