My D*List: Zach Thompson and his dreams for us to occupy space

My D*List is a series of profiles that allows us to get to know the many diverse members of the disabled, Deaf, blind, neurodiverse and chronically ill communities in Aotearoa. We asked them to explore their hopes for the future (dreams), what they like to do on a night in (drama), their idea of a great night out (disco), favourite food (delicious) and the special friends and whānau in their world (dates).

Dreams

I would say I kind of want to live two lives. One for myself, and one for future generations. On a personal level, I want to live a life surrounded by happiness and awesome experiences and to feel fulfilled in how I’ve spent my years on this planet, whenever it eventually comes to an end (hopefully not for a very long time).

But when it comes to the life I live for future generations, that’s the one that feeds into why I’m writing for The D*List and what I hope to achieve through my work here and into the future. I’m keen to see Aotearoa as a place where people with disabilities are comfortable in themselves and somewhere that includes a space to occupy and own that is just for us. So in terms of my work, or what gives me purpose, pursuing a better world is what I’m really driven by (corny right?).

Drama

Music is one of my greatest loves. As someone who is half deaf, I use over ear headphones and get stereo sound by putting one earpiece on my left ear and the other over my hearing aid (this has probably damaged my hearing aid, so please don’t tell my audiologist). I listen to a wide variety, but David Bowie has been my favourite for a few years now. I find listening to music is a hugely relaxing and therapeutic outlet for me and try to listen to some every day.

Having studied filmmaking in undergrad, movies and TV shows have always been a big part of my life. I like a wide range, which also means I love discovering new things. I’ve recently been binge watching a spy drama set in the 80s called The Americans which is really good. Oh, and Jurassic Park will always be my go-to comfort movie. It’s been there for me through everything!

Disco

A big hobby of mine over the past couple of years has been making Lego MOCs (My Own Creations). I’ve loved building Lego since I was a child, and lately I’ve immersed myself in experimenting with creating my own larger scale projects based on franchises I love - so far Star Wars and Jurassic Park.

But when it comes to a night out, I can never go past a great concert. I love a lot of different styles of music but I would say I definitely have an affinity with classic rock so I try my best to see a lot of older artists when I can. Most recently, that meant going down to Napier to see Cyndi Lauper and Rod Stewart!

Delicious

I have quite an interesting relationship with food because of the condition I was born with. One of the symptoms of hemifacial microsomia is a shorter jaw on the affected side and, as a child, I only ate on one side and had a jaw distractor for three months to stretch my jaw out. For this reason, the food I enjoy is much more about texture than taste. Super crunchy foods can still be unpleasant, even if I like the flavours. But as for favourite meals, I grew up with my mum’s cooking and baking so anything she makes is always yum!

When it comes to a place I love, my heart belongs on the wall of a Hard Rock Cafe. It doesn’t really matter about the quality of the food (although it’s always delicious), I feel like I’m in my element any time I get to go to one. Most recently, I was lucky enough to go to the one in San Francisco during a business trip when I was working as a journalist. One of my life goals is to go to all of them but we’ll see if that’s achievable or if I’m actually just crazy...

Dates 

My family means a lot to me and I love them all very much. I’m also very fortunate to still have one set of grandparents (on my Dad’s side). They’ve been through a lot throughout their own lives as children of the 1930s but that side of my family has also suffered a lot of tragedy in recent years. My Grandma and Grandpop inspire me immensely because they’ve experienced so much and still manage to hold space for joy and happiness despite incredibly tough circumstances. They will also be celebrating 65 years of marriage in December so I’m very proud of them for that as well!

I’m really close with my mum, too, as she’s the one who has been with me the most throughout my disability journey. She’s always someone I can rely on to support me. Am I allowed to mention non-human relations as well? Because my cat Lily is a great source of comfort during difficult times. She’s 15 and loves a good cuddle!

Want to contribute your D*List? Send us an email: kiaora@thedlist.co.nz