Why do we need anti-racism in accessibility work?
“Do I put my race before my disability or my disability before my race?”
I often battle with this question in spaces I enter. As a visibly disabled Filipinx Canadian living with cerebral palsy, I recognize that I don’t have the privilege to choose because both identities are highly visible. It’s impossible to mask or hide my two identities. Being Filipinx and disabled shape how I navigate the world.
Too often, accessibility work treats disability as a stand-alone issue. But for those of us who live with intersecting identities, especially with race and disability, we know that ableism and racism don’t exist in isolation. They overlap, compound, and are deeply embedded in the systems around us especially in the workplace.
Accessibility must be for everyone. And accessibility work needs to confront how racist systems show up in accessibility efforts, policies, and practices.
Five ways to apply Anti-Racism in workplace accessibility:
Here are five practical strategies employers can add anti-racism in their accessibility work:
1. Use data that captures intersectionality
To meaningfully capture accessibility data, organizations must consider intersectionality, especially around race and disability. Broad data collection misses key experiences and can exclude people. Analyzing data by both race and disability helps reveal intersecting barriers, like racialized employees being less likely to request accommodations or facing greater pushback. This leads to more accurate insights and stronger accessibility solutions.
Tips for implementation:
- Break down survey results by race and disability to better understand the experiences of different groups.
- Use data to identify where systemic inequities exist and set measurable goals to address them.
- Use the results to drive inclusive decision-making at all levels of the organization.
2. Rethink “fit” and build inclusive hiring practices
Employers must recognize hiring processes are inequitable. They often unintentionally exclude racialized and disabled candidates due to western ideas of “fit” and “professionalism.”
Tips for implementation:
- Focus on technical skills in job postings.
- Remove unnecessary requirements like advanced degrees or “15 years of experiences” unless they are essential.
- Use plain language and make applications accessible in multiple formats.
- Proactively offer all candidates accommodations such as alternate application formats, video interviews, or ASL interpreters.
- Train hiring leaders on bias awareness, especially around race and disability.
3. Design accommodations that are culturally safe
Accommodations must go beyond disability and should be for everyone. They must consider cultural, racial, and spiritual safety when supporting individuals with accommodations.
Tips for implementation:
- Offer flexible accommodations such as remote work, access to prayer/mindfulness rooms, or time off for non-western faith holidays.
- Standardize the process for requesting accommodations and make it clear, formalized, and accessible to all employees.
- Train leaders on how racial bias and ableism can impact employee comfort in requesting support.
4. Review policies with an Anti-Racist accessibility lens
Policies do typical reflect white and non-disabled norms that leave many employees behind.
Tips for implementation:
- Audit policies using an intersectional lens and identify how each policy impacts racialized and disabled employees.
- Use plain language and offer documents in multiple languages.
- Ensure content is compatible with screen readers and have the policy available for hard copy.
- Involve employees from diverse backgrounds in policy reviews to ensure cultural safety.
- Pay close attention to policies around attendance, performance management, and leave, all of which often penalize employees facing systemic barriers.
5. Build a culture that centers marginalized disabled voices
Real change goes beyond policy; it lives in the culture of an organization. This work must be led by employees.
Tips for implementation:
- Center the voices of racialized disabled people through storytelling, employee lunch and learns, and internal campaigns.
- Support and sponsor Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and involve them in the organization’s accessibility initiatives.
- Create accessible feedback listening sessions led by racialized disabled employees where employees can speak up without fear.
- Foster psychological safety by incorporating anti-racist and anti-ableist behaviours into employee performance reviews.
Final thoughts
Accessibility work that ignores racism is not finished. To build workplaces where everyone thrives, we must recognize how racism and ableism are related in many ways and we must take meaningful action to address them.
Embedding anti-racism into accessibility is not just the “right thing to do,” it’s key to creating workplaces that are truly inclusive, equitable, accessible and empowering for all.
Lionel Migrino (he/him) is a Filipino Canadian storyteller, disruptor and disability advocate living with cerebral palsy. Through photography, documentary filmmaking, and equity-focused consulting, Lionel amplifies marginalized voices and fosters systemic change. With a background in HR and a passion for accessibility, he uses his own privileges and lived experience to empower accessible and inclusive spaces where everyone belongs.