Summary
Keeping it real (and accessible) as we kick off the new year with a special edition of the newsletter!
👋 Welcome to a special and accessible New Year edition of The Latest!
💜 Love That New Year Energy!
It’s the time for goal setting and planning for a successful year. The year is full of possibilities, just waiting for us to dive right in and get started.
Make accessibility a part of your vision for how you want to grow over the next 12 months (and beyond)!
Spend that New Year’s energy wisely and start with proven strategies from Disability Is Human. Here’s 5 concrete steps to get you started:
+ Download our free Accessibility Checklist and integrate those into your annual goals.
+ Check out my blog! I’ve posted several in-depth articles in the last few months that are sure to get your wheels turning on how to make your own workplace more accessible.
+ Add the Disability Is Human Book and Official Workbook to your book club docket, ERG recommended reading lists, or your Kindle library. Check out this sneak peek!
+ Bookmark my recent podcast visits for your next listen (or watch), including Adaptx, Your Working Life, Beyond Barriers, Women’s Leadership, Unstoppable Mindset, Agile Academic, and The Uplift. More are coming soon!
+ Follow a new Disabled Creator on your favorite social media channel. You can find one in each month’s newsletter (see below!), on the Creator Call Out section of my website, or at the end of each chapter of Disability Is Human.
💯 Keeping it Real
Out of full transparency, here’s my own set of New Year’s Accessibility Resolutions. Just because I work in this space doesn’t mean I am done growing.
I share this list with you as part of my own accountability, as well as encouragement with your own goals for 2025!
- Learn more about screen readers and how they work with apps, docs, and websites.
- Attend one disability focused conference in 2025 to meet new people in this space.
- Read at least 5 new books related to disability, ableism, and accessibility.
What’s on your resolutions list?
💪 Start the Semester Strong
Someone in your life is starting the Spring 2025 semester in just a few short days — whether you are an educator, a parent, a student or a colleague. Here are some resources for you as you (or your loved one) heads back to school:
> Planning your syllabus? Here’s a checklist for ways to make sure your class is more accessible from day one.
> Elizabeth Hamblet’s book, 7 Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities, is a go-to-guide especially for those just getting started with accommodations requests.
> The Disability Is Human Workbook gives you instant Lesson Plan ideas for your own students! Works well with teens and adults of all ages.
🌊 Ripple Effects and ROI!
The ripple effects of Disability Is Human are starting to happen! Check out this feedback I received about the way teams can take ideas and run with them – a catalyst for change!
“I am so glad I found your workbook. I lead a small team of designers who are passionate to champion for digital accessibility in product design department. My team have never had any experience facilitating or crafting an online workshop, but they are very eager to learn. I gifted a physical copy of your workbook to each of them and to my surprise they immediately put it into practice! They successfully ran 6 workshops, the “it made me think” closing activity gave us the data to show the value of our workshops to upper leadership. Thank you!” — Karman Chan, Product Design Manager
✳️ Disabled Creator Call Out
My new favorite disabled creator is Latoya Shauntay Snell. An athlete, chef, and advocate, Latoya Shauntay Snell turned her personal wellness journey into the successful “Running Fat Chef” platform, where she inspires others through her experiences as a Black, plus-size, queer, and chronically ill endurance athlete.
- A celebrated writer featured in Runner’s World and Huffington Post, Snell combines her expertise in culinary arts and endurance sports to champion authenticity and inclusivity in fitness, earning recognition from Sports Illustrated and The Root.
She inspires me daily with her keep-it-real videos and posts. A perfect addition to your social media consumption for 2025!
🥰 And Finally…
My new favorite hat is the Disability Is Human logo designed by Emily Egan. For cool household items, banners, and wearables, check out the Disability Is Human shop!
