Surrey teen Alisha Sharma wins the Voice of the Future Award for empowering students with disabilities and breaking down stigmas at school.
A Young Voice Making Big Waves
High school can feel tough for anyone, but for students with disabilities, it often comes with extra challenges. That’s why Alisha Sharma, a Grade 11 student at Surrey’s L.A. Matheson Secondary, is turning her own experiences into a movement for change—and earning recognition along the way.
Last month, Sharma received the Voice of the Future Award at the NextGen Youth Impact Summit, hosted by the Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society. The award celebrates her powerful advocacy and leadership in building more inclusive spaces for students with disabilities.
Leading with Courage and Honesty
Visually impaired since birth, Sharma has never shied away from sharing her journey. She co-founded the L.A. Matheson Disability Student Union earlier this year, giving students a safe platform to discuss inclusion, accessibility, and the realities of living with disabilities.
Through dozens of class presentations, she has spoken to hundreds of peers about her day-to-day life with bilateral retinal coloboma, iris coloboma, and nystagmus—conditions that affect her vision. By openly addressing common myths, Sharma helps classmates understand that visual impairment isn’t just about “seeing” or “not seeing” but exists across a wide spectrum.
“For people with visual impairment and blindness, there’s a huge spectrum,” she explained. “My visual acuity is about 20 over 200, so I can see most things. The challenge comes with small or distant text.”
Her honesty has not only raised awareness but also sparked conversations that break down stigma.
Building a Community of Inclusion
Starting the Disability Student Union has been life-changing for Sharma. She says it has created a space where students with disabilities feel heard, respected, and empowered to speak out against ableism.
“High school can be very difficult if your disability is either highly visible or not visible enough,” she shared. “Our goal is to make students feel more comfortable and to stand up against ableism.”
Her teacher, Annie Ohana, praised Sharma’s boldness:
“She’s incredibly resilient—not just because of what she faces daily, but because she refuses to accept that things cannot change.”
Turning Advocacy Into Action
Sharma’s impact doesn’t stop at school. She’s currently working with Blind Beginnings, a non-profit supporting children and youth with vision loss across B.C. Together, they are developing an accessible children’s book designed for visually impaired readers.
She also plans to expand the reach of the student union by connecting with BASES (Building Academic, Social and Employment Skills) students and introducing Grade 8 classes to the union’s mission.
“The only way I can create change is by speaking up, sharing my experiences, and backing them with research,” Sharma said. “The more I grow in this work, the more I can help others.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Sharma’s story is one of resilience, leadership, and a refusal to let barriers define her. By turning challenges into advocacy, she’s not only reshaping her school environment but also inspiring others across her community.
Her journey shows that when young voices speak up, entire systems can start to shift toward inclusion and equity.
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