The D*List wrapped: 2024 edition

Powerful political opinion pieces, juicy and delicious art shows, a mix of humour and crip joy and a side of replenishing rage made up the ingredients of The D*List in 2024.

This year we published 102 original stories and grew our rōpū of writers with 22 new community contributors. Here’s a throwback to some of the stories that made us laugh - and cry - throughout the year. 

As many new years begin, we all entered January hopeful and aspirational for the 12 months ahead. Some of us spent the summer in the outdoors, so we shared a list of accessible bush walks around the motu that featured wooden boardwalks and waterfalls you could get splashed with. Contributor Pieta Bouma wrote about embracing the “dirt and messiness of the natural world [to heal] the soul and the mind”, and shared photos of her empty wheelchair at the beach to illustrate the unexpected places that disabled bodies belong.

For anyone dreading going back to work, contributor Melissa Irving shared some tips and tricks on easing back into university studies and the office after the holidays, including having brief breaks and time to stretch throughout your day and having an external log of deadlines and tasks. Neurodivergent teacher Sav Wallis described going back to school is like being a  dog-lover with allergies.

In February, we launched Deepen* a series of activations featuring disabled artists from the rainbow community, in partnership with Auckland Pride, led by multidisciplinary artist Pelenekeke Brown and supported by Beth Awatere. The series spotlighted queer disabled creatives including Misty Frequency, Noēll Ratapu, Ari Kerssens and Dr Huhana Hickey. Writer Etta Bollinger and artist Ruby Solly both wrote and produced beautiful visual poems, which were captured by Julie Zhu.

We launched a content series about technology in March, which explored how technology offers us liberation, but also internalised ableism. While it’s made many parts of our lives easier, we should always be wary of inventions that try to fix us. Red Nicholson wrote about his dream gaming room that was CP-reflex-friendly and we listed 10 questionable assistive pieces of tech. 

I also travelled to Te-Whanganui-a-Tara to cover the World Wheelchair Rugby Paralympic Qualification Tournament and capture all the action. Although I’ve never really been that sporty myself, I came away realising that it’s so much more than a sport for those athletes - it’s a space to find belonging. Dancer Lusi Faiva also put on AIGA, as part of the Auckland Arts Festival; it was full of disability joy. 

And then, “March 18th” happened. Whaikaha announced a change in the rules to disability support funding. The reaction from disabled people and their whānau was a mixture of rage, despair and confusion, and we did our best to interpret the ever-changing rules. Vicki Terrell wrote about how the changes were like going back to the future. Despite the understandable anger, it gave our communities time to reflect on what would improve our disability support funding model. Nicolina Newcombe wrote in an op-ed saying that interrogation about funding and support processes was well overdue.

In response to the funding changes, our communities come together to protest in April. Lorri Mackness said they were there "to uphold the mana of people who are disabled,” while Emma Cooper-Williams said: "I'm here because I have a right to be here and a right to access support, and be here in solidarity for everyone around the country." That month, we also mourned the passing of disability rights advocate Sir Robert George Martin KNZM. His friend Alexia Black wrote a beautiful tribute to him and the legacy he leaves for future generations of disabled people.

In May, we launched our first web-series Clickbait & Crutches about disabled people and the internet. It was produced by Wellington-based writer and activist Alice Mander, and Jai Waite and Robyn Paterson, the filmmaking duo behind disability-led production company Sweet Productions. 

We launched another series of content in June, this time a podcast series called Short Statured on C Street. Hosted by Dunedin residents and friends Umi Asaka and Jacq Ruth, the four-part series explored flatting with a disability and covered topics such as modifications and finding the right support workers. 

To celebrate Matariki, guided by community, the The D*List team gathered at Terenga Parāoa Marae in Whangārei with whānau hauā to wānanga, eat kai and connect. We took time to pause and make sure everyone could take part and listen to all perspectives on what's important. There were many hands coming together to make the noho marae happen and we are grateful for all of them. This experience reinforced for me the importance of putting relationships before the ask when it comes to telling stories. 

The month of July saw the publication of the Royal Commission Abuse in Care final report, Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. 2329 survivors contribution to the report and the commission made 138 recommendations. Dr Tristram Ingham ONZM, who was a kaupapa Māori panel member, said: “This report forms part of disabled people and their whānau’s previously untold history and those who contributed did so at great cost to themselves having to relive their experiences. We are extremely grateful for their contribution and their bravery and they can be proud of being a vital part of the results."

In August, finally some good news! The Government announced a 400% increase in fines for parking illegally in public mobility parks. But we know the real culprits can often be drivers who loiter in mobility spots within privately-managed car parks. Shopping mall and supermarket customers are notorious for illegally parking in mobility parks without a permit. So we asked the major supermarket chains and shopping malls whether they’re going to be following in the footsteps of the Government’s crackdown on mobility parking pests. Let’s just say, we were less than impressed.

Over in Paris in September, athletes took over the French city for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 25 athletes represented Aotearoa and took home nine medals, including one gold by Anna Grimaldi. This month we also published our relationship content series, with some of our most read pieces being ‘The love/hate relationship we have with our teacher aides’ by Semi Cho and ‘Things I'm learning in a neurodivergent relationship’ by Eda Tang.

DAT Fest took over Te-Whanganui-a-Tara’s art scene in October. Co-directors Susan Williams and ‘Creatif’ Kate Spencer said they hoped the festival is about giving everyone a warm hug. We also published one of our most popular pieces on The D*List, 'Is it an aisle chair or a kinky chaise? Ranking airport wheelchairs', which The Disability Debrief called “public service journalism”. You’re welcome. 

Sports seemed to take over some of our November content (thanks to our new staff writer Will Sangster!). He covered both the first ever international Physical Disability Rugby League game and the inaugural Disability Sport Auckland Boccia Tournament. The long-awaited Government apology to survivors of abuse in state care also took place this month. We spoke to Gary Williams about how he was feeling about the apology and he challenged disabled people to be allies of survivors. This month also saw our communities come together to support the hīkoi for Te Tiriti.

And that brings us to International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated on 3rd of December. We hosted a portraits day, alongside photographer Becki Moss, at our Community Hub in Tāmaki Makaurau. On that day we also published a highlights reel video showcasing the community’s highs and lows. And we wrapped up this year in a bow in the form of a Cripmas Giveaway featuring disabled artists and businesses.

Thank you for joining us in 2024! Fingers crossed the next 12 months are smoother sailing - that might be idealistic and naive, but hey, we gotta be hopeful around this time of the year!

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