Imagine navigating a world where every door is closed to you—not because you lack the ability, but because the world was not designed with you in mind. I recently came across an ad by a French electric company that powerfully illustrated this reality. It flipped the script, showing a world where people without disabilities faced barriers at every turn. While the video poignantly highlights the physical obstacles, its deeper message speaks to something more profound: the daily exclusion and isolation that people with disabilities continue to experience in spaces and systems built without them.
As we mark National Accessibility Week on May 25 to 31, it is a timely reminder that accessibility is more than just ramps, automatic doors, or designated parking spots. While those physical accommodations are essential, true accessibility and inclusion mean creating environments— physical, digital, and social, that allow full participation for everyone. And to achieve that, we must address the biggest, and often invisible, barriers – stigma and attitudinal bias.
Too often, people with disabilities are met with assumptions about what they can or cannot do or made to feel like they are a burden for requesting accommodations. This is ableism, a form of discrimination rooted in the belief that people with disabilities are inferior or need to be ‘fixed. (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2023) In my experience, it remains one of the most significant barriers to true inclusion, precisely because it so often goes unnoticed and unchallenged. It does not come from a place of malice, but it is pervasive— and it shows up everywhere.
Ableism can notoriously influence the very systems we move through every day. It can influence hiring practices when candidates with disabilities are overlooked because of assumptions about their capabilities. It is embedded in policies that treat accessibility as an optional add-on feature rather than a basic right. It dictates the design of public spaces that still fail to accommodate diverse needs, and it colours everyday interactions when people are spoken over, ignored, or pitied. When left unchallenged, these biases create environments where people with disabilities are systematically excluded— not because of inability, but because the systems and spaces were not built for them in the first place. This is what happens when people with disabilities are not at the decision-making table. And when exclusion becomes embedded in our systems and culture, we do not just deny opportunities to those individuals— we rob our communities of their valuable insights, talents, and contributions.
Creating inclusive communities is a collective responsibility, and leadership at every level has a crucial role to play. Leaders must champion inclusion by moving beyond statements and into strategy. This means ensuring people with disabilities are actively involved in shaping decisions that impact their lives. It is about moving beyond compliance and continuously asking: Who might be left out of this space, conversation, or opportunity, and how can we change that?
At ABLE2, we have long believed that it is not enough to talk about inclusion— we must actively create it. And we have taken this to heart. We have redefined how we deliver programs by adapting to the ever-evolving needs of the people we support and continuously improving our services to address the barriers they face.
When hiring staff, we look for the best person and provide any requested accommodation and the physical environment is designed to be accessible to all.
Our Matching Program, which pairs people with disabilities with volunteers, does not just foster friendship— it shifts perspectives. Our volunteer Allies gain an ingrained understanding of the everyday realities their Friends experience, breaking down assumptions and building authentic community connections.
Through our Reach Legal Referral Services, we connect individuals with disabilities to a roster of 200+ volunteer legal professionals, actively dismantling the systemic barriers and helping people assert their rights in challenging discrimination and stigma.
Many of our events involve people with disabilities in the planning process and we incorporate several accommodations into them too, such as quiet areas, personal support attendants, accessibility teams and live closed captioning.
At the leadership level, we are proud to have people with disabilities serving on our Board of Directors, ensuring their lived experiences shape our strategy, challenge our assumptions, and keeps us accountable to the communities we serve. That is how real, lasting inclusion is built.
During National AccessAbility Week, and in every moment that calls for reflection— let us take an honest look at our own assumptions and behaviours. Challenge ableist language in your conversations. Revisit your hiring practices, physical and digital spaces, outreach efforts and continue to ask yourselves: Who might be left out and how can we change that? And if you are in a leadership role, lead with inclusion at the forefront. Make sure people with disabilities are not just consulted but meaningfully involved at the decision-making table, helping shape the spaces, policies, and communities they live in.
So, as we envision a world where accessibility is a given, not an afterthought, I will leave you with this question: What role will you play in making that vision a reality?
Published by
Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director