Shining a Light on Disability: My Upcoming Talk on Disability Awareness
Shining a Light on Disability: My Upcoming Talk on Disability Awareness
For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried the weight of being unseen—of living in a world that wasn’t built for people like me. Not just physically, but socially, emotionally, and culturally. And yet, it’s precisely because of these experiences that I feel a responsibility to speak up, to share what I’ve learned, and to challenge the assumptions and barriers that too often go unquestioned.
Very soon, I’ll be giving a talk on disability awareness. This isn’t just another event on the calendar for me—it’s a chance to create understanding, to shine a light on realities many people don’t see, and to give voice to those often unheard. I’ll be sharing my personal journey: the daily challenges, the moments of invisibility, and the resilience it takes to navigate a world that isn’t always accommodating. But I’ll also be highlighting hope, possibility, and the change that is within our reach when awareness meets action.
Disability awareness isn’t just about statistics or policy—it’s about humanity. It’s about recognising that accessibility, inclusion, and understanding aren’t privileges—they are rights. From workplace adjustments to media representation, from societal attitudes to practical accessibility, every conversation we have shapes the world we live in.
I’ll be talking about the social model of disability, the barriers people face, and why the way we design our communities, workplaces, and even our language matters. But more than that, I’ll be speaking honestly—from the lived experience of someone who knows what it’s like to feel excluded and to fight for visibility.
If you’re attending, I hope you come with an open mind. Expect moments that are raw, honest, and maybe uncomfortable—but also enlightening and empowering. And if you can’t make it, I hope this serves as a reminder: disability awareness starts with all of us. Every conversation we have, every assumption we challenge, every step we take towards inclusivity matters.
I’m humbled by the opportunity to share my story, and I hope that by the end of the talk, people leave with more than knowledge—they leave with understanding, empathy, and a desire to make a real difference.
Because the world changes when we see each other—not just as labels, but as human beings.
#disabilityinclusion #strongertogether #disability #disabilityawareness #disabilitysupport #disabilityrights
Alt text:
Image 1: A screenshot of the first slide in the PowerPoint presentation I created for my Disability Awareness Talk. It has a purple background, a pink bookmark at the top right and states in white text "Disability Awareness Speech" an image of me at a talk box is on the left.
Image 2: Another slide- Introduction. Features an image of me with my walking stick to the right, blonde hair, glasses, grey top and a long skirt with white vertical lines on it.
Image 3: Icebreaker, Perceptions of Disability slide. Image of me on the right with blonde hair at the Darlington Disability peaceful rights protest, holding a small placard that states in black text "No IF's, BUT's, or CUT's!".
Image 4: The last slide saying "Thank you" in white text against a purple background with an image of the disability Pride flag, with a picture of me on it and the writing in white text with a black border reads " Disability pride month, my disability is a part of me and there needs to be more education and awareness on invisible illnesses and dynamic disabilities. I'm not faking, I'm surviving." Below in black text with a white border it reads "Sarah Wingfield, Independent Disability Advocate".
