[00:00:00] Northern Power Women podcast for your career and your life. No matter what business you're in.
[00:00:26] Simone Roche: Hello and welcome to our brand new showcase season of the Northern Power Women podcast. I'm your host, Simone Roche. And as we get closer to this year's Northern Power Women awards on the 21st of March, a night dedicated to showcasing amazing talent we've got in and from the North. Each week I'll be chatting to an incredible role model from across our community. And with the category shortlist that were announced earlier in January tomorrow, the 8th of February, we'll be sharing who has made it onto this year's Future and Power lists. We'd like to say a huge thank you to our Headline sponsor of the awards EY who support of our awards enables us to continue to showcase the haul of role models that are out there. And speaking of trailblazing role models on today's Showcase Season debut episode, I'm joined by the wonderful Cherylee Houston MBE - yes MBE - quite recently in the new year honors and spoiler alert will be joining the 2022 Powerlist, which is announced tomorrow.
[00:01:24] For the past nine years Cherylee has played Izzy Armstrong in the hit soap, Coronation Street, the character and Cherylee both have Ehlers Danlos syndrome and Shirley increases awareness about the condition and works to remove barriers for other disabled artists and advocates for disabled people. Cherylee is also a founder of Triple C, the Creative Confidence Collective, which increases inclusion access to the arts for disabled performers. And for the last 12 years, the organization has changed lives by running drama workshops in schools and communities, across the Northwest England for young disabled people. I see this all over social media. I see all these opportunities out there. So a massive high five and a massive welcome. A massive congratulations all around Cherylee. Welcome to the podcast.
[00:02:09] Cherylee Houston: Thank you. Thank you. It's lovely to be here. Thanks.
[00:02:13] Simone Roche: Again, it's brilliant news about the MBE we were chatting just before and sharing the top tips of really making the most of that massive, massively great spotlight on you. So tell me why you were awarded this honor for those who don't know and what did it personally mean to you to be recognized?
[00:02:31] Cherylee Houston: I'm a bit shy about it. If I choose it, I'm not very good at the focus on me, if you know what I mean, but it was for services to drama and people with disabilities. Yes, you can tell it means an awful lot to me because I can't find the words to express it.
[00:02:45] It was just such an honor because that's not why I do what I do. I suppose what I do as, as with most people in this, you know, you're driven by a passion for change and it's something I don't really shout about. I suppose my involvement in it, because I'm busy doing it, I suppose, as you do. So yes, it was lovely and wonderful to be recognized. And yes, it's the thing that makes me not be able to string my words together very well.
[00:03:09] Simone Roche: So you've worked extensively in TV and radio for the last 20 years, but your current role on Corrie means you're in millions of people's home every single week now. So how important is it for the visibility in the mainstream and the roles to be reflective of real life.
[00:03:26] It's not about being disabled, it's being a participant in why is it so important to you?
[00:03:32] Cherylee Houston: Oh my gosh. It's beyond important to me in that respect because when I was growing up, I'd never saw anybody like me on television. And that's the, that's the sad case for many young disabled people still. I mean, luckily children's BBC do a fantastic job in that now, but if you look in the mainstream media, I mean, it is changing and I think it's changing quite rapidly because we've come together as community to make that change. But it's so important because I think as such a ripple effect, the way that we tell our stories, that's kind of how we learn as human beings, isn't it. We learn by empathy and understanding of other people's situations. And before disabled people weren't really on television.
[00:04:10] We were done by a non-disabled viewpoint, which was normally of pity, sympathy, to be fixed, to be killed. Whereas actually what's phenomenal about what, the way coronation street does it. It's about humanity and it's just about the character. And actually disability is a secondary thing because as a human being, disability, isn't part of my personality, it's just a given circumstance. And I think that's why it's really important to change that on television, because I fundamentally believe if we change how we are perceived as disabled people on television. We'll be changed, how we are represented in society. Cause we're 20% of the population and at the moment we're still excluded, you know, we're still excluded from education. There's so many things that we're behind on and our rights as, as equal human beings to everyone else. And the pandemic's very indicative of how disabled people are treated. It's just the vulnerable who are going to die. Well, that's me, that's, that's many millions of us, 14, you know, that that's abhorrent and the thing is that that's how we're judged.
