The Body is Good Project

The Body is Good ( BIG) project reimagines art and infographic as a love letter to the body in healthcare spaces. The goal is for the artwork to take a stand against ableism and simply remind people that the body is good, that it works.

Through this work, I seek to promote health equity by helping health care providers better connect with patients no matter what their body looks like, and can or cannot do in the moment or over time. The work will give accurate information about the body in a respectful and inclusive way, recognizing that all people regardless and because of their abilities or disabilities both are valued members of our communities.

“Research has shown that art in hospitals and clinical settings can have meaningful benefits for patients. But we know that even more than this, art can make a place accepting and even inviting.” -The Peoples heART Mission Statement., https://www.thepeoplesheart.org

I believe that if everyone can remember their body is good and start healthcare interactions noticing that the body works better than it does not that then people will leave trusting their body a little more and know that even if they are sick, injured or disabled, they are good and value

This is a stand against ableism, which is a very real oppression; it values some bodies over others. It blames the individual for their physical, neurological, or mental struggle or difference and often says that if your body/mind is not the standard, then you are a threat to your community in some way. It affects each one of us, and intersects with every other oppression. It has a huge impact on our health and our interactions with the healthcare system. This puts healthcare workers in a unique position to contradict the messages of ableism.

Join Me!

Join me in reimagining healthcare spaces, making them a space where all feel welcome, where waiting for the doctor is a time to remember that the body works and not a time to worry about all the ways it does not. I am looking for collaborators, funders, and advisory board members. I specifically need healthcare professionals, artists, researchers, infographic and web designers, and people with lived experiences different from my own. If you have ever interacted with the healthcare system, consider joining me.  Contact me at jessica@greaterdepthmedia.com and follow the hashtag #thebodyisgood_project

Our work is inspired by the Peoples’ heART at Massachusetts General Hospital, https://www.thepeoplesheart.org