[Applause] hi everyone I’m Debra
hi everyone I’m Debra
hi everyone I’m Debra and I’m here to share with you my story
and I’m here to share with you my story
and I’m here to share with you my story today I often hear people telling me
today I often hear people telling me
today I often hear people telling me these things you are so inspiring the
these things you are so inspiring the
these things you are so inspiring the work that you do is amazing how did you
work that you do is amazing how did you
work that you do is amazing how did you even find the courage to set up your own
even find the courage to set up your own
even find the courage to set up your own social enterprise and while I really
social enterprise and while I really
social enterprise and while I really appreciate all these nice things that
appreciate all these nice things that
appreciate all these nice things that people have been telling me I see myself
people have been telling me I see myself
people have been telling me I see myself as a very average 23 year old
as a very average 23 year old
as a very average 23 year old Singaporean the only reason I’m able to
Singaporean the only reason I’m able to
Singaporean the only reason I’m able to do these things is because of one word
do these things is because of one word
do these things is because of one word privileged privileged enough to be able
privileged privileged enough to be able
privileged privileged enough to be able to work on the things I care about
to work on the things I care about
to work on the things I care about and M passionate about and also
and M passionate about and also
and M passionate about and also privileged enough that I have a
privileged enough that I have a
privileged enough that I have a relatively well-to-do family that
relatively well-to-do family that
relatively well-to-do family that supports me in my journey but this
supports me in my journey but this
supports me in my journey but this realization only came to me early last
realization only came to me early last
realization only came to me early last year I grew up with two brothers with
year I grew up with two brothers with
year I grew up with two brothers with autism and have always witnessed
autism and have always witnessed
autism and have always witnessed countless of times how disadvantaged
countless of times how disadvantaged
countless of times how disadvantaged they are in society how society is very
they are in society how society is very
they are in society how society is very unkind to watch people like them and
unkind to watch people like them and
unkind to watch people like them and just how in general they didn’t really
just how in general they didn’t really
just how in general they didn’t really fit in okay so but I never understood
fit in okay so but I never understood
fit in okay so but I never understood these experiences and I never understood
these experiences and I never understood
these experiences and I never understood these feelings that my brothers were
these feelings that my brothers were
these feelings that my brothers were facing because on the converse I was an
facing because on the converse I was an
facing because on the converse I was an extremely lucky go I was given all sorts
extremely lucky go I was given all sorts
extremely lucky go I was given all sorts of opportunities leadership programs
of opportunities leadership programs
of opportunities leadership programs corrective development overseas exchange
corrective development overseas exchange
corrective development overseas exchange programs but my childhood was not as
programs but my childhood was not as
programs but my childhood was not as positive I remember in the early days my
positive I remember in the early days my
positive I remember in the early days my younger brother would melt down almost
younger brother would melt down almost
younger brother would melt down almost every weekend and spoiling all kinds of
every weekend and spoiling all kinds of
every weekend and spoiling all kinds of possibilities of family outings and
possibilities of family outings and
possibilities of family outings and because of that I didn’t enjoy Show and
because of that I didn’t enjoy Show and
because of that I didn’t enjoy Show and Tell lessons as well because while all
Tell lessons as well because while all
Tell lessons as well because while all my classmates were talking about how
my classmates were talking about how
my classmates were talking about how much fun they had with their siblings
much fun they had with their siblings
much fun they had with their siblings over the weekend I could never relate to
over the weekend I could never relate to
over the weekend I could never relate to those experiences and these accumulated
those experiences and these accumulated
those experiences and these accumulated experiences made me feel very isolated
experiences made me feel very isolated
experiences made me feel very isolated and alienated in secondary 3 when my
and alienated in secondary 3 when my
and alienated in secondary 3 when my family was sending me to Changi Airport
family was sending me to Changi Airport
family was sending me to Changi Airport for my exchange trip to Melbourne my
for my exchange trip to Melbourne my
for my exchange trip to Melbourne my elder brother asked my mom why do I get
elder brother asked my mom why do I get
elder brother asked my mom why do I get to go to so many different countries
to go to so many different countries
to go to so many different countries with my school and yet he was never
with my school and yet he was never
with my school and yet he was never considered for such opportunities at all
considered for such opportunities at all
considered for such opportunities at all I felt something in my heart when I
I felt something in my heart when I
I felt something in my heart when I heard him say that but to a 15 year old
heard him say that but to a 15 year old
heard him say that but to a 15 year old girl going to bought a plane with my
girl going to bought a plane with my
