Bold Beauty Project's Shelly Baer and Eva Ritvo at Books & Books, Coral Gables August 23, 2018

MIAMI - Aug. 21, 2018 - PRLog -- Bold Beauty Project Founder/Co-Director, Shelly Baer, LCSW, and Eva Ritvo, MD, Co-Director and Author of Bekindr: The Transformative Power of Kindness, will be hosting a reception and speaking at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm on Thursday, August 23, 2018. The event is free of charge and all are welcome to attend the reception and talk.

Bold Beauty Project, a Miami based nonprofit, creates powerful photography exhibitions featuring women with varying disabilities. Through the photographer's lens and the women's personal stories, the project seeks to raise awareness of the women's strength, sensuality and spirit, and in the process, change perceptions of beauty. Subjects in the photos include Angela Mainberger-Martinez photographed by Karli Evans; Nikki Saltzburg photographed by Milcho; Patricia Middleton photographed by Mary Beth Koeth; and Joy Nestor photographed by Sandra Dohnert.

Founder/Co-Director, Shelly Baer, Director, Leadership Training Initiatives at University of Miami School of Medicine-Mailman Center for Child Development stated, "The Bold Beauty Project (http://www.boldbeautyproject.com) began in 2006 with a goal to create a story of women with disabilities that would shatter all preconceived beauty paradigms by utilizing photography. There have been exhibitions in Miami, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and in internationally recognized Art Fairs, including the prestigious Art Palm Beach. We are developing global communities of bold beauties and using social media to connect them. They will become role models for women who feel isolated by conventional media's narrow depiction of beauty. We are impacting photographers by exposing them to new subjects and asking them to work collaboratively to create an image that is transformative for the models as well as the viewers."

Co-Director, Eva Ritvo, MD, a psychiatrist and author, stated, "When I first learned about the Bold Beauty Project in 2014, it warmed my heart and I immediately wanted to help. As a mother of a child with Cerebral Palsy, I was eager to empower my daughter and help give all women with disabilities the opportunity to see themselves in such a positive light." Watching the models and photographers during the exhibitions is pure joy. Viewers are treated to a rare glimpse into the lives of these extraordinary women.

Joy is Dr. Ritvo's daughter, a college student, entrepreneur, and subject in one of the dramatic photos. Reflecting on her photo shoot, Joy recalled, "I never saw myself as pretty and I lacked confidence because of my disability. Working with my photographer on the Bold Beauty Project changed my thinking, allowing me to see myself in a different and more positive way. I hope many more women can have a chance to participate and experience the joy it has brought me."

"Working with a woman with disabilities was a new endeavor for me. I wanted to do something that contributed to the greater good. The project opened my eyes to the limitless possibilities available. It was an amazing experience and it indelibly altered my perception of beauty," remembered Photographer Sandra Dohnert, who like all participants, donated her time and effort.

Baer stated, "We are designing replication models so myriad cities can host their own Bold Beauty Project exhibitions. The power of this project is in using local community resources, models and photographers to create change, shatter stereotypes and bring more beauty into the world."

Bold Beauty Project is looking forward to their next exhibition in Wimberley, Texas in 2019 and they are in the early stages of planning a show in Montreal. To learn ways to participate with the Bold Beauty Project or get more information please contact Baer at Shelly@boldbeautyproject.com or Ritvo: at eva@bekindr.com.

Check out the Bold Beauty Project video on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/281999971