Your Stories: International Day of People with Disability 2021

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a day where we celebrate inclusion and the contributions and achievements of people with disability.

It is also important that we reflect on how we can support an understanding of disability issues and promote the rights and well-being of people living with disability. That's why this year we asked people why it is important to have people with disability as leaders in the community.

1) Annette shared a powerful written reflection about being a leader:

Photo of Annette smiling at something off-camera. She is a white woman with glasses and short dark hair, wearing a red long sleeved shirt, standing against a split green and grey background.

“Nothing for us without us! One in five Australians lives with a disclosed disability - the truth is greater… a real and genuine community recognises that - and this should not be a question. We ARE leaders. We have to be. For we seem to be invisible otherwise. I will NOT be invisible anymore. I AM a leader. I was before I lived with a disability. I have greater skills now. I am a better person now - still with so much to learn. But a leader, none the less. In a diverse, humane society, we MUST lead. So empowering and such a purpose in life amongst the challenges.

I truly believe that those of us with the opportunity and skill have the responsibility to speak out and lead for our community - after listening well.”

2) Tammy shared a video reflection about disability and leadership:

3) Annett shared this written piece:

A purple background with a frame of straight white lines and curved corners, in the middle is a selfie photo of Annett beaming at the camera. She is a white woman with short dark grey hair swept back over her forehead, red glasses framing her eyes.

“Start by treating people with disability with decency, same rights as others. There are no disabilities until it is created by a person/s wanting to single out and discriminate.”

4) Alice, who is a member of one of our peer groups, the Enabled Youth Disability Network (EYDN), shared this quote:

Alice sits in her wheelchair outdoors on the grass. She wears a yellow top and glasses and is smiling. Behind her is a large art sculpture of a pig with wings, a pattern of red and orange flowers across its body.

"I think a good leader knows how to talk to and work with people.

It’s important to have leaders who have a disability because young people with disability see they can be leaders too. It makes them realise they can do anything if they just put their mind to it."