Sinéad Burke

Sinéad Burke (born 1990) is an Irish writer, academic and disability activist, popular for her TED talk 'Why design should include everyone'.[2] She is the director of the consulting organisation Tilting the Lens, working to raise the baseline standards in accessibility, to design an equitable and accessible world. Since 2019, she has been a member of the Irish Council of State.

Sinéad Burke
Member of the Council of State
Assumed office
4 April 2019
Appointed byMichael D. Higgins
Personal details
Born1990 (age 32–33)
NationalityIrish
Height3 ft 5 in (1.04 m)[1]
Websitewww.sinead-burke.com

Sinéad released her first book Break the Mould in October 2020. It was awarded the Specsavers Children's Book of the Year award at the An Post Irish Book Awards. Sinéad appeared on the cover of the 'Forces for Change' issue of British Vogue, guest-edited by the Duchess of Sussex. She also appeared on the cover of The Business of Fashion in May 2018 alongside Kim Kardashian with an interview as part of 'The Age of Influence' series.[3]

Education

Burke trained as a primary school teacher, graduating from Marino Institute of Education at the top of her class and winning the Vere Foster medal and holds a Masters in Broadcast Production for TV and Radio from IADT.

Fashion and design activism

As a 16-year old, Burke often felt excluded from fashion conversations and experiences due to her limited choices available to her as someone with achondroplasia, so she started blogging to highlight the exclusive nature of the fashion industry. "People didn't take me seriously because of my physical aesthetic, so I started blogging... and collaborating with the [fashion] industry".[4]

Burke was invited to attend the White House for an event titled 'Design for all' where the Obama administration highlighted the intersection of fashion and disability.[5] Burke actively campaigns to highlight the importance of inclusive design in all areas of life due to the practical challenges she faces in living and moving in a world that was not designed for people with disabilities. "Design is an enormous privilege, but it is a bigger responsibility".[6]

In 2012, Burke as Miss Minnie Mélange won the final Alternative Miss Ireland competition.[7]

In 2019, Burke became the first little person to attend the Met Gala.[8]

She was one of 15 women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue, by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.[9]

Burke is an ambassador for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Irish Girl Guides.[10] On 4 April 2019 Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, appointed her to his Council of State.[11]

Burke was a part of the Finding Power collection by Joe Caslin displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland.[12]

Burke appeared on the long-running BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs (hosted by Lauren Laverne) on Sunday 17 May 2020. Her luxury item was the special necklace that each female member of her immediate family has.[13]

In 2023, Burke appeared on the cover of British Vogue with four other disabled activists to highlight the magazine's feature article "Reframing Fashion: Dynamic, Daring, & Disabled."[14]

Podcast

In October 2019, Burke released As Me with Sinéad, a podcast series from the Lemonada Media network[15] focused on empathy, identity, and perception through in-depth interviews. Burke serves as host of the show, with Pod Save the People's Jessica Cordova Kramer as executive producer.[16]

Guests of As Me have included Victoria Beckham, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jameela Jamil, Hozier, Akilah Hughes, Riz Ahmed, Mara Wilson, Radhika Jones, Tig Notaro, Dan Levy, and Florence Welch. Each guest was asked to elaborate on what it's like to be them, with the stated intent of challenging biases and deepening humanity.[17]

Break The Mould

On 28 May 2020, Burke announced her new children's book, Break The Mould, which would contain lessons for adults as well as children about being different.[18] Burke wrote while in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]

Break The Mould was released on 15 October, where pre-order sales had determined it as a best-seller.[20]

In November 2020, Break The Mould was announced as the winner of the 'Specsavers Children's Book of the Year – Senior' category at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2020.[21]

Recognition

She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2019.[22]

References
  1. Fitzgerald, Cormac. "'I was furious and scared': Sinéad Burke on how being harassed on O'Connell Street inspired her new education campaign". TheJournal.ie.
  2. Burke, Sinéad, "Why design should include everyone", Ted Talks, retrieved 11 December 2017
  3. "Sinéad Burke Versus The Bell Curve". The Business of Fashion. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  4. Gorman, Brigid O (8 July 2016). "Social media changed my life, says Sinéad Burke". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  5. "How Sinead Burke is making the fashion world wake up to disability". 4 February 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  6. "Sinéad Burke has designs on a more accessible world". 29 July 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  7. Minnie Mélange wins Alternative Miss Ireland 2012. YouTube. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  8. "Sinéad Burke is the first little person to attend the Met Gala". Thejournal.ie. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  9. "Meghan Markle puts Sinéad Burke on the cover of Vogue's September issue". The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  10. "Meet our new Ambassador! - Irish Girl Guides". Irish Girl Guides. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  11. "President appoints members to Council of State" (Press release). Office of the President of Ireland. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  12. "Finding Power / Sinéad Burke". National Gallery of Ireland. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  13. "Desert Island Discs - Sinead Burke, disability rights activist and teacher". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  14. Mowbray, Nicole (20 April 2023). "'A necessary and overdue education': British Vogue dedicates five covers to disabled trailblazers". CNN. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  15. "Influencer Sinead Burke Unveils Series with Just-Launched Podcast Network Lemonada". www.tubefilter.com. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  16. "As Me Podcast". Sinéad Burke. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  17. "As Me with Sinéad – Lemonada Media". Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  18. "'Lessons for all of us': Sinéad Burke announces new children's book, Break The Mould". Her.ie. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  19. "Sinéad Burke: 'My goal was to change the entire fashion system'". the Guardian. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  20. McDonnell, Ciara (19 October 2020). "Sinéad Burke proves breaking the mould is all the fashion". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  21. "Winners of An Post Irish Book Awards 2020 announced". 25 November 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  22. "BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
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