What can I even say? I’m still in shock!

On the 20th of November 2024, I was recognised as the most influential disabled scientist in the UK in the prestigious Disability Power 100 list. The event took place at The Drum in Wembley Park, where we gathered together as disabled people to celebrate each other’s achievements alongside our own.

I was initially shortlisted for my work advocating for the inclusion of disabled people in STEM, and my advocacy as a whole, including but not limited to:

• Career talks at my alma mater,
• Organising an exhibition at RAREFest in 2022 in my previous role,
• Writing about being a DeafBlind Drag King for Sense, the UK’s leading DeafBlindness charity,
• Leading a global disability employee resource group in my previous role,
• Speaking at RARESummit about growing up with chronic illnesses, and coming through the other side into the world of work,
• Becoming a SoapBox Science speaker,
• And being awarded Outstanding Alumni.

More on these to be shared as I continue to build this website…

The Shaw Trust knows how to party, and they put on a wonderful celebration. We were bathed in purple light, plied with good food and good wine, and well and truly taken care of by our table hosts. They worked hard to make sure we could relax and fully be in the moment. My glass was never empty, and smiles were a-plenty.

I was surrounded by quite literally hundreds of amazing disabled people, fighting the good fight, and advocating for a more inclusive society. I got to speak to people I’ve admired on social media for years, and share relatable stories with people who get it. If I ever needed to be reminded why I do what I do, this was the event that really hammered home how important it is to keep sharing my story, and keep showing the world that disabled people simply can.

I often talk about my extended period of unemployment, and that was the hardest part. It means a lot to me that the Shaw Trust, a charity who work to improve employment in the disability community, has recognised me for my work. I still have not been employed for as long as I was unemployed, and I have spent my career advocating for disabled people in STEM. I will keep holding that door open until society removes the hinges. Being a disabled scientist is hard, but ableism makes it so much harder than it needs to be.

Many thanks to the Shaw Trust, I am beyond grateful.