MY WHITE DRESS

Inspired by the Brides' March against domestic violence.

Listen to Emily’s story and how she became involved in the Bride’s March.

Listen to Emily’s story and how she became involved in the Bride’s March.

“For women who have experienced some form of domestic violence, their wedding dress no longer signifies what it did on the day it was first worn because the abuse destroyed those dreams of shared love, honor, respect and a happy home.”– Brides’ March.

Bride’s March is a movement that started in New York in 2001, in memory of Gladys Ricart who was murdered on September 26, 1999, by her former boyfriend on the day of her wedding. Moved by the insensitive response to this case and the horrors of domestic violence, they decided to organize and created an annual march, in which women wear wedding dresses in order to break the silence and generate public dialogue.

I photographed the donated dresses worn by many women at the Brides’ March. The dresses serve as a canvas that embodies the stories of women who have been lost because of domestic violence; they also pay tribute to all the activists and organizations of women and men creating awareness against domestic violence.

I joined the march and photograph Ana Ybe, a woman who had lost her daughter and two grandchildren to domestic violence. 

I met Emily Baratta, who invited me to her house and share her story of how became an activist against domestic violence. She is an active member of the Brides' March and she is the one that keeps a lot of the dresses.  

This project is made possible by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.