Sinéad Burke: Why design should include everyone
Sinéad Burke amplifies voices and instigates curious conversations. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
you're 105 and a half centimeters tall.
by airline assistants in a wheelchair.
to get through.
security, preclearance
services in the airport
is just not designed with me in mind.
to lift my carry-on bag
for safety purposes cannot help me
and my independence.
it isn't all bad.
is like business class.
and society that remind me.
is an excruciating experience.
a bin that I can turn upside down.
four- to six-inch reach,
with my iPhone.
had in mind when he designed the iPhone,
is that I approach a stranger.
outside my cubicle door.
without washing my hands.
every single day
hand dryer and mirror
is somewhat of an option.
the lock on the door,
the hand dryer and the mirror.
can transfer across with ease.
and necessary innovation,
a new project or idea as accessible,
are not being accommodated for?
upon me in much more casual ways too,
as ordering a cup of coffee.
to wean myself off the syrup.
it's not designed well,
beside the pastry cabinet
points to my existence
and I move along to collect my coffee.
that I have paid for
on the clothes that I want to wear.
that reflect my personality.
in the childrenswear department.
requires far too many alterations.
professionalism and sophistication.
with Velcro straps and light-up shoes.
to light-up shoes.
on such simple things,
to a seating position with grace.
of design heights of chairs,
that it might tip over at any stage.
a bathroom, a coffee shop, or clothes,
it has given me an opportunity
as a blogger and as an activist,
of circuses and freak shows.
to be a little person,
the condition of achondroplasia.
the most common form of dwarfism.
as "without cartilage formation."
and achondroplastic facial features,
one in every 20,000 births.
are born to two average-height parents.
could have a child with achondroplasia.
to have been born into a family
my curiosity and my tenacity,
and ignorance of strangers
creativity and confidence
the physical environment and society.
why I am successful,
and I am a loved child,
with a lot of sass and sarcasm,
into who I am today
to create function and beauty.
upon people's lives,
we can feel included in the world,
we can uphold a person's dignity
your perceptions challenged.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sinéad Burke - Writer, educatorSinéad Burke amplifies voices and instigates curious conversations.
Why you should listen
Since her first days of elementary school, Sinéad Burke has understood the power of education to combat ignorance, to challenge the status quo and to give agency to the most vulnerable. She wanted to become a teacher -- one who ensured that children felt represented, listened to and safe in her classroom -- and she graduated at the top of her class, receiving the Vere Foster Medal from Marino Institute of Education.
Through writing, public speaking and social media, Burke highlights the lack of inclusivity within the fashion industry and encourages the industry to design for and with disabled people. She critiques the ways in which the media talks about and to women, offering an alternative conversation that celebrates the achievements of others with her "Extraordinary Women" interview series.
Burke has visited schools, workplaces, government agencies and the White House to facilitate honest conversations about education, disability, fashion and accessibility. She advocates for the inclusion of all and challenges officials to legislate with most marginalized in our communities.
Bure is currently undertaking a PhD in Trinity College, Dublin on human rights education that specifically comments on the ways in which schools allow children to have a voice. She values kindness, empathy and volunteerism, and she is an ambassador for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Irish Girl Guides.
Sinéad Burke | Speaker | TED.com