“I’m very proud to be a disabled Irish Traveller and a disability rights activist and that’s what should matter to people.”
Emma Ward is a journalist and content creator. You can follow her journey and activism on Facebook and Instagram at @emmawardjournalist and twitter @emmawardjourno.
“I have been asked a few times what got me into activism.
“You might not believe me, but it wasn’t until the lockdown happened that I found the confidence to publicly say what I thought about disability issues in this country, and to say what I thought needed to be done to make this country better for people like me. It during the lockdown that my nephew was born and he was diagnosed with the same condition as me and I swore that in some way I would make this country easier for him to live in. I had no idea how I was going to do this, but this became a goal of mine and in the same lockdown I started volunteering with Enable Ireland.
“My Occupational Therapist asked me if I’d join this group talking about my experience of having a disability and going to a secondary school. I sent them a message and told them what I would’ve wanted to hear back in 2015 when I started secondary school. I didn’t have a role model when I was younger, and I promised myself from there that I was going to become a role model for people with disabilities because I know what it’s like to grow up not having someone to look up to that’s like you.
“After a project with Martin “Beanz” Ward, I gained a lot of followers on social media which included disability orgs, and they invited me to discussions about issues people with disabilities face in this country. I started to think that maybe I can make some changes in this country. If it takes me years or my entire life, I won’t stop until this country is inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities so they won’t have to struggle like myself and hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities have to.”
This National Volunteering Week, we’re celebrating the diversity of volunteers who make Ireland what it is. No matter your age, race, abilities, or status, we honor your place in the community and the volunteering that you, uniquely, do.
Thank you to Emma for sharing her story. Please email [email protected] if you’d like to share yours!
