Emily White

National Diversity Award winner 2019 positive role model, campaigner and comic book hero

‘Emily, 14, is an independent and vocal disability campaigner, passionate about seeing equality for her and others in the disabled community. She is also the star of ground-breaking comic book, The Department of Ability. Emily has Spina bifida, hydrocephalus, scoliosis, PDA autism and Chiari. Emily is a powerful wheelchair user and a martial arts expert.

In 2019 Emily’s short story was published in a young writer’s anthology, helping change the narrative around childhood disability. Emily wants all children, whatever their abilities to be seen for all they can contribute and achieve.

Emily, also last year, won the prestigious National Diversity Award for positive role model. She is also nominated for a BBC Radio Solent community heroes award, all for her relentless campaign work.

Emily has influenced social change from overseeing access improvements for local play parks, to the opening of several Changing Places accessible toilets. She is an ambassador for Parallel London, the CFDA (campaign for disability awareness) and Variety the children’s charity. All this as well as taking part in three Great South Runs, raising money for charity.

With her mission of inclusion still ongoing for disabled children worldwide, Emily and her family delivered a 40,000 strong petition to Downing Street calling for a minister for disabled children and families.

Emily has appeared on BBC News, Channel 5, Newsround, SKY TV, and many more. She famously took the boys team from the BBC’s apprentice down a peg or two on television, criticizing their comic design for being neither inclusive nor representative.