Crossroads Arts District

Kansas City's Creative Neighborhood

The Third Annual Who Is Carter Gala and Auction

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WHY: 

The conversation around brain injury – whether among physicians, families, communities, or society as a whole – is often limiting. The Who Is Carter Foundation is creating a new conversation: one of empowerment & possibility. We intend that this, in turn, will inspire a shift in treatment & other resources & options available to an expanding number of families of children living with brain injury & other brain conditions.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 

Laird Murfey

Laird Murfey is a remarkable boy: he’s a writer, musician, athlete, and cook – despite the fact that Cerebral Palsy prevents him from walking or speaking without assistance.

Laird gets around the way you might expect: In a wheelchair. But Laird also gets around on skis. And on a surfboard. And at age ten, he recently took his first steps unassisted.

Laird is a kid on a mission: “My mission is to help people understand what it is like living with a disability. Personally, I love being in a wheelchair and having a disability. This is the life I was given and it’s an amazing one. I am here to help people living without disabilities understand how similar we are to them and people living with disabilities to realize how capable they are.”

Laird is unable to speak using his voice, but he makes himself heard by using a Tobii device: a computer that uses eye gaze technology to track his eye movements, so he can compose sentences, stories, and even songs.

Laird’s compositions — and his clever Halloween costume design — have even caught the attention of musician Adam Levine.

Who Is Carter is honored to announce that Laird will be the keynote speaker at the Third Annual Who Is Carter Gala. You won’t want to miss hearing from this remarkable boy who doesn’t let limitations keep him from inspiring everyone he meets!

AUCTION

Interested in donating an item or experience to the Gala? Contact Allison Murray with your ideas! allison@whoiscarter.org

ACCOMMODATIONS

Hotel Indigo Crossroads | $99 Special Room Rate for Gala Attendees
As an esteemed guest of the Who Is Carter Foundation, you are entitled to a SPECIAL $99 room rate at Hotel Indigo Crossroads
Located at: 2020 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108

Click here to reserve your room, or call 816.285.1100 and use the reservation code WHO

Questions? Maria Marsala, Sales Manager | Sales@indigokc.com

SEEKING GALA PARTNERS

A Gala Partner contributes to the success of the annual Who is Carter Foundation Gala on many fronts: through leveraging volunteer hours, strategic relationships, financial support, and living out a corporate culture of generosity as they work behind the scenes to make Gala day inspiring and impactful.

We can’t pull off an event of this scale without this crucial support; we are so grateful to our Second Annual Who Is Carter Gala Partners: NorthPoint Development, KH Properties, Abbott Properties, and Abbott Events for the countless contributions they made in 2019.

Is your company or organization interested in being a Third Annual Gala Partner? Send an email to info@whoiscarter.org to start the conversation.

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To purchase tickets to attend in person or online, or to become a Corporate Sponsor, visit thirdannualgala.causevox.com.

Braxton Fuller — Where We’ve Been

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“Where We’ve Been tells the story of emotions and experiences I’ve had throughout my life. The show is basically a walkthrough of events and emotions I’ve experienced throughout my journey. Using Colors and symbols, I’m connecting the viewers to my life and the things I’ve been through. This show is a nontraditional gallery showing. Pieces won’t just be hung up on the walls, but are better yet placed to help put the viewers in my shoes. I’ll be using props and studio materials to help walk the user through days in my life. With this show, I’m using the whole experience as a way to connect with others. We all experience joy, pain, loss, sacrifices, love, tragedy, stress, etc. I’m connecting those events through art. The “We” in my show title is bringing my audience and I together. I want to help guide them through my life and my body of work. Some of my pieces may hit different emotions depending on what the viewer is going through in their life at that current time. I’m setting the tone for people to engage and connect with my work. Where We’ve Been is inspired by me but made for the viewer. I want to remind people that there is a way through it. “We can get past what we are going through, let me show you how.” The show will be a total experience of art and emotions. My work is made for the viewer to not fully understand it. I want people to not really understand it but to know that there is more going on than what the piece is saying. Connection through experiences and emotions. ” — Braxton Fuller
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Artist Bio
My name is Braxton Fuller, I’m 28 years old and I’m a self-taught contemporary artist from Kansas City, Missouri. I’ve been an artist for going on two years now and I’ve used different mediums throughout the years. I’ve used acrylic, aerosol, pastels, concrete, resin, mirrors, etc. The world is my canvas. Writer turned artist, I started off doing text art and conceptual art, allowing the viewer to relate to the pieces in more obvious ways. My work has since transformed into my own style. Using my own language and unique color washes I aim to persuade the viewer to feel as if they understand without needing explanation. “They don’t know what’s going on, but they know it’s important” Our lives are bigger than ourselves and my techniques aim to remind the viewer of that. I strive to show the progression of language and how people can connect with it. I’m having my first solo exhibition in Kansas City, Missouri in April 2021.
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https://www.braxtonjfuller.com/gallery.html

