Emily Ladau’s Post

Can I geek out for a second? As a total LinkedIn nerd, I was *thrilled* to be invited to chat with Andrew Seaman on the Get Hired by LinkedIn News podcast. But really, my excitement about this conversation is primarily rooted in my passion for making the world more accessible. With National Disability Employment Awareness Month (#NDEAM) in full swing, there's no better time to start or continue your journey to creating a more inclusive workplace. I'm grateful to have been able to share some insights in this podcast episode about why and how to do this. That said, we need to go beyond being merely encouraging "awareness" of inclusive employment for 31 days of the year. Disabled people (more than 1 billion of us) existed on September 30, and we will still exist on November 1. A month-long observance of NDEAM is a great start, but it's long past time for all employers to commit to taking consistent, meaningful action. I hope this podcast offers a sense of support and instills greater urgency to prioritize accessible and inclusive hiring processes and workplace cultures every single day of every single year. #DisabilityEmployment #DEI #DisabilityInclusion #GetHired #LinkedInTopVoices

If you're in a certain bubble, you might have seen a list of disability "influencers" compiled by Favikon's AI platform. Let me be clear: nothing I'm about to say is to disrespect contributions of anyone on that list, or—more broadly—any *very online* disabled person. I am absolutely on the hamster wheel of online-ness. I've felt urgency to prove my disability community "cred." It can feel like that's the only way into systems we're trying to shift. That's a problem. Algorithms can't be programmed to understand how hard people work to crack the armor surrounding engagement. Beyond that, I have no faith in AI's ability to recognize the depth of human diversity. (Please read Dr Shani Dhanda's post that rightfully calls this out.) No (racist, classist, ableist, etc.) algorithm calculating supposed "influence" should have the power to determine who is worthy and who belongs. Humans shouldn't have that power, either. And yet, gatekeeping abounds, often stemming from proximity to money, power, and established systems. I believe in the need to be present within (very flawed) systems to change them, but I don't believe only a privileged few should determine who gets to enter. I hold privilege as a white, physically disabled woman. I know I have many opportunities readily afforded to me, and I don't take that for granted. I've also been on the outside of the gate, because I'm not (despite what people call me) comfortable with what it takes to truly be an "influencer." While visibility of disability online has real impact and can shift mindsets, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing you must fit into a mold for your work to matter. But photo-ops and winning at algorithms should not be metrics of worth or belonging. For as much good as it can support, social media allows us to perpetuate a harmful hierarchy of activist voices. I acknowledge that I get swept up in that, sometimes by choice and sometimes by happenstance. Too often, the people who are the backbone of movement work aren't on the lists—the rankings, guest lists, who's who, follow recommendations, lists passed around by gatekeepers. I'd like to see this change, because I learn daily on social media from so many disabled people (especially people of color) who give of themselves without being rewarded with recognition or fair compensation for the labor they put in on platforms that can be hellscapes of discrimination and vitriol. So, let's make a different list—one that shines a spotlight on more than just "usual suspects" we see amplified. This is the tiniest of gestures and there is always much more to do, but I hope this post can become a thread of recommendations of disabled people, especially disabled people of color, whose work we should be following. Please tag away in the comments. (Image: Text on teal background: “The only person who should get to decide where you belong? You.” Below is a logo of a wheel encircled by "Words I Wheel By" and my handle, @EmilyLadau.)

Just the messenger, though I'm supporting behind the scenes: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is seeking input on what artists and other cultural workers with disabilities need to create, learn, and perform in a safe, healthy, and productive environment through access accommodations, adjusted work schedules, adaptive equipment, accessible spaces, and other types of accommodations. Join NEA on Monday, September 30 from 3:30 – 5:00pm Eastern for this conversation and share your thoughts and ideas on the barriers, best practices, and ideal working environments for artists to do their best work. ASL and live captions will be provided, and people can submit comments in writing to [email protected]. You can register here for this event, and please share this with your networks: https://lnkd.in/ewHTTEVm (Image description from NEA: Collage of four photos featuring a Black dancer performing onstage in an orange patterned African costume and two men behind him playing drums; a black and white photo of five Black men wearing dark suits and sunglasses; a woman seated in a wheelchair instructing female dancer in a wheelchair and a woman standing beside her; a group of actors on a stage with dramatic blue lighting and projections of a woman’s face behind them.)

Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, has been in the world for three years today! It's been a pretty awesome ride since it was published. I'm so unbelievably grateful to everyone who continues to read, learn from, and share the book. I'm lucky to hear regularly from people about their own insights and experiences with the book, and I hope it continues to be a resource for us to keep the conversations about disability going strong. So, if I may be so bold: if you have a story about how you've used or learned from Demystifying Disability, will you share it? My goal is always to continue learning and growing, just as I ask others to do the same, so I'd love to hear from you! You can find more about the book here: https://lnkd.in/dshnAaj5

A few months ago, I had a front-row seat in the courtroom to watch as a judge absolutely obliterated the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission's weak arguments against expanding the accessibility of their fleet. No joke, it was literally more exciting than an episode of Law & Order. Witnessing our legal system at work to protect instead of eliminate the rights of the disability community is truly powerful, and I'm thrilled to serve on the board of Disability Rights Advocates. Without access to transportation, disabled people are shut out of so many parts of life, from education to employment, healthcare to socialization. No one should be denied the right to navigate the world around us.

The right to vote is deeply important. So, too, is the right to access support in exercising the right to vote. Thank you to the Disability Justice Project for covering voting access for disabled people--a subject we must urgently center as the election approaches.

