We’re giving a shout out to another disability influencer who’s doing great things – 2022 Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott OAM!
Dylan, an athlete, philanthropist, media commentator and disability advocate, is perhaps best known for winning four Paralympic gold medals (three in wheelchair tennis, and one in wheelchair basketball). Importantly, he also founded several organisations supporting and championing people with disability.
In 2017, Dylan co-founded disability and accessibility training start up Get Skilled Access, which provides inclusion consulting by people with disability. He’s also the founder of the Dylan Alcott Foundation and inclusive music festival Ability Fest, as well as Able Foods, which provides a meal delivery service (available with National Disability Insurance Scheme funding) and accessible food options in supermarkets, like baked beans in a pouch.
Dylan has shared with the world the details of a Zoom call he had with the Queen (of England!) about becoming the 2022 Australian of the Year. He said:
“Cool, hi Your Majesty. Thanks for coming to chat to us, this is awesome…I’m a proud Australian, I’m in a wheelchair and I’ve been in a wheelchair my whole life. I was very lucky to win four Paralympic gold medals playing two different sports. I’ve won 15 Grand Slam singles titles playing wheelchair tennis…The reason I get out of bed every day is to change perceptions so people with disability, people like me, can get out and live the lives they deserve to live, I just want to use my platform to shine a light on that, to help employment opportunities, help people get out there and live the lives they want to live.”
Find Dylan on Instagram, where he uses the handle @dylanalcott.
