Elizabeth Wright
“I believe in the power of meaningful community to create impactful change. Without shame, without judgement – we are better together, always.”
Who Am I?
Elizabeth was born in Australia with a limb difference, meaning that not all her limbs are shaped in the usual way. People with limb differences might have a leg or an arm that’s shorter than the other or missing.
Elizabeth was fortunate, as her parents would not let her limb difference hold her back or restrict her dreams. They often had to fight hard for her right to equality, including going to mainstream school.
Aged only 13, she watched the Paralympics in Barcelona and decided that she wanted to compete as a swimmer. It was an enormous dream, and it took years of hard work, dedication, sacrifice and resilience to fulfil her ambition. She competed as part of the Australian swim team in Atlanta in 1996, and again in her home country, in Sydney, in 2000. She won three medals for Australia and broke world records during her career.
What Am I Known For?
Having competed at the top level, Elizabeth then set new challenges for herself. She gained two degrees in fine art and became an exhibiting artist, with a particular focus on the visual representation of disability. Elizabeth also studied Character Education at an advanced level and has co-authored a book about developing character and resilience. She tours schools in the UK and Australia, talking to young people about the character they need to build to achieve their goals. Elizabeth believes that her resilience, optimism, and courage helped her to succeed.
Elizabeth continues to present on TV and talk about her work as a disability activist and advocate. She is passionate about creating an inclusive world. She believes that many issues facing disabled people come from the barriers and discrimination that exist in society rather than the disability itself.
How About You?
What do you need to develop in yourself to succeed?
Is there anything in your community environment that could be improved to enable more equitable access for people with disabilities?
Other Amazing People (you can find them on the website)
Explore one of the original disability activists on our site, Helen Keller. She became blind and deaf following a childhood illness. Once she learned to communicate, she travelled the world advocating for safer work conditions for disabled people.
Other Useful Resources (available on the website)
For other stories of Amazing Disabled People explore our Diverse Voices resource.
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Photo: Australian Paralympic Committee, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia