Inclusion at the CBAA

Emma Myers [00:00:06]:

My name is Emma Myers. I am 30 years old. I am a screenwriter, journalist, disability advocate, public speaker. I've got so many titles, it's hard to remember them all. So I am Power’ds inaugural disability rights and political reporter. I provide a voice within parliament, and I hope to become more proactive in putting the community's questions to the people making the changes regarding our lives. I got into media specifically to utilize the tool of storytelling in order to kind of better the lives of people with disability via changing perceptions. I'm one of the co creators and co writers of Latecomers.

Emma Myers [00:01:04]:

A 6 part series about what happens when 2 individuals with cerebral palsy decide to explore their relationship with sex.

Video from Latecomers:

Is that a romance novel?

It's actually uniform erotica. I just read it for the sex.

What?!

I'm doing a masters on the intersection of disability and sexual representation in literature. So it's actually research.

Emma Myers:

It's so important to have diverse representation across all levels of media and communications, specifically because you can't see what you can't see. It's the driving force behind every decision I make. Working at Powerd and CBAA, it's completely changed my life.

Emma Myers [00:01:57]:

It's changed my outlook on life. It's not only given me a professional full time career, but it's also given me a level of independence that I never thought possible. Before starting with the organisation, I was still living at home in the Hunter Valley with my parents. I was almost not going to reply for it. I was still in the mindset of I don't know if I can move out and live completely by myself. I discussed this with my parents and said, look, this job will really really change my life. I know it will. So I've been living on my own and working here for about 4 months, and I'm loving my freedom and I'm loving my independence.

Emma Myers [00:03:03]:

When I was about 16, 17, I was being told that I'd never achieved the ATAR to go to universities. My teachers were the ones who are discouraging me from furthering my education, but I've always loved learning. I thought to myself, okay. Well, if I don't get to go to university, I'm going to try and get some media experience hands on. I ended up volunteering at my local community radio station for about 3 or 4 years. So I ended up going to university and during my final year of my undergrad, I applied for a disability centric internship with ABC Newcastle and was lucky enough to get that, and that really kinda kicked off 2 years of working for the ABC. I love media. I love using media as a tool for educating the public on common misconceptions about disability and specifically, women with disability.

Emma Myers [00:04:18]:

There's this notion that people with disability are innocent or untouchable or sanitised in a way that, like, you can't approach them to go out on a date with them. We experience the desire to be loved and the desire to be cared for the same as any other person. Latecomers was made with the intention that we were going to make it a little bit raunchy and spicy.

Scene from Latecomers

Don't take this the wrong way, but he's never gonna ask you out.

Awesome. Thank you.

Oh my god. He's a total weirdo. You are gonna have to make the first move.

Emma Myers [00:04:56]:

The feedback towards the show has been absolutely overwhelmingly positive. It's just had this global impact on representation and on screen from people with disability.

Video of Emma working:

She got back to me and said, you'd love to do an interview. What time have you got to back?

Because I'm always trying to physically control every movement of my body. What's always been a challenge is how many hours a day I can work and and function to the fullest of my ability. I feel like crying at the moment, and it's not because not to the basis that I'm tired, but the sheer frustration from being with tired every single goddamn day. It's, it's tiring being tired.

Emma Myers [00:06:04]:

All of the people I report to are very supportive and understanding. I'm hoping that I can continue to have the best of both worlds. You know, this job is incredible. It allowed me to have a full time job where I can tell the stories that I want to tell and at the same time continue on with my screenwriting. My advice for other people wanting to get into media, specifically those from diverse backgrounds, is look for and achieved calling out for diverse voices. There are some great initiatives that truly want us to be a part of the next generation of media creator. Now's the time. It's our time and there's never been a better time to get involved in media than right now.

Emma Myers [00:07:09]:

It's a great way to try and drive that change for the better.