Photo-stories of love and acceptance

Acceptance Journeys (AJ) is a photo-story project that strives to address LGBT-related stigma. Through stories told by people in the Pittsburgh area – about their love and support of an LGBT friend or family member – AJ seeks to put words, faces and names to people who are negatively impacted by discrimination and prejudice. As a result, AJ creates an opportunity to begin a dialogue in the larger community, with the hope that these stories can inspire other stigmatized groups to embark on their own journey with love and acceptance.

The original Acceptance Journeys project began in Milwaukee, at the University of Wisconsin, with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Wisconsin Department of Health. The Pittsburgh project was created by the HPCP, the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. AJ Pittsburgh plans to expand the photo-stories around the commonwealth, to reduce stigma and promote healthier communities state-wide.

Do you have a story of acceptance you would like to share?

HPCP is looking for stories of acceptance from people who would like to be photographed and interviewed as part of the AJ project. These stories are about relationships: between parents and children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors, pastors and congregants, and colleagues.  Photographs will include people sharing their stories—including their LGBTQ loved ones—and may be used as part of AJ campaigns.

To find out more, and how you can be a part of the project, go to the official AJ Website.