"I Am Equal" Shines Light On Human Rights
SAN FRANCISCO -- The city by the bay will host an ambitious human rights photo campaign to showcase the cultural diversity and community commitment to equality when they welcome the I AM EQUAL Project at the Hotel Carlton on 26-FEB-2011. This historic photo campaign will make a stop in San Francisco as part of its 175-city world tour to collect more than 125,000 individual photos of people from all walks of life who are standing up for social change at home and around the globe.
“This project empowers people to get actively involved in a social dialog about the issues that mean the most to them,” explains project creator Jason Beckett. “Our job is to give them a reason to educate and inform their friends and family and start changing the world through dedicated community action.”
Everyone is welcome to take part in the project. Participation is as simple as wearing a brightly-colored shirt and getting a photo taken during the open public event anytime from 11:00am to 9:00pm. After a brief registration process, each person will get in front of the camera, after having a temporary tattoo put on their hand, and express their unique cause or issue in as creative a way as they like.
“How people pose for their picture is not nearly as important as their reason for taking part in the first place,” explains project photographer Matt Spencer. “We celebrate every cause and invite everyone to come join the movement as a way to share their story with the world. Some people are taking a photo to stop atrocities in Africa and others are drawing attention to child slavery issues; there are some people who want to bring marriage equality to their state, and others who are beating the drum for religious tolerance.”
This event in San Francisco represents the only scheduled stop in the Bay Area for this historic project, and would-be participants are encouraged to plan ahead as this may be their only opportunity to take part. “We are visiting 28 U.S. cities this year and 175 total during the course of this project,” continues Beckett. “Unfortunately, we can’t visit every city, and even less likely are we to return to a city we have already visited. It’s imperative that people spread the word and tell their friends and family about the project so everyone has a chance to take part; it’s worth your time and energy to travel to Hotel Carlton and get a photo, it may be your only chance.”
The event is open to the public and people of all ages (those younger than 17 will need parental permission to take part). A $20 donation is recommended to support the efforts of the I AM EQUAL global scholarship initiative and the photo tour. Additional details are available online at Facebook.com/iamequal as well as at the official website,
About The I AM EQUAL Project
The I AM EQUAL Project was created by Jason Beckett and fashion photographer Matt Spencer in January 2010 in an effort to empower individuals to speak out about the causes that inspire them. The project goal is to capture more than 100,000 photos of people from all walks of life with the “I AM EQUAL” logo emblazoned on the palm of their hand as a symbol of their commitment to stand up for their rights, and the rights of others around the world.
