My Year in Review: A Year of Recognition, Growth, and Finding My Place in the AAC Community

A guest Blog by Abdi Omar – Liberator Ambassador

If I had to describe 2025 in one sentence, it would be this: the year everything I’ve been building finally started to shine.

Not because things suddenly became easy… but because, after more than a decade of working, learning, and believing in something long before anyone else did, this was the year the world began to notice. 

For me, success has never been an overnight moment. It has been the slow burn, the hours of study, the quiet resilience, the hope that one day the work would matter.

And this year, I finally felt that shift.

Becoming a Liberator Ambassador

One of the biggest milestones of 2025 was becoming an official Liberator Ambassador. Even now, saying those words still feels surreal. When Liberator welcomed me into this role, it wasn’t just a partnership, it was a moment of recognition. A moment that told me: your voice matters, your experience matters, and your perspective belongs here.

Creating monthly content with Liberator has been one of the most rewarding parts of my year. It pushed me to reflect on my own AAC journey, to share openly, and to connect with users and families across the country who need to see AAC represented honestly – not as a limitation, but as a language and a source of identity.

I loved every moment of showing the world what AAC really looks like in everyday life.

Teaching, Mentoring, and the Joy of Seeing Progress

Another major part of my year has been mentoring over 85 AAC users every week through CENMAC. That’s right, every week. And every session reminds me why I do this work.

There’s nothing like seeing a young AAC user have a breakthrough moment; finding a word faster, expressing a feeling clearly, discovering confidence they didn’t know they had. These wins may seem small to some, but to us, they mean everything.

This year also opened doors for me to speak, train, and teach at schools, councils, events, and organisations that want to build real inclusion. Not performative inclusion, not tick-box inclusion – real inclusion, based on understanding communication differences and embracing them.

Years ago, I never would’ve imagined myself teaching educators, health professionals, and leadership teams. Now, it’s one of the greatest honours of my life.

My Nomination at Communication Matters

Being nominated for the Make a Difference AAC Award at the Communication Matters Conference was a true highlight. I didn’t win, and to some people that might sound disappointing, but I’m genuinely grateful for that outcome. 

The nomination alone meant that the community saw my work, recognised the impact, and believed in what I’m trying to build. Winning wasn’t the moment of validation.

Being seen was enough.

For someone who worked for years without being noticed, 2025 felt like the year the spotlight finally caught up.

Growing Partnerships & Big Conversations

My collaboration with Liberator continued to evolve this year with new video ideas, new topics, and new creative directions. Each project has helped normalise AAC and bring more authentic representation to the community.

I also began exploring new partnerships, including conversations with ElevenLabs around expressive digital voices. Technology in this space is moving fast, and it’s exciting to be part of the conversations that shape the future of communication. 

For me, partnerships are never just about business. They’re about shifting culture, making AAC part of everyday conversations, not an afterthought or a mystery.

One of My Proudest Moments: Speaking at the UK Parliament

This year, I was invited to the Royal Society & Policy Connect Disability Technology Reception at the UK Parliament; a moment that felt bigger than just a professional achievement. 

Standing in Parliament as an AAC user wasn’t just about me. It was about every young AAC user who worries their voice won’t be taken seriously. It was about proving that our communication is not a barrier to leadership, influence, or change.

That experience strengthened my mission even more:

AAC users must be seen in places where decisions are made. Our voices belong at every table.

Reflecting on the Journey

s I look back on 2025, I realise that this was the year I stopped questioning whether I was on the right path.

I found clarity.

I found purpose.

And I found momentum.

Everything I’ve built since 2012: the studying, the failures, the attempts to be heard, the self-doubt, the breakthroughs… all of it led to this moment where things finally align.

2025 wasn’t perfect.

It wasn’t glamorous.

But it was meaningful.

It was honest.

And it was mine.

Looking Ahead: My Vision for 2026

If 2025 was the warm-up, 2026 is the year I’m stepping fully into my mission.

Here’s what I’m focused on:

More mentoring.

Because AAC users deserve guidance from someone who understands the journey personally.

More content with Liberator.

More vlogs, more educational videos, more real-life AAC representation.

More collaborations.

Working with innovators and organisations who believe in lived-experience leadership.

More speaking engagements.

Not just sharing my story but teaching people how to build accessible environments that actually work.

Growing Limitless Minds Group.

2026 is the year LMG expands into structured learning, training, and professional development for both AAC users and the wider community.

Normalising AAC at every level of society.

In schools.

In workplaces.

In policy.

In leadership.

I’m entering 2026 with focus, energy, and the belief that this is only the beginning.

A Thank You to the Community

To everyone who supported me this year, thank you.

To Liberator: thank you for believing in my voice and amplifying it.

And to every AAC user reading this:

Your communication method is not a limitation.

Your pace is not a weakness.

Your voice is powerful, valid, and full of possibility.

Let’s make 2026 unforgettable.