Creating Passports To Possibilities
Made Visible
Made Visible was born as a result of “Not Defined by Diagnosis”, a Photo Workshop and its resulting Exhibit that put cameras in the hands of teens and young adults with life-threatening illnesses at Montefiore Children’s Hospital, allowing them to speak about their experiences in words and images. We learned about the importance of having a passport to meaningful connections, genuine engagement, and self-expression, regardless of setting or diagnosis.
Our Vision
In establishing this organization, Annie Levy, joined by others, has continued to develop these “passports to possibilities”, with projects and programs that allow participants to be made visible to themselves and others and for larger worlds to be made visible and accessible. A current project, “Words With Tex” features an amazing lizard (!) who engages the imagination of everyone he meets and everything his life touches – with the essence of possibility and of what can be.
Along the Way
We have created projects at sites including the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Care Center, Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center, the CARES Program at Roosevelt Hospital, and the Alzheimer’s Association. We have partnered on projects with the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation. With grants from the Fred J. Epstein Foundation and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, we were invited to create “Patient Voice” work, engaging people in sharing those experiences with the larger world for a variety of purposes.
Our Current Project
“The Portrait Project”: Reclaiming Our Lives & Telling New Stories
At The Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation
About The Portrait Project
At a time in their lives when teens and young adults are developing a sense of identity and agency, those with critical illnesses are having these things massively interrupted and seemingly snatched away. Our Foundation was born as a result of seeing the absolute need for young people to regain a sense of agency and identity in their own lives.
Our Current Engagement
We will be working with CBTF’s young leaders on the Portrait Project – a Photo-based workshop through which participants will explore Who They Are, Who They Want To Be, and Steps To Get There through their words and images.
We will also be reprising our “Titans” program – a companion to this project, featuring generous leaders from different fields, each invited to share about their work based on the young people’s interests. This will be a monthly Zoom meeting in which participants will gain experience interacting with professionals, gaining skills in formulating and asking questions and continuing on their journey of discovery.
Getting Involved
People have asked if they can contribute financially to be part of the work. An emphatic, yes! We also welcome other kinds of exciting and meaningful partnerships to bring this work to life! Please contact Annie at annie@annielevy.com.
All Projects
Learn more about what we do!
SUPPORTERS & FUNders
Photographers, Artists and Organizations who have given generously of their time and talents
Fred J. Epstein Pediatric Cares Foundation
Ivan Mora
Scratch DJ Academy
Coral Software
Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Adam Moran
Davis Strategies
5Pointz & Meres One
Michael Kamber
Cantilever
About
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With a special focus on the world of medicine , Annie develops and creates large scale portrait projects that transform the way we see and interact with people. The work enlivens and infuses spaces (both real and virtual) with meaning and engagement. Her work has been shown widely, including at the United Nations, the Hebrew Home for the Aged, is permanently installed at Roosevelt Hospital and has been commissioned by The Frick Collection for their Art of Observation project for medical education. As a result of her work with young people at Montefiore Children’s Hospital on the award winning photo project they entitled “Not Defined By Diagnosis” she saw a need for an organization whose mission is to continue to create such projects, broadening its scope and impact to address the needs of both patient and practitioner. Made Visible came to life.
As a result of her enthusiasm about her subjects, Annie is frequently asked to speak at conferences and present to a variety of groups, using the projects she has created to discuss such topics as integrating the Patient Voice into practice, Visual Messaging, Health Care Design, Images and Aging, as well as concepts related to overall project and exhibit design and development.
Included in her speaking engagements/presentations are the New York Times Company Foundation’s program for journalists at the International Longevity Center, the Cleveland Clinic Patient Empathy & Innovation Summit, John A. Hartford Communications Conferences, and the American Society on Aging’s National Conference. She has been the keynote speaker for Center for Health Design’s Environments and Aging Conference, lectured at Sarah Lawrence College in the Health Care Advocacy Department and has conducted a Grand Rounds presentation at Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, NYC. Annie spoke at the Cleveland Clinic Patient Empathy and Innovation Summit as well as at the Joint Commission Ambulatory Care Conference in 2015. Most recently, in November 2016, she spoke at Google’s Ignite Healthcare. She has her BFA from NYU Film School.
Paul White
Software Engineer
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Paul White is a jack of many digital trades, but above all, a graphic designer, software developer, and visual perfectionist.
Benjamin Heller
Digital Post Production
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Benjamin Heller, an accomplished photographer and artist works with us, bringing his old school artistry to new school technology. He is our digital post production wiz, using his skills and unique eye to further bring work to life. He has an endless curiosity about exploring and expressing what moves people as well as exploring and expressing the forces of nature in a variety of art forms. His work has been shown at many diverse spaces including the Baryshnikov Arts Center, the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the International Center of Photography.
Sammy Levine
Videography
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Sammy hails from Florida and although he lives in NYC, he retains his allegiance to the Miami Marlins. He brings his love of telling stories through video to Made Visible Foundation’s projects. He has worked with Google, The Bowery Mission, Vita Coco, among others.
Steven R. Hazlett
Photography
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Steven is a photographer, teacher, and artist in resident based in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree at SUNY Purchase College in 2013, teaches the art of photography at several non-profit organizations. His style of photography is heavily influenced by his photojournalistic background, and has been part of the Eddie Adams Workshop alumni since 2012, when he began his photographic career. Steven has worked with such clients as Alicia Keys, Jungle City Studios, Madison Square Garden, and many more.