Peta Hooke - Living with Cerebral Palsy and Podcasting
Don't forget to check out our other episodes:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KarsSrPx6iE&list=PLPaMcwdeg7Yy63xfx7Xduxw-mEocfGq9g
Peta Hooke is a passionate disability advocate who loves a chat. Peta lives in Melbourne and has the lifelong disability of Cerebral Palsy. She is the creator and host of The I Can’t Stand Podcast. A weekly podcast answering questions and interviewing fellow disabled people about life, when you have a disability. Peta has an educational background in Business, Accessible Tourism and Access/ Inclusion. She is also a very proud board member of Australian Charity Friend In Me.
You can subscribe to her podcast at http://www.icantstandpodcast.com or check out her Instagram http://www.instagram.com/petahooke
Transcript
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<Michael Coles>Welcome to The Deep Dive for this week.
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<Michael Coles>Don't forget to visit the website at deepdiveau.net, check out our socials and Patreon page at The Deep Dive AU, subscribe via your favourite podcast app, or like and subscribe at our YouTube page at The Deep Dive AU.
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<Voiceover>This is The Deep Dive Podcast.
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<Voiceover>And here is your host, Michael Coles.
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<Michael Coles>Peta Hooke is a passionate disability advocate who loves to chat.
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<Michael Coles>Peta lives in Melbourne, has a lifelong disability of cerebral palsy.
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<Michael Coles>She is the creator and host of The I Can't Stand Podcast, a weekly podcast answering questions and interviewing fellow disabled people about life when you have a disability.
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<Michael Coles>Peta has an educational background in business, accessible tourism and access inclusion.
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<Michael Coles>She is also a very proud born member of The Australian Charity Friend In Me.
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<Michael Coles>Peta Hooke, welcome to The Deep Dive.
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<Peta Hooke>Thank you so much for having me, Michael.
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<Peta Hooke>It's a pleasure to be here.
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<Michael Coles>Okay, so what motivated you to start The I Can't Stand Podcast, which is an excellent podcast, actually.
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<Peta Hooke>Thank you.
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<Peta Hooke>Well, The I Can't Stand Podcast was a thing that came out of COVID, like many of us.
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<Peta Hooke>I pivoted.
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<Peta Hooke>I was basically sick of going to a local cafe and being asked by a stranger, what happened to you?
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<Peta Hooke>So that's why I thought I should start a podcast because it just didn't feel efficient to be educating a person one by one.
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<Peta Hooke>And I know for some people with disabilities, they're not comfortable at disclosing things with strangers, which was very valid.
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<Peta Hooke>So I felt like that there was a gap in the market and I absolutely love what I do.
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<Michael Coles>Okay, so how has hosting the podcast influenced your personal journey?
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<Peta Hooke>Well, first and foremost, it's allowed me to connect with the disability community.
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<Peta Hooke>Prior to the podcast, I had no connection really with the disability community whatsoever.
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<Peta Hooke>It's been really lovely and empowering to be part of such a beautiful community.
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<Peta Hooke>I've met so many beautiful people through interviewing them on the podcast.
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<Peta Hooke>And I feel I understand disability better.
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<Peta Hooke>And I hope that's reflected in my advocacy work now and going forward.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So what challenges have you encountered in podcasting due to your disability and how have you addressed them?
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<Peta Hooke>Good question.
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<Peta Hooke>I've never been asked that before.
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<Peta Hooke>Because I have cerebral palsy, my speech is affected.
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<Peta Hooke>So you might be able to hear I get really breathy very quickly.
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<Peta Hooke>I struggle to keep up with my brain and my speech.
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<Peta Hooke>So I have to really make sure that I speak slower than what I'm inclined to do.
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<Peta Hooke>So often, I have to get out lots and lots of breaths when I'm interviewing people on the podcast.
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<Peta Hooke>But first and foremost, and when I'm really tired, my articulation isn't as good.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So that's really important to actually sort of realise.
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<Michael Coles>So how can you discuss the importance of representation and visibility for individuals with cerebral palsy in the media?
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<Peta Hooke>Well, first and foremost, I think everybody with disability needs better representation in the media, not just people with cerebral palsy.
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<Peta Hooke>I'm very conscious that I don't just interview people with cerebral palsy on the podcast.
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<Peta Hooke>What I've realised despite what sort of disabilities we have, many of us have similar experiences.
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<Peta Hooke>And it just highlights the ableism that is within our community and how much education is needed.
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<Peta Hooke>So I think all representation of all disabilities is so needed, so valid, let's hurry up and get on with it, everyone.
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<Michael Coles>The more voices out there, the better.
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<Michael Coles>So how do you look at topics and guests to ensure diverse perspectives on living with a disability?
