The second “A Day In My Shoes” fundraiser for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre is coming up April 2 – 5, 2014 and organisers are calling all women who love shoes to take part.

American photographer Amy Martin-Friedman initiated “A Day in My Shoes” in the United States as a means of raising awareness about the impacts of domestic violence and to raise funds for women’s shelters.  She came to the Cayman Islands in 2012 and the effort raised over $15,000 for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre through the photo shoots, the sales of the coffee table book and ticket sales for the exhibit launch and cocktail reception held at the National Gallery.

Martin-Friedman is on her way back to Cayman and women are invited to have their photographs taken in the shoes that make them feel most empowered.  The photographs do not feature models’ faces as some of them will be past clients of the Crisis Centre, who have their entry fees covered by sponsors.   “Every woman has a story to tell and every story is important”, said Martin-Friedman.  “They are not always about domestic violence – most of them aren’t – but this is an exercise in the power of sharing and of the empowerment of women”.

This year’s theme is “Empowering Women” and in addition to the models, will also feature some of Cayman’s most influential women.  A Day in My Shoes event organiser Janette Goodman explained:  “we have received corporate donations to support the inclusion of some photographs of some of the Caymanian women who have made life in Cayman better – through their art, work or other contributions.  Our generous sponsors – Stepping Stones, KRys Global and Dart – have already enabled three extraordinary ladies to take part”.

Participants are able to choose their photo shoot location, anywhere on the island and will receive a mounted canvass of their photograph as well as an invitation to the exhibit launch at the National Gallery later this year.  Their photographs and accompanying stories will appear in the coffee table book that will be sold, with all proceeds going to the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre.  To sign up as a participant or a sponsor, contact Janette Goodman at [email protected].

The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre is a locally run charitable company that was established in early 2003 with a primary mandate of providing a safe haven for abused women and their children.  The Crisis Centre has a 24-hour emergency hotline (943-CICC (2422)) and vital in-house programmes, including case and risk management, individual and group counseling, support groups, referral services and a Children and Youth Programme, which is sponsored by Hedge Funds Care Cayman.