Originally published in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Diversability Every day in the US, a conversation like the following one occurs: Employee with disability: I can’t do X because of Y. Some examples of this might include, “I can’t use…
Six actions that will destroy disability/diversity ally credibility
Believe me when I say that for all underrepresented communities, including disability, actions speak WAY louder than words. Most organizations want to claim they are inclusive. You don’t find many that proudly shout publicly that they intentionally exclude underrepresented minorities,…
What types of media representation do people with disabilities want to see?
If you ask a disability activist, the answer to this question is more complicated than you might think. Media representation of people with disabilities is at an all-time high. But the numbers don’t tell a complete story. For starters, that…
Do you have a disability if you don’t have an official diagnosis?
The short answer is “absolutely.” The long answer, of course, is more complicated than that. First of all, disabilities are almost always thought of in either the medical or legal contexts. The CDC’s definition of a disability, which is medical, is…
Sustainability starts with disability inclusion and accessibility.
For starters, for every 1 % increase in people with disabilities working, $25 billion would be added to the US economy. Many people start the year with New Year’s resolutions: Reduce, reuse, recycle Purchase more sustainable solutions Buy local But each of…
California Law AB 979 promoting board diversity does not go far enough.
AB 979 law has a much too narrow definition of “underrepresented communities,” leaving out many identities who deserve to be included. AB 979 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last year. This law requires that by the end of 2021,…
Seven Steps to Processing a “Teachable Moment”
Not so much when the “teachable moment” pertains to diversity or identity, be it gender, age, disability, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ status, or any other aspect. Let me tell you that under those circumstances, “teachable moments” are unequivocally awful experiences, even under the best of circumstances.
Are you ready to be anti-ableist in 2021?
Make a New Year’s Resolution to add anti-ableism to your skillset from 2021 going forward. As I start to think about the standard “year-end” / wrap-up articles related to accessibility, this one seems pretty obvious. We need more people to…
How to prevent your conference calls from getting hacked
A few simple, proactive steps will help reduce the chance of this terrible event from occurring on your watch. I recently attended a large public event hacked by someone making racist, sexist, homophobic remarks. It was the kind of event…
“Anything else you want to tell us?” is not a valid substitute for “do you need an accommodation?”
Stop using conference registration forms, submission portals, and platforms that discriminate against people with disabilities. In the first of two articles I have recently published on accommodations, I addressed what accommodations are. The second focused on what can happen when an organization…