INTERVIEW: Athena Stevens

WHAT IF THE BRITISH TENDENCY TO NOT MAKE A FUSS LEADS TO COMPLICITY IN INJUSTICE?

Richard Freeman’s special guest this week is Athena Stevens

Athena Stevens is a playwright, performer and director, an award-winning stand up comedian and a human rights activist. She has campaigned for fair housing, education and small business accessibility, and is an advisor to Transport for London and the London Underground on the experiences they provide for disabled commuters.

Athena’s written work often explores issues surrounding autonomy, self determination and independence and her most recent play ‘Schism’ directly challenges historical ideas about disability and sexuality. Her own experience of being an American in the UK and having been born with athetoid cerebral palsy does not define what she is or isn’t capable of, but certainly gives her a powerful perspective on life in modern Britain.

Richard and Athena spoke on the phone in early August 2018, but being both in noisy places the sound is not always clear – but bear with it, it gets a bit better as it goes along.

They talk about Athena’s writing, activism, politics and ambitions and what sort of world she is striving to create.

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Useful links:

MLK letter from a Birmingham jail
https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

Athena’s website
https://www.athenastevens.com

Athena’s YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19n4WJoBVA4

Athena talking about ‘Schism’ on BBC R4
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b39v3n

The Guardian article on Athena suing British Airways
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/08/playwright-ba-london-city-airport-wheelchair-athena-stevens

Athena on Twitter
https://twitter.com/athenastevens