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United in Action (International Day of People with Disability 2023)

 International Day of People with Disability is here again. It is a day to celebrate the achievements of people with disabilities while at the same time reminding the world that people with disabilities need access to equality. 

This year's UN theme is United in Action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for, with, and by people with disability. 

Around this time every year I am blown away by the giants in the world who live with a disability and I am using today's post to highlight just a few. 

First let me tell you about Natalie Wade, a passionate lawyer who works in the area of disability rights law. Natalie is also the coauthor of Disability Rights in Real Life Handbook as well as being the inaugural orator for the Disability Leadership Oration. This will air at 5pm AEDT on ABC TV and ABC iview on the 3 December 2023. 

The next person I wish to highlight today is Elly Desmarchelier, a brilliant disability advocate, writer, and national spokesperson for the Every Australian Counts Defend Our NDIS campaign. Before her career as an advocate she also had a proud career as a political staffer for the Queensland Labor Government and recently cohosted the Drum special episode for International Day of People with Disability. 

International Day of People with Disability ambassador Hannah Diviney recently gained international attention for the advocacy for people with disabilities when her tweet went viral encouraging Lizzo to remove the word spastic from one of her songs. She then went on a few days later to encourage Beyonce to do the same thing. When not taking on pop divas Hannah uses her experiences with cerebral palsy in her acting and writing. 

Another exciting event for people with disabilities this year was the Aussie Steelers wheelchair rugby team bringing home the world cup. 

Now it's time to talk about my disability all stars who always seem to get a mention no matter how hard I try to talk about different people. 

Dylan Alcott has continued his great work after his stint as Australian of the Year with the launch of his campaign Shift 20, a campaign to get more people with disabilities on our screens. 

Kurt Fearnley, NDIA Chairman and Paralympian superstar, was nominated for the Australian Sport Hall of Fame. What I love about this is he is there next to Cathy Freeman and all the other Australian champions without a disability. He is there as an equal. 

Now to talk about my favourite topic acting. My fellow actor Chloé Hayden has continued her star studded run of success becoming the fist person to play an autistic character that has been nominated for a Logie, the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent while continuing her powerful advocacy for autistic people despite being the victim of online bullying. Chloe's experience of ableism and bullying combined with the final report from the Royal Commission into violence, neglect, abuse, and exploitation proof of why we need days like International Day of People with Disability. This year I have personally continued to play my small part in making the world better with my lecture tours, 14 blog posts, 20 poems, and 30 YouTube videos full of educational and hopefully entertaining content. 

Let's let this 3 December remind all people, disabled and non-disabled alike, that we are better together united in action. A fairer world is created as disability has a day in the light.


A Day in the Light

Hear this, disability is not a distraction;

You’d be amazed what can be achieved

If we and the world are united in action.

We must not forget the history of being kept out of sight;

As disability has its day in the light.


To people with disability words matter, like lyrics in a song;

They let us know whether we do or do not belong.

We need a shift to see and hear more disability on air

So the next generation knows there is someone like me out there.


More disabled champions need to be in our sporting hall of fame

So society can see not all winners look the same.

We have wheeled our way into the halls of power and left a ripple

Proving that we have more to offer than being a politician’s pet cripple.


Whether a disability be visible, invisible, physical, or intellectual

We all share our souls

Playing our part in the development of global goals.

Able bodied or disabled, neither is wrong or right

Don’t be scared if we get too bright

As disability has its day in the light.


Chris Van Ingen _ 3 December 2023





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