Christine Balaguer – 2026 Ambassador – Audio described

[Audio description] Christine sits in a chair waves, smiles and signs in Auslan. 

My name is Christine. 

[Text Christine Balaguer. Her waist long black hair is in a low ponytail. She wears gold earrings, blue denim trousers, pale blue shirt with turned up cuffs over a wide shouldered loose beige jacket.]

I'm Deaf. I'm a model. I'm a content creator.

[The recording space has yellow, green, blue and pink transparent rectangular panels of various sizes suspended within a white room.]

I'm an Ambassador for International Day for People with Disability.

[Text International Day for People with Disability, 2026 Ambassador, in white writing on two toned blue rectangles.]

[Audio description] Close up of Christine's boots as she strides confidently.

Someone told me once, they wondered if I could be a model because I was deaf. But as long as you have confidence, it doesn't matter. You can model as well as other hearing people. 

[Christine walks towards us as if on a catwalk, strikes a model’s pose angling her shoulder slightly, then another pose arms crossed, then turns and walks back towards the colourful panels.]

And you can do the same things that they can do.

[Audio description] Christine poses in a beige jacket.

With modelling, I went to Hong Kong and Malaysia and Thailand, and I worked in all those places. It wasn't easy for me.

[Videos of Christine with long flowing hair in a white dress, then waving in a shopping mall.]

I always had to advocate for myself and teach people how to interact with me being a Deaf person.

[Back in the studio Christine signs expressively.]

[Audio description]: Christine walks through modelling photos of her on colourful panels.

I'm from the Philippines. My mum, she had a business at the fish market. And she went away one time, and I was left on my own. And I had to work out how to communicate with the hearing people. 

[Family photos of Christine as a child with her mum and as a young girl.]

So, I just sort of figured it out on my own.

[Then back in the studio Christine sits framed against yellow and white as she signs.]

When I moved to Australia, it was so different. 

[With a wide smile, she peeps around a frosted pane, gripping its edge.]

I learned American Sign Language growing up. But here it is a different language. 

We use Auslan here. The alphabet is different and I didn't understand people. I'm still actually still getting better at it day by day.

[In the studio again wide shot of Christine sitting, framed against the colourful panels, signing and shaking her head.]

[Audio description] TEXT: Do people ever make ignorant assumptions about you because you’re deaf?

Oh yeah, there's a lot of rude things that people say.

[Christine’s nose wrinkles as she signs.]

Deaf people, oh, they're stupid or they don't know how to communicate.

[Then she gazes frowning at her reflection in a mirror held askew.]

A lot of people think that we are all the same. 

[Back in the studio Christine sits, framed against yellow and white as she signs.]

And we also have a variety of abilities amongst the whole community.

[Audio description] Christine walks behind coloured panels with her hand up.

Inclusion means respect, being patient with me. 

If hearing people came up and they say, “How can I communicate with you?” Yeah, I say by writing or by text, and then they follow. And so that shows respect in of itself.

[In the studio again. A wide shot of Christine sitting, framed against the colourful panels, signing.]

Growing up, I didn't really identify my deafness. But now I identify as being Deaf and I'm proud of it.

[A mix of photos and video clips of Christine, on public transport, in halter neck cream dress, posing and then clapping.]

It's beautiful to use sign language and it's beautiful who I am.

[Then sitting in the studio Christine leans forward in her chair, elbows on knees, and cups her face in her hands and smiles.]

We must open the doors to everybody so we all can be included and be successful, but we all are equal.

[Audio description] Her hands circle in the Auslan sign for equal. 

[Audio description] International Day of People with Disability logo and website.