Meaningful accessibility discussions happen when you are not in the room. Having a personal accessibility brand can help deliver your message in your absence. Branding isn’t just for companies anymore. Post-pandemic, in our almost-completely digital world, a personal brand is…
Online Mentoring
Why giving back should be the obligation of everyone who has had the privilege to be successful. The better part of three decades ago, I was a UNIX geek in Calgary, Alberta, with a couple of part-time jobs — CS…
Job Hunting while Disabled
PwDs are 18 % of the population and 9.5 % of the workforce. Here’s how not to illegally jerk them around during the recruiting process. Note: every “bad” HR behavior listed in this article, I have had personally happen to…
An award-winning business product that is the opposite of inclusion
If you work for an American company that prides itself on inclusion, stay away from Q.workntine or anything like it unless you like getting sued. On paper, “Q.workntine” is the kind of innovative product people fawn over, and investors throw…
The majority of people with disabilities can’t file an unemployment claim without help.
There’s no excuse, but plenty of blame to go around. Deferred maintenance on state unemployment systems is the common denominator. Unemployment applications are skyrocketing due to COVID. All of these state unemployment systems were built with public money, which means…
Post-COVID employment changes that will benefit everyone, but especially people with disabilities
Who wants to “go back to normal” when “normal” wasn’t so hot anyway? I’ve been accused of being a glass half-empty kind of person, but I have a good reason for how my personality was shaped. I spent 25 years…
I’ve got my accessibility certification — Now what???
A successful accessibility career isn’t only about accessibility. And in tech, you need to be continuously learning. Note: I am not endorsing any of the classes below, I have not taken any of them personally. But I’ve had a generally…
Accessibility Playlist
Eight songs that will get you in the right mood to be accessible. Especially when your employer has put your whole office on WFH. So like any good tech company, the first thing my co-workers did when we were urged…
10 tips for More Effective and Accessible WFH Communications
COVID-19 is forcing more of us to work from home than ever. Here is how you can effectively communicate with your co-workers during this time Pick the Appropriate Method of Communication Email, slack, text message, phone, chat, conference call —…
Disability Burnout is Real
Left unchecked, disability burnout can completely take over your life. Disability burnout is a state of physical or emotional exhaustion caused by or made worse by a disability. Symptoms include: feelings of exhaustion inability or difficulty in focusing or prioritizing…