PAULINE WILTSHIRE
Author • Poet
Pauline Wiltshire’s legacy as a trailblazing author is rooted in her refusal to let discrimination or hardship silence her voice. Her groundbreaking autobiography, Living and Winning, published by Hackney’s Centerprise, helped reshape the literary landscape around representation, disability and inclusion.
Navigating London in the 1970s as a Jamaican-born disabled woman, she courageously used her life experiences to fuel her writing and challenge systemic barriers.
Why Hackney Matters
Hackney is more than the area that Pauline Wiltshire moved to when she first arrived from Jamaica in 1976 at the young age of 24; it became a community where she could begin to build an independent life and have her experiences heard on her own terms. Through her work with Centerprise, she found a community space that enabled her to tell her own story rather than be defined by and boxed by limiting labels placed upon her. Her journey reflects Hackney’s wider tradition of creating spaces where marginalised communities could document their experiences, challenge stereotypes and assert their own voices. For Pauline, Hackney became a testament to her bravery, determination and perseverance in building an independent life.
Did You Know?
Living and Winning received the Best Autobiography prize at the 1985 Socialist Bookfair Awards.