IMAGE 1 DESCRIPTION: Winner’s posters on a Visionary Awards colourful background with Sulaiman’s profile photo and four lines of white text next to his photo that say: “WINNER…COMMUNITY PERSON OF THE YEAR…Sulaiman Khan…ThisAbility”
Written on 8 May 2020.
“Please don’t settle for happiness. It’s not good enough. Of course, you deserve it, but if that’s all you have in mind - happiness - I want to suggest to you that personal success devoid of meaningfulness, free of a steady commitment to social justice - that’s more than a barren life. It’s a trivial one.” — Toni Morrison
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6 May 2020. Immensely Grateful, In Praise, and Faithful Forever for a Life full of Blessings. Oh my days, I won COMMUNITY PERSON OF THE YEAR at #VisionaryHonours 2020 via the Visionary Arts Foundation! �
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First off, I’m so privileged to be amongst all the extraordinary winners (including my friend June Sarpong) and nominees (including my friend Simon Devereux) at this year’s award. Keep up the excellent work! Below is my acceptance video for my award. Watch in 4K for the full definition experience!
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This #award (which I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive) hits me to my core, and it means more to me than any other I have received thus far. I think it’s because I won mainly based on people’s votes for me. And says the world to me People do truly see this Disabled AF boy out here fighting hard towards #DisabilityJustice and #DisabilitySolidarity, working tirelessly to destabilise the accepted narratives of creativity and disability, for disabled creatives to change the culture to make equity the default.
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Also, as breathing and talking are extremely fatiguing the older (and wiser and handsome) I get (due to a body with wasted muscles by Muscular Dystrophy and a spine twisted like “wet spaghetti” by severe Scoliosis and I was in a lot of pain recording it this past weekend due to a current bad wheelchair system, every word I spoke was deliberate and decisive. Brené Brown says it best: "Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.”
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A massive thank you for all who voted for me and to the Visionary Arts Foundation for this award too, as well as to our fantastic host Scarlette Douglass and all the judges – Tom MacRae, Emma Gannon, Be Manzini, Camilla Pia, Boyd Hilton, Joanna Abeyie, Nikesh Shukla, Emily Jupp, and Adrian Grant. �
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So, check out my 4K full definition and unedited acceptance speech (which also has subtitles and a transcript for my #disabled global #family) here. �✊�✊�✊�✊�✊�
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“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you.” — Rumi
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[SIDENOTE: To all the not-yet-disabled people out there, if you have an urge to call me “inspiring”/“inspirational” or “brave after you read this and watch my acceptance video, PLEASE DON’T. Instead, watch Stella Young’s TedTalk and Things Not To Say To Someone Who Uses A Wheelchair by BBC Three, both on YouTube.]
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#ONWARDSandUPWARDS. ����������
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CREDITS:
Scriptwriter, Creative Director & Producer = Me
DOP = My lovely sister, Sana
Editor & Sound Designer = Will Ferguson (Founder & Director at Ferguson Photography & Films
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#IWon #VisionaryHonours2020 #ImagineChange2020 #BeVisionary#CripTheVote #ThisAbility #DisabledLivesMatter #Adventure#AdventureIsCalling #IAmEnough #SelfCare #community#MuscularDystrophy #WorkHardAndBeNiceToPeople#BeBraveAndDrivenByPurpose #DontBeADick #BeBoldBeWildBeFearless#RadicalKindness #RadicalSelfLove #RadicalAcceptance#FistBumpsOnlyPLEASE #IAmNOTAnInspirationIAmJUSTLivingMyLife#IAmNOTYourInspirationPorn
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IMAGE 2 DESCRIPTION: Live virtual awards screenshot on a Visionary Awards background shows a window with a clip of Sulaiman’s speech and subtitles that show part of his speech, where he says: “And my disabled global family is everything to me.” Underneath, there are two lines of white text; on the top line it says “COMMUNITY PERSON OF THE YEAR” and on the bottom line it says “Sulaiman Khan, (COMMA) ThisAbility”
IMAGE 3 DESCRIPTION: Sulaiman (who is wearing his gold sequinned blazer, his black badge with white text that says “CREATE AGITATE EDUCATE”, dragon and floral print silk purple short-sleeved shirt, and his skinny black jeans with silver metallic thread throughout) is sitting in his power wheelchair with his award on his lap. He is smiling hugely, feeling very happy and proud.
IMAGE 4 DESCRIPTION: Closeup headshot of Sulaiman. He is smiling hugely, feeling very happy and proud.
IMAGE 5 DESCRIPTION: Closeup of of Sulaiman’s COMMUNITY PERSON OF THE YEAR award on his lap.