There's a common misconception among people unfamiliar with disability history that the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act was the only major legal decision that impacts the disability community. But there is so much that came before, and so much that has come after, including the Olmstead decision. This groundbreaking 1999 Supreme Court decision is central to ensuring that disabled people have access to live and thrive in our communities instead of in institutionalized settings. PBS Origins did a stellar job of digging into the history and context surrounding the Olmstead decision in this short documentary, including the stories of Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, who are at the center of the case. And you just might come across someone familiar when you watch! Truly grateful to PBS for shining a spotlight on this vital legal precedent and for giving me the opportunity to share some insight. #Disability #DisabilityRights #OlmsteadDecision #LinkedInTopVoices

There is a quote often attributed to Justin Dart, Jr., who is known as the "father" of the Americans with Disabilities Act: "Vote as if your life depends on it--because it does." I'm disillusioned, disheartened, and disappointed by so much that has happened under the current administration. But I cannot get on board with people across the political spectrum who are turning away from what could be a gasping breath of air to save democracy because of their anger. To be clear, I am also angry at the system we're forced to be governed by, at how it supports war and inequity and criminalization of people just trying to exist. But if we don't vote like there are actual lives at stake...then there are countless more lives to be lost. Today, in particular, as we're supposed to be recognizing the 34th anniversary of the passage of the ADA, I'm fearful of what's to come if Kamala Harris isn't elected. The ADA and other laws meant to protect marginalized groups are already so often treated like mere suggestions, if not outright ignored or broken. What happens if Project 2025 comes through like a wrecking ball? In case you haven't seen the article (https://lnkd.in/e-WSSHZp), Trump quite literally thinks the world would be better off without disabled people--including his own disabled family member, his nephew's son, who he believes should be dead. We're too burdensome, too expensive, too much of a drain on his delusions of utopia. There is so much death and destruction in the world. I don't believe a Harris administration is the magic solution, but I do believe it's clear her leadership is the closest we will get to saving laws and saving lives. [Image description: Dark teal background. Text reads: "Disabled people are worthy of full lives. We're not better off dead." Below is a logo of a wheel encircled by text that reads "Words I Wheel By" and my handle, @EmilyLadau.] #ADA34 #AmericanWithDisabilitiesAct #DisabilityRights #LinkedInTopVoices

My partner and I stopped by a gluten-free bakery last week, hoping to grab something sweet that wouldn’t make me sick before a full day of running around. Usually, one of us double checks on accessibility before heading somewhere new, but just this once, we didn’t. Of course, we arrived only to discover the bakery had a single step and no ramp. So, my partner offered to go inside and get us food, since I’m sometimes okay with that. But this time, something snapped in me. How infuriating that the law requires basic access, but so many people don’t care enough to take even the smallest actions to bridge the gaps. How infuriating that in the grand scheme of things, disabled people must waste precious energy fighting barriers to cupcakes when the flames engulfing the world grow stronger by the day. I don’t want to wait outside and watch through a window—truly a metaphor for so much of disabled existence. This month marks 34 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, yet we’re told to keep waiting for our rights, as though we must earn them. We’re kept outside of conversations and policy decisions that endlessly extend and rewind promised timelines. Disabled people shouldn’t be pushed to the sidelines of our own lives. Disabled people shouldn’t have to wait any longer for our humanity to be realized. This month also marks an annual celebration of Disability Pride. I *am* celebrating loudly and proudly, but this year, it’s a fiery Disability Pride. An impatient Disability Pride. An urgent Disability Pride. A done-waiting-outside Disability Pride. Image descriptions: 1) Photo of me, a white woman with curly brown hair and glasses in a blue dress. I'm sitting at a table with a microphone and nameplate, in the midst of speaking and gesturing emphatically. 2) Light blue background with black text: "I *am* celebrating Disability Pride Month loudly and proudly. It’s a fiery Disability Pride. An impatient Disability Pride. An urgent Disability Pride. A done-waiting-outside of my own life Disability Pride." On the bottom is a logo of a wheel encircled by "Words I Wheel By" and my handle, @EmilyLadau. #Disability #DisabilityPride #DisabilityPrideMonth #ADA34 #LinkedInTopVoices

Friendly, super important reminder: if you're planning an event, please be sure to check a multi-faith religious calendar before setting the date. Every year, like clockwork, I'm invited to speak at events that are scheduled on major Jewish holidays. As a disabled person, I'm always appreciative of opportunities to educate about disability, but as a Jewish person, it's painful to feel like one of my core identities is being devalued. Recently, I was asked to be a keynote speaker at a university with a very large Jewish population to kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The event was set for the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. So, I asked about rescheduling--not just for my sake, but out of respect for everyone observing the holiday. I was asked if I'd be open to booking the event on either of two other Jewish holidays happening October, which I declined on principle. I was hopeful another date would work out. Instead, they went in another direction and I lost out on the opportunity to keynote. I recognize that this year, October poses a challenging overlap between NDEAM and several major Jewish holidays, so scheduling can be tough, but conflicts like this can be navigated with thoughtful planning in advance. Now, this isn't only about me. I don't expect everyone to know my religious background. And it's definitely not just about Judaism. Rather, I hope that all major holidays of various faiths are taken into consideration before finalizing an event so that no one is ever made to feel excluded based on who they are or what they believe. [Image description: Dark teal background. Text reads: "Scheduling an event? Check a multi-faith religious calendar first!" Below is an illustration of a calendar, and in the bottom corners are my logo, a wheel encircled by text that reads "Words I Wheel By," and my handle, @EmilyLadau.] #Disability #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #DEI #DiversityEquityInclusion #DisabilityInclusion #LinkedInTopVoices