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<Peta Hooke>I don't think I've successfully gained a balance in that, Michael, if I'm being really honest.
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<Peta Hooke>I find it, I really try to make sure that I have diverse voices on the podcast, but often because I'm a one woman band, I do everything myself like you do with this podcast.
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<Peta Hooke>I know Michael, it can be really hard to keep up with the need for content every week.
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<Peta Hooke>So sometimes I feel like topics can be repeated a little bit.
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<Peta Hooke>However, as we say, if you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism.
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<Peta Hooke>If you've met one person with cerebral palsy, you've met one person with cerebral palsy.
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<Peta Hooke>Each of our experiences are similar, but it also can be different.
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<Peta Hooke>And I hope that I've been able to not only gain diverse voices with different disabilities, but people who live in both Australia and globally.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So what feedback have you received from listeners and how has that shaped your content?
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<Peta Hooke>So working for myself alone, I really do miss the feedback that a workplace used to provide me.
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<Peta Hooke>Luckily, I'm very self-motivated.
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<Peta Hooke>So to be honest, I don't get a huge amount of feedback anymore.
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<Peta Hooke>I had some great constructive feedback when I started the podcast that was very helpful because I was very green and probably didn't know really what I was doing.
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<Peta Hooke>But I'm very lucky now to have a very supportive community and I hope to grow that in the future.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So how do you balance sharing personal stories with maintaining privacy in your podcast?
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<Michael Coles>I think that's very important to know.
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<Peta Hooke>Yeah.
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<Peta Hooke>Well, to be honest, this has been a very big challenge for me because I'm inherently very private.
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<Peta Hooke>I don't really show my life very much, particularly on social media.
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<Peta Hooke>As I say, I used to feel pressure.
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<Peta Hooke>I would get messages from people and say, why don't you show more of your life?
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<Peta Hooke>Like, what did you do on the weekend?
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<Peta Hooke>Where did you go for lunch?
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<Peta Hooke>Who did you see of your friends?
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<Peta Hooke>And I just found that to be really uncomfortable.
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<Peta Hooke>I'm just, it's not a natural thing for me to meet a friend for lunch and say, hey, can we take a photo?
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<Peta Hooke>And that's not why people follow me.
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<Peta Hooke>They follow me to feel seen, understood and also educated about what it's like to live with a disability.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So what role does community engagement play in the success of The Deep Dive Podcast?
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<Peta Hooke>Well, I mean, I know that I'm not one of the most listened to podcasts every week.
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<Peta Hooke>I've never been in the charts or anything like that.
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<Peta Hooke>But I have a very small dedicated community that are very supportive and I wouldn't do it if I didn't have them.
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<Peta Hooke>I do the podcast because of my community and I wouldn't still be doing this if I didn't have them.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So how do you handle discussions about sensitive or challenging subjects on your podcast?
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<Peta Hooke>First and foremost, like you've done for me today, Michael, I think it's very important to send questions first to show what I intend to ask the guests so they know what direction I'm hoping to lead the conversation in and they feel informed and they feel understood, they feel safe.
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<Peta Hooke>They have the opportunity to say, you know what, I'm not comfortable with that question.
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<Peta Hooke>Can we cut it?
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<Peta Hooke>And always like, of course.
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<Peta Hooke>But like my biggest concern is always to make sure my guest feels confident and comfortable in their answers and in the whole experience of the podcast.
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<Michael Coles>So how do you handle discussions about sensitive or challenging subjects on your podcast?
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<Peta Hooke>So, I always gain their permission to ask certain questions.
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<Peta Hooke>And they also have the opportunity after the podcast is recorded to say, you know what, I reflected on what I've said.
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<Peta Hooke>Can that conversation just stay between us?
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<Peta Hooke>And I'll always factor in their needs first and their wants first.
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<Peta Hooke>They're my number one priority.
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<Peta Hooke>So I will cut anything that my guest feels appropriate.
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<Peta Hooke>And I always send them the edit before it's published.
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<Michael Coles>Okay.
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<Michael Coles>So what advice would you give to others with a disability interested in starting their own podcast?
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<Peta Hooke>I would say first and foremost, do it.
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<Peta Hooke>If you have a passion for podcasting, it's the best thing that I've done.
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<Peta Hooke>I love doing this.
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<Peta Hooke>I love listening to other people's stories.
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<Peta Hooke>That's fundamentally why I love doing what I do.
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<Peta Hooke>I just find people endlessly fascinating.
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<Peta Hooke>It is important to point out that it is a challenging industry, particularly if you're doing it by yourself.
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<Peta Hooke>Being independent is a massive challenge.
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<Peta Hooke>Week by week comes around very quickly.
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<Peta Hooke>I feel like it's Tuesday every second day, sometimes because that's the day of my episode publication.
