00:01What if my so-called limitations become my platform to speak?
00:07I'm not just a photographer with a short stature.
00:12I'm also the founder of Little YT Warriors,
00:15a community for people with skeletal dysplasia.
00:19I'm passionate about creating spaces
00:22where people who struggle like me
00:24can be seen, heard, and given an opportunity.
00:30I'm Joshua, 33 this year.
00:38I'm a motivational speaker and an established photographer
00:42and the founder behind Little Mighty Warriors.
00:46I started this Ground Up movement in 2022
00:49to support kids and adults with skeletal dysplasia.
00:53We come together as a community for activities like bowling,
00:57art jamming, nature walks, and creating a connection,
01:02reminding each other where we belong.
01:06Outside of Little Mighty Warriors, I also advocate and promote inclusion
01:10for people with disability.
01:12From giving talks to podcasts and interviews,
01:16it is a way for me to use my voice not just for myself,
01:20but also others who felt unseen.
01:23Whether it's through Little Mighty Warriors
01:26or in other areas of my work,
01:28I spend a lot of time with children.
01:30I connect with them through customized kids program
01:34and simple everyday moments.
01:36It is these moments that they forget about the differences
01:40and just treat me as a friend.
01:45But I didn't always have this clarity.
01:47I was diagnosed with Achondroblasia before I was born.
01:50It's a bone growth disorder that affects the development of the bone,
01:54leading to a weaker spinal cord, shorter limbs, and a larger head.
01:59During one of the prenatal check-ups,
02:04doctors noticed these symptoms which led to the diagnosis.
02:09Growing up, I was often compared to my sibling,
02:12which seems to have it all together,
02:14a stable job and a predictable life.
02:17I could only walk at the age of four
02:19because my spinal cord was too weak.
02:22While other kids ran freely,
02:24I had to go for physiotherapy for a number of years,
02:27learning to stand, to take steps, and to balance.
02:32Step by step, there were signs of improvement
02:35because my parents and grandparents
02:38invested a lot of time into helping me through these sessions.
02:42My grandparents took it upon themselves
02:45to transport me back and forth,
02:47navigating buses and taxis with a heavy stroller.
02:51I could see that it was tiring for them,
02:53but they never complained.
02:57But the world didn't always move with me.
03:00People would stare and ask questions.
03:02Why are you so short?
03:04Can you really do that?
03:06One of the incidents that I remember vividly
03:09till today was during one of my ride-healing trips.
03:12When I was about to step into the car,
03:16the driver made his remark.
03:18He said, I'm not allowed to accept your ride.
03:21According to traffic rules for persons with certain height,
03:25we are required to put on a booster seat.
03:30When I'm on a car, when I'm seated,
03:32I'm just like any other ordinary person.
03:35Even people from outside won't know that I'm short,
03:38because when I'm seated,
03:40I'm almost the same height as any other person.
03:42At first, it felt hurtful,
03:44making me feel that my body was an issue.
03:49But over time, I realised those questions
03:52were opportunities, chances to educate
03:55and to shift the narratives.
03:59It became less about defending myself
04:02and about showing others
04:03that a life with echondropasia isn't less.
04:06I could do the same things that any photographer can,
04:10just that sometimes I use different methods.
04:14Subsequently, I began to realise that I could do even more
04:17and make greater impacts if I focus on my niche.
04:22As I started building Little Mighty Warriors,
04:24I began to see a clearer vision of who I am.
04:28My experiences, my challenges and my perspective
04:32are what gave me the authority to speak into the lives of others.
04:36while struggling in a similar way.
04:38And that's when it connected.
04:40The very things that once felt like setbacks
04:44became the foundation for the purpose
04:47much bigger than myself.
04:51Today, I'm leading a community of children and adults
04:55by empowering and encouraging
04:57through programmes, talks and fellowship.
05:01Looking ahead, I envision Little Mighty Warriors
05:03going beyond Singapore.
05:05I want to connect with others in Southeast Asia
05:08and all to the world
05:10who share this condition
05:11and potentially create spaces
05:14where we can come together,
05:16share our stories
05:17and raise awareness about inclusion.
05:21It is not just about skeletal dysplasia.
05:24It's about bringing visibility, opportunity
05:27and support to people with disability,
05:30reminding the world that our lives are full, vibrant
05:34and worth celebrating for.
05:37I hope to inspire others to see beyond the labels and limitations.
05:42It is about facing those limitations
05:44and breaking them together with the community.
05:47I want people to look at me,
05:50not just see someone with a short statue,
05:53but the person standing tall with purpose
05:56and determination.
05:57It is your only one remarkable thing that you are
06:14worth mentioning is in 2018,
06:16you have to wait for yourself.
06:17You
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