As a trans and queer, physically disabled, neurodivergent person of colour, I work as a professional model as well as Accessibility Manager for Sydney World Pride and Mardi Gras. I do a lot of pride and advocacy work. I also do a lot of work in violence prevention as a survivor of intermit partner and family violence. From my cultural upbringing, pride was not my experience. Then I found my community. Without diversity the world wouldn’t be as varied. There are ways to find what a fulfilling life means to you. Recognising that there is so much more than negative portrayal and stereotypes such as the “tragedies” associated with disability.
Navigating a world not built for you can be exhausting. There is joy with connecting with community and finding your peers. There’s intimacy found within community because of the shared experiences.
On VDAC, the most important thing for me is intersectionality. In the disability landscape it is still not as diverse as it could be and I would like to have more people of colour, more LGTIQA+ people, refugees and younger people who are visible in leadership roles.
I am now working more than ever as a result of the workplace changes due to COVID. For all of the years prior to the pandemic I could have been doing more and felt more productive and validated. The unemployment rate for people with disability has not improved in 40 years and I’d like that to be changed.
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