Your ability lies within your vulnerability

By pushing the button and opening the door to issues like race, accessibility, sexuality and religion, we are given opportunities that we may never have been presented with.

“As someone with dyslexia, I’m passionate about inclusion. I spent most of my childhood undiagnosed, struggling to read and write until, at the age of 14, I started to get the support I needed. That, however, ended abruptly when I left education and started in the workplace. I’d often try to hide my dyslexia and, until just a few years ago, I’d ask my partner and friends to proofread my emails to avoid embarrassment and therefore hide my accessibility needs.

Fast forward to today and I’m sat on my sofa using Microsoft Dictate in Word Online, not even pausing to consider spelling and punctuation.

Those diagnosed with dyslexia are often great thinkers, and weirdly, great communicators, but unfortunately in my case that went untapped until I found the tools that I needed to unlock my potential.

Now, I’m not saying that I’ve ‘made it’, but the moment I stopped hiding my vulnerability and my disability, I found opportunities you wouldn’t believe. I now lead the Modern Workplace and Accessibility practice at Phoenix Software and every day I get the opportunity to help the UK Public Sector become more inclusive by utilising these skills and Microsoft’s amazing accessibility features. I’m also the Director of Accessibility & Inclusion for York pride, ensuring it becomes a more inclusive event for our community.