Two Open Rehearsals will precede the performed reading of Henry’s memoir, entitled “I Win.”

Actors will rehearse the theatrical reading of Henry’s memoir. Viewers may observe and ask questions. Please RSVP at the Register button above!

Saturday, April 13, 12-5pm

Image Descriptions:

The first image is a square with a deep teal background and an image of two people. At left, a white man with long, grey hair and glasses. At right, a woman with light brown skin and long, blue-green hair, who leans her head on the man beside her. Accompanying this photo is the following text:  POSITIVE EXPOSURE GALLERY. HENRY & JUANITA: Film, Photography, Memory. Opening, Performance, and Q&A. Saturday, April 13, 6-8pm. Memoir Workshops: Friday, April 12, 2-5pm & Saturday, April 13, 12-5 pm. On View: April 12-27. Beneath this is the NYSCA logo.

The following four images are also squares with deep teal and/or white backgrounds, and the following text:

Henry & Juanita tells the story of three lives. The life of Henry, the life of Juanita, and the story of their lives together. Henry Szczepanski is a photographer and writer who is currently living at the Coler Rehab Hospital on Roosevelt Island. Juanita Mohammed Szczepanski was a mother, a grandmother, a filmmaker, and an activist. Together they found love and purpose. They found peace and adventure. They built a legacy that we honor today.

Opening Celebration: Saturday, April 13, 6-8pm. The launch will feature a performed reading of Henry’s memoir, ” Win,” and a Q8A with Henry. The reading will be held alongside an exhibit of Henry’s work as a photographer and writer, as well as the work of his wife, Juanita, who was a filmmaker and an AIDS activist. Actors: Harvey Pacht, Molly Kohl, Kelly Deegan, and two others.

The Memoir: The memoir is an adaptation of the life story of Henry Szczepanski, a disabled man who lives in Coler Hospital on Roosevelt Island.

Open Rehearsals: Actors will rehearse the theatrical reading of an adaptation of Henry’s memoir. Open to the public. Friday, April 12, 2-5pm. Saturday, April 13, 12-5pm.

Multimedia Exhibition: On View April 12-27. Contact 212-420-1931 or events@positiveexposure.org. 14 East 109th Street, NYC

Henry Szczepanski: My name is Henry Szczepanski, I am 70 years old, and I live in Coler Rehab Hospital on Roosevelt Island. I was born in Manhattan 1953 from immigrant parents. Growing up my parents installed in my a belief in the equality of people, I want to see people walking around without fear, I don’t want to see self-serving politicians. What is important in my life is family, friends, and the knowledge of self-discovery. My art is diverse, always looking for different and interesting things and faces. I’ve been curious about the world.

Juanita Mohammed Szczepanski: Juanita Mohammed Szczepanski (1957-2022) was a prolific AIDS activist videomaker. Her body of work investigates the intersections between overlooked and under-appreciated populations: women, children, people of color, and the HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ communities. Her videos are intimate stories made in collaboration with her participants. In her final work, a collaborative video made with Alexandra Juhasz, Juanita tells of a discovery she made early on, when she first started doing work around HIV/AIDS. ” had a specialty-I made people feel comfortable talking to me.” With a lovely smile and an open, caring face, Juanita did indeed have a special quality. When she began volunteering at the Multimedia Unit at GMHC, she would talk about the people she’d met and the way their lives had been impacted by HIV /AIDS. She went on to tell their stories in her videos.