Some of Our Parts

“What better way to unwind after 24 hours of world record breaking tennis than rapping your favourite verse, with one of your favourite rappers from your favourite group of all time.”

So said Australian gold medallist who just spent his weekend at Meredith Music Festival – part of it on-stage with Wu-Tang’s Ghostface Killah rapping in front of a packed crowd. The 24-year-old paralympian crowdsurfed his way to the front of the festival audience where he joined the New York rapper centrestage and totally nailed a verse of Wu classic, ‘Protect Ya Neck’.

The Saturday afternoon performance follows the athlete completing a 24-hour marathon of wheelchair tennis in Melbourne last Thursday, as ABC News details, raising nearly $70,000 for the Starlight Foundation and Variety Children’s Charity.”I had ice packs on my hands because my wrists were so swollen from playing 24 hours of tennis,” says Dylan, who has scored the opportunity to meet his rap hero backstage at Meredith.

A Crip tribute to Stella Young is an evening of readings by crips and non-crips of Stella’s work or of letter’s we have penned to Stella to commemorate and celebrate what a great woman and amazing disability activist she was. Join us and read something, just sit and listen or share your favourite memories of Stella. Any money raised will go to Domestic Violence Victoria, as per the Young family’s request. www. dvvic.org.au

Confirmed readers include:

• Angie Jones
• Clem Ford
• Kate Hood
• Kath Duncan
• Carly Findlay
• Jax-Jacki Brown
• Ross Cottee

Bearbrass Asylum Orchestra- our house crip band!

Doors open at 7.30pm and the readings start at 8pm
Hares and Hyenas
63 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065

This event is fully wheelchair accessible, but sadly this event will NOT be Auslan interpreted.

Prominent disability activist, writer and comedian Stella Young has died aged 32. Ms Young was the former editor of the ABC’s disability news and opinion website, Ramp up. Her family said she passed away on Sunday.

“With great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Stella Young, our much loved and irreplaceable daughter and sister,” the family said in a statement. “A private funeral will take place soon, followed by a public event in Melbourne, with more details to come.  “Our loss is a deeply personal one. We request privacy during this difficult time.”

Ms Young was born in Stawell, in country Victoria, with Osteogenesis imperfecta. She studied to become a teacher, before beginning a career in journalism.

Read tributes to Stella from the ABC’s Mark Scott and Wendy Harmer.

In a letter to her 80 year old self she wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald:

But on my path to reach you, I promise to grab every opportunity with both hands, to say yes as often as I can, to take risks, to scare myself stupid, and to have a shitload of fun.

The Monash Vision Group (MVG) moves a step closer to clinical trials of its Bionic Eye, thanks to landmark donations from two respected business leaders.

Dr Marc Besen and Chancellor Alan Finkel have each donated $1 million to the groundbreaking project through their respective foundations. With an additional commitment of $1 million from Monash University, the philanthropic donations will cover critical development costs. The support keeps MVG on track through the next phase of the project, culminating in the first human trials next year.

Over 50,000 people in Australia are considered clinically blind and the number exceeds 160 million globally. The bionic eye offers hope of restored vision to humankind and has the potential to change tens of thousands of lives.

On Thursday December 11th at 7am, Dylan Alcott will attempt to break the world record for the longest continuous playing of wheelchair tennis, playing for 24 consecutive hours. Dylan is the current world number 4 wheelchair tennis player. and is a former Paralympic and World Champion winning wheelchair basketballer. Dylan is completing the challenge to attempt to raise $100,000 collectively for two charities he holds very close to his heart, The Starlight Foundation and Variety – the Children’s Charity, with all proceeds being split between both.

Thursday 11th December (7am) – Friday 12th December (7am)

Where: Tennis Australia – Melbourne Park (home of the Australian Open) – Court 24 (new National Tennis Academy side)

Who: Dylan will be playing with many sporting stars and celebrities from across Australia, including basketballer Elizabeth Cambage, actress Olympia Valance, AFL stars Chris Dawes, Jack Watts and Tom Hawkins, professional tennis players Storm Sanders and Luke Saville amongst others.

(Note: Absolutely anybody can come and have a hit with Dylan on the day, and we strongly encourage it. There will even be spare wheelchairs on site to try wheelchair tennis. If you would like to come down and ‘pay to play’ against Dylan, please email info@dylanalcottofficial.com for more details).

The 2014 Disability Sport & Recreation Festival is Victoria’s premier event for the disability sport and recreation sector. Running from 1 to 7 December, this unique community event promotes and celebrates physically active lifestyles for all people of all abilities through participation in accessible and inclusive sport and recreation.

During the Disability Sport & Recreation Festival, sport and recreation providers across Victoria are opening their doors for people with disability, their families, friends and carers to ‘pop-in’ and try an activity.

Anyone who’s listened to Triple J will be familiar with the authoritative tones of newsreader Nas Campanella. What few people will be aware of, however, is that Campanella is blind.

The 26-year-old Sydneysider has been blind since she was six months old, when a rare abnormality caused the retinas to tear away from her eyes, leaving her able to see shadows and some light, but little else.

The Other Film Festival is the big party where everyone gets invited. The festival programs the very best new cinema about the lived experience of disability from around the world. The festival screens these films in the most accessible way possible, delivering global best practice in meeting the access requirements of all patrons. All speeches are Auslan interpreted, all films are captioned, all films are audio described and the venue is fully accessible. Inclusive, accessible and welcoming, the festival reveals how disability looks right now.

The Other Film Festival will run from the 3rd-7th December at the Melbourne Brian Centre,  Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade (cnr Genetics Lane), University of Melbourne, Parkville (Melways Ref: 2B B7).

See the full program here.

It’s the end of another week (and hopefully the end of another exam for you guys! Here’s some disability related news to take you into the weekend.

• A letter to my wheelchair.
• The International Day of People with Disability is only around the corner! This year’s theme is Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology.
• A typeface designed specifically to assist dyslexic people read
• Here’s a quick guide on service dogs and small business
• Did you miss Quippings at the Fringe Festival?
• Passionate about disability and the arts? Join the Guardian‘s live webchat next week.
• What does this state election mean for you and your disability?
• What about the mental health of kids with intellectual disability?
• Another perspective on dying with dignity

Following the success of our student night for Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, we are pleased to offer an exclusive student night for Jean Paul Gaultier in the first week of the school term. An opportunity for senior secondary students and tertiary students to see this inspiring exhibition before it closes on 8 February.

The program will include pop up talks, fashion drawing with an artist, Auslan and audio describing tours, and a pre-event lecture at 5pm for VCE Studio Arts students (bookings essential).

Tickets at a special student price of $13. Individual tickets available for purchase on the evening (student ID required for student price) Bookings for groups of ten or more now open.