Braxton Fuller — Where We’ve Been

By

“Where We’ve Been tells the story of emotions and experiences I’ve had throughout my life. The show is basically a walkthrough of events and emotions I’ve experienced throughout my journey. Using Colors and symbols, I’m connecting the viewers to my life and the things I’ve been through. This show is a nontraditional gallery showing. Pieces won’t just be hung up on the walls, but are better yet placed to help put the viewers in my shoes. I’ll be using props and studio materials to help walk the user through days in my life. With this show, I’m using the whole experience as a way to connect with others. We all experience joy, pain, loss, sacrifices, love, tragedy, stress, etc. I’m connecting those events through art. The “We” in my show title is bringing my audience and I together. I want to help guide them through my life and my body of work. Some of my pieces may hit different emotions depending on what the viewer is going through in their life at that current time. I’m setting the tone for people to engage and connect with my work. Where We’ve Been is inspired by me but made for the viewer. I want to remind people that there is a way through it. “We can get past what we are going through, let me show you how.” The show will be a total experience of art and emotions. My work is made for the viewer to not fully understand it. I want people to not really understand it but to know that there is more going on than what the piece is saying. Connection through experiences and emotions. ” – Braxton Fuller
****
Artist Bio
My name is Braxton Fuller, I’m 28 years old and I’m a self-taught contemporary artist from Kansas City, Missouri. I’ve been an artist for going on two years now and I’ve used different mediums throughout the years. I’ve used acrylic, aerosol, pastels, concrete, resin, mirrors, etc. The world is my canvas. Writer turned artist, I started off doing text art and conceptual art, allowing the viewer to relate to the pieces in more obvious ways. My work has since transformed into my own style. Using my own language and unique color washes I aim to persuade the viewer to feel as if they understand without needing explanation. “They don’t know what’s going on, but they know it’s important” Our lives are bigger than ourselves and my techniques aim to remind the viewer of that. I strive to show the progression of language and how people can connect with it. I’m having my first solo exhibition in Kansas City, Missouri in April 2021.
****

https://www.braxtonjfuller.com/gallery.html

Braxton Fuller — Where We’ve Been

By

“Where We’ve Been tells the story of emotions and experiences I’ve had throughout my life. The show is basically a walkthrough of events and emotions I’ve experienced throughout my journey. Using Colors and symbols, I’m connecting the viewers to my life and the things I’ve been through. This show is a nontraditional gallery showing. Pieces won’t just be hung up on the walls, but are better yet placed to help put the viewers in my shoes. I’ll be using props and studio materials to help walk the user through days in my life. With this show, I’m using the whole experience as a way to connect with others. We all experience joy, pain, loss, sacrifices, love, tragedy, stress, etc. I’m connecting those events through art. The “We” in my show title is bringing my audience and I together. I want to help guide them through my life and my body of work. Some of my pieces may hit different emotions depending on what the viewer is going through in their life at that current time. I’m setting the tone for people to engage and connect with my work. Where We’ve Been is inspired by me but made for the viewer. I want to remind people that there is a way through it. “We can get past what we are going through, let me show you how.” The show will be a total experience of art and emotions. My work is made for the viewer to not fully understand it. I want people to not really understand it but to know that there is more going on than what the piece is saying. Connection through experiences and emotions. ” – Braxton Fuller
****
Artist Bio
My name is Braxton Fuller, I’m 28 years old and I’m a self-taught contemporary artist from Kansas City, Missouri. I’ve been an artist for going on two years now and I’ve used different mediums throughout the years. I’ve used acrylic, aerosol, pastels, concrete, resin, mirrors, etc. The world is my canvas. Writer turned artist, I started off doing text art and conceptual art, allowing the viewer to relate to the pieces in more obvious ways. My work has since transformed into my own style. Using my own language and unique color washes I aim to persuade the viewer to feel as if they understand without needing explanation. “They don’t know what’s going on, but they know it’s important” Our lives are bigger than ourselves and my techniques aim to remind the viewer of that. I strive to show the progression of language and how people can connect with it. I’m having my first solo exhibition in Kansas City, Missouri in April 2021.
****

https://www.braxtonjfuller.com/gallery.html

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Crossroads Community Association

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