Connor Yuzwenko-Martin

Connor took part in Sync Quebec in 2021.

He is a performer, producer and playwright.

Shoulder-and-up headshot of Connor. He is white, male, with closely trimmed and shaped beard, and a near-shaven head. He wears thick black rimmed glasses, a beaded bracelet, and a dark mustard-green shirt. The lighting is bold pink on his right half, while left half is more natural white-yellow. One hand is held up against the side of his chin as if in mid-thought, and his eyebrows and eyes betray a mix of curiosity and inner reflection.

Lately, I’ve been motivating myself via dares. Yes, the kind you made as a kid in your friend’s basement. Mine are just a little more, shall we say, intense.

“I dare myself to tell the story of my life and former workplace, except instead of human managers, I’m negotiating my access needs with a corporation run by acorn-obsessed squirrels.”

“I dare myself to found a new Deaf arts organization so that local Deaf artists can nurture more consistency and interdependency.”

“I dare myself to research combining lights and vibrotactile elements for DeafBlind inclusion.”

“I dare myself to do all of this while only working 20 hours a week so that I can enjoy my days too.”

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 am formidable. I am gentle. I am implacable,” I tell myself, in spite of the familiar despair of pushing the Access Boulder up the hill one more time.

Keep daring.

More from Connor

To an able-bodied artist, a Deaf artist’s self-dare might seem quaint, even trivial.

Connor Yuzwenko-Martin

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