girl going to bought a plane with my friends flying to a foreign country was
friends flying to a foreign country was
friends flying to a foreign country was just so much more exciting and enticing
just so much more exciting and enticing
just so much more exciting and enticing as compared to pondering about why life
as compared to pondering about why life
as compared to pondering about why life was so different from my brother’s so I
was so different from my brother’s so I
was so different from my brother’s so I ate not that slight discomfort oh yeah
ate not that slight discomfort oh yeah
ate not that slight discomfort oh yeah okay so and so now you would think that
okay so and so now you would think that
okay so and so now you would think that my experiences actually led me to what
my experiences actually led me to what
my experiences actually led me to what I’m doing today but it was actually
I’m doing today but it was actually
I’m doing today but it was actually quite the opposite for very brief
quite the opposite for very brief
quite the opposite for very brief moments in my life I toyed with the idea
moments in my life I toyed with the idea
moments in my life I toyed with the idea of changing society’s perception towards
of changing society’s perception towards
of changing society’s perception towards persons with disabilities but really
persons with disabilities but really
persons with disabilities but really what were teenage go to besides I had to
what were teenage go to besides I had to
what were teenage go to besides I had to study get good grades so that I can
study get good grades so that I can
study get good grades so that I can secure a good job all very typical
secure a good job all very typical
secure a good job all very typical Singaporean student mindset secondary
Singaporean student mindset secondary
Singaporean student mindset secondary school was also the time where I met my
school was also the time where I met my
school was also the time where I met my co-founder Ryan and I also realized that
co-founder Ryan and I also realized that
co-founder Ryan and I also realized that Ryan had a brother with special needs
Ryan had a brother with special needs
Ryan had a brother with special needs upon knowing that fact I was so excited
upon knowing that fact I was so excited
upon knowing that fact I was so excited that I finally found someone who would
that I finally found someone who would
that I finally found someone who would understand my feelings and my situation
understand my feelings and my situation
understand my feelings and my situation someone that I could finally connect
someone that I could finally connect
someone that I could finally connect with but of course it was nothing like
with but of course it was nothing like
with but of course it was nothing like that
that
that so I found out that Ryan was actually a
so I found out that Ryan was actually a
so I found out that Ryan was actually a saint the kind that would be profound on
saint the kind that would be profound on
saint the kind that would be profound on news media as the perfect representation
news media as the perfect representation
news media as the perfect representation promoting positivity hope and inclusion
promoting positivity hope and inclusion
promoting positivity hope and inclusion but it took an online article to
but it took an online article to
but it took an online article to actually shatter that entire worldview
actually shatter that entire worldview
actually shatter that entire worldview seeing how a group especially school
seeing how a group especially school
seeing how a group especially school teachers were making snide remarks about
teachers were making snide remarks about
teachers were making snide remarks about their student was enough to make it his
their student was enough to make it his
their student was enough to make it his life goal to combat condescending
life goal to combat condescending
life goal to combat condescending attitudes of society towards persons
attitudes of society towards persons
attitudes of society towards persons with disabilities so that was back in
with disabilities so that was back in
with disabilities so that was back in 2011 and 19 year old Ryan then excelled
2011 and 19 year old Ryan then excelled
2011 and 19 year old Ryan then excelled in one thing which was dragon boating so
in one thing which was dragon boating so
in one thing which was dragon boating so he conceived this idea of wanting to
he conceived this idea of wanting to
he conceived this idea of wanting to train an entire team of persons with
train an entire team of persons with
train an entire team of persons with disabilities in the spot and it made
disabilities in the spot and it made
disabilities in the spot and it made perfect sense to him because dragon
perfect sense to him because dragon
perfect sense to him because dragon boating is perceived as a very
boating is perceived as a very
boating is perceived as a very physically and mentally demanding sport
physically and mentally demanding sport
physically and mentally demanding sport and of
and of
and of that if they were able to race that
that if they were able to race that
that if they were able to race that would really make a bold statement that
would really make a bold statement that
would really make a bold statement that persons with disabilities are equal so
persons with disabilities are equal so
persons with disabilities are equal so coincidentally he chanced upon this idea
coincidentally he chanced upon this idea
coincidentally he chanced upon this idea competition so he submitted the idea and
competition so he submitted the idea and
competition so he submitted the idea and got through the first round himself and
got through the first round himself and
got through the first round himself and then after that worked me in for the
then after that worked me in for the
then after that worked me in for the finals yes later I would have found out
finals yes later I would have found out
finals yes later I would have found out that he only got me into the finals
