In this episode of the Inclusive Pathways Podcast, host Jessica Winchester welcomes back disability advocate Michael Grimmett (Comments Disabled) for a conversation about leadership, access—and a new documentary that puts lived experience at the center.
Michael shares the story behind Fighters, an hour-long documentary following Matthew Edwards, a lower-limb amputee in the UK fighting to get an amateur boxing license. As Michael explains, the film isn’t “about boxing” so much as it’s about the fight disabled people face every day to remove barriers. From outdated rules that exclude amputees to the quiet persistence required to keep pushing, Fighters shows how representation, design, and policy collide in real life.
Michael also talks about being approached on LinkedIn by the film’s director, Jack, bringing his lived experience to the production to ensure authenticity, nuance, and dignity on screen.
We explore:
- Why disabled leadership changes how inclusion gets built
- The story of Fighters
- How barriers show up in rules, buildings, and everyday assumptions
- The difference between inclusive on paper and accessible in practice
- What it looks like when lived experience guides decision-making—on film sets and in workplaces
Walk away with a deeper understanding of how representation leads to better design—and why, when disabled people lead, accessibility follows.
🎧 Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.
Check it out!
Michael Grimmett | Comments Disabled
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgrimmett-disabilityinclusionspeaker/
Jessica Winchester | Inclusive Pathways
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-winchester/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusive-pathways
Website: www.inclusivepaths.com
@19MediaGroup
https://19mediagroup.com
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Nov 13 202532 mins