These are my first and last photos with the belated Stella Young, one of most inspiring disability activist here in Australia, a member of Victorian Disability Advisory Council, a journalist, the editor of ABC's Ramp Up Website (an online space for news and discussion about disability in Australia), a very well known comedian in Australia, a regular panelist on ABC television programs, and more.
I remember how excited and proud I was for specially selected and invited to attend a breakfast discussion with Stella Young, exactly three months ago by tomorrow, December 3rd, 2014. I approached her before the session started and she was very friendly and warmth. When I told her that I follow her at her Instagram, she immediately respond by saying, "Let's take selfie and posted at ours" :)) She even made funny face pose for the photos taken from her iPhone :)) I told her that I admire her works and it's my wish while living and studying in Australia to one day I'll have an opportunity to meet with her and Julia Gillard, my two favourite Australian women. She then told me, "You've met Julia too now through me, because she's my friend and I just met her! I'll tell her about you, Lia". :)) We then spent few minutes before she start her session by talking about the challenge in taking social campaign towards disability, about my study and interest, and she shared some funny stories and jokes about her wheelchair. By the end of the event before she left, she came to me and my other friends from Nepal and Mongolia, and asking us to keep continue our work on advocating disability issues. She specially encouraged me to learn more and keep myself curious and research on my most interest area on disability issue: disability and sexuality. It was a nice breakfast discussion facilitated by the DFAT for the selected Australian Awards awardees comes from many different developing countries. For us, meeting her in person, learn from her experience as person with disability and her amazing works towards disability in Australia is very inspiring, things that we can bring home when we all return to our home countries and motivated us to work more on this issue. I remember I left the venue with a happy and proud feeling inside. Not only because I can finally meet her, but I also bring all those encouragement and knowledge sharing that she shared with us.
Life works in mysterious way and death is also equally mysterious. A very cheerful, energetic, funny, full of jokes and laugh Stella Young I met for the first time, was unexpectedly died three days after, on December 6th, 2014, at the age of 32 years old. I was cried when I heard the news on the morning news of Channel 24. She was too young to die. So much thing that I know she still want to do and we all still need her to do and to keep inspiring us (despite she used to say "I am not your inspiration"). We need her to speak more about the issue to even broader audiences and society outside Australia. But as her friend and a Ram Up colleague, Karen Valenzuela, says, "there will always be Stella Young in this world, as long as we continue her legacy of calling out injustice and demanding better'.
I'll keep this memory forever, Stella. I hope I can do and contribute better to this issue, as what you had done to your community and country. Rest in Peace, Stella. You're a beautiful young woman with beautiful heart. In heaven you are now.
Autumn 2015, March 2nd.
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