Disability Justice activist, Mia Mingus, argues that access goes beyond the frontline accommodations of providing wheelchair ramps and accessible doors in public. It is also a support system in which we attempt to meet the needs of disabled, deaf, and neurodivergent communities. Accepting and acknowledging access needs allows disabled people to feel safe, comfortable, and dignified in a specific place and time. This includes theatre art performances, workplaces, post-secondary institutions, and public events. How can we work together, as a unified community, to disrupt social, cultural, and environmental barriers in Ontario? What tangible goals can we achieve to meet the needs for disabled people?

In this episode, I'm joined by a wonderful guest speaker, Sydney Elaine Butler. Their pronouns are they/them. Sydney is a human resource and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consultant and a neurodiversity employment coach. We started the conversation by sharing our critical interpretations of access needs between a disabled individual, an employer, a partner, a friend, or a caregiver. We then dive into the flaws of Ontario's accessibility progress, stories of lived experiences with accessibility, AI transcriptions and its potential future in the workplace, Toronto Disability Pride March, and many more.

Transcript version of the episode:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F-1gGy6cHfPu48cIgSyT1-5ZmkUDxl6U/view?usp=drive_link