{"id":16560,"date":"2024-11-20T16:41:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T14:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rwfund.org\/eng\/?p=16560"},"modified":"2024-11-20T16:41:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T14:41:02","slug":"jelena-acanski-uncut-creations-we-cannot-monetize-personal-assistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rwfund.org\/eng\/2024\/11\/20\/jelena-acanski-uncut-creations-we-cannot-monetize-personal-assistance\/","title":{"rendered":"Jelena A\u010danski (Uncut Creations): We Cannot Monetize Personal Assistance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jelena A\u010danski holds a PhD in biological sciences and, as she says, a preschool diploma in vector illustration design. Her endlessly<\/em> charming illustrations<\/em><\/a> have quietly won the hearts of cat lovers, but beyond the witty messages on t-shirts for cat enthusiasts, Jelena is also known for her solidarity-driven campaigns. This time, we\u2019re talking to her for the “<\/em>Why We Donate<\/em><\/a>” section about her contributions to the “Living Upright” Center and the accessibility of personal assistant services for people with disabilities, as well as her views on solidarity, community, and creating a more just world.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

1. Your work is well-known across the Internet, at least among cat lovers, through Uncut Creations. In addition to celebrating cats through your art, you also celebrate life itself, actively and devotedly, through your support to the “Living Upright” Center’s campaign to raise urgently needed funds. What inspired you to become an ally in their fight in this way? How has the collaboration evolved, and how is it still going?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncut Creations was created with a desire to actively contribute to society. When the Brendly platform got launched in 2020, it finally made print-on-demand<\/a> business models possible in Serbia. Shortly put, it\u2019s a platform that allows me to express my creativity, while Brendly takes care of everything from production and shipping to the entire sales logistics. This gives me the freedom to focus on the creative side, because with my primary job and lifestyle, I wouldn\u2019t physically be able to handle the entire sales process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opening of the Uncut shop coincided with the spring 2020 lockdown, when I saw a post from the Belgrade Public Aquarium and Tropical House<\/a>, asking for financial support for animal food, as they were unable to sell tickets and therefore had no income to feed the animals. I added a few products to the Uncut shop and shared on social media that all profits from shirt sales would be donated to them. Even though Uncut was just starting out and the follower base was small, the response was great, and the first donation was successfully raised. Then, the Felix Cat Shelter<\/a> from Subotica launched an appeal for the treatment of a cat named Mi\u0161a, who had FIP \u2014 the response was even larger, and a significant amount was collected. After that, the initiatives kept rolling. Uncut Creations has participated in numerous charity auctions, mostly on Facebook, but also at social events in Serbia and abroad. I haven\u2019t kept track of the total amount of money raised through Uncut, because I believe that every single contribution matters and that every action where people give a part of themselves is priceless.<\/strong>When I saw a post on Instagram from the “Living Upright” Center, I began thinking about how I could contribute to their fight\u2014not just with a one-time donation, but through an initiative with a broader impact \u2014 both financially and in raising awareness about the Center, its mission, and its importance in the society. The first part of the initiative focused on profits from the sale of Uncut products, and then it expanded into a support campaign. I invited 3,850 people to donate 200 dinars and share posts in an effort to raise 770,000 dinars. We\u2019re close to reaching that goal, but that doesn\u2019t mean the collaboration between Uncut and the Center will stop. On the contrary, we\u2019re pushing ahead until we reach the end goal – unblocking their bank accounts, and who knows, there may be many more creative and meaningful initiatives and mutual support in the future. I\u2019m proud that this joint effort has led to important posts, videos, and Viber stickers<\/a> spreading awareness about personal assistance, ableism, support, and community. We still have a few more things to show you, so make sure to follow the Center\u2019s profiles on social media.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What inspired me to become an ally in their struggle? Through Mima\u2019s [Milica Mima Ru\u017ei\u010di\u0107 Novkovi\u0107, from the “Living Upright” Center] posts and emails, I felt the strength and determination of one woman \u2014 some might say, strength in fighting windmills. At the same time, I noticed the lack of institutional support, which got the Center into trouble in the first place. I realized that I had gathered a community of wonderful people around Uncut, that I had a certain knowledge in copywriting and digital marketing, and it would be a pitty not to use these resources. The collaboration with the Center and communication with Mima have been invaluable. We think through every idea together, fine-tuning even the smallest details. I believe that through this process, we are both learning priceless things and growing as individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. As we learn from the “Living Upright” Center (C\u017dU) and others who follow, promote, and deepen the achievements of the disability rights movement, personal assistance is one of the most crucial prerequisites for an independent and dignified life for people with disabilities. How do you see this service, and how would you explain to someone who hears about it for the first time why it\u2019s important to support the accessibility of this service, and why it matters even for those with no disability?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal assistance enables everyone to live independently and with dignity. The fact that in the 21st century we are still fighting for the accessibility of personal assistance to everyone who needs it is a failure of our society. Personal assistance is not just physical help; it\u2019s the key to freedom\u2014the ability for someone to go to the flower market on Friday, take a walk by the river, attend a concert, work, study, pursue hobbies, or meditate at \u0160trand (<\/strong>beach in Novi Sad, author`s note<\/em>).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of this service goes beyond the users of personal assistance because by supporting its accessibility, we are building a more inclusive society. Such society becomes a community where everyone has equal opportunities to learn, work, train, or simply take a walk in the park and enjoy the blossoming trees and the pollinators visiting them. As a society, we are increasingly inclined to value everything in monetary terms. For example, to highlight the importance of pollinators, the economic value of their service has been calculated globally, ranging between $195 billion and $387 billion annually<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why I particularly emphasize the importance of leisure and hobbies when talking about personal assistance, because sometimes it is underlined that people with disabilities, thanks to personal assistance, can contribute to society. However, this service must never be monetized, because that is not \u2014and should never be\u2014 the goal. The goal is ensuring independence and the right to choice in every aspect of life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with the “Living Upright” Center, and with the wonderful people I\u2019ve met through the Uncut community on social media, we created a video explaining what personal assistance is. This video is especially dear to me, because it features people who recognized the value of solidarity and stepped in front of the camera without hesitation to spread this important message. You can watch the video here: Instagram video<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n