Katie Driscoll's daughter Grace has Down syndrome, and unlike her five brothers, she didn't see anyone she could relate to in the back-to-school advertisements.
Driscoll said this is because there isn't adequate representation of children with disabilities. This can contribute to problems with confidence and self-assurance that people with disabilities face, in turn leading to trouble finding employment and seeking independence later in life.
"Unfortunately in general back-to-school advertising there's not a high visibility," she told ABC. "Children with any kind of difference remain virtually invisible in the media."
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So last year Driscoll, a professional photographer, organized a back-to-school shoot herself. She gathered a group of children with disabilities and, like any other back-to-school shoot, armed them with books and school supplies.
A year later, what started as a mother's mission has grown into a global movement. Driscoll's nonprofit, Changing the Face of Beauty, has partnered with more than 100 companies, which have all pledged to include children with disabilities in their back-to-school advertising.
"They wanted consumers to know that they value every child," she said. "They value them as a consumer. They value the message that all kids are important."
That's where the hashtag for this year's campaign, #ImGoingBackToSchoolToo came from. Driscoll said the companies she works with are amazed that the idea never occurred to them.
"The response is, 'Wow, that was really not a big deal. We just hadn't thought of it,'" she said. "I don't think they're [children with disabilities] intentionally not included. They're just not thought about."
Driscoll, though, said we have a long way to go until the day when visibility is equal. She envisions a world where inclusive advertising comes naturally.
"The best-case scenario would be there would be no need for this nonprofit," she said. "Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to have this conversation?"