- Luminate has been a tremendously rewarding platform to work from. Projects like guiding organisations on adaptations for their disabled employees and preventing stigma; talking at events about my story, highlighting how HIV is not necessarily a death-sentence; speaking on topics like discrimination, resilience, overcoming a challenge, LGBTQ+ and more.Plus, of course, Luminate helped me to promote my book – Ripples from the Edge of Life. It is still available at www.ripplesfromtheedge.com where there is a fabulous new video explaining how Ripples came into being created by the Film Maker and Director, Adam Woods. So, do please head on over there and follow me on LinkedIn or Facebook if you don’t already.
Collaborative Groups and Memberships
Where would our businesses be without networking? They’ve certainly helped Luminate over the years. A few of the groups and associations I was a member of and that were particularly helpful or inspiring, and to which I need to say my thanks, include:
- Fabulous Network – I was a member of this friendly and collaborative group for many years
- PSA – Professional Speaking Association – a national organisation, I enjoyed delivering regional talks with the PSA
- RSA – Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce – as a Fellow of the RSA, I helped to deliver the World AIDS Day conference in 2018
- IEDP – Institute of Equality & Diversity Professionals – I have the privileged position of being a member and Board Adviser
Highlights of the Past Five Years
With so many highlights, it’s been hard to whittle them down:
- I worked with Purple Space, the world’s only professional development hub for disability network leaders, created by the inspirational Kate Nash.
- The Social Mobility Foundation asked me to deliver annual Personal Impact Training for socially deprived young people, kindly hosted by the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office).
- A few weeks ago, I was on a panel of experts fittingly called ‘Ask the Experts’, being a webinar about disability and inclusion. Called ‘4 Degrees of Disability’, it was hosted by Esi Hardy, Disability Inclusion Expert.
- In October 2018, I was asked to deliver a talk on diversity and inclusion week at Zuora, a technology solutions organisation. They bought 50 copies of Ripples from the Edge of Life and were the largest purchase I had in one order!
- The College of Mediators asked me to help create the standards for disability mediation.
- I did a tour! Two radio interview tours, in fact. One in May 2018 to promote Ripples from the Edge of Life, the other for World AIDS Day in December 2018 to create more HIV awareness. In fact, my HIV Awareness Survey stemmed from that radio tour.
- I was honoured to be a finalist in the National Diversity Awards 2019 as a role model for disability. The awards ceremony in the spectacular setting of Liverpool Cathedral is an occasion I shall never forget. This year’s ceremony has been postponed until February 2021.