[00:05:11] So, and I think it's things like Coronation Street and if the, you know, answer the shows are taking that up, stops us being seen as somebody who life is worth less than, than, than other people's.
[00:05:23] Simone Roche: It is positive to see this progress. And I think through your, I see again, across social media, I see your Triple C organization very much reaching out positively.
[00:05:34] I saw something on social media the other day, think somebody posted something. And then you took that approach of, I would love to talk to you about this. I would love to educate you, and that's all part of that role modelling and real life isn't it. And I love that approach that you take.
[00:05:44] Cherylee Houston: Yeah, we're sort of really honed that, I think. And I think because I think there's no point in being angry and of course people are angry, but you can't stay angry and anger doesn't really get you anywhere because it doesn't create a level playing field in conversation. And the thing is lots of this stuff is we're inheriting society's prejudice and naivity around different human beings.
[00:06:05] So therefore, the best way to make a change is a warm, friendly approach. Make the person feel comfortable in their lack of knowledge or the fact that they've come at this wrong. That's okay. That's okay. We can have a chat, we can help you. And I think that's the best way to do it because if you, if you go in with anger or judgment or blame, then things don't change because you automatically get people's backs up.
[00:06:28] And it's, it's quite difficult sometimes. I think from people's point of view, when, when they'd been blocked for so long, but I think what's been brilliant is we come together as DANC's got now over 1,200 disabled creatives in its community. And we've adopted this warm friendly approach. And it makes people where it's just easier, isn't it not to have a shout?
[00:06:48] Simone Roche: Absolutely. I'm a firm believer of that. I've never been into that. Like the finger pointing. You're not doing this or you're not doing this. I'm very much along that kind of, what can we do? There's so many barriers all over the place about every single piece that's going on out there, but I think I'm always a firm believer of what we can do.
[00:07:05] So I have to say that your intention of having that warm conversation and having that guidance and working with as opposed to working against, and it really shouted out for me through your brand and through your socials. So I think that's amazing. I think that is such a positive stance to take.
[00:07:22] And I think one of the things is I'm really keen as to how we can all be intentional allies, particularly in paths that we have not been down? So what conversations can we start any sort of top tips or top advice that you could give to our podcast listeners?
[00:07:39] Cherylee Houston: Oh my gosh. Well, I'd say in terms of disability, start putting it on your agendas, putting it on every single agenda, because actually at the time, In terms of disabilities, that we are an afterthought and even in an afterthought and diversity and we're the road less trodden, because that seems, I think it's perceived as a bit more complicated from the outside.
[00:08:00] Whereas actually, if you just start talking about it, if you're creating a new project or, looking at something in a new way, go, how would this impact if somebody had you know, different areas of disability, get disabled people on your board. Get disabled people in your staff, start advertising.
[00:08:18] And the thing is when you're advertising say for new staff members, start putting disability access on there. So because then people know it's for them because our community is being told no for so long. But actually knowing that you're up for having a conversation about access requirements, put an easy read version, output of BSL version out.
[00:08:38] We were just doing this last night quite late because we're launching a channel 4 initiative today. Mentoring initiative. So as, as it was all signed off, I was doing the audio version. So just do an audio version. Read your adverts. So it's much more accessible. As soon as you start showing thought towards access, you will then be sending out a really big message to people that this is accessible.
[00:08:59] And this is for them, our culture in the disabled communities, we've had so many knock backs and so many rejections unless, it sort of says, you're welcome, I'm going to open the door for you. Sometimes we don't choose to pick those battles. So that's really useful, but because if you get seven people in your team at the moment disabled people are one fifth of the population.
