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REDEFINING DISABILITY

By Sophia Tan

Amidst grey skies and heavy rain, the purple parade drew a record turnout of over 4,000.

With people clad in the events official colour (which represents royalty), the carnival and

parade at Hong Lim Park was covered in a sea of purple. Also marking this yearsInternational Day of Persons with Disabilities, the event aims to promote inclusiveness of

individuals with disabilities and special needs.

The purple parade saw 40 organisations coming together to raise awareness on the cause.According to the movements adviser, Ms Denise Phua, the event serves as a unified

platform for supporters of the special needs community to come together. Ms Phua, the

president of the Autism Resource Centre and co-founder of Pathlight School, is known as

a disability rights activist. In person, she embodies a gentle, strong demeanor, like that of

a motherly figure.

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After the first series of performances, Guest of Honour Mr Lawrence Wong addressed the

crowd and ushered the start of the parade march past. The heavy rain impeded the

movement of the parade contingents, but it did not dampen the spirit of the community.

Soon, 50 volunteers formed a covered linkway with their umbrellas, allowing the

contingents to move to the parade square without getting drenched. The parade contingent

was a colourful and lively spectacle participants waved, cheered and danced to the

crowd with their unique props.

Over at the carnival booths, associations showcased their work, sold crafts and

accessories. At one of them, students from Pathlights Artist Development Programme

(ADP) showcased their artworks. The ADP is a signature programme that uncovers the

artistic talents of Pathlights students, where professional artists are engaged to work with

students.

According to Mr Ng Geok Seng, teacher in charge of ADP, the programme was in

development for a few years and started with a small group of five students. Today, it has

grown to over 20 in strength. In 2012, the programme won the SPED (special education)

Innovation award.

My biggest joy is to see them progress and enrich themselves through art, showing

confidence, independence and self-reliance. In the process of experimenting with different

materials, this will help them in their daily decision-making, he added.

Among his students, I was lucky enough to catch 17-year-old Glenn Phua in action,

working on a drawing. Glenn exhibits a high level of detail in his drawings with his high

stamina ink work, a style that is similar to that of Mr Stephen Wiltshire (the renowned

British artist with autism). He is a student that has flourished under ADP, gaining

recognition and personal fulfillment from his work. In 2010, he won Formula Ones UBS

art competition. Since then, he has exhibited and sold his work at galleries or exhibitions.

According to his father, Mr Phua, Glenn had also been previously commissioned to work

on drawings.

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While interviewing Glenn, I was struck by his courteousness. He said thank you

repeatedly, expressing that he was enjoying himself at the parade. Glenn is particularly

fond of drawing sceneries and buildings, spending hours working on a drawing.

With such a large turnout, the event truly felt like a celebration. Families, couples, friends

and people from all walks of life attended the event, lending support to the cause. The

positive mood throughout the event was refreshing. At the same time, it challenged my

assumptions about special needs individuals. The purple parade redefines what being

disabled means, reminding us that we should look beyond labels.

(Published version here)

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