New York’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has launched a public awareness campaign called “Look Beyond My Developmental Disability” to combat the stigma that people with developmental disabilities face in their daily lives.

“The campaign message confirms what should be obvious — that people with developmental disabilities are more than their disabilities,” OPWDD Commissioner Kerri E. Neifeld wrote in a statement. “Like all of us, they are many things – friends, neighbors, family members, students, and customers.”

The year-long effort will use public forums, social media, radio, and print advertising to educate the public about developmental disabilities and highlight the positive ways people with developmental disabilities contribute to their state and their communities.

The campaign was spurred by legislation Governor Hochul signed in 2022 directing OPWDD to develop and implement a public awareness campaign that combats discrimination, stigma and stereotyping of people with developmental disabilities.

Photo: Nathan Anderson, Unsplash.com