Sync leaders

My work is soft and sweet and tender. I would say it is strategically soft. Softness isn’t just aesthetics—it’s a structure that holds tension, creates space for discomfort, for the hard work of being together in a polarized world.

I will always remember SYNC for providing me with the Clement Space — a forgiving, compassionate, sympathetic interstice — in which to repair and restore.

As creators, changemakers, and “crippers” of spaces and language, it is imperative to treat Art and Curation as Disabled Evidence. Our language, our signals, our mark-making, and our direct calls are not “too much”—they are evidential in themselves.

I hold space for unruly, overlapping, sometimes contradictory experiences and offer something shaped by those conditions.

Access isn’t necessarily always something you install—it’s something you live.

This power of activism mediates prolonged imaginings of accessibility, innovation of creative methodologies, community empowerment and a resilient, unified voice for artistic equality.

My fraught relationship to leadership was directly challenged by the Sync intensive and was part of the reason I applied.

I’ve learned that my neurodivergent body and mind work at their own pace, sometimes faster and sometimes slower than others (always oddly).

Some lessons were learnt in the pandemic on how to make this world better for all, or at least more accessible, but sadly much of the world has retreated back into its oppressive groove.

That shift in responding to the opportunities in my life came directly from the inaugural Sync Leadership workshop that was held in Australia, and I was fortunate enough to be part of that first cohort.

The reality means that, access work is often about making the hard decisions about who or what to prioritise.

These little birds are keeping me present, reminding me of the value of paying attention, and teaching me to better appreciate all that is near and here.

While a dance without choreography may suggest freedom, it may also lead to unpredictable violence, whether towards oneself or others.

Leaning into disabled leadership has welcomed so many good things into my life. One of the biggest is the community I have grown with other disabled individuals, not only across Australia but around the world.

Through engaging with diverse voices from the disability community, I reaffirmed my core belief in the strength and potential of individuals with deafness and disabilities.

I have passion, but alone that passion is tantamount to being nothing at all if I can not lift myself after being knocked down too many times.

Making mistakes and missteps have been a crucial ingredient in exploring and developing innovation within both political and cultural context.

A dare is a call to action that emerges from the heart. It’s what you know deep within your veins, even if revealing it to the world feels terrifying. It’s a surprisingly effective way to get into new, often scary places.

I’m not interested in being a passive bystander, but I want to be an active part of making things better and creating a cultural shift.

I’m reminded that timing isn’t just about metre. It’s about the instinct and curiosity. It’s about embracing true identity in all its complexity, consonance, dissonance, resonance, harmony, suspension and silence.

Since being part of Sync, I leaned towards the desire for more and opportunities became available. Sync gave me the language of my leadership style (what is it?) and that allowed me to build confidence and take positive risks.

I am still all about amplifying voices, representing intersectional leadership, and participating in work that brings about positive change for people with disabilities.

The sheer importance of disability informed leadership has changed drastically the way I like to present myself as a leader.

Sync helped me learn about myself as a leader in the discipline of arts, in my case, in music and motivational speaking.

Embracing my ASD has empowered me to rise boldly, shedding old limitations and igniting a transformative era of creativity and leadership.