that he only got me into the finals
that he only got me into the finals because he realized that I could speak
because he realized that I could speak
because he realized that I could speak well and design nice lights or at least
well and design nice lights or at least
well and design nice lights or at least better than him so talk about telling
better than him so talk about telling
better than him so talk about telling something right from the beginning right
something right from the beginning right
something right from the beginning right so after that we we actually want the
so after that we we actually want the
so after that we we actually want the competition and I remember when I was
competition and I remember when I was
competition and I remember when I was walking up on stage I was bombarding him
walking up on stage I was bombarding him
walking up on stage I was bombarding him with so many questions so I asking
with so many questions so I asking
with so many questions so I asking questions like what are we going to do
questions like what are we going to do
questions like what are we going to do now um we don’t have a plan
now um we don’t have a plan
now um we don’t have a plan we have never worked with persons with
we have never worked with persons with
we have never worked with persons with disabilities before how on earth is this
disabilities before how on earth is this
disabilities before how on earth is this idea ever going to materialize I had no
idea ever going to materialize I had no
idea ever going to materialize I had no clue and the whole thing just didn’t
clue and the whole thing just didn’t
clue and the whole thing just didn’t make sense to me
make sense to me
make sense to me so because we had no plan we did totally
so because we had no plan we did totally
so because we had no plan we did totally nothing um for the next few weeks after
nothing um for the next few weeks after
nothing um for the next few weeks after the competition until one day the
the competition until one day the
the competition until one day the organizers caught us or to check on the
organizers caught us or to check on the
organizers caught us or to check on the progress and we were like oh yeah I’m
progress and we were like oh yeah I’m
progress and we were like oh yeah I’m working on it yeah I’m trying to get in
working on it yeah I’m trying to get in
working on it yeah I’m trying to get in touch with a few organizations oh yeah
touch with a few organizations oh yeah
touch with a few organizations oh yeah there was a hook the line so after I put
there was a hook the line so after I put
there was a hook the line so after I put down the phone I panic I immediately
down the phone I panic I immediately
down the phone I panic I immediately went to Google out a whole list of
went to Google out a whole list of
went to Google out a whole list of voluntary welfare organizations serving
voluntary welfare organizations serving
voluntary welfare organizations serving persons with disabilities and I emailed
persons with disabilities and I emailed
persons with disabilities and I emailed about 20 of them and trust me when I say
about 20 of them and trust me when I say
about 20 of them and trust me when I say it’s uh it seemed like the exact carbon
it’s uh it seemed like the exact carbon
it’s uh it seemed like the exact carbon copy of a spam email so it went along
copy of a spam email so it went along
copy of a spam email so it went along the lines like this
the lines like this
the lines like this hey I’m Debra I want to set up a dragon
hey I’m Debra I want to set up a dragon
hey I’m Debra I want to set up a dragon ball team for you hope to hear from you
ball team for you hope to hear from you
ball team for you hope to hear from you soon thank you
soon thank you
soon thank you so obviously nobody replied even after
so obviously nobody replied even after
so obviously nobody replied even after two weeks and I remember I was telling
two weeks and I remember I was telling
two weeks and I remember I was telling Ryan okay definitely no go we’re just
Ryan okay definitely no go we’re just
Ryan okay definitely no go we’re just going to like no not not do anything
going to like no not not do anything
going to like no not not do anything from now on but two weeks later the deaf
from now on but two weeks later the deaf
from now on but two weeks later the deaf Association actually replied and that
Association actually replied and that
Association actually replied and that was how we got started so deaf dragon
was how we got started so deaf dragon
was how we got started so deaf dragon started its very first training on 4th
started its very first training on 4th
started its very first training on 4th of March 2012 with four deaf peddlers
of March 2012 with four deaf peddlers
of March 2012 with four deaf peddlers and the beginning days were extremely
and the beginning days were extremely
and the beginning days were extremely difficult so many people were telling us
difficult so many people were telling us
difficult so many people were telling us deaf dragons wouldn’t work how on earth
deaf dragons wouldn’t work how on earth
deaf dragons wouldn’t work how on earth can deaf people dragonball when dragon
can deaf people dragonball when dragon
can deaf people dragonball when dragon boating is such a verbal and
boating is such a verbal and
boating is such a verbal and communicative spot and how are we going
communicative spot and how are we going
communicative spot and how are we going to communicate with our deaf paddle
to communicate with our deaf paddle
to communicate with our deaf paddle when we had no prior knowledge or
when we had no prior knowledge or
when we had no prior knowledge or experience in sign language but thanks
experience in sign language but thanks
experience in sign language but thanks to partners like StarHub who believed in
to partners like StarHub who believed in
to partners like StarHub who believed in us enough to commit to a three-year
us enough to commit to a three-year
