Kirsty
Overcoming Barriers
When I look at that picture, I reflect and think about my inner child and that I’ve achieved quite a lot. I want to tell that younger me who thought she couldn’t do it, “Look at me now—you can do all of those things.”
When I was young, a lot of people and teachers said, “Oh, you’re Deaf, maybe you can’t do this or that.” People didn’t really see many Deaf people achieving things, so they made assumptions about what I couldn’t do.
Now, I’ve got a job, I live on my own, I’m independent… I’ve achieved a lot. I’m happy to see that I was smiling in that photo, because there were happy moments, even though there were difficult times too.
Be a Better Person
I love graffiti; it’s a way to express yourself, like street art with a message. For me, it’s a reminder to become a better person, and for others to do the same. It links to Deaf young people, about how we can be better for others. Because if people don’t learn from Deaf young people, and improve how they communicate and support us, what’s going to happen?
There are a lot of issues in healthcare and education systems. When we say the system’s broken, it really is for Deaf young people. Professionals know when someone doesn’t have access. They could ask, "How can I support them? How can I advocate?" Access should be built in from the start—not added as an afterthought. Ask Deaf people at the beginning, ‘What do you need? How can we design this?’
Calm
I’d always seen my brother playing with Lego sets and building them. He’s always really focused and calm when he’s doing it. One day, my brother bought me a floral Lego set. I built it myself, and I’d never felt so calm. Just building something, seeing what I’ve created—it’s really good for me.
I grew up surrounded by technology; phones, laptops, TVs. Doing calming things like building Lego sets helps me switch off and disconnect from social media. It’s something tangible, something I can see every day. It makes me feel positive. I created that, and it’s beautiful. It helps me slow down, focus, and feel calm, it’s like mindfulness in action.