[00:09:18] And if we're excluded, one in five people is disability. If we're not in your team, then you're missing out of one in five of people's opinions and ideas. So that's really important to sort of look at it that way. Typically things, yeah, get somebody on your board gets get those opinions and that lived experience it's about lived experience.
[00:09:38] Get that integrated in your organization.
[00:09:41] Simone Roche: It's really interesting. Actually, I, we had a conversation a few weeks ago. I think we talked about EY being the headline partner for the awards. And I think for me, these it's great people say, well, great. You've got the sponsors and awards, but I like things to be a partnership.
[00:09:55] What can we do? You know, it's, it's, you know, it's never about putting a brand on things. It's about what we can enable together for future. And I think this will be maybe like our sixth awards and every year we always like to try and do it a little bit different, not do differently, but make adaptations to increase a wider representation.
[00:10:14] And one of the things we were talking about with EY was they've just opened a neurodiversity center and one of the things you've talked about an audio version there. That's what I'm passionate to do. If we can, in the next round of nominations is open for audio nominations. And that is to reach people that, you know, might not be comfortable or not as articulate writing things down.
[00:10:37] I hate writing things down, but how do we reach and how do we make space to have your story shared? Because like you say everything that you're doing , the creative confidence collective and look at the numbers that you've grown in your community. You were just talking about is, is we want to, you are welcome.
[00:10:56] We want more representation. And when we did our Levelling Up report just before Christmas, we always talk about, we want more seats at the table. We want more representation. We want voices to be heard. But otherwise you just create an echo chambers all the time. So I think, increasing that diverse representation, but without it being a tick box, be intentional about what you're asking for, I think, and that's what you're asking for as well.
[00:11:23] Cherylee Houston: Yeah, totally cause it's that thing of going actually, who you will benefit when you let, let these people in. Do you know what I mean? Because we bring new angles. We bring very lived experience of solution focused approach to life. Do you know what I in mean, my life outside the house is forever looking at solutions of how can I adapt to that?
[00:11:42] So therefore we're very adaptable people, but also we bring a different angle, a different thought process on things. So actually you're not going to miss out. You know, what you're going to do is increase your capacity to achieve stuff. Yes by going, can you do audio applications? Could you do video applications?
[00:11:59] Then what you might find is you have some very creative input and also have people that you would have never reached before who are doing wonderful things. And that's the thing about putting, putting disability on your agenda from the start means that it doesn't become a block or an issue later, because if every meeting you go okay, how do you make that accessible? Have we thought about that? And actually what the wonderful thing about access is it's beneficial to everybody.
[00:12:26] So say for example, at coronation street, they over the years, we've now got a fully accessible route around the cobbles. We've got electronic assisted doors, all sorts of things, but they help everybody. They don't, as well as helping the disabled person, but you just didn't need to stop seeing it as helping the disabled person. It's going to, how do we make this accessible? Because for example, those electronic assisted doors means if you're carrying something heavy, which a lot of people are doing, because things are moving around, that makes it so much easier.
[00:12:55] The cobble free flat route all the way around the street means that cameras, dollys, equipment is much easier to traverse around. So I remember there's a construction company when they were building Manchester airport, we're talking about actually they put a wheelchair lift link into their construction site offices, and the amount of people that came out that left and went, that was a lot easier. I'm pregnant or my back hurts or my legs bad today, or that was heavy to carry that, you know, and actually once you start to see the access is for everyone, it stops it being singled out for the disabled person. Because actually everybody has access.
[00:13:32] And I think that's the thing to realize. It's a great level of, we all have different access different times in our lives down to different circumstances or just, you know, the thing is that, and by having that and realizing that we all have different ways in different means that we need to enable us to do our best work or to access things differently means that actually then we've got everybody in the room and it's always a much stronger environment when everybody has an input.
