My Story

My Story
pencil and ink on paper

The chronicled history of people with disability in the Great Southern is negligible, and personal accounts are in short supply. My intent with this archive is to challenge the traditional narrative. These portraits and stories defy the depressing accounts of segregation and exclusion that dominate the history books.

The archive has particular relevance now because in 2019 the Great Southern will roll into the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The scheme replaces the Local Area Coordination program, which originated in Albany in 1988 and expanded throughout WA. This is a time of huge change for people with disability and their families.

Photo: ACE Camera Club Albany