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<Peta Hooke>But if you're passionate about doing it, definitely start.
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<Peta Hooke>There are always people out there, like you or myself, that you can get in contact with, to see whether they might be able to give you any advice.
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<Peta Hooke>And become really connected to the podcasting community, because they're really helpful when you've had a really bad day editing, because sometimes edits are just so challenging.
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<Michael Coles>So how do you ensure your podcast is accessible to a wide audience, including those with disabilities?
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<Peta Hooke>The podcast is on all major podcasting platforms, and I always provide a transcript for every episode.
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<Peta Hooke>That I produce, so it's easily accessible on my website.
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<Peta Hooke>So therefore, regardless of if you prefer to listen, or you prefer to read at your own pace, you're able to do that.
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<Michael Coles>Okay, so can you share a memorable moment from your podcast or episode that had a significant impact on you?
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<Peta Hooke>Overall, I don't think there's one.
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<Peta Hooke>I think every week I'm reminded about how awesome disabled people are, and how accomplished we are in our own lives.
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<Peta Hooke>It's allowed me to become more motivated in what I do, more driven in my career, and realise that anything is possible.
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<Peta Hooke>I'm surrounded by similar people just like myself.
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<Peta Hooke>I've realised that I'm not extraordinary.
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<Peta Hooke>I'm not different.
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<Peta Hooke>Many of my quirks I thought was a PETA thing.
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<Peta Hooke>It's not actually, it's a cerebral palsy thing.
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<Peta Hooke>Many of us have similar outlooks on life, and I feel like all disabled people are just awesome, really.
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<Peta Hooke>They've had a massive impact on me.
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<Michael Coles>Yeah, they're fantastic, aren't they?
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<Michael Coles>So how do you stay informed about developments in disability advocacy to keep your content a little bit relevant?
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<Peta Hooke>So I have alerts on my computer that give me the latest disability related stories, and I'm also very connected on social media with other disabled disability advocates.
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<Peta Hooke>So basically, it's just staying informed, staying in touch, and always asking silly questions, because there's no such thing as a silly question.
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<Michael Coles>There's no such thing as a silly question at all.
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<Michael Coles>So what future topics and guests do you actually have planned for the podcast, or are they sort of, do they actually contact you, or do you contact them for interviews?
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<Peta Hooke>It's a bit of a mix.
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<Peta Hooke>I've just had one suggestion from a listener, they'd like me to do a deep dive on the Disability Discrimination Act and how that impacts our lives.
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<Peta Hooke>So I hope to do that in 2020, but really often it's just me being nosy on Instagram and thinking, my god, that person has an amazing story.
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<Peta Hooke>I wonder if they'd feel comfortable to share it on the podcast.
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<Michael Coles>Yeah, and I think the more stories we actually share, the better it is.
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<Peta Hooke>I agree.
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<Michael Coles>How does podcasting enrich your understanding of the broader disability community?
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<Peta Hooke>It's fundamentally changed me actually.
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<Peta Hooke>One of my friends rang me after I launched the podcast a few weeks afterwards, and was quite shocked by how much I spoke about my disability, because I never used to do it in our personal life, because there was no opportunity for me to do it, because I was the only disabled person in my social group.
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<Peta Hooke>So the podcast has really enabled me to better understand myself, better understand disabled people, and I've still got a lot to learn.
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<Peta Hooke>I know that, but I hope it's allowed me to have a more full viewpoint of where the disability community is and how the non-disability community can help support and better understand us.
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<Michael Coles>Okay, so one final question we ask all our guests here on The Deep Dive Podcast.
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<Michael Coles>If there's one piece of advice in 30 seconds or less, what would that be?
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<Peta Hooke>I would say my one bit of advice that leads me every day.
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<Peta Hooke>I think it's important to acknowledge that I'm a very privileged person.
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<Peta Hooke>I know that.
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<Peta Hooke>I know I'm very lucky.
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<Peta Hooke>And other people's experiences might not reflect my own.
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<Peta Hooke>So I'm always hesitant to give general advice because I don't know the context of what that person is living in.
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<Peta Hooke>However, I feel it's fundamental for me to always try and look on the bright side and to push through challenges because I've only got this life as far as I know.
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<Peta Hooke>And I want to make the absolute most of it that I possibly can.
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<Peta Hooke>So every morning, I wake up and think, right, what are we going to do today?
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<Peta Hooke>How are we going to rock today?
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<Michael Coles>And on that note, Peta Hooke, thank you so much for being on The Deep Dive Podcast today.
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<Peta Hooke>Thank you so much for having me.
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<Voiceover>For more information and to subscribe to the podcast, go to www.icanstandpodcast.com or go to her Instagram page at Peta Hooke