Let’s change the way we think about disability | Joel Dembe | TEDxMississauga
A 4-time Canadian National Wheelchair Tennis Champion and Paralympian discusses his journey living with a disability. Joel Dembe tells us how we can empower our communities through accessibility.
Joel Dembe is a 4-time Canadian National Wheelchair Tennis Champion and Paralympian. He has reached as high as #29 internationally in singles and #28 in doubles.
In 2011 and 2012 he was named Tennis Canada’s Wheelchair Tennis Athlete of the Year. He was also named Canada’s Top Male Wheelchair Athlete by the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association in 2011. He spent four consecutive years as Canada’s top male wheelchair tennis player.
Joel has traveled to 4 different continents and more than 25 countries competing for Canada. He won Canada’s first-ever international medal in wheelchair tennis with his doubles partner, Philippe Bedard - winning over Team USA for the bronze medal at the Toronto 2015 ParaPan Am Games.
Joel is also part of the RBC Olympians Program, a Tennis Canada Certified Coach, and is also a Rick Hansen Institute Ambassador. He resides in Mississauga.
Joel's talk will explore how we can make our communities more accessible for everyone.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
Пікірлер: 46
This needs more views!!! It's society which creates disability, too many people still think being disabled means you can't live a happy and fulfilled life... and if they see someone managing the same mundane things, its seen as something exceptional which is inspiring - but it really isn't. We desperately need more disability mainstreaming!
I was paralyzed after heart surgery at 13 months old. It's different growing up with this. Especially when so many adults assume that you have a mental disability simply because you are in a wheelchair
What gets me through my life in a wheelchair is a great sense of humor and a lot of confidence.
I’m sorry, man. I would have sat with you. I have cerebral palsy and I wanted everyone to have a friend.
I love your message and your talk, I wish the camera person would have allowed us to see all of the photos that you shared in the talk.
Inspiring, informative and very important, this is a great eye opener to the views of someone who has conquered both the cliche's and realities of disability.
Thank you Joel..This needs to be heard again and again..
Grade school kids can be mean as Snakes. I was born with Cerebral Palsy, although it was mild it still affected my balance and motor skills and caused me to have an erratic gait.
Thank you for this!
Amazing and agree!
Thank-you very much for sharing your story MuchasGracias por compartir tu historia te admiro
Great talk!
Well done Joel keep going doing amazing things stay strong stay positive stay safe I have hypoxia brain injury I died 26minutes spent weeks months in coma rehab hospital learning talk walk again been a recovery massive discovery never ever give up on yourself many will never yourselves keep going doing amazing things sending luck hugs prayers most of all love from headway Nottingham UK proud of you x
Amazing!
God bless
My right ear enjoyed it!
@davidparke8896
5 жыл бұрын
It's bizarre how it's basically only on one audio channel.
Your speech was very well organized and your points about accessibility were bang on Joel! Great job! Your friend, Jack.
Hi Joel , well done man ! I still remember when u visited in Vancouver , keep up the good work , I would love to play you in tennis sometime , cheers bro
insightful
My restaurant has this symbol. :)
Shared
Thank you brother
💖
I agree in that we need to change how we think of disability! If you agree, then please join my Facebook group called The Magic of Inclusion!
Good job 😉
Can we see the pictures the audiance is seeing
As one of the south korea, i was afraid to hear about disabliity facilities that you have experienced.
you came to my school google meet today
Well, i was the blind kid who dribbled a basketball on the sidelines while the rest of the class played a very fun sounding game. I made the choice to opt out because every time I join, the students treat me as if I were a three year old trying to run around with them. The team that I am supposed to be a part of does not acknowledge me. If I’m right in front of the person with the ball, they always pass it to the second closest team member. Then suddenly, someone would remember that I was supposed to be playing with them, and everyone starts whisper shouting my name, and saying, “give her the ball.” They wouldn’t even throw it to me. They literally just hand it over. The whole class let’s me run to the hoop completely unopposed. Then they would all cheer, even though I was a hundred% sure that the ball didn’t come anywhere near the hoop, then they would all resume their game, completely ignoring me again. You could say that I did not exactly feel the fun competitiveness that comes with team sports. my teacher did not do any effort to include me. Honestly, playing in a competitive sport might be the only kind of exercise I’m interested in, but after middle school PE, that was thrown out of the window. I love that this talk shines a light on this issue of inclusion. Even though he was talking mainly about students in wheelchairs, I think this perfectly applies to my, and many other people’s, situation.
Where's the sound?
@davidparke8896
5 жыл бұрын
Left audio channel.
Why is there SO much emphasis on wheelchair users? We don't ALL use them, what about those of us who have multiple life RUINING HIDDEN disabilities, which are NEVER recognised but only "played down" and ridiculed and only treated with outrageous contempt and condescension, and EXcluded to the MAXIMUM, and no-one ever wants to know and instead only suppress all awareness of such appalling problems. Not all disabled folk have anything to be remotely happy about, some of us only have absolutely RUINED lives totally beyond their control.
I'm not an athlete and have spastic diplegia can you talk about something else
He doesn't seem to realize that most people with disabilities are not young athletes, his view is very narrow.
@himanshis.9503
5 жыл бұрын
Well, he used this as an example to show how much disabled people suffer in almost every field.
@Roller76
3 жыл бұрын
Are you disabled? If not then why are you worried about it? If you are then I'd say read more, it helps with comprehension.
@alessandraferrara240
3 жыл бұрын
@@Roller76 most of patients cry in pain each step they courageously make.
really? a new symbol? is that really an issue? I feel like the new one represents even less people than the old one and we should focus on things that really matter. I'm certain that non disabled people won't give a single thought about a new symbol. And i, a paraplegic wheelchair uses think that the new one is a bit cringe.
We are a few million years away from evolving beyond placing stereotypes and judging... At the end of the day disabled people ARE different and WILL be judged and WILL be treated different because they are who they are ! The sooner disabled people come to terms with the fact that they ARE indeed different and that they WILL indeed be judged and treated accordingly the better off they will be !
@CosmicWanship
4 жыл бұрын
The sooner disabled kids accept they get no friends because they are disabled the better, huh?
The lip smacking is a but hard to listen to.
Africa is not a country...