We always like to shine a spotlight on our talented and creative community members. This time, we’re delighted to introduce Emily, from our St Albans Community, who has written a poem with a powerful message.
Growing up with Down’s Syndrome, Emily found it difficult to make friends. But she’s found her voice now. ‘I’m definitely not the girl I used to be,’ she says proudly. ‘I used to hide behind my mum. But now I want to be a public speaker and a poet.’
‘Writing makes me feel really good,’ says Emily. ‘ I grew up writing on my desk and drawing on the walls!’ Nowadays, she has other ways to express herself. As well as writing poetry, she’s studying drama and creates her own videos on her YouTube channel.
A lot of Emily’s writing is based on the challenges she’s faced. ‘I wrote my first poem because I’d had enough. I needed to express myself. And it makes me feel good if I can write about my feelings.’
The poem we’ve featured shows Emily’s determination. ‘I wrote this poem because society thinks differently about people with Down’s Syndrome and I wanted to change their minds,’ she says. ‘People say that we don’t have any abilities. But look at me, I write poems, I’m in supported living, I have friends and a boyfriend. I’m doing all these things I’m really proud of. I want to stand up for disability rights, and one way I can do that is through my poetry.’
Disability Poem
You call me a disability, why do you call me a disability? It’s like you are calling me a nobody or stupid or dumb
I am no disability, I am just me
Let’s just separate disability, we have the Dis, we have the ability, it’s like we don’t have abilities, but you know what, we do have abilities we can do anything if we put our hearts to it, everyone has a heart, a heart to follow, we all have love, hope and believing in our dreams. why do you step up to me and say we can’t do that? you are hurting our feelings, we are all human, this is our world too, stop treating us like we are kids, stop treating us like we are stupid, stop treating us like we are a nobody, we live in this world together stop hating us of who we are, we can’t change of who we are.
I have a disability and I have accepted it,
This is who I am, deal with it.
