Catarina Oliveira, 35, from Porto. She has a degree in Nutrition from the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Porto and is currently studying for a postgraduate degree in Disability Studies and Human Rights at ISCTE. She works as a nutritionist at the Lusíadas Hospital in Porto and at the Quinto Andar Clinic, in Porto. Alongside her work as a nutritionist, when she became a disabled person at the age of 27, she created an Instagram project: @especierarasobrerodas which has more than 51,000 followers and was born with the aim of breaking down prejudices and taboos related to people with disabilities and creating spaces for dialog and education about disability, diversity and inclusion. Today, she is a consultant and speaker in the areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, with a specific focus on Disability. She is an ambassador for the Salvador Association, an organization that defends the rights of people with motor disabilities, and Head of the Academy at Access Lab, an impact start-up that works on the inclusion of people with disabilities in culture, entertainment, sport and the job market. She works as a speaker at schools, universities and companies and collaborates with national and international brands, with the aim of clarifying concepts such as ableism and presenting solutions and good practices for accessibility, interaction and promoting the representation of people with disabilities in the different spheres of our society. She believes that if, for every time someone thinks that their greatest wish is to walk again, they built a ramp, we would all live in a more accessible, inclusive and equitable world for people with disabilities.
