Sharing some helpful ways you can support the disabled community….because let’s face it, change takes time.
Especially the systemic and large societal changes we need to make.
But here’s a few ways you can actively help!
1. Tell brands you want to see more diverse and inclusive representation.
Tag your favorite brands on social and ask them to include people from the disabled community–not only in their campaigns but as an active participant in the creative process. DM them and comment on their social posts asking why they aren’t positively representing (more) disabled people. Actively praise good representation when you see it too!
2. Ask about accessibility. And yes, everyone can do it! Notice a particular event, function, meeting or venue isn’t accessible for all? Ask and advocate for it! You don’t need to be an expert on accessibility to be a champion for it. It can be a simple questions like “What measures do you take to ensure accessibility?” or “What items do you do to support your disabled customers?” The more allies we have pushing for accessibility the better!
3. Start at home. Sometimes the most instrumental changes in the world happen because you had a conversation about disabilities over dinner with your children, partner, spouse, family or friends. Impact can happen and we truly believe it starts at home.
4. Defer to disabled voices. How often do we see a movie about a disabled character but its played by an abled bodied person? Or a decision, law, policy, or change made without the perspective of the very people it impacts? Defer to and listen to the voices of the disabled community. Make sure that you allow the lived disabled experience to take precedence over your knowledge and understanding 
5. Hire from within the disabled community. Look around your workplace–does everyone look the same, have the same abilities, and think the same? If so, you might be missing out on some beautiful opportunities to enhance your culture.
6. Unpack your own unconscious bias. I know that “bias” tends to get everyone’s feathers ruffled….rest assured, that’s not a unique feeling. But whether you think you aren’t an ableist, ableism is systemic and ingrained into the fabric of our society. To truly be an ally to the disabled community, you have to be consistent with unlearning these unconscious biases. So how can you do that? Learn from the disabled community about their unique experiences, challenges, and viewpoints. Social media is a great tool for that–you don’t want to have to turn around and put the burden of your learning on an individual disabled person. Take the things you learn and make small, conscious, and instrumental changes to your life. It doesn’t need to be a grand momentous event–every little step in the right direction helps!
Feel free to share and as always–thank you for advocating with us!
