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Embrace Our Stories Photography Exhibition

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Don’t judge a book by its cover, embrace our stories instead!

Embrace Our Stories is a photography exhibition by children in care and young care leavers. Through their images and voice recordings, they invite people to learn about their stories of hope, courage, talent, and achievement. 

The exhibition was developed by children and young people in the run up to Care Day in 2023. The #CareDay23 theme, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover, embrace our stories instead!’, was developed by children and young people from the EPIC Care Community and Youth Council and it aims to address stigma and challenge negative stereotypes about being in care. Through their theme, they encouraged people to learn about children in care, to look beyond the surface, and to see that every care-experienced child and young person is an individual with their own unique story, ambitions, and dreams for the future.

EPIC Youth Council members pose with their Care Day 2023 photography exhibition images. Each member is holding their own photograph

Embrace Our Stories was launched on Care Day eve in 2023 with a launch event in the CHQ Building in Dublin. Minister Roderic O’Gorman open the event, which also had contributions from EPIC Youth Council members Clara and Kai, Minister Joe O’Brien, interim CEO of Tusla, Kate Duggan, and the Ombudsperson for Children, Niall Muldoon.

On the night, Kai from the EPIC Youth Council shared a few words about the exhibition and process of developing it and why Care Day is important for him. You can read his full speech here.

If you are interested in hosting the Embrace Our Stories Photography Exhibition, please contact carolinereid@epiconline.ie.

Learn more about Care Day
Cover for the Embrace Our Stories exhibition. It has a grid of all the photos in the exhibition.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Kai, 26: "There’s something magical about animals and their power to bring so much calmness, comfort and joy, even on the hardest days." Image is of a horseshoe against a blue sky. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Stella, 18: "The reason I chose my teddy Beag was because he's the one thing I always had no matter what. Constancy is important to me as a young person who's been through care, and because as a child in care, there wasn't a lot of constants in your life." Image is of a grey teddy bear wearing a pumpkin costume. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Hannah, 15: "I chose this picture as English is my favourite subject and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have an education" Image is of a printed worksheet and a written essay. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Jerry, 14: "I chose this object because it was written by a young, home-schooled author going through a tough time, and I think that this book portrays this time in a young person's life." Image is of a book with a green dragon on the cover. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Andrea, 20:"I wanted to highlight the important role that photos played in my life as person in care and even more now as a care leaver...young people who are still in care may not have as much access to photos of themselves as they live on adults devices and not in their hands. Image is of a camera surrounded by fairy lights. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Alan, 26: "Lastly, but by no means least, you can see my EPIC Youth Council hoodie. This hoodie represents my EPIC family. Even though we are a mixed group of people, we all want the same thing, and that unites us as campaigners for change." Image is of a bedroom with a football jersey, hoodie and photo of Kellie Harrington. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Reece, 18: "I only got a proper phone last year and I thought I'd have to wait until I was 18, so it shows how much I've matured and progressed in a year. And it shows how much I've changed." Image is a black and white photo of a phone on a table. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Emily, 23: "My message to other care-experienced children and young people across Ireland is don't worry about your past, because you can't change the past. But by doing what you love in the present, you’re making a gateway to life experiences and taking a chance on your future!" Image is taken of the sun setting on top of mount Snowden in Wales. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Clara, 26: "l'm looking forward to marking my own moments into the future and it is something I recommend everyone to do. You don't have to be care experienced or mark them with something 'expensive' or big. But mark the moments in your life in a way that matters to you." Image is of a ring on a book. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Kylie, 17: "I've had the earphones that I have in my photo for about 15 years so there's kind of a special connection with that, that they're my first earphones. They're the thing I turn to through whatever really, through happy times, sad times, everything, literally everything." Image is in black and white of a water bottle and headphones. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.
Graphic is split into two. Text is on one side and an image is on the other. Text is a quote from Cian, 15: "Rabbit has been with me throughout all my life, has been there through thick and thin and I love him. He's been there for when I needed him most and he's been there when I just was happy out, playing." Image is of teddy rabbit and three toy cars. Image is in a frame that resembles a stroke of paint. ‘Embrace Our Stories’ with a loveheart logo appears underneath the image.