IC2 joins Women’s Day through painting workshop

The Macau IC2 (I Can Too) Association has joined the International Women’s Day campaign this year with painting activities that encouraged members to promote this year’s theme, #BreakTheBias.

At their ‘Happy House’ yesterday, several members of the non-profit organization – founded by people with disabilities – participated at the first session of a painting workshop led by architect Catarina Monteiro da Costa, who used instant coffee as a medium for the painting.

The activity kickstarts the World Earth Day community campaign the IC2 members will host on April 22.  

To celebrate Women’s Day, the ‘Happy House’ was visited by a community of women who supported the IC2 members during the painting workshop.

As the main mission and vision of the association is to promote equality and inclusion, Ruby Lo, member of the association’s Parent Council remarked, “[The association] wants to exchange information and promote people with intellectual disabilities. They want to be included in society.”

“We’re happy that they can be included in society to learn more [about this event]. The workshop is to know more about the society, environment, […] and ways to recycle,” she added.

Meanwhile, Ada Lo, a long-time volunteer at the association and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, said that the works of the IC2 members will be showcased during World Earth Day with the aim of promoting low-carbon development.

Speaking to the Times, Ada Lo said that next April will be the second year that the association will hold such an event.

“The theme of today is breaking bias. We want to create inclusion, as opposed to describing the minority or the majority,” the advocate added.  

Ada Lo has previously expressed that people with intellectual disabilities are often stereotyped and underestimated. Hence, events such as this are an opportunity to prove their capabilities.
Last year, the IC2 association held a tree planting activity to promote environmental protection awareness on World Earth Day and fundraise for disaster relief to help with the severe floods in Henan, Zhengzhou. 

IC2 currently has 165 members, providing training and leisure activities for members. These include activities involving the use of an abacus and mental arithmetic, painting, handicrafts, knitting, mandala soul painting, storytelling and event planning training courses.

The association reports a growing number of members when compared to pre-pandemic times in 2019, when it only had 100 members. The majority of members have autism or intellectual disability. 

*Macau Daily Times is the official media partner of the event