Rebel Justice - changing the way you see justice

Episode 9: Anna Smith Higgs

February 07, 2022 Rebel Justice - The View Magazine Season 1 Episode 9
Rebel Justice - changing the way you see justice
Episode 9: Anna Smith Higgs
Rebel Justice - changing the way you see justice +
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Show Notes Transcript

In today’s episode of our Someone's Daughter Podcast Series, we’ll hear from activist and campaigner Anna Smith Higgs, a blogger, public speaker, radio host, and also, a stroke survivor who is advocating for acceptance, body positivity and disability rights. She talks about her experience of being a disabled performer, and her involvement with our campaign Someone’s Daughter. Recently Anna has started performing her Burlesque routine at London's spectacular Proud Cabaret on the Embankment.


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Speaker 1:

We want to change the way you see justice. Welcome to the View Magazine's, Revel Justice podcast. This is the ninth podcast of our campaign. Someone's daughter, someone's daughter, is an insightful photography exhibition, which brings together world leading photographers to take portraits of women, campaigners survivors, activists, and high profile leaders. It strives to change the way we perceive the rights of women in the criminal justice system and aims to provide constructive solutions to transform this broken and unequal system. In today's episode, we'll hear from activists and campaigner, Anna Smith Higgs, a blogger, public speaker, radio host, and also a stroke survivor who is advocating for acceptance, body positivity and disability rights. She talks about her experience of being a disabled performer and her involvement with our campaign, someone's daughter. Recently, Anna has started performing her burlesque routine at London's spectacular, proud cabaret on the embankment. So thank you so much. Anna Smith, Higgs over to you.

Speaker 2:

My name is Anna Smith Higgs. I suffered a major stroke on Christmas Day 2004, a month after my son was born. I was in hospital for six months afterwards, and I was told that I'd never be able to walk again. I've suffered with, um, disabilities. I walk with a limp. I've had a toe removed. My right arm doesn't work, and I'm partially cited in both eyes. This is very challenging for me, um, to come to terms with the, with the whole thing. It was a massive, massive, massive shock. And mental health has been a huge, huge part of my journey. Realizing, accepting that I'm not the person that I once was, that I've now become a new person. I found my love of burlesque. I've tried lots and lots of different crazy things throughout my journey, and burlesque is one that's stuck. I now, um, have a residency at Proud Cabaret on the embankment. It's, it's my life story. It's my story of how I was before the stroke, what I'm like now. I show my disabilities. I show what I can and I can't do. And whilst doing this, images are projected all around the venue and behind me of pictures of before the stroke, being in hospital with my son. Um, beautiful, beautiful pictures of me that have been taken professionally. And it says words and the ending part of the song, it says 173 people would've suffered a stroke whilst this act has been performed, which I think is very, very important to realize that in five minutes, 173 people have suffered a stroke, which is life changing and devastating. I've experienced, um, discrimination along the way. Um, people have said to me, You can't park in that disabled spot. You are not disabled. And when I say to'em, I've had a stroke, they're like, You're, you're far too young to have a stroke. Strokes only happen to old people. Oh yeah, I was 24 years old and I had a stroke. I've experienced discrimination as well whilst, um, performing my act at some shows. I'm given the disabled toilet while all of the other performers are upstairs laughing and joking and getting ready, and I'm stuck downstairs in a disabled toilet because I can't make it up the stairs. Discrimination affects every single part of a person's life. Everybody has experienced some discrimination at some point, be that because the criminal justice system isn't fair or because you're disabled like me and can't perform as well as other people or are seen as, as different and less worthy than other people. Doing someone's daughter was quite important to me to take part in. I was asked to take part by Farra, um, who found me on Instagram and found my story and said how much she loved it, and I asked whether she could draw me. And of course I said, Yes, her work is fantastic. And then she asked me to take part in someone's daughter and someone's daughter. To me, it's quite a po piece because someone's daughter to me shows the different walks of life that there are out there, the different kinds of people, the differences, and the beauty that is in life. We are all someone's daughter. I hope that people will see this exhibition and realize that without the different, the different people in this world, life would be boring. Life would not be fun. Life is different. It is exciting. It's so important to see the different walks of life, the different, the differences in people, how people live their lives. Because if everybody was the same, it would be a very, very, very boring world. We need differences. We need different people. We need different walks of lives, and the world deserves to see how wonderful we all are. The world deserves to see that we are someone's daughter, we are worthy, we are fantastic. We are amazing. We are all special and unique. I am Anna Smith Higgs, a stroke survivor, disabled. I am someone's sister. I am someone's mother, and I am someone's daughter.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much, Anna Smith Higgs for sharing your life story with us. We are all someone's daughters who need justice and equality. This brings a close to our ninth podcast, a solo contribution by our special guest, Anna Smith Higgs, who advocates for disability rights and campaigns for stroke prevention. We are honored that you took part in Stand with our sisters, mothers and daughters incarcerated. Someone's daughter features photographs of women, survivors of the criminal justice system, together with world class lawyers, leaders, activists, and campaigners. Through the stories of the portrait subjects, we can examine the law through a gendered lens. You can go online for details of the exhibition and image of the portraits of our inspiring portfolio. You can also visit the View Magazine and be inspired by these shocking narratives and constructive solutions. Thank you for listening.