Jessica Smith (swimmer)

Jessica Tace Smith OAM is an Australian Paralympic swimmer and motivational speaker.

Swimming

Jessica swam for Australia for seven years and represented Australia at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.[1]

Motivational speaking and body image advocacy

Smith began working with the Butterfly Foundation as a body image advocate. She now works professionally as an MC, and motivational and public speaker.[2]

Author

Published in July 2015, Little Miss Jessica Goes to School is a children's book written by Smith as a resource for children with a hand or arm difference.[3]

Awards

Jessica was awarded an OAM in 2019 for service to the community.[4][5]

In 2017 she was awarded a Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year as a Game Changer.[6]

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

Jessica 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.[7]

Smith married Hamid Salamati in 2015[8] and has three children.[9] She converted to her husband's Islam at his family's request.[10]

References
  1. "Jessica Smith's journey from disability to self-acceptance". www.abc.net.au. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  2. "Jessica Smith". Saxton Speakers. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  3. ""Little Miss Jessica Goes to School" (Hardback) | The Aussie Hands Foundation Inc". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  4. Hourigan, Adam. "One Grafton local honoured with OAM". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. "Jessica Tace SMITH". It's an Honour. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. "COSMOPOLITAN celebrates the 2017 Women of the Year Award Winners". Bauer Media Advertising. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  7. Lavalette, Tristan (12 September 2013). "Jessica Smith uses Paralympic pain to fight body image dangers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  8. "Paralympic swimmer's perfect day". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  9. "ABOUT". JESSICA SMITH - OAM. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  10. "Paralympian Jessica Smith converted to Islam for her husband's family". MamaMia. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
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