I am inspired today. I am inspired by incredible people who surround me and do amazing things. I am inspired by those who life has thrown many road blocks and yet they achieve.
Mabel Cedeno Perez is 23. She is blind, she suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta and she is one of the stars of the Children's Theater Company La Colmenita in Cuba.
Mabel never got to experience some of the playing and running around of other children. Osteogenesis Imperfecta is congenital disease, it is present at birth. People with OI have weak bones, which makes them susceptible to fractures and are usually below average height. This would be a huge stumbling block for most people but Mabel is not most people.
“But I never felt any different from anyone else. A disability does not make you less of a person.”
Mabel was a student at the Panama School of Solidarity in 1999 when the director from La Colmenita wanted to produce a play that would combine children with disabilities with the theater troupe. Mabel was cast to play the Queen Bee in Martina the Cockroach, a famous Cuban folk tale.
The opportunity given to Mabel with La Colmenita changed her life. Since starring as Queen Bee add to Mabel's list of achievements creating the “Beekeepers” music and drama workshop in the Boyeros area of Havana (at age 10), she became an art teacher, and got her science teaching license for university and today has sixty children under her direction in the community.
I came to know about Mabel Cedeno Perez through my friend, world renowned photographer, Niurka Barroso. Niurka captured Mabel's story through photos in a series called- A DAY IN MABELITA'S LIFE, by NIURKA BARROSO
Niurka has produced a series of award winning images dealing with humanitarian issues and has shot raw and beautiful photos of Mabel including all you see here.
Thank you Mabel for inspiring me and thank you Niurka for sharing Mabel's story through your photos.
