Grace's Story

Grace helps others find their voice

One of the things Grace enjoys the most about theatre is the way it brings people together.

As a producer, writer and director she discovered this passion early on. Her first play was performed when she was a kid living in a refugee camp in Kenya.

“When we went up to do our final bow I saw my dad in the audience and he was smiling so bright,” she says.

That was the moment Grace decided she wanted be part of the theatre.

Today, she works as a project officer for a performing arts centre in Brisbane.

While she is no stranger to being on stage, there has been other times when Grace struggled with confidence.

“For me, the biggest thing has been learning to accept myself,” says Grace. “Part of that is because of the stigma that can surround disability within my community.”

After an accident as a young child, Grace lost her right eye and had to learn to live with a vision impairment.

Over time, she’s come to accept her disability and embraced the way it changed her perspective on life.

“I grew up adapting to the world around me, but I would rather not look at it that way,” says Grace.

“I think a disability helps you see the world in a completely different way. We're a lot kinder, more patient and understanding.”

Grace’s journey inspired her to create a disability advocacy group for young people from diverse backgrounds.

It was through helping others that Grace learned about the Disability Gateway website.

“I love that the website lists so many different advocacy groups that you can go to for support,” says Grace.

“Not everyone is comfortable with advocating for themselves. That's why having all that information in one place is really empowering.”

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Audio Visual

Audio

Visual

[Background music playing: soft piano]

A big theatre stage with a spotlight in the middle.

Hi, my name is Grace, I am a creative producer, writer and director.

Grace walks into the middle of the spotlight.

My interest in theatre started in a kindergarten called Tarach.

Grace is looking around the theatre at all the empty seats and smiling.

I saw my dad in the audience and he was smiling so bright, that was the moment I was like, I want to do that.

Grace is sitting in a chair on the stage and talking to the camera.

I just love the way performing arts brings people together. It's just beautiful to see so many minds collaborating.

Grace is backstage now holding a pen and a clipboard. She talks to an older woman, and they laugh together.

So when I was about four or five, I had an accident that took the vision from my right eye.

Grace is wearing glasses and sits down in one of the empty seats. She looks at the stage.

The biggest struggle that I experienced is that self-acceptance.

Grace walks past a sign that says, “Stage door”.

Finding drama or drama finding me helped me come out of my shell a lot.

Grace is sitting in a library and talking with a woman. Grace shows the woman a page in a book, and they laugh together.

Having a disability makes you understand that everyone has different needs.

Grace is sitting in a chair on the stage and talking to the camera.

The Disability Gateway, it's really easy to navigate. You can listen to audio, you can watch a video.

Grace is sitting at a desk using a tablet to scroll through the Disability Gateway website.

The majority of my life I grew up adapting to the world around me, I would rather not look at it that way. I see my disability as my superpower.

Grace is walking outside the theatre entrance and looking at the city around her.

It's better if we are in a world where everyone's a little bit more patient, more kind and more understanding.

A closing slide appears with the Disability Gateway logo, the Australian Government logo and the website URL: www.disabilitygateway.gov.au