us enough to commit to a three-year sponsorship so with that support the
sponsorship so with that support the
sponsorship so with that support the team grew and by 2014 we will we had
team grew and by 2014 we will we had
team grew and by 2014 we will we had participated in multiple local and
participated in multiple local and
participated in multiple local and international competitions and because
international competitions and because
international competitions and because of we were performing well enough more
of we were performing well enough more
of we were performing well enough more people started taking notice of us and
people started taking notice of us and
people started taking notice of us and more support also came pouring in and
more support also came pouring in and
more support also came pouring in and this was actually a pivotal moment in my
this was actually a pivotal moment in my
this was actually a pivotal moment in my life seeing the kind of impact that a
life seeing the kind of impact that a
life seeing the kind of impact that a team like deaf dragons had created it
team like deaf dragons had created it
team like deaf dragons had created it really changed my perception of persons
really changed my perception of persons
really changed my perception of persons with disabilities and turn me into an
with disabilities and turn me into an
with disabilities and turn me into an advocate for them so now we needed to
advocate for them so now we needed to
advocate for them so now we needed to win more competitions so we could make
win more competitions so we could make
win more competitions so we could make bigger and bolder statements that
bigger and bolder statements that
bigger and bolder statements that persons with disabilities are our equal
persons with disabilities are our equal
persons with disabilities are our equal stop discriminating them and leaving
stop discriminating them and leaving
stop discriminating them and leaving them behind
them behind
them behind so I send them um so we started getting
so I send them um so we started getting
so I send them um so we started getting our deaf paddlers or to go to the gym
our deaf paddlers or to go to the gym
our deaf paddlers or to go to the gym only for them to come back telling us oh
only for them to come back telling us oh
only for them to come back telling us oh I don’t know how to use the gym
I don’t know how to use the gym
I don’t know how to use the gym equipment or do the exercises that we
equipment or do the exercises that we
equipment or do the exercises that we wanted them to do so I send um once
wanted them to do so I send um once
wanted them to do so I send um once again I send a few more youtube links to
again I send a few more youtube links to
again I send a few more youtube links to them and they came back telling me coach
them and they came back telling me coach
them and they came back telling me coach I can’t watch this video I don’t
I can’t watch this video I don’t
I can’t watch this video I don’t understand it at all back then in 2014
understand it at all back then in 2014
understand it at all back then in 2014 YouTube they don’t have subtitles or
YouTube they don’t have subtitles or
YouTube they don’t have subtitles or closed captioning so that was when we
closed captioning so that was when we
closed captioning so that was when we considered this crazy idea of wanting to
considered this crazy idea of wanting to
considered this crazy idea of wanting to create Singapore’s first inclusive gym
create Singapore’s first inclusive gym
create Singapore’s first inclusive gym but upon further research and speaking
but upon further research and speaking
but upon further research and speaking to hundreds of people we realized that
to hundreds of people we realized that
to hundreds of people we realized that there was a bigger gap a more urgent
there was a bigger gap a more urgent
there was a bigger gap a more urgent issue to be addressed there was little
issue to be addressed there was little
issue to be addressed there was little to no awareness and education of persons
to no awareness and education of persons
to no awareness and education of persons with disabilities in society and due to
with disabilities in society and due to
with disabilities in society and due to this gap it was causing so much
this gap it was causing so much
this gap it was causing so much misconceptions and discrimination
misconceptions and discrimination
misconceptions and discrimination towards this group of people so that’s
towards this group of people so that’s
towards this group of people so that’s how society staples came about we forum
how society staples came about we forum
how society staples came about we forum in 2015 and through our team building
in 2015 and through our team building
in 2015 and through our team building workshops community outreach events and
workshops community outreach events and
workshops community outreach events and school programs we want to raise
school programs we want to raise
school programs we want to raise awareness and educate the public about
awareness and educate the public about
awareness and educate the public about persons with disabilities and also
persons with disabilities and also
persons with disabilities and also empower everyone to contribute to the
empower everyone to contribute to the
empower everyone to contribute to the inclusive movement that we are building
inclusive movement that we are building
inclusive movement that we are building and our vision is extremely simple we
and our vision is extremely simple we
and our vision is extremely simple we want to create an inclusive future for
want to create an inclusive future for
want to create an inclusive future for them
them
them five years ago the word inclusion belly
five years ago the word inclusion belly
five years ago the word inclusion belly existed but today it is a buzzword that
existed but today it is a buzzword that
existed but today it is a buzzword that is appearing everywhere everyone from
is appearing everywhere everyone from
