Challenging Disability Myths

📍 📍 Everything you think you know about disability is a lie. What if I told you that Disabled People don’t need charity or pity,

that we don’t need to ‘overcome’ our disabilities, and that

the real barriers we face aren’t our conditions

but the world around us?

What if I told you that we don’t need inspiration—we need power?

That’s why I’m here today.

Introducing Raise Your Voice Movement

That’s why we’re launching

Raise Your Voice: A Movement for Disability Representation because we are done waiting for the world to change for us.

We are here to take our place, to demand what is rightfully ours, and to make sure that Disabled People are not just heard, but listened to. This is our moment.

Core Values: Love, Service, and Dedication

📍 If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that real success comes down to three things: love, service, and dedication. That’s what drives the Disability Union. It’s not about empty promises or quick fixes—it’s about real, meaningful change, and that change starts with belief. We should not just believe in a system or an idea but also in ourselves, in each other, and in the power of unity. Love, service, and dedication are the foundation of our work and the values that will carry us forward. Love is at the heart of everything we do; love for ourselves, love for our community, and love for a future where Disabled People have true equality. Love is what makes us fight—not just for our own rights but for the rights of others. It’s the belief that every human deserves dignity, respect, and the opportunity to thrive.

Service, is the action that turns our love into impact. It is the work we do every day to support each other, to advocate, to fight for policy change, and to challenge discrimination wherever we see it. Service is making sure that no Disabled Person has to fight alone. It’s mentoring others, sharing knowledge, and lifting each other up so that we can all succeed together.

Dedication, keeps us going when things get tough—because they will. We will be ignored, dismissed, and underestimated, but we will not stop. Dedication ensures that when one door closes, we break through another. It’s the commitment to justice, the resilience to keep fighting, and the determination to see this movement through, no matter the obstacles.

The Fight for Equality and Justice

The world we live in isn’t set up for Disabled People to succeed. We’re told to stay in our place, to accept the limits imposed on us. But that’s a lie. Every significant step forward in history, every civil rights movement, and every hard-won victory for equality started with people refusing to believe in the limits others set for them. The Disability Union exists because we refuse to accept those limits. We dare to be great as individuals and as a movement. With love, service, and dedication, we are unstoppable.

Personal Journey and Advocacy

People told me it wouldn’t work when I started advocating for myself. They said I was dreaming, that I was wasting my time. But then I secured my 24/7 social care package. I learned how to fight for my rights and the rights of others, and I realized something: the system isn’t broken by accident. It was built this way to keep us dependent, silent, and out of the way. That’s why I founded The Disability Union. I knew that if I could take control of my life and fight for my independence, I could help others do the same. That’s what this movement is about. We are not just an organization but a force for change that will challenge the system, push for justice, and ensure no Disabled Person is left to fight alone.

My journey to this point has been anything but easy. I was born with Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, a condition that affects my muscle strength and mobility. I’m a wheelchair user and often wear a BiPap ventilator to help me breathe. Like so many of us, I had to fight every step of the way to get the support I needed. Love for my freedom, service to my community, and dedication to the cause have fueled everything I do. I learned about independent living and self-advocacy through SPECTRUM, which helped me secure my care package and ultimately shaped the way I see disability rights. But I didn’t stop there. I wanted to do more. That’s why I became a councillor, working to create meaningful policy change from within the system. That’s why I continue to fight through my role at The Disability Union, ensuring that Disabled People have a voice and absolute power. And that’s why I’m launching a documentary project, ‘Raise Your Voice: A Movement for Disability Representation in Politics,’ to bring attention to the incredible work that Disabled People are doing and to push for accurate representation in leadership.

The Disability Union has grown tremendously since its founding. We have over 1,354 members since 2020, with a vast online community of over 21,078 people. Our campaigns have reached 1,507,023 impressions, and our website alone has seen over 825,627 web search impressions. These numbers prove one thing: we are making an impact. We are being caught. We are being heard. And we are changing the narrative around disability rights. And we do this not because it is easy, but because love, service, and dedication demand it.