[00:13:56] Simone Roche: I love this advice. And the thing that we always do with the podcast because people engage in different ways. Some people like to listen, some people like to read, some people like to see something visual. So we, we always have like a series of communication that supports the podcast.
[00:14:10] So please check out on our socials, please download the cheat sheet as well. If you like that, we go with it because the, the advice that you've just given there is like you say, it's for all? So thank you so much. And the last question - the last two years have been challenging?
[00:14:26] We're just about to enter on the two years officially since the pandemic started or was announced by the World Health Organization. And many of us experienced isolation, many people with disabilities have felt for much of their lives. So you've just talked about, the arts and the industry that you're in and there's so much talk about STEM and I'm always passionate about STEAM. I think the A is critical. How important have the arts been in supporting all our mental health during this?
[00:14:51] Cherylee Houston: Oh, my gosh, completely invaluable. Haven't they? I think people don't probably don't even realize sometimes that they're doing art.
[00:14:57] But the mindfulness art gives you that headspace and that creativity. I did a Radio 4 documentary on it quite a few years ago now. And being creative actually does give your brain endorphins. It releases natural steroids. So it's just the headspace. So you might find yourself doing mindful colouring books, sewing, something, listening to something, just, I think it's so important to use your own creativity and give yourself that area and time in your life. I read a wonderful book recently about actually art is your driven. Your passion. It doesn't need to be for other people. So have an explore. Definitely because I've found that, I mean, I've coming up to two years being in the same building other than hospital visits. So I think being creative and achieving things and, and doing your own art is so fundamentally important to your own mental health and wellbeing. Definitely try and encourage yourself to give, you that space.
[00:15:55] Cause I'm forever trying to build what we're doing at Triple C trying to create new opportunities, for different people, but therefore to have your own space. I sew, I color, I do quite a lot of different things just to sort of go, okay, that shuts my mind down and all our brains, if you've got quite a fast paced brain, which is, always on the go, to actually give it some breathing space.
[00:16:21] I think it's really important because it actually enriches the work you do. The other side of it aswell.
[00:16:24] Simone Roche:
[00:16:24] I love that phrase about giving your brain breathing space. I tried and adopted jigsaws became a little bit obsessed with jigsaws, tiny a bit worried I keep finding little bits of them around the boat.
[00:16:34] So when the next person gets to open them, I might have one of my yoga jigsaw pieces in the Queen's face jigsaw . Nevermind. Sure. We'll get to that. I love just having this conversation with you. All of this insight - I'm going to repeat that, putting disability on the agenda for the star, and it's not just helping disabled people, it's helping all, I think that is so critical.
[00:16:58] A massive, massive thank you for joining me today. Massive. Congratulations on the MBE.
[00:17:07] Cherylee Houston: Thank you.
[00:17:08] Simone Roche: Can't wait. Can't wait to see them pictures.
[00:17:11] Cherylee Houston: I'm going to be wearing a hat. Definitely.
[00:17:14] Simone Roche: Got to I believe it's the law Cherylee but listen, thank you. Thank you for being just so honest and open with us today and giving us sort of such wisdom as well.
[00:17:23] And as I say, congratulations on all your honors and thank you for everything that you do. I mean, you literally use your power for good Cherylee and please do.
[00:17:34] You'll be able to catch up on all, all the information about everything cherylee is doing through Triple C as well in the show notes.
[00:17:40] So you'll be able to find that more information there. If you want to find out more. Thank you so much for tuning in today. I do tell your friends about our podcasts. Out to us and all those socials that north power women on Twitter and Northern Power Women on the other social media. Drop us a line podcast@northernpowerwomen.com.
[00:17:56] Join us on Monday the 14th of February when we'll be joined by another force of nature from the Northern Power Women Community. And don't forget to help us showcase the role models as we announce , the Power List including Cherylee and the Future List tomorrow. I'm Simone Roche. You've been listening to the Northern Power Women podcast, a what goes on media production.