Removing Lines with Dr Amo Raju

LINES Removing

Dr Amo Raju shares his own personal journey to breaking down barriers.

Recently, I was in a waiting room at the local hospital. A couple were sat across in direct line of sight. Both displayed a very weak attempt at hiding the fact they were having some sort of conversation about me. I made the quite natural assumption they were obviously mesmerised by my good looks.

The duty nurse asked me over to measure my height, weight, and blood pressure and by the time she was finished with me, my seat had been taken by her next victim. The only one available was next to the chatty couple. For the sake of this article, I’m going to call them Jack and Jill. I sat down and immediately, Jack asked if my name was ‘Amo Raju’ and I confirmed.

The conversation developed where Jill (herself a disabled person) recalled me speaking to her parents nearly twenty years earlier whilst she was in her teens in a similar hospital setting. Apparently, Jill’s father was keen at that time to see more disabled people like me operating in high profile roles ensuring that young disabled adults had peers who would provide inspiration to his daughter.

Anyone who knows me well, will state my incredibly poor ability to recognise people and conversations from only a week earlier, let alone twenty years. However, in this case, there was a vague recollection of the conversation, particularly as it was an opinion that I regularly shout from the rooftops – the more disabled people in highprofile roles, the better. To cut a long-story short, Jill has grown up to be a successful self-employed childcare specialist who employs three other staff and in her second year of

Since the trading, has turned over publication of my in the region of £200,000. She smiled as she told book ‘Walk Like A Man’, I’ve been me her father, who had since passed away, intermittently referred to asked on many me and a number of other successful disabled people occasions to present snippets of my simply to remind her of what can be achieved. Jill’s confidence in life to groups of briefly sharing her story with me was just so professionals and encouraging. Like me, you peers. may agree that there is a need for more disabled people to share their achievements with a view to inspire the next few generations. Let’s face it, as a cohort, we are still in catch-up with mainstream society in terms of seeing people who share our experiences in all media, in senior management, in politics etc. Since the publication of my book Walk Like A Man, I’ve been asked on many oc-casions to present snippets of my life to groups of professionals and peers. And I love it too! Not just because I adore the sound of my own voice, but because on each occasion, I can see a look in people’s eyes as I list examples of how time after time again, I proved those around me wrong in the limited expectations of what I could or should do.

A couple of months ago, I was awarded a Doctorate by The University of Derby for my commitment to the voluntary sector and disabled people. The following paragraph is from my acceptance speech which I think endorses what I’m trying to say. ‘’In 1993, at the age of 24, I was assessed by a professional to spend the rest of my days in a day centre basketweaving or making bird tables. I walked out within a couple of hours. That experience had a profound effect on me. Years later, I signed a contract with Derby City Council to take over that very day centre, which I rebranded, modernised and totally changed into a life skills centre. The thing is, the last thing you should say to someone is that ‘you shouldn’t do this, you’re not able to do that or you mustn’t cross this line because that how things are just are’ – all that will happen is someone like me will have no option to not only cross the line but to remove it altogether.’’ So, I’ll finish with the simple message which has a twist of a request. If you have achieved something, if you have made a change which has bettered your own access to opportunities or for others, then do not be shy, share your experience with others. You may just inspire fantastic people like Jill or even another shy and reserved character like myself!

iAmo Raju is the CEO of Disability Direct, MD of Amo Raju & Associates and Author of ‘Walk Like A Man’ – available on Amazon.

AUTHOR: Dr. Amo Raju TWITTER: @AmoSinghRaju INSTAGRAM: @amorajuofficial TIKTOK: @amorajuofficial