“We have limitless potential.”
Calgary photographer and activist Lionel Migrino won’t let his disability dictate what he can or can’t do.
His latest project, a photo exhibition entitled Limitless: the Disabled World, threw audiences into the lives of people with disabilities and the challenges that come from lack of accessibility.
Migrino, who has cerebral palsy, is no stranger to these challenges.
“We are forced to live in this world that is not made for people like us,” he said. “But why is that? Why doesn’t the world adapt to all kinds of abilities and accommodate for everyone?”
Migrino feels that photography drives his message into the hearts of his audience.
“I think having it in front of people will make it harder for people to ignore the reality and truth of disabled people, and will make them forced to be uncomfortable.”
His photos show more than just the challenges. Each set of photos captures the joy and passion of its subject in their day-to-day life – what makes them who they are, aside from their disability.
“There’s nothing wrong with people like me, it’s all based on our environment,” Migrino said. “The barriers that are upon us are not created by us, it’s created by our environment and our surroundings.”
“My message is just to be kind. Open your heart, open your mind, and open your eyes.”
In one section of the exhibit, Migrino illustrated the “red tape” that people with disabilities encounter in an inaccessible world.
“I wish people would understand that we always have to adapt and we always have to advocate,” he said.” It shouldn’t be only our job to do it.”
Migrino aims to make all his projects and events as accessible as possible.
“A lot of organizations don’t do that,” he said. “It’s like, if I can do it by myself with a limited budget … why can’t multibillion-dollar companies do closed captioning?”
“This is the thing about accessibility and inclusion: we have the technology and the resources for it, but we’re lacking desire. And that’s why we need others to buy in to make things more accessible.”
The exhibit, which ran from Oct. 25 to Nov. 18 at cSPACE in Marda Loop, is part of a larger project that Migrino is working on – a documentary called disABLEd. The film, set to premiere in 2025, follows two people with disabilities as they navigate life. Migrino’s photography plays a major role in telling their stories.
Migrino already has plans for his next project after the documentary concludes.
“I want to do maybe a podcast – a video podcast,” he said. “I’m looking to get a grant for it. Hopefully I get it.”
