Jessica Smith (swimmer)
Jessica Tace Smith OAM is an Australian Paralympic swimmer and motivational speaker.
Swimming
[edit]Smith swam for Australia for seven years and represented Australia at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.[1]
Motivational speaking and body image advocacy
[edit]Jessica is an award winning keynote, motivational and public speaker. She presents to global clients as well as appearing at community events alike. Smith has given two TEDx talks about various aspects of disability inclusion and accessibility.
.[2]
Author
[edit]Published in July 2021, Jessica Goes to School, "Jessica Goes Swimming" and "Jessica Joins the Band" are the three books in the "Just Jessica" series, children's books written by Smith as a valuable resources for parents, teachers and young children to help discussions around diversity and acceptance. (https://www.jessicasmith.com.au/justjessicabooks)
Jessica is also a freelance writer for TIME (https://time.com/author/jessica-smith/)
Awards
[edit]Smith was awarded an OAM in 2019 for service to the community.[3][4]
In 2017 she was named a Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year as a Game Changer.[5]
She was named an Emerging Leader by the Australian Government at the Positive Body Image Awards, and received a Pride of Australia Medal in Western Australia. In 2015, she was a state finalist for Young Australian of the Year.
Personal life
[edit]Smith was born without her left forearm. As a young child she sustained serious burns to 15% of her body. In her teens she overcame an eating disorder and depression.[6]
Smith married Hamid Salamati in 2015[7] and has three children.[8] She later converted to her husband's religion of Islam, at his family's request.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Jessica Smith's journey from disability to self-acceptance". www.abc.net.au. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "Jessica Smith". Saxton Speakers. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Hourigan, Adam. "One Grafton local honoured with OAM". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Jessica Tace SMITH". It's an Honour. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- ^ "COSMOPOLITAN celebrates the 2017 Women of the Year Award Winners". Bauer Media Advertising. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Lavalette, Tristan (12 September 2013). "Jessica Smith uses Paralympic pain to fight body image dangers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Paralympic swimmer's perfect day". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "ABOUT". JESSICA SMITH - OAM. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Paralympian Jessica Smith converted to Islam for her husband's family". MamaMia. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.