Cassandra Chiu > Quotes

“In hindsight, I realise that the process of coming to terms with a disability can be a long and arduous road; nobody and nothing can replace the self-determination required to be responsible for one's self... Yet freedom to mobility, education and employment for folks like me who are disabled cannot be built upon mere determination and tenacity. It also requires society to believe that every one of us sharing this earth deserves an equal chance to realise our potential. A new social culture where there are firstly legislative frameworks in place to offer persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to real education and fair employment as well as to encourage society to be ready and willing to do so is necessary.”
― Cassandra Chiu

“The practical side of me says it's okay if we gain something by allowing our dignity to be thrashed, but the reality is that by not defending ourselves and avoiding conflict, we lose our independence--not to our impairment or disability, but to handicapping attitudes. Should we allow ourselves to be bullied, giving in to the point where we have nowhere to stand, then this will be expected of us, always,.. Equality is a necessity, and not a fancy concept we should be striving for. An equal place for every person on this earth should be protected.”
― Cassandra Chiu, A Place For Us

“During the course of writing this book I have come to realise the enormous effort needed to put a person first before their disability, how cumbersome the sentence can be, and I applaud those who try. In my opinion, until we can put the person first in day-to-day realities like education and employment, it really makes little difference how disability is labelled.”
― Cassandra Chiu, A Place For Us