Crystal Asige

A phrase from Kenyan Senator Crystal Asige’s Insta­gram bio immediately stood out to me: “visually impaired person but the streets just call me VIP.” Reading it, I instantly knew we rolled in the same pack—a growing cohort of brilliant and badass African leaders with disabilities taking up space on the world stage. Senator Asige’s life is a master class in embracing the unexpected. Diagnosed with glaucoma as a teenager, Asige rose to prominence as a formidable politician in Kenya—after first gracing the airwaves as an award-­winning singer. With every twist and turn, she has charted a course that defies categorization. Since taking office, she has helped pass bills to uplift people with disabilities, including a tax break for parents and caregivers of kids with disabilities, and new support for Kenyan sign language. Senator Asige is a true Renaissance woman, proving what I have always known—being disabled is compatible with an extraordinary life. 

Ndopu is a humanitarian and a U.N. Sustainable Development Goal Advocate