Giancarlo de Vera

Hi, I’m Giancarlo de Vera, and I am an ambassador for International Day of People with Disability.

My disabilities, a lot of them are psychosocial in nature.

I find it really hard to regulate my emotions. I find it really hard to have just general executive functioning. Sometimes I find it very difficult to think clearly, concentrate, because I’m always feeling overwhelmed. [Laughs.]

I’m a success story in a lot of ways. I graduated from law school, even though it took me double the time to do it.

For me the most important thing when I think about all the identities I hold as a human being, is the fact that this is a common experience. There are so many queer people, of colour, who are disabled.

What’s missing is people like me, talking about experiences and solutions to our experiences and our problems and issues, together.

So what drives me in having these intersecting identities is the ability to start the conversation and to continue the conversation. And ultimately find the opportunities where we can be our full selves — our full, authentic selves.

The first thing that will benefit the community is to get rid of every assumption that it is about disability.

Everyone’s experience with disability is unique. The disability community is incredibly diverse.

I think about the fact that people like me don’t think they can be leaders. When you’ve got people who have diverse experiences and who are natural problem-solvers, they make great leaders.

So I need people who have diverse experiences to think that they are leaders, because you are a leader.