Nominated by MISSives Guest Editor, Margherita Dall’Occo-Vaccaro
Tori is a local on Ngunnawal Ngambri land who works as COVID nurse and is a fierce disability advocate, particularly in being a founding member of the Disability Justice Network.
Every morning I wake up and go on my silly little Instagram and wait to see what Tori has posted and what silly adventure they may be getting up to today. As a disabled person, the balance between rest and play, advocacy as work and advocacy as having to fight for my own rights, fighting for community and enjoying community, can often become blurred.
We have lost the sacred art of rest and enjoyment as being an empowering activity, and often in the work that I do, I can forget how important a balance between the two is. Tori reminds me that work and play is not only important, but essential. That we can advocate and enjoy our other hobbies.
As a COVID nurse, Tori is and has been on the frontlines of the pandemic, and works hard to remind the community that it isn’t over.
I want to be Tori when I grow up.
