This panel examines the importance of deep and meaningful relationships to the well-being of persons with disability. The speakers will discuss common assumptions about the impact of disability on a variety of relationships, from friendships to romantic, parent-child relationships or workplace relationships. Visually-impaired artist Claire Teo and co-creators Firdaus Jaafar and Wan Wai Yee of Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out), together with the author of Can I Love?, Oh Boon Keng, who was born with muscular dystrophy, share their insights on stigma and forming authentic connections with persons with disability. The speakers will also talk about how art and writing offer fresh ways to negotiate and challenge normative attitudes towards disability. This is a collaboration between Unseen Art Initiatives and the publishing house Pagesetters Services.

Speakers: Claire Teo, Wan Wai Yee, Firdhaus, Oh Boon Keng
Moderated by: Andrew Ng

Wan Wai Yee, Co-creator.
Wai Yee is a talented and experienced singer who has been performing since 1995. Her repertoire extends from popular music to broadway musical numbers. She has sung for major and private events and has recently ventured into storytelling and acting. Through candid and humorous anecdotes, her sound work takes on a poignant tone as it educates us about the social stigmas surrounding visual impairment and gives fresh perspective to the word “porn.”.

Firdhaus, Co-Creator
Currently pursuing his Diploma in Community Development at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Firdhaus is a 21-year-old who aspires to be a social worker in the future. His sound work sheds light on the process of grieving through the cherished memories of his late father. Firdaus seeks to understand and empathise with people of diverse communities, especially disabled communities, to develop innovative ways to elevate their burdens and provide access.

Claire Teo, Lead Artist.
Claire Teo graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts’ Diploma in Performance in 2019, the first visually impaired person in Singapore to do so. Closely mentored by Artist-Educator and Disability Arts Specialist, Peter Sau, Teo saw the need for more communities to have access to arts education, and began developing and teaching drama curriculums for persons with diverse abilities. She is now the Academic Director of Talent Academy (a division of Singapore Raffles Music College), as well as a scriptwriter and director for PLAYInc Pte Ltd. In the long run, she hopes to work closely with her fellow disabled artists to advance the disability arts scene towards true inclusive practice, creating art with different communities that empowers and encourages awareness and social change.

Oh Boon Keng, Author, “Can I Love?”
Oh Boon Keng was born with muscular dystrophy – a genetic disease that causes his muscles to weaken over time. Despite his disability, Oh wants to lead as “normal” a life as he can, and not be seen as “special” just because of his disability. He only ever wanted to get good grades, a good job, make many friends, fall in love, get married… However, Oh learnt that an ordinary life is not always as easily attainable as it seems: many things are difficult to achieve due to his disability and barriers in society. In particular, he encountered failure time and again in his pursuit of romantic love. As a person with disability, he found it a challenge to speak openly about matters of the heart. Now, as he enters his 30s, Oh has finally mustered the courage to discuss his experiences publicly in his first book Can I Love?.

Andrew Ng, Panel Moderator
Since 2013, Ng has been volunteering actively at HCA Hospice Care as a general volunteer, Young Caregivers (yCG) facilitator and a longstanding emcee for events like the biannual Sunflower Remembrance Day and the annual Starpals Remembrance Day. For the past five years, he has been volunteer manager and lead for culture and organisational development at HCA Hospice Care.