A call for audience members with disabilities to share their own lived experiences

Marketing experts as well as speaking and communication professionals alike are typically committed to fostering an engaging experience for everyone in their audience, but how successful are they at truly including every person that comes to hear them speak? If you asked them, of course, most would look you straight in the eye and say “everyone” without even flinching.

But we, in the disability inclusion space, and especially those among us who live with various disabilities, know better. In fact, inclusion is such a problem in the speaking world that I wrote an entire book about the topic (did you get your own copy yet?).

We KNOW, firsthand, that most speakers and communication professionals out there regularly exclude a part of their audience with the way they present their information, with the way they share their ideas, or with the way they refer to their materials. We RECOGNIZE the importance of including individuals with disabilities in the conversations surrounding live event experiences, both in-person and virtual. But for the most part, they have no idea how to do that.

Not as inclusive as they might think!

Arguably, public speakers typically don’t know what they don’t know, and as a result, keep creating experiences that are exclusive for some people who have disabilities, are neurodivergent, are ageing, or are simply marginalized by the use of technologies. Wouldn’t it be great if we could teach them to progressively do better, so they could slowly become more inclusive of all of their audience members?

That’s the challenge I chose to tackle a few years ago, when I started writing my book, “The Inclusive Speaker”. Very quickly, I realized that writing such a book without involving those that were left behind would be nothing more than opinions and hearsay. And quite frankly, a part of me couldn’t help but ask whether the world needed yet another 50-year old, cisgendered, privileged white male sharing his opinion about diversity, equity, and inclusion.

So what I decided to do instead was ask people around me how they felt about their own experiences, attending live, in-person and virtual events. So I could just step aside, and amplify their voices instead. The response from peers and colleagues didn’t disappoint. Indeed, clearly, there was a problem that needed to be addressed.

So I did what I do best, and I kept digging. Digging, and asking more questions. Asking more people. Compiling answers. Extracting and documenting best practices. What I kept finding was disheartening, yes, but again it was proving my point. The speaking world was a very inaccessible space for audience members who have disabilities.

And that leads me to this week’s post.

Because I’m not done yet.

We’re not done yet.

Celebrating a year of amplifying voices

It just occurred to me that over the past year, I’ve now interviewed a total of 52 people so far, asking them to share about their lived experiences, attending live, in-person and virtual events as individuals with disabilities. At the rate of one interview a week, it means that I’ve just wrapped up my first full year of running these interviews. Amazing how time flies!

What was the goal, you ask? Documenting some of the good things that speakers do that make audience members with disabilities feel welcomed, cared for, and acknowledged, but also pointing out some of the frustrating things that these same speakers do that result in situations of exclusion for audience members with disabilities. Over the passing weeks and months, more and more speaking and communication professionals started paying attention to these posts, and great conversations started happening.

And with my book that just came out, these conversations around inclusion in the speaking world are only going to grow louder. Slowly but surely, voices are being amplified, and speaking professionals are starting to pay attention. There’s never been a better time than right now to join your voice to those of dozens of other people who’ve already shared their insightful and valuable perspectives.

And this is where you can come in.

A call for audience members who have disabilities

Over the last year, I’ve been approaching individuals one by one through LinkedIn and other platforms, and I fancy the idea of interviewing hundreds more before I’m through. But now that I’ve reached out to a lot of the people that were closest to me, it’s getting a bit harder to find people who are willing to come forward and share their perspectives.

I know what most of you are thinking: “Oh that would be cool, but not me, I don’t have anything interesting to say. Others have already said it. Who cares what I think?” But I’m here to tell you that your voice does matter, that a lot of us care what you think, and that your experiences are unique, in their own ways! So don’t be shy! Consider being one of the next guests on the series.

There’s still so much that needs to be said on this topic, so much that needs to be claimed, for speakers to truly understand the diverse perspectives of their audience members, so they can successfully create inclusive experiences for everyone. Yes, a lot has been said already, but it hasn’t been said using your words, leveraging your experiences.

Will you be one of the next guests on my interview series?

Why would I participate?

You and I both understand the unique challenges that we face as individuals with disabilities when attending events, whether in-person or on virtual platforms. By sharing YOUR lived experiences, you will be contributing to a more inclusive world where communication professionals and speakers can learn to better accommodate various needs and preferences. YOUR insights will help shape the future of event planning and presentations, ensuring that people with disabilities are fully included in every aspect of the experience. That’s not insignificant!

If you identify as a person with one or more disabilities or sensory challenges, as someone who is neurodivergent, as someone who’s older and feels somehow left out when attending in-person or virtual events, as someone who sometimes feels excluded from the conversation because of the way speakers communicate from the stage or the platform, the rest of us want to hear about your experiences! I want to hear from you, regardless of your specific disability, whether it be physical, sensory, cognitive, or a combination of these.

Your perspective is invaluable, it matters, and I encourage you to come forward and share your thoughts on how events can be more inclusive and accessible for you, and everyone else.

Make your voice heard and make a difference!

Should you choose to step forward and share your perspectives with the rest of us, your input will be instrumental in helping speaking and communication professionals to:

• Gain awareness of the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in event spaces,
• Develop solutions to make presentations more accessible and engaging for all audience members,
• Foster a greater understanding of the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in the event industry,
• Create a lasting impact by influencing the way events are planned and executed in the future.

That’s no small feat! We can change things for the better, one speaker at a time!

So, if you’re interested in being one of my guests in these interviews, simply fill out the InklusivComm Interview form, to use the call to action below, and I will quickly get back to you. All you’ll need to do short-term is answer 5 simple questions, and provide some information about yourself, so I can present you in your best light. I’ll take care of the rest. No stressful live interviews, no awkward meetings, no uncomfortable small talk. Just you, your experiences, and a fully accessible form.

As you answer these questions, feel free to share any specific incidents, challenges, or observations that you feel would be relevant to the conversation. This certainly can include positive experiences where accommodations were made, as well as negative ones, with areas where improvements could have been made. This is about learning, sharing, and growing. This is about making a difference and changing the world. I can’t do this without you.