May 31 – June 6 – National AccessAbility week’s theme is “Building a Strong, Accessible Canada”. Here are a few questions to ponder:
Are we there yet as far as the built environment? Web- and document accessibility? And, what about emergency mitigation and preparedness for people with disabilities?
Will we accessible by 2040?
What are some things you feel are being overlooked? What about successful implementation of accessibility?
June marks International Deafblind Awareness Month
Periodically throughout the month, I will highlight historical and modern issues regarding deafblindness in real-life scenarios and through traditional movies and media. This year’s theme is: Advancing Rights, Removing Barriers.
The current barrier in British Columbia is equal access to intervenor services to break down communication barriers to access every day errands, festivals, doctor’s appointments and many more. The government’s budget doesn’t allocate services for many who are on the wait list, including myself, to access the same information in an accessible way (such as American Sign Language or oral speech).
For me, Deafblind Awareness Month is much more than educating people, but dispelling myths and help create an inclusive and welcoming space for employment, education and play for all.