Samson

Samson finds his tune

If there’s one place where Samson feels right at home, it’s in the music studio.

“I feel at peace, relaxed and in my own zone, like nothing else matters," says Samson.

The budding hip hop producer recently started studying a Diploma of Music. For him, music is not just a passion – it’s a powerful way to have your voice heard.

“I like hip hop as an art form because it doesn't always have a filter. You can just express yourself,” says Samson.

He adds, “A lot of the music I make is inspired by my own experiences.”

Samson lives with cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair to get around.

Deciding where to study and which support services to use is an important part of making his life accessible.

“When I was choosing what college to go to, I had to go and check out the facilities to find out if it’s easy for me to access,” says Samson.

Making things work also means finding the right modifications, such as the height of the desk or the distance of the buttons on a recording board.

There's a lot to think about, but Samson always fine tunes things to suit him.

“I face physical challenges every single day, but I’m the type of guy who thinks if there’s a will, there’s a way,” says Samson.

In the past, Samson relied on word-of-mouth suggestions when looking for support services.

“If your friend says they’ve used a service and they’re good, then you're more inclined to use it,” he explains.

It was a friend who first recommended the Disability Gateway to Samson, and he’s used it a few times since.

"I often have to find things like an occupational therapist,” says Samson. “You can search for services that are in your area and it gives you a massive list to work off."

For Samson, getting access to a central hub of information is very helpful.

"I feel like it's important, especially in the field of disability and NDIS,” Samson says. “There's nothing wrong with having choice.”

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Audio Visual

[Background music playing]

I hope to make music production, one of my biggest passions, you know, the big aim is to become the next Dr. Dre, you know how it is.

My name's Samson.

I study music full-time.

A lot of the decisions came around, can I access the venue? Fit under the table? Use the computer? and all that sort of stuff.

They do their best to try to accommodate to your needs when you do study here.

How I feel like you have to go about life is gutsy and resilient.

Making music allows me to express myself, making it relatable to other people.

Hip hop is an art form, it gives you a voice.

It doesn't necessarily have a filter. You can kind of express yourself.

I’ll always believe in the power of word of mouth.

Friend of mine told me about Disability Gateway.

I've used the website a couple times and I feel like it’s very important in the field of disability and my future goal is to setup a studio space for people with disabilities

and teach them what I’ve learned.

[Title graphic: Australian Government logo and Disability Gateway logo. Website URL: www.disabilitygateway.gov.au]