Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.—An ESPN video highlighting a friendship between Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott, a two-time Mississippi State graduate, and Kendrell Daniels, an artist with the Express Yourself program at MSU’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability, is nominated for a Sports Emmy Award.
The video, online at http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=24770373, features 19-year-old Daniels, who was born with no arms but paints Cowboys-themed art inspired by Prescott. The video is tagged “Artist born without arms provides inspiration for Prescott,” but the storyline shows that the two mutually inspire each other to be the best they can be in their parallel commitment to “Fight, Faith, Finish,” a motto Daniels illustrates in one of his paintings for Prescott.
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced this week the video is among other nominees for the 40th Annual Sports Emmy Awards. The ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown video titled “The Art of Inspiration” is nominated in the Outstanding Short Feature category. To see all nominees, visit https://emmyonline.tv/2019-sports-emmy-awards/nominees-2019-sports-programs-events/.
Daniels is a Kemper County resident who has been part of the Express Yourself program for about three years. He works with Judy Duncan, program art tracker, who also appears in the video.
“This video is really cool because it shows Kendrell’s unique life story and what he has overcome and is accomplishing. The T.K. Martin Center at Mississippi State gets to be a part of that journey with him because this art program has impacted this young man and been a part of his growth in self-confidence, boldness and his willingness to break down even more barriers,” Duncan said. “The Express Yourself art program has been key for helping Kendrell and giving him a voice.”
Part of MSU's College of Education, the center helps remove limitations and gives comprehensive services to individuals with disabilities of all ages through assistive technology, art, early intervention and dyslexia services. The Express Yourself program refers to “Experiencing Painting as Recreation and Express the Spirit within Yourself.” Duncan and another art tracker support participants by using Artistic Realization Technologies (A.R.T.) to provide a means for Mississippians with the most severe disabilities to feel the power of self-expression through art. For more, visit https://www.tkmartin.msstate.edu/.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.