It’s easy to dismiss activism. People call us troublemakers, say we’re asking for too much, and say change is impossible. But history proves otherwise. Change has always come from those who were laughed at, dismissed, and ridiculed—until they won. Love, service, and dedication are the qualities that turn impossible dreams into reality.

Success Stories of Activism

Take Greg, for example. Greg was invited to speak at a Holocaust Memorial event, where he was to share the Disabled perspective on what the future could look like. The location changed last-minute to the consulting chamber of the local council, and as if that wasn’t enough, accessibility issues made the experience even more challenging. His wheelchair got stuck in the thick chamber carpet, causing him pain as he had to push through it. He could technically use crutches to get to the floor, but it wasn’t comfortable or genuinely accessible. Yet, despite all this, Greg stood his ground. His love for the cause, service in speaking truth, and dedication to fighting for accessibility made an impact. He spoke powerfully, and his words resonated beyond the disabled community. People approached him, thanking him for his perspective, some even surprised that his speech was delivered in front of such a large crowd. He didn’t just raise awareness—he changed minds. His impact didn’t stop there. He gave accessibility feedback to the council, and just days later, he received a letter from the Lord Mayor herself, thanking him for his contribution and promising to make the chamber more accessible for future events. That’s what activism looks like. That’s what happens when we demand better. That’s what real change is.

And then there’s MJ, another incredible example of activism in action. Right now, she’s traveling worldwide, from the UAE to Scotland, to speak at the Mental Health Scottish Association of Social Workers conference. She’s heading to NAIDEX in Birmingham, speaking on behalf of Accessibility Partners and imclUSion before launching the Magical Manifestation Community online. MJ’s dedication to accessibility and inclusion is recognized globally. She is a finalist for six prestigious Women Changing the World Awards, alongside Sarah Ferguson and Dr. Tererai Trent, including the Disability Leadership Award and the Disability Inclusion Impact Award.

MJ’s work is powered by a love for inclusion, service to others, and dedication to breaking barriers. She is proving that we cannot be what we cannot see. She demonstrates the power of Disabled leadership and the importance of inclusion by design. Her work with G-PODs is redefining accessibility, proving that when we demand change, it happens. She isn’t just speaking about a better world—she’s building it.

There will always be those who doubt us. However, love, service, and dedication are what will prove them wrong. Together, we will win.

The Power of Unity and Future Vision

Most people are told what to do, what they can achieve, and how much they’re worth. The Disability Union is about rewriting that story. We believe every Disabled Person has value, has a right to independence, and has the power to make a difference. We believe in building a future where our voices are heard in every room where decisions are made.

But here’s the truth: not everyone will succeed. Not because they can’t, but because they’ve been taught not to believe they can. They’ve been told to settle for what they’re given, accept injustice, and think that their struggles are the same. That’s why our work is so important—because we’re not just fighting the system; we’re fighting the lies we’ve all been told about ourselves.

We are a movement, and we will face resistance like every movement that has come before us. People will doubt us. They will try to shut us down. But that’s how you know we’re making a difference. Real change is never easy, and it’s never handed to us—it has to be fought for.

They’ll tell us we’re asking for too much, that the world isn’t fair, and that we should just accept it. They’ll say that what we want is unrealistic. But was it unrealistic when people fought for women’s rights? Was it unrealistic when Black activists fought for their freedom? Was it unrealistic when LGBTQ+ people demanded equality? Every justice movement has been met with resistance, and history has repeatedly proven the doubters wrong. We are no different.

We are building something powerful—an unstoppable force of Disabled People demanding better. We are fighting for a world where social care is truly person-centred, where employment is accessible to all, and where no one is forced into poverty just because they need support. We are fighting for dignity, justice, and our right to live full and independent lives.

And let me tell you something—this isn’t just a dream. It’s happening. Right now. Every day, more people are joining us. Every day, we’re pushing forward. Every day, we’re making real progress. We are changing the laws, holding those in power accountable, and showing the world that we will not be ignored.

But this isn’t just about me. This isn’t just about the Disability Union. This is about all of us. This is about the future we want to build together. It’s about standing up, refusing to back down, and demanding the respect and rights we deserve. Because we are not asking for favors. We are claiming what should have been ours all along. There will always be those who doubt us. But together, we will prove them wrong. Together, we will win.