“Whilst reflecting on the past five years, I am thankful for the friends that I have met on the way who have pushed me, sometimes to places of discomfort, and encouraged me to speak up.”
Kirstie, member of the Disabled Leaders Network, explains the benefit of finding a community whilst at University, alongside some helpful tips and resources.
Image description: Rebecca, left, with black glasses and beautiful braided hair, smiling in a smart red dress. Kirstie, next to her on the right, with long pearl-design earrings and a silver necklace and a v-neck yellow dress. They are sat down, at the camera, with a light behind them and a wall with a dark leaf-like background.
“University is full of moments, some of which are positive and others that are more challenging. In those times, finding communities and making friends with people that I connected with was even more important. One of my closest friends today is someone called Rebecca who I met at the front of a lecture hall – because she is visually impaired, and I am deaf. Each week it would be the two of us sat together with everyone else several rows behind. Whilst I was always embarrassed to sit at the front (and simultaneously eat my delayed breakfast!), as I feared I would stick out, this became a special moment in realising our friendship. Through my fresher friend, I learnt so much, not only about accessing support as a disabled student but also about disability activism, the social model of disability, intersectionality, and rights in the classroom.
Now, I realise how much of a profound impact this had on me. At a very basic level, I recognised that histories of disabled people were an important part of my story. Growing up, I was not aware of many friends who openly identified as disabled. I also realised that there was not adequate representation in history textbooks and curriculum; this still remains a problem and something that I hope to work on over the course of my doctorate. It is hardly surprising that I was resentful to sign up for support at university or embarrassed to tell my friends that I was deaf. Instead of nodding my head unknowingly, over time, I realised that there is a whole community of disabled people, ever present online with various social media platforms (well, until somewhat recently!). Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPO) have also been spaces of comfort, friendship and community. In more recent years, learning British Sign Language alongside my PhD has made a considerable difference to my life and opened up more opportunities to meet others and gradually explore my Deaf identity.
Whilst reflecting on the past five years, I am thankful for the friends that I have met on the way who have pushed me, sometimes to places of discomfort, and encouraged me to speak up. Sticking with other disabled folk, including reaching out to Snowdon scholars, has made it a much more enjoyable journey along the way.”
Useful resources
- Disabled Students UK: https://disabledstudents.co.uk/
- Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, ‘Social Model’: https://gmcdp.com/beliefs-values-aims/social-model
- Inclusion London, ‘DDPO Directory’: https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/directory/listing/
- UK Disability History and Heritage Hub: https://ukdishisthub.mystrikingly.com/
Disabled Leaders Network Blog 