is appearing everywhere everyone from the government to corporations and even
the government to corporations and even
the government to corporations and even individuals are prepared to put in every
individuals are prepared to put in every
individuals are prepared to put in every ounce of effort to increase the quality
ounce of effort to increase the quality
ounce of effort to increase the quality of lives of persons with disabilities
of lives of persons with disabilities
of lives of persons with disabilities and also to integrate them into society
and also to integrate them into society
and also to integrate them into society but I speak to the people who are not on
but I speak to the people who are not on
but I speak to the people who are not on the bandwagon yet because creating an
the bandwagon yet because creating an
the bandwagon yet because creating an inclusive society is not just merely
inclusive society is not just merely
inclusive society is not just merely creating inclusive playgrounds and
creating inclusive playgrounds and
creating inclusive playgrounds and inclusive schools or promoting
inclusive schools or promoting
inclusive schools or promoting inclusiveness as a value and inclusive
inclusiveness as a value and inclusive
inclusiveness as a value and inclusive society only materializes when every
society only materializes when every
society only materializes when every single one in society is involved when
single one in society is involved when
single one in society is involved when people start seeing persons with
people start seeing persons with
people start seeing persons with disabilities not for their disability
disabilities not for their disability
disabilities not for their disability but for who they are and when they can
but for who they are and when they can
but for who they are and when they can be fully integrated into society not
be fully integrated into society not
be fully integrated into society not treated or regarded as a marginalized
treated or regarded as a marginalized
treated or regarded as a marginalized group thinking back in my life I
group thinking back in my life I
group thinking back in my life I realized that I had privilege in every
realized that I had privilege in every
realized that I had privilege in every step of the way
step of the way
step of the way from being able to dream and hope that
from being able to dream and hope that
from being able to dream and hope that I’ll be driving a Porsche when I was
I’ll be driving a Porsche when I was
I’ll be driving a Porsche when I was when I’m 25 years old to getting all
when I’m 25 years old to getting all
when I’m 25 years old to getting all kinds of opportunities and even running
kinds of opportunities and even running
kinds of opportunities and even running my own social enterprise right now but
my own social enterprise right now but
my own social enterprise right now but the narrative is so so different for so
the narrative is so so different for so
the narrative is so so different for so many persons with disabilities and other
many persons with disabilities and other
many persons with disabilities and other people out there some of them don’t even
people out there some of them don’t even
people out there some of them don’t even have a dream some of them don’t even
have a dream some of them don’t even
have a dream some of them don’t even dare to dream about the possibilities
dare to dream about the possibilities
dare to dream about the possibilities and the future because they are so busy
and the future because they are so busy
and the future because they are so busy fighting daily struggles and
fighting daily struggles and
fighting daily struggles and discrimination that they have no time to
discrimination that they have no time to
discrimination that they have no time to think about this sort of things so my
think about this sort of things so my
think about this sort of things so my challenge to you is this start
challenge to you is this start
challenge to you is this start recognizing and acknowledging the
recognizing and acknowledging the
recognizing and acknowledging the privileges that you have and after you
privileges that you have and after you
privileges that you have and after you have done that what are you going to do
have done that what are you going to do
have done that what are you going to do about it are you going to continue to
about it are you going to continue to
about it are you going to continue to turn a blind eye to the issues plaguing
turn a blind eye to the issues plaguing
turn a blind eye to the issues plaguing society or will you open up yourself to
society or will you open up yourself to
society or will you open up yourself to different perspectives and opinions and
different perspectives and opinions and
different perspectives and opinions and take whatever privilege that you have NP
take whatever privilege that you have NP
take whatever privilege that you have NP forward I dream of the day where the
forward I dream of the day where the
forward I dream of the day where the word inclusion doesn’t even exist
word inclusion doesn’t even exist
word inclusion doesn’t even exist anymore because that means Singapore and
anymore because that means Singapore and
anymore because that means Singapore and the entire war has become so inclusive
the entire war has become so inclusive
the entire war has become so inclusive that we don’t even need to use the word
that we don’t even need to use the word
that we don’t even need to use the word to remind or
to remind or
to remind or teach people how to practice inclusion I
teach people how to practice inclusion I
teach people how to practice inclusion I have just begun my journey now will you
have just begun my journey now will you
have just begun my journey now will you join me and create an inclusive future
join me and create an inclusive future
join me and create an inclusive future together thank you very much
together thank you very much
together thank you very much [Applause]
”
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