Powerful speakers show that dyslexia can be a gift not a problem

Speakers at the event: (L-R) Tonisha Tagoe, Gershom J. Allen, Gaby Holford, Pennie Aston, Jannette Morgan; photo Julian Jackson

The annual Aspire2inspire Dyslexia (A2i) evening is always worth waiting for. Wandsworth saw a remarkable line-up of inspirational dyslexic people who showed how being bullied or called “stupid” in school was not going to stop them achieving their ambitions. Elizabeth Kwarteng-Amaning, the founder and CEO of the non-profit organisation, said “Welcome to our third year of inspirational dyslexic speakers who will share their stories, and how their struggles resulted in inspiration. Some of these speakers changed my life completely.”

Downstairs at Caius House in SW11 there was an exhibition of organisations and equipment vendors who help dyslexics and people with other challenges. The team behind Irlen glasses – which assist people who have reading problems due to imperfect colour vision, and the C-pen which scans and reads information, were there.

Tonisha Tagoe, a dyslexic lecturer, introduced the event, with the first speaker being Margaret Rooke, an author who is not dyslexic but has written several acclaimed books about dyslexia and has a dyslexic daughter: Creative, Successful, Dyslexic, interviewed various successful dyslexics; and the wryly-named Dyslexia is My Superpower (Most of the Time) takes a positive view of dyslexia in children and adults. Margaret advises “Focus on your strengths.”

The next speaker was Jasmine “Jazzy” Hearts, a 13 year old dyslexic, bullied at school, who has become a speaker and ambassador for dyslexia. Many people in the audience identified with her struggles as schools can be very cruel places to anyone who seems a bit “different”. She uses her gift for speaking to help other people now. Councillor Ian Lewer, the Deputy Mayor of Wandsworth Council, who came out publicly as dyslexic at last year’s event, said he was lucky enough to be diagnosed early and got special schooling, and extra time in exams which enabled him to start on a successful career.

After a food break the second session started with a non-dyslexic, Jannette Morgan, who supports people with dyslexia, who amazed the attendees by giving her speech in poetry. It was hard for anyone to follow that. Pennie Aston, the Founder of GroOops dyslexia charity and Gaby Holford a nutritionist and healer gave presentations on different aspects of having a positive lifestyle.

Gershom J. Allen is a very forceful speaker who says “It is all about accepting who you are, before you can become” (that is, who you want to be). His journey took him from being beaten at school in Montserrat for not being able to read, to working his way up in a factory from sweeping the floor to supervisor. “Every person with dyslexia has a gift. There are special people that are meant to do great things.” He became a coach, and a motivational speaker, like his heroes such as Tony Robbins.

Many of the speakers were quite candid about their struggles and the psychological pain of undiagnosed dyslexia, although it does seem that schools are getting better at spotting this early on and getting help to those who need it.

(L-R) Elizabeth Kwarteng-Amaning with Pennie Aston and Tonisha Tagoe

Overall it showed that many dyslexics find a different path in life – using their artistic, verbal, intuitive or empathic skills to benefit themselves and wider society, and that dyslexia can be a “gift” rather than a handicap.

www.a2idyslexia.org.uk

Julian Jackson is Wandsworth Chamber’s blogger, whose interests encompass technology, cryptocurrencies and blockchain, the environment, as well as photography and film. His portfolio is here:

https://julianj.journoportfolio.com www.brightgreenpr.co.uk www.bitcoin-consultancy.co.uk

Battersea resident launches NGO to provide free immigration advice to EEA citizens and their families

Isabella Mosselmans, a 23 year old law graduate from Battersea, has set up a new NGO to provide free immigration services to EU/EEA citizens and their families during and beyond the Brexit process.

The NGO, known as ‘Here for Good’, says it will assist with the fight for a clear and fair policy on EEA citizens’ rights by providing a free and comprehensive legal advice to those most affected and in most need.

The charity’s launch coincided with the publication of ACT NOW, a free and comprehensive guide commissioned by Here for Good. The guide, written by immigration and public law experts, sets out the practical steps individuals should take to secure their rights in the UK. It can be downloaded from Here for Good’s website here: https://www.hereforgoodlaw.org/the-guide

The founder of the charity, and Wandsworth constituent, Isabella, is curently a trainee solicitor at the immigration and asylum law firm Wesley Gryk Solicitors – one of the firms that helped write the Guide.

After having conducted extensive research, Isabella found that there was a shocking lack of organisations that provided free, or even affordable, immigration advice to EU citizens and their families in the UK. This inspired her and her friend, Tahmid Chowdhury, to set up Here for Good.

Having launched their Guide, Here for Good is due to set up a free advisory service over the next few months. The Charity will employ full-time caseworkers across the UK to provide free high-quality immigration advice to the most in-need citizens, and assist them with applications to secure their status.

Isabella stated: “With extensive support from my law firm, Wesley Gryk LLP, and also Bindmans LLP, Here for Good has created a Guide that will help tangibly improve people’s lives. At best, EEA citizens and their families are facing uncertainty in the aftermath of the referendum – our guide combats that, and our proposed advisory service will further enable people to take action to protect their rights in the UK”.

Prior to embarking on a career in immigration law, Isabella attended the London School of Economics, where she was nominated one of the university’s top 20 inspirational women in 2015 for her volunteer and campaign work. In her spare time, she helps run free-evening legal advice clinics at the Wandsworth branch of South West London Law Centres, runs a charitable project that funds the education of children in Sierra Leone, and sits on the Policy and Programmes Committee of a leading UK NGO.

Here for Good is currently in the process of fundraising to implement its advisory service. If you are interested in supporting its work, or would like more information about the upcoming service, please email: contact@hereforgoodlaw.com.