Queen Mary graduate listed among top 100 most influential disabled people in the UK

Emily Rose Yates, who graduated from Queen Mary with a BA in English in 2013, has been listed among the Shaw Trust’s Power 100

Since its inception five years ago, the Shaw Trust Power 100 List has gone from strength to strength. Over the years it has allowed the Shaw Trust to encourage businesses, employers and other organisations to reflect on opportunities available for disabled people.

The list plays a vital role in providing much needed encouragement to the young and talented leaders of tomorrow, allowing them to see that aspiration and ambition can be fulfilled regardless of disability.

Success after Queen Mary

Emily Rose Yates studied for her degree at Queen Mary’s School of English and Drama graduating with a BA in English in 2013. She is now studying for a PhD in Women’s Studies at the University of York and also works as an Accessibility Consultant.

Emily Rose Yates said: “Moving to London to study at Queen Mary didn’t just build my academic skills and solidify my passion for city living; it also encouraged me to network and collaborate with others, both in seminars and at outside events. This is something I now do a lot of as an accessibility consultant, and I definitely have my time at Queen Mary to thank for that!”

After volunteering at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Emily was invited to Rio de Janeiro by the British Consulate to speak on the importance of access and inclusion ahead of the 2016 Games. Whilst there, she was offered a role as Accessibility Consultant for MetroRio, the underground transport system for the city. Over the next two years, she advised on modernisations of existing stations, conducted risk assessments, trained staff and worked with architects to create plans for an accessible transport line to the Olympic Park.

Supporting access and inclusion

Now an accessibility consultant in the UK, Emily is the inclusive design associate at CCD Design and Ergonomics and has most recently worked with Heathrow Airport to update their Access and Inclusion Standards for passengers and staff.

Emily frequently presents and writes on disability issues, having fronted several documentaries for BBC Three and written for the Guardian, the Independent and Telegraph Travel. She authored the Lonely Planet Guide to Accessible Rio de Janeiro, endorsed by the International Paralympic Committee and available to download by athletes, tourists and locals alike ahead of the 2016 Games.

A wheelchair user herself, Emily is also a disability awareness trainer and manages a campaign called Undressing Disability, championing the right for disabled people to have access to sexual expression.

More information

• Study English at Queen Mary
• Read more about the Shaw Trust’s Power 100.

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