マイノリティを武器に。若手障害者が働きやすい制度を広めたい！

Minority change the society!

～I want to make young people with disability to have dream～

 

I still can’t forget youth leaders with disability

What do you think when you hear “people with disability”? A fend person? Or person who needs help? Or who are working hard then others? 

A lot people miss judge. Think people with disability as a pity.

I used to though myself pity, too. I have multiple medical condition and has multiple disability.

 

I used to wear pajamas front of many people in the hospital since no one else then family will come to see me to the long-term hospital. If I go out from the hospital everyone says “what happened to you? I feel so sorry for you”.

However, after I started independent living in the community, I started enjoying my life.

I feel in love, I had experience of breakup, I wonder outfit every day. I bake, and I cook most ever day. I think I am doing almost everything and wondering as you are in daily life. Just I use personal assistance to do most thing.

 

Having 7 years to live in the community and doing advocate for other people with disability, I found new dream. My new dream is to be youth leader of people with disability. that the time I when to America and met young leaders with disability.

Their eyes were shining, they were confident, and they were talking about their dreams.

When I saw them, I made decision that I will change Japanese society that whether having disability or not, everyone can have equal education and have dream they want. 

That’s where I started this project.

 

 

I am going to learn “mentoring system” which Japan don’t have

To have the society which everyone can have a dream, I think we should need to change the community.

For example, equal education.in Japan, situation is getting better, still, person with disability and who don’t have disability usually don’t go to same school. It’s not inclusive education in Japan.

One more things are after the education. We as an adult have responsible to hear each young people dream. Such as what job they want to get, or whether they want to have independent living.  But a lot in case of person with disability don’t have enough resource that they can have dream, or they can live in the community as others, and they end up living in the care home.

These situation is difficult to change so fast, still we need to change it.

Therefore, I want to go to America to learn mentoring system which in japan, no one done in disability area. And bring back the system and I want to empower youth people with disability and tell them that they can have dream and pull out their invisible, and unlimited power.

Maybe doing education area, or youth area needs a lot efforts and strength, but I believe I am not a lone, I have great teammate willing to help me out when I go back to Japan. We can take hand and make change the society!

 

 

Now I am prepared and made determination. Last mission is foundation.

Now I need 24hours breathing machine or personal assistance. When I will go to America, I need to buy breathing machine and it cost enormous. Also, I need to pay personal assistance and it will cost a lot, too.

This project is cover by one sponsor, but that covers flight cost, daily life cost, and to study at America which means I need to find somehow to buy the breathing machine.

I want to ask you to help me out to study overboard and study over there and bring back system to change Japan where everyone can live in the society and have a dream. Use the other words I want to change Japan to diversity society. for the vision, please cooperate me and be my new teammate and make the society better!! 

 

About me: Akie Grace Ohashi 

Born in Japan 1988. Father is Japanese, and mother is American. When I wan 15years, I stared playing Judo and moved to America to be Olympian. However, 9years ago, when I was 20years, I had diagnosed Multiple sclerosis.

After been in hospital for 2years, I met with Independent Living “MUCHU” and they help me out to move to Osaka and started Independent Living. Now, I advocate for others and telling “everyone has a right to live in the community even though they have multiple disability or medical care” by being role model.

Also, I am on the TV show “Barrier free variety show” (every Sunday from 7pm Japan national Television) and telling message via TV-show.

I got “Women Japan broad cast award 2016” as a first person with disability.