Claire O'Hanlon
Claire is a Business Strategist, Visibility Mentor & Mindset Coach. With over 14 years experience as a business and personal development trainer and mentor, she now runs her own coaching and consultancy business helping early & mid stage entrepreneurs move out of their own way to create the business and life they want.
Why is an equal society important to you?
An equal society is important to me because, I, (we all) know and love people who are traditionally marginalised, and even if we don’t, I believe that as a global community, we have a responsibility to ensure that no-one is left behind because of their gender, race, impairment, financial situation etc. This matters to me because I want my family and friends and their family and friends to have the means to access the opportunities, services, people, places and things that they deserve and that support them in advancing their lives. I believe that everyone benefits from an equal society.
What does an equal society look like for you?
As a mother to a disabled child, for me, an equal society is one where not every trip out has to be meticulously planned because equality of access for everyone is second nature rather than something that requires ‘special’ assistance. It looks like not having to justify everything my child needs because there is an understanding that quality of life is important for everyone. It looks like knowing that my son will have access to social activities, education, finance, job opportunities and change making opportunities like politics. All things that everyone needs to thrive. This is where I see the greatest inequalities in my day to day life but in a equal society, everyone would have access to these things regardless of gender, race, language, family circumstances etc.
What would you like to do to make a difference, in the quest for equality?
I want to be part of the conversation on how we make equality a priority. I want to support women to achieve their own financial independence, since with that independence comes the ability to support others. I want to support disability groups and advocates to create equality of opportunity and greater access to things that able-bodied people take for granted for disabled people. All in all I want to be part of the movement to bring fairness, dignity and respect to everyone.