July 17, 2007

Jane Fortune celebrated in Indianapolis

Yesterday, the Mayor of Indianapolis, Bart Peterson, in the Arts Garden in downtown Indianapolis, presented Jane Fortune with the 2007 Accessibility Award for exceptional commitment to furthering accessibility and inclusion to persons with disabilities. The award, nominated by the Indianapolis Museum of Art (without her knowledge), was in particular response to Jane's leadership with the "Flying Words" program, which is a part of a total accessibility and inclusion program she has initiated at the museum which encompasses not only those with persons with disabilities, but everyone who visits the museum. The program is possibly unique in the nation and can serve as a model.
 
"Flying Words" is a work with a hearing poet and a deaf poet, has traveled widely, and was presented at the museum before 550 people, most of whom were deaf and hearing impaired. This performance was attended by the largest number of persons from the deaf community ever, and from it, the museum is creating an interactive arts program with the Indianapolis Deaf School.
 
Max Anderson, CEO and President of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, introducing the award honoring Jane, stated that "one person can make a difference, and Jane is that one person."
 
Jane spoke briefly thanking the museum for "believing in my vision" and for "making my quest, my dream, a reality." Fighting back tears, she told the assembled crowd that she was "very humbled by this award."
 
Jane initiated a program at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia and has served as volunteer president and chairman of the Deafness Research Foundation in New York. She also created a program at USArtists at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts for persons with disabilities to attend the exhibition, a first in the nation when created.
 
Special needs, accessibility, and inclusion are Jane's passion. She believes that everyone should have the same opportunities for access and it should not matter whether one is a person with a disability or not.
 
The 2007 Access and Inclusion Awards celebrate the 17th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a historic piece of civil rights legislation that mandates equality of opportunity for persons with disabilities.