Igniting A Fire To Include Everyone

I have set out to ignite a fire for universal inclusion. My speeches and workshops, while born of of an enthusiasm for the moral and emotional imperative to include people with disabilities in all aspects of life, show that true inclusion encompasses anyone with a barrier to participation, and that the universal inclusion model in fact benefits everyone.  

At its heart, universal inclusion creates a world where everyone's talents and abilities can be accessed equally, and everyone can participate fully in life. A policy or practice designed to facilitate the full engagement of people with disabilities, like the captioning of spoken advertising or presentations, will also enable a visual learner to engage with the speaker. Essentially, features conceived as disability accommodations have the potential to enable everyone else to realize their fullest potential.

Why Universal Inclusion is Important

Further, by making our inclusion practices universal, we not only benefit from the participation of people already in our midst who face barriers to inclusion, but are also prepared for those we have yet to encounter. Thus, the person with a disability who is destined to be our best friend, or our star performer, is not excluded at the door, simply because we did not have a heads-up to prepare for them. Likewise, a prized customer, valued employee, or long-time community member who suddenly encounters a new obstacle in life is not lost to us because we were unprepared..