Recently I received an email from a prominent Australian teacher, speaker and sales person requesting that she be nominated as an Australian Hero in order to appear on the Oprah show to raise awareness of Autism. She would like to show autism in a positive light and demonstrate the way in which she is making a difference. I believe that we have many Australian Autistics who go beyond the boundaries expected of them in big ways and in small. They may be addressing significant challenges at times and at other times they may be pushing the boundaries of their achievements, but they are all promoting the diversity and achievements of Autistics. They, in many different ways, represent Autism in a positive way, working with their abilities and supporting their peers to do the same. These are the representatives of Autism I want to see promoting positive attitudes in society. I believe that Autistics who make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of their peers are the best representatives of Autism. While there are many Autistics who make a difference, each commensurate with their own expression of autism, one person stands out in my mind. Katharine Annear is an outstanding representative of Autism culture, community and disability. It is Katharine, who would be a passionate representative of Autism in Australia and the world. Katharine Annear makes a difference. Katharine Annear is an Australian Hero and Katharine is the person who should represent us on the Oprah Show.
What makes Katharine an Autistic Hero? Katharine offers an in depth understanding of contemporary disability issues and a lived experience of disability. She has highly developed communication skills both oral and written. She has demonstrated a passion for a world perspective on disability and a concern for regional issues confronting people with disabilities with a particular cognisance of the issues facing women with disabilities in Australia and our region. Katharine’s knowledge and expertise crosses continents. For example, she has represented Australia at the 5th Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) in Eugene, Oregon, USA, where she served as a mentor, being an Aluminus of the 4th WILD program in 2008.
Her achievements speak for themselves, but you may ask how Katharine differs from many prominent educators and speakers in our country? Not only does Katharine hold deep beliefs about the rights of people with disabilities but she puts her beliefs into practice in the most practical ways possible. She currently serves on the Minister’s Disability Advisory Council of South Australia and the Board of Management of Autism SA. She is a Board member of the Australian Federation of Disability Organizations and co-convener of Women with Disabilities South Australia. Her roles have included developing quality educational practice for students with autism spectrum disorder and investigating the mental health of students with disabilities. Her high-level skills in interpreting information such as policy and legislation, and in report writing and scoping enable her to be proactive in promoting a rights based approach to full citizenship for people with disabilities.
Katharine’s talents are far reaching and are inclusive of a diverse group of Autistics and their interests. Her passion for the power of Community Theatre is well known, both in her home town and interstate. She has been a performer and producer of theatre in the Gay and Lesbian Community and the Disability Community. Her role in promoting South Australia’s ground breaking Autistic Theatre Company demonstrates her commitment to empowering Autistics to take pride in their identities and to be recognized for their abilities.
Additionally, Katharine is also an avid writer and a published poet. Her poetry explores relationships, politics and the land, while her academic writing discusses disability culture, sexuality, autism and social minority groups.
Katharine Annear’s achievements as an Autistic activist, a disability activist and an Autistic empowering Autistics are formidable. She is the epitome, not of someone who overcomes disability, but who lives with significant challenges, who has developed supports which empower her to work with her abilities in promoting the rights and opportunities to do the same at both a government and personal level. Katharine Annear represents the reality of living with Autism every day, in every way. To nominate her as an Australian Hero, visit:
https://www.oprah.com/ownshow/plug_form ... id=6004470
Join me in ensuring that Autistics represent Autism.
Nothing about us, without us.
AJ
04 Dec 2010, 3:50 am
