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How lived experience, visibility and advocacy are creating new possibilities for people with intellectual disability
When people tell Asteria Grace she cannot do something, her response is simple.
“Watch me.”
She does not say it quietly, or defensively.
But she does say it with confidence, purpose and a clear understanding of who she is.
Asteria is a disability advocate, a social media influencer and recently crowned Miss Australian Legacy International, placing second overall while representing Australia on the world stage.
She also has autism.
Her journey into advocacy did not begin with a title or a platform. It began with frustration.
“People really annoyed me,” she says. “They kept telling me, ‘You can’t do this. You can’t do that.’ Whether it was because of my disability or because I’m curvy, I just thought, watch me.”
So, she did.
Asteria went home, searched for pageants online and applied. Then she applied again. And again.
What started as defiance quickly became something much bigger, a way to challenge assumptions, reclaim space and show what is possible when people with intellectual disability are visible, confident and unapologetically themselves.
Advocacy Starts with Being Seen
For Asteria, advocacy is not about fitting into a pre-defined box. In fact, she believes those boxes never existed in the first place.
“We keep trying to get people to fit into these boxes that don’t exist,” she says. “Most people fall into a minority group in some way, whether they realise it or not.
If you wear glasses, use hearing aids, are dyslexic, left-handed or even have red hair or green eyes, these are all minority experiences. Yet we still expect everyone to fit the same mould.”
That belief underpins everything Asteria does, particularly online.
Across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, she uses her platforms not only to share her life but to shift perceptions about disability, autism, confidence and representation.
Each platform serves a different purpose. Facebook allows her to connect with community and decision-makers. Instagram gives her space to communicate visually, which is especially important during periods when she is non-verbal. TikTok, she says, is where reach truly expands.
“The algorithm doesn’t care if people agree with you,” she laughs. “Even hate comments boost reach. If someone tells me I’m not a model, I just think, great, you’re helping me reach more people.”
“I look for the positive spin.”
That mindset is not naïve optimism. It is strategy, resilience and lived experience rolled into one.
Advocacy, for Asteria, is not about asking permission. It is about taking up space so others can see themselves doing the same.
Turning Visibility into Opportunity
Asteria’s advocacy has opened doors, not just for herself but for others.
Her partnership with Endeavour Foundation grew organically through shared values and a commitment to amplifying lived experience.
“I’d been following Endeavour Foundation for a while,” she says. “Then I met staff at an event, told them I’d entered Miss Australian Legacy and they said, ‘You need to reach out.’ I’m so glad I did.”
Together, Asteria and Endeavour Foundation are leveraging their combined reach to show advocacy in action, not as a concept but as something lived every day by people with intellectual disability across workplaces and communities.
Two of those voices are Alex Baker and Renee Kelly.
Advocacy in Action, Alex’s perspective
Alex has been part of Endeavour Foundation for many years and sees advocacy as something that must be visible and ongoing.
“Just because someone has a disability doesn’t mean they can’t do something,” he says. “That assumption is still one of the biggest barriers, especially in employment.”
As a data assistant in the Home and Community team, Alex supports reporting and compliance while also using every opportunity to advocate more broadly.
“Being a face of Endeavour, doing interviews, having my photo out there, it all matters. Advocacy is about speaking up, not just for yourself but for others who may not always have that chance.”
For Alex, the message to employers is straightforward, give people a fair go.
“You’d be surprised at what people can do when they’re given the opportunity.”
Finding Confidence Through Inclusion, Renee’s Story
For Renee Kelly, advocacy is closely tied to opportunity.
Her role as a reports administration assistant is her first permanent full-time position, a milestone she describes as life changing.
“It’s meant the world to me,” Renee says. “It’s opened up opportunities, helped me build new skills and make meaningful connections.”
Renee advocates by sharing her experiences, including previous employment challenges and by speaking directly with decision-makers, including the NDIS Minister.
“I think people’s misconceptions about what we can and can’t do often stop us before we even get started,” she says. “We need to be given a chance to show our skills.”
For Renee, inclusion in the workplace means acceptance, of strengths, challenges and the support people may need to succeed.
“We all matter,” she says. “We’re all capable if we’re given the chance.”
A Collective Voice for What is Possible
Together, these stories show that advocacy does not look one way. It can begin quietly with a first opportunity and grow into confidence, leadership and change.
For Asteria, the goal is clear.
“I want to conquer the world,” she says. “I want to advocate full-time. I want to see more people realise just how powerful they are.”
And when that realisation clicks, when confidence replaces doubt, that is where advocacy truly begins.
At Endeavour Foundation, we believe voices like Asteria’s, Alex’s and Renee’s matter. Because when people with intellectual disability are heard, seen and supported, they do not just change perceptions, they change what is possible.
Are you ready to be part of that change?
Discover how Endeavour Foundation supports people with disability to build confidence, find their voice and advocate for what matters to them.
Reach your goals with Endeavour Foundation
Whether you want a job, to learn life skills, live independently or speak up for yourself, we are here to support you every step of the way.
Our services empower people with disability to shape their own future and realise what is possible.
