Disability Pride, Disability Joy Exists: A Community Art Making Workshop
Sunday, July 19, 2026; 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Perennial Garden
Join Accessible Travel NYC for their second annual Art Making Workshop at NYBG! This joyful, creative workshop blends art, learning, and reflection through the lens of disability pride and inclusion. Set in the beauty of the Garden, this interactive session welcomes disabled people, families, friends, and allies to explore disability as identity, expression, and empowerment—through art. Participants are welcome to seek inspiration from the current exhibition Flower Power.
Participants will choose from a wide variety of accessible, colorful materials—heavy stock paper, rocks, stickers, markers, dot markers, waxy sticks, and more—to create pieces that reflect emotions like pride, joy, and hope.
The program area is wheelchair accessible, and visual descriptions will be shared throughout. A variety of art supplies will be available to support a range of access needs. We strive to make our programs inclusive and welcoming. To request an ASL interpreter or any other reasonable accommodation, please contact publiceducation@nybg.org by July 10.
About the Workshop Leaders
Sisters Annie Nishwani Lachhman (she/her) and Lakshmee Lachhman-Persad (she/her) are award-winning changemakers using art, storytelling, and education to reframe how society sees disability. Annie is a celebrated Disabled Artist whose work has been showcased by institutions like The Met Museum and ADAPT, and her Disability Pride creations are sold at the New York Botanical Garden, Whitney Museum, and online. Lakshmee is the founder of Accessible Travel NYC, a leading resource in inclusive tourism, with 25 years in the industry championing disability representation and education. Together, they bring lived experience, cultural pride, and deep joy to every program they lead—empowering communities to embrace disability as identity, creativity, resiliency, and collective strength.
