“Why Representation Matters and Why I Choose to Speak Up” – Kris Foster

Summary

We spoke with Kris about disability, representation, and what it means to grow up without seeing yourself reflected anywhere.

Representation isn’t just about visibility. It shapes how people understand themselves, how they’re treated, and what they’re allowed to imagine for their own future. For many young disabled people, the absence of representation isn’t theoretical. It’s something they feel every day in classrooms, in media, and in the systems they move through. When you grow up without seeing anyone who shares your experiences, it can make your world feel smaller than it needs to be.

Kris Foster knows this firsthand. As the cofounder of Project Nemo, he works to challenge the structures and assumptions that keep disabled voices on the margins. Project Nemo began as a simple conversation and has grown into a movement centred on accessibility, representation, and cultural change. Kris also created Open Book, a storytelling platform that shines a light on real people overcoming real challenges, turning their stories into powerful reminders that every voice deserves to be heard.

His work is rooted in lived experience, not theory. And in this conversation, Kris speaks openly about what it means to grow up without representation, why it matters, and how change actually happens.

You’ve been active in advocacy. What drives you to take on that role?

“For a long time, I did not see myself reflected in the world around me. That absence shaped how I understood my place in it and ultimately why I choose to speak up and take on an advocacy role.

Advocacy for me comes from lived experience rather than theory. I have spent my life navigating systems that were not designed with me in mind, and that experience stays with you. For a long time I simply tried to cope quietly, but I realised that silence allows exclusion to continue unchallenged. Speaking up is not about attention. It is about responsibility. Through my work, I now have the opportunity to help shape conversations and challenge structures that exclude, and I take that responsibility seriously. I want to help create a world where the next generation does not have to fight the same battles just to be seen, heard, or included.”

Why do you think representation of disabled people in media and education is so important?

“Representation shapes what society believes is possible. It also shapes what disabled people believe about themselves. When disabled people are missing from media and education, or shown only through stereotypes, it reinforces low expectations and pity rather than capability and leadership. Seeing disabled people represented as professionals, creatives, leaders, and decision makers helps shift disability from limitation to just another element of human diversity.”

How has the lack or presence of representation affected your own experiences growing up?

“Growing up, I rarely saw anyone like me represented in a positive or meaningful way. That absence sends quiet but powerful messages: that you do not belong; that your future will be smaller than everyone else’s. It took years to unlearn those messages and to recognise my own value. That experience is one of the reasons representation matters so much to me now. When young people can see themselves reflected, it gives them permission to imagine bigger lives.”

What advice would you give to educators, policymakers, or community leaders who want to create more inclusive environments?

“The most important step is to listen to disabled people directly and involve them from the beginning, rather than as an afterthought. Inclusion is not about adding extra support to people who are struggling. It is about removing barriers that never needed to exist in the first place. When systems are designed with flexibility and dignity at their core, everyone benefits – not just disabled people.”

What advice would you give to young people with a disability who want to become advocates themselves?

“Your lived experience is expertise and it matters. You do not need to be an expert in policy or have a large platform to make a difference. Advocacy can be quiet, personal, and local, and it can grow over time. Just as importantly, it is okay to rest. Protecting your energy and setting boundaries is not a weakness. It is how advocacy becomes sustainable rather than exhausting.”

Putting Representation Into Action

Kris’s insights highlight something educators see all the time: representation isn’t an abstract principle, it’s a practical factor that shapes how young people engage with learning. His work with Project Nemo and Open Book shows how visibility and lived experience can shift conversations that have been stuck for too long. Broadening whose voices inform the conversation and whose experiences guide the work.  

At SEND Tutoring, we see similar patterns in education. When a young person never encounters a story, role model, or environment that reflects their experience, it shapes how they participate in learning. When they do see themselves represented, even in small ways, it can change how they approach challenges, how they advocate for themselves, and how they imagine their future. Those shifts often start in small, everyday decisions like the books we choose, the examples we use, the assumptions we challenge.

For tutors and teachers, there are straightforward ways to build this into practice. Diversifying learning materials is one of the simplest steps: choosing texts, case studies, and media that reflect a range of bodies, minds, and experiences. Normalising different ways of learning, whether through flexible pacing, alternative formats, or varied communication styles, helps students feel that their needs aren’t exceptions but part of the design. Inviting students to share their perspectives, when they want to, can create a classroom culture where difference is recognised without being singled out.

There are also useful resources for educators who want to deepen their understanding. Disability-led organisations such as Disability Rights UK and the Alliance for Inclusive Education offer guidance grounded in lived experience. Universal Design for Learning frameworks provide practical tools for making lessons more accessible from the start. For those looking to expand representation in curriculum materials, platforms that centre disabled voices, including projects like Open Book, can be an excellent starting point.

Kris’s perspective is a reminder that inclusion isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about the cumulative impact of thoughtful choices.  As educators and advocates, our role is to make those decisions intentionally, so that every learner has the chance to feel seen, supported, and understood. At SEND Tutoring, that’s the work we return to every day: making sure each student encounters an environment where they don’t have to question whether they belong.

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Ella Jones

If you’re looking for support for a child or young person with special educational needs or a disability, book a free call with us today and find out how we can help.