The theme Accelerate Action coming from International Women’s Day 2025 is a powerful one. But only if we then take action on what we believe needs to change.
I’ve had a wonderful couple of weeks capturing some conversations with some amazing women with different life experiences, cultures and stories from my own. But our commonality of wanting the world to change for those with a learning disability and their families is a powerful force.
All of us know and have experienced what’s possible when those we love who have an intellectual disability have had the right support and opportunities for them to develop and grow. We’ve all experienced closed doors, being written off and being told no, when every fibre of our beings have told us that there’s a different way.
A different way to think, to act, to respond, to resource and support those individuals and families with a learning disability. We believe that this is also true for others who are marginalised in society. That we can turn things upside down. We can look at things differently. And we can certainly cross the street, listen and learn from those who aren’t yet seen as having something to offer.
Each of us has a different outlook and take on the words Accelerate Action:
Jen Blackwell: Accelerate = force and Action = Step up to the challenge
Donna Wheeldon, Jen’s lead support: “Stay happy. Do things that you want to do, not necessarily for others. Whatever makes you happy.”
Marissa Torres, Founder & Director of Marinny Centre for Hope, Philippines: “Move beyond awareness, where the changes will be sustainable for everyone.
We have the power to drive change.”
Dr Lace Jackson: “What can we do now that raises the profile of quite a number of our citizens that are not treated like citizens.
“Nobody wants to feel that they don’t belong. How do we make sure that we do cross the road and speak to people we don’t know. Even if we can’t communicate verbally, we can communicate in so many other ways.”
Becky Rich is Jen’s best friend. They met through DanceSyndrome when Becky took part in the Lead by Example program. Becky was a finalist this week at the Northern Power Women Awards as an Agent for Change which was a huge recognition of what’s possible for someone with a learning disability.
As we ask people to consider what #AccelerateAction means to them, we believe that we need to empower more Becky’s to find their voice and be an agent for change in their communities. We know it’s possible as it’s happening right in front of our eyes through DanceSyndrome’s leadership and personal development programmes.
My accelerating action is to include people and to be open to learning from people with disabilities, because there is so much that the rest of us need to understand and can understand if we open our eyes.
I yearn for the day when people with disabilities are just part of normal life are not seen as different.
Let this be a call to action – the start of the change we want to see. Each of us has the opportunity to reach out, meet someone else and see what they see from their shoes.
Are you with us? Do let us know – email and/or leave a comment below: