Congratulations to Rashmi Becker, CLAHRC EoE PhD student , Project Editor of a recently published book telling the stories of people with a learning disability.
Rashmi is undertaking her PhD within the CLAHRC EoE Research Theme Enduring Disability and/or Disadvantage (EDD), and is based in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge.
Here she tells us about the project she worked and her journey to publishing the book and other exciting outcomes:
“I am a first year PhD Student at the Department of Psychiatry and my research focuses on improving care for people with a learning disability. Prior to joining the department, I worked for a national charity which supports people with a learning disability and autism. There are 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability and 700,000 with autism. My work with this charity and my older brother who has autism inspired my PhD application.
A project I worked on for the past two years has finally come to fruition – a fantastic book and exhibition depicting images and stories of people with a learning disability which challenge negative perceptions by highlighting their every day moments and life milestones – from graduating from high school, enjoying every day activities that we all enjoy to getting married. The Guardian Magazine just produced a 6-page feature about the project which I am proud of, which can be accessed here.
As project editor, I conceived the book and exhibition from scratch, and worked with Jerwood Photography prize winner Polly Braden who spent two years travelling the country photographing people and capturing their stories. As well as turning this into a beautiful book, I secured the respected photo book publisher Dewi Lewis and the National Media Museum to host a major exhibition in their main gallery which launches this Tuesday. I have been working voluntarily the odd few days during this and last term to see through the final stages of this project which I am very passionate about”
You can contact Rashmi at: rc207@cam.ac.uk
For information about the exhibition Rashmi mentions above, please see the Great Interactions Exhibition Website
Rashmi tells us more in her blog ‘Making A Difference’
