Project A.B.L.E (Addressing Bias, Listening with Empathy)

Brennan’s project, Project A.B.L.E (Addressing Bias, Listening with Empathy), explores one of the most powerful human emotions - empathy - and how it can be understood, measured and potentially taught.

Motivated by his own lived experience with cerebral palsy, Brennan is designing a youth-led research study to investigate how people respond emotionally and physiologically to ableism and social exclusion.

By interviewing participants, Brennan will capture stories of people living with a disability and how each person has grown through the milestones and challenges that shaped them. His goal is to better understand how empathy functions across different demographics and to spark new conversations about inclusion and awareness.

With support from the Youth Creativity Fund, Brennan is connecting with local universities, including the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the University of Guelph, to access research space, mentorship, and the specialized equipment needed for data collection. Grant funds will also support participant honorariums and vital tracking tools.

Brennan says the project has taught him to stay flexible when plans change and to embrace learning as part of the process: “Your original plan doesn’t always end up being the final plan.”

He’s proud of how his ideas have evolved through collaboration and mentorship and he hopes to one day pursue psychology at the University of Waterloo.

By combining research and lived experience, Brennan’s work encourages all of us to look closer, listen deeper, and lead with empathy.

Follow Brennan’s journey on Instagram: @brennanjacksons_voice