Check back often for regular updates!
When people think about accessibility, they usually picture what they can see. An interpreter standing beside a presenter. Captions on a screen. A wheelchair ramp leading into a building. Those things matter, but they’re only part of the picture. What people don’t see is all the work that happens behind the scenes just to keep up. I’ve spoken with many
Have you ever noticed that some of the most important conversations happen before the meeting even starts? Someone stops by a coworker’s office. A quick conversation happens in the hallway. People grab a coffee together before walking into the boardroom. Ideas are shared. Opinions are formed. Decisions begin taking shape before anyone sits down at the table. For most people,
There is a question I have been asking myself more often lately: Who actually holds the power? Not who is standing at the podium. Not who appears in the annual report. Not who is featured on social media during National AccessAbility Week or International Week of the Deaf. Those things may demonstrate visibility, but they tell us very little about
One of the things I enjoy most about my work isn’t standing at the front of the room teaching. It’s watching the moment everything starts to make sense. People often arrive at a training session with questions they’re almost afraid to ask. They don’t want to say the wrong thing. They worry about making mistakes. Some have never met a
One thing I often ask organizations is a simple question: When do you start thinking about accessibility? For many, the answer is when someone requests it. A Deaf person registers for an event. An employee asks for an interpreter. A visitor requests captions. A customer identifies an access need. Only then does the planning begin. But that’s already too late.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that access is often supported right up until it becomes inconvenient. Most organizations agree that inclusion is important. Most people agree that communication access matters. Most employers, service providers, museums, community groups, and organizations genuinely want to do the right thing. Until there is a cost. Until it takes extra planning. Until
