That’s why I’m really pleased to be part of this upcoming online conversation hosted by the Purple Collective and Our House. We’ll discuss building a Disabled People’s Charter shaped by lived experience, collective discussion and practical ideas for change.

If you’re disabled, working in disability inclusion, interested in policy and systems change, or simply want to contribute to a better future, we’d love you to join us.

June 9th 2026

12pm to 1pm

Online

Full details and free sign-up here

That’s why the conversation in the latest Purple Changemakers podcast with Michael and Shyam, co-founders of Advoca, matters. We dive into how their app is helping people retain key medical information, make sense of what was said, and take confident action after appointments, especially when so much is forgotten.

We also explore the realities of the startup journey, how they’re using AI and social media to grow Advoca, and why this kind of healthcare tech could help millions of people.

Watch on YouTube

Listen on Spotify

Enjoy the conversation!

Massive thanks to Aga for creating Fantasia and capturing the heart of Everything is Possible in the most joyful way.

The book is available on Amazon. No goggles required.

Grab a copy   here

On a personal level, we’ve had four funerals and three weddings. That probably says enough about the emotional highs and lows of the year. It’s been a reminder of how fragile, beautiful, and interconnected life really is, and how important it is to hold close the people we love. Hence the picture here with my wife Kasia and our Sunny by the Christmas tree gives me so much gratitude.

Professionally, my unwavering focus on disability inclusion has felt equally tumultuous. The wider economic and political climate has created strong headwinds, not just for social progress, but for entrepreneurs and businesses across many industries. At times, it’s felt like progress itself was being questioned.

And yet, despite all of that, something important has held firm.

As a community, we’ve pushed back against regressive views of disability inclusion with resilience and clarity. We’ve dusted ourselves off, stayed optimistic, and continued to believe in a better future. Not just for disabled people, but for everyone.

My biggest clarity this year has been this: disability inclusion is not a niche issue, a moral add-on, or a theoretical win-win. It is a practical, cultural, economic solution to many of the challenges society is grappling with. The work ahead is to articulate that truth clearly, so it lands beyond echo chambers and becomes common sense across culture, business, and politics.

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m excited to keep building those bridges. Personally, I’m excited for good health, meaningful travel, joyful time with loved ones, and to keep showing up each day to help drive a better world through the powerful lens of disability inclusion.

Happy New Year all. I’m looking forward to collaborating with many of you very soon!

I’ve been listening to “I’m Still Him” by Lil Man J today. He samples Mozart and raps about being disabled while living a life you probably wish you had.

What hits isn’t just the sound. It’s the message.

This is disability as confidence, creativity, and cultural presence, not something to be fixed, explained, or softened for comfort.

Too often disability only shows up in public conversations through policy, pity, or permission. This is something different. It’s self-authored. It’s playful. It’s powerful.

If we want a more inclusive world, we also need to notice where culture is already moving ahead of systems.

Worth a listen

I’m Still Him – Lil Man J

(https://open.spotify.com/track/0Pt2G1GI1rucYzsaCNcCjA?si=UoLNbbGnT02w2wjpaRKQvA)

#DisabilityCulture #DisabledCreatives #InclusionThroughCulture #PurpleChangemakers #MusicAsPower

Today I realised how much I take my phone for granted.

I use it for almost everything. Work, messages, planning, shopping, thinking. The only time I really switch to a laptop is for video calls when it’s plugged into the TV. Everything else happens on this small screen on my wheelchair tray.

I was doing some Christmas shopping today and it made me think back to life before smartphones, online shopping and the internet. Back then, buying gifts independently was much harder for me. It usually meant coordinating trips, managing fatigue, and navigating busy spaces. All doable, but energy intensive, especially in December.

Winter adds another layer. Sitting down all day affects my circulation, and being cold or exposed to winter bugs has a bigger impact because of my Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I still enjoy going to the shops for the experience, but doing multiple trips across different places takes a real toll.

Today I was able to sit warmly, think properly about the people I’m buying for, and be thoughtful with my choices. Online shopping made that possible. And more recently, being able to use my voice to control my phone has made things even easier. It’s one of those quiet shifts that saves energy without you really noticing.

Love it or hate it, technology is just a tool. But when it’s designed well and used thoughtfully, it can unlock independence, reduce friction, and give people more control over their time and energy.

And of course, while all this clever tech helps, some things never go out of style. Christmas tree up, Sunny by my side, hot water bottle under my feet. Turns out the most effective winter technology has been around for a long time.

#Accessibility #EverydayTech #DisabilityInclusion #ChristmasMoments #IndependentLiving

But real progress happens when we build bridges instead of boxes. Bridges between disabled and non disabled communities. Bridges between business, culture, policy and everyday life. Bridges between lived experience and the systems that shape all of us.

A bridge is a reminder that connection is stronger than separation. When we rethink how society is designed and who it is designed for, we create space for more people to participate fully. And when more people can participate, the whole world benefits.

This simple image felt right for today. A visual nudge that our work is really about bringing people, ideas and possibilities closer together. Not boxing things off. Not keeping issues apart. But meeting in the middle and moving forward together.

#DisabilityInclusion #InclusiveCulture #SocialImpact #ChangingTheNarrative #BridgeBuilders #AccessibilityForAll

Frida brought a new language to art. Her lived experience shaped imagery that still influences culture, identity, and politics today. Her disability was not a limitation on her creativity. It was part of the perspective that made her work so powerful.

Ray Charles reshaped modern music by blending genres in ways no one had heard before. In a world that was not built for a blind Black musician, he still managed to alter the entire direction of soul, jazz, blues, and popular music. His contributions are still felt everywhere.

Both are reminders of what becomes possible when talent is allowed to breathe. They are also reminders of what we continue to lose when systems and structures are not designed for everyone. For every Frida or Ray who manages to push through, countless others are held back by invisible cages in education, employment, healthcare, transport, and everyday public life.

The question for all of us is simple. What world might we live in if every person with talent, creativity, care, and potential could participate fully. How much music, art, innovation, leadership, and problem solving already exists but has never been given the conditions to grow.

And here is the hopeful part…

Inclusive systems are not built by governments or institutions alone. They are shaped by individuals showing up, collaborating, challenging assumptions, creating, and contributing in their own spheres of influence. We all have the power to widen the doorway a little further. Each conversation, each act of allyship, each design decision, each moment of kindness, each vote, each piece of work that considers others, helps build the future we want.

Uncaging talent is not just a societal project. It is something each of us can advance, one small choice at a time. And together, those choices add up.

#UncagingTalent #DisabilityInclusion #InclusiveDesign #AccessibleFuture #FridaKahlo #RayCharles #SocialImpact #CreativityForChange #HumanPotential #Changemakers