The Invisible Ripple

Exploring Systemic Discrimination and Disability Hate Crime through Literature

 

A few years ago, I was tasked with updating out understanding of hate crime in a national report on disability hate crime—a responsibility that weighed heavily, not just in its content but in its broader implications. It was a monumental challenge to condense such an urgent, layered issue into a form that would engage readers without sacrificing its critical findings. The underlying driver of this crime, as I came to understand, is a societal narrative so ingrained it’s often invisible: ableism.  

 

The process of working on that report planted the seeds for something greater. Returning to my PhD allowed me to refine and reframe those academic ideas—inequality, disadvantage, prejudice—into something more accessible. The result is a growing series of books designed to shine a light on systemic discrimination and its deeply personal and institutional impacts. 

 

Pools and Prejudice: The Personal Toll of Ableism  

The first book, Pools and Prejudice, dives into the individual experience of prejudice, exposing its life-altering effects. Through powerful storytelling, it seeks to bridge the gap between abstract concepts and the visceral realities they create. It’s a narrative that challenges readers to confront the hidden privileges and biases shaping our lives.

 

COVER OF POOLS

Jamaica Hollow: When Organizations Fail  

The second book, Jamaica Hollow, turns its focus to the organizational level. It examines the failure of accountability and the legitimacy gap that can spiral into human rights violations. By unravelling these systemic breakdowns, the story reveals the dangerous consequences of ignoring structural discrimination.  

 

COVER OF JAMAICA HOLLOW

What’s Next: Plim Players

The third instalment, Plim Players, is in the works. This book will address cultural factors behind the silencing of certain groups, further peeling back the layers of systemic inequality and offering new ways to think about social justice.  

 

COVER OF PLIM PLAYERS

Why These Stories Matter  

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that issues like ableism and systemic discrimination thrive in silence and invisibility. My goal with these books is to break that silence. By weaving narratives that inform and provoke, I hope to empower readers to recognise what many choose to ignore—or learn about - and inspire change at both personal, organisational and societal levels.  

 

Leadership challenge 

Systemic discrimination, particularly when it leads to hate crime, is not just a “specialist” issue. It’s a human rights issue that speaks to who we are as a society. Pools and Prejudice, Jamaica Hollow, and the upcoming Plim Players will contribute to a growing understanding and, ultimately, a more mindful way of working for many. 

 

Let these stories open the door to conversations that are long overdue. If you’re ready to look past the surface and into the systems that shape our lives, these books are your next read.