Author: admin_bmedia@able2

As a parent who raised a child with a disability, I know firsthand the feelings of exhaustion and helplessness that shapes our daily reality. When my son was diagnosed with autism, the hardest part wasn’t his diagnosis. It was realizing I had to raise him in a world that saw his limitations rather than his potential. 

Like every parent, my wish was simple: for my child to be accepted, to grow, and to thrive alongside his peers. But back in the 1980s, children with disabilities were often segregated from their peers, and programs would routinely turn us away because they “weren’t equipped” to support him. I spent countless sleepless nights researching, advocating, and fighting for my son’s fundamental right to simply belong. 

Things have progressed since then, but what I learned, and what drives my work now, is that the barriers our children face aren’t inherent to their disabilities. They are constructed by systems that haven’t learned to see ability within difference. 

This experience has given me deep empathy for parents of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In addition to living with the daily realities of supporting a child with a lifelong brain injury, these families also face the weight of the stigma and judgment attached to the disability— a burden that compounds their isolation and exhaustion. 

FASD is a brain-based disability resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure, impacting critical executive functions including memory, learning, judgment, decision-making, among others. (Canada FASD Research Network) It affects over 1.5 million Canadians, but many remain undiagnosed, hidden by stigma and misunderstanding. Unlike other disabilities, FASD carries the additional judgment towards birth mothers, unfounded assumptions about choice, and misconceptions about prevention that create shame where there should be support, silence where there should be advocacy.

The consequences are devastating. Parents find themselves navigating systems designed for other disabilities, working with well-meaning professionals who lack FASD-specific knowledge. Their children’s unique needs— the distinct ways they process information, respond to environments, or regulate emotions— are often misunderstood as defiance, manipulation, or poor parenting. And when these young people age out of social services at 18, often without proper supports, they face increased risks of substance abuse, homelessness, and criminal justice involvement. 

The economic impact is also staggering at $1.8 billion annually in Canada. But the human cost is immeasurable: families fighting to be understood, young people struggling to fit into a world that has made no space for their way of being. 

In recognizing this gap and the costs of ignoring it, ABLE2 launched the Fetal Alcohol Resource Program in 2015 in partnership with Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN), the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa, and CHEO to provide support to people of all ages with FASD and their families. The goal was simple but urgent: provide specialized, evidence-based support to people with FASD and their families, while building the knowledge of service providers across sectors. 

Since then, we have seen what becomes possible when stigma is replaced with compassionate understanding. Families who once felt isolated now have robust networks of support. Educators, justice workers, healthcare providers, and social workers trained by FARP bring new insights, empathy, and evidence-based strategies to their work. And most importantly, individuals with FASD once dismissed as “non-compliant” or “difficult,” are finally being recognized for what they have always been: people with unique needs, considerable strengths, and the right to thrive.

I was privileged to eventually find the support that helped my son thrive. Today, he is supported to live the life he wants, and contributes meaningfully to his community. But I carry the sober awareness that this outcome isn’t available to every family, and I stand in solidarity with parents who simply want their children to thrive, to have meaningful and fulfilling lives, and to belong without condition.

September marks FASD Awareness Month, with this year’s powerful theme: “Everyone Plays A Part: Take Action!” I want to challenge all of us, as individuals, professionals, and community members, to move far beyond the comfortable realm of awareness, toward the work of compassionate understanding and systemic change. 

That means recognizing FASD as the complex, lifelong neurological disability that it is. It means training professionals across sectors in FASD-informed approaches that honour both challenges and capabilities. Building communities that offer practical support without judgment, resources without shame. Most critically, shifting our collective narrative from blame to shared responsibility, acknowledging that creating inclusive, supportive environments isn’t just good policy or compliance, it’s a moral imperative. 

Every child deserves to be seen not through the narrow lens of their challenges, but through the promise of their potential. Children with FASD aren’t ‘difficult’ and the question is not whether these children can succeed— it’s whether we’ll finally build the supports that allow them to succeed. 

Beyond September, I invite you to play your part for families caring for individuals with FASD. Listen to their stories with empathy. Advocate for FASD-informed training in your workplace and community. Support policies that recognize FASD as a disability deserving of accommodation and support. Challenge stigma wherever you encounter it.

When we choose understanding over judgment, support over stigma, and action over awareness alone, we don’t just change outcomes for individuals with FASD, but we truly become the inclusive, compassionate society we claim to be.

As Executive Director of ABLE2, I see every day how systems that were never designed with disability in mind create unnecessary barriers. People wait months, or even years, for basic supports. Programs are underfunded, social services are stretched thin, and accessibility is often treated as an afterthought, available only to those who know to ask. Charities like ours step in where systems fall short, but we too, are underfunded and overstretched. The result? People who simply want to belong, pursue their passions, and live meaningful lives hit barrier after barrier.

I recently came across a LinkedIn post by Edmund Asiedu who said “You could become a person with a disability before this year ends.” This is a hard truth we don’t talk about enough. Disability can happen to anyone, at any time. And when it does, no one should have to fight for access, dignity, or inclusion.

Building on Edmund’s point, ask yourself: if you knew disability was going to be part of your future, would it change how you think about public spaces, workplaces, transit systems, or digital platforms? Would you demand programs and services that open doors instead of closing them? Would you demand full accessibility, not someday, but today?

This is the reality for nearly 8 million Canadians living with disabilities, and it could be yours too. Accessibility is not just about ramps or captions. It’s about equity. It’s about designing systems, spaces, and policies that work for everyone from the start. Think about curb cuts on sidewalks built for wheelchair access, but equally useful for parents with strollers, delivery workers, travellers with rolling luggage, and seniors. Inclusion benefits everyone.

We cannot keep patching the gaps in systems. We need to redesign them from the ground up. That means adequately funding disability programs, streamlining access to services, embedding accessibility into every policy and product, and including people with disabilities at every decision-making table.

At ABLE2, lived experience drives everything we do. People with disabilities sit on our Board. Program users shape our events and advocacy efforts. Over the years, we’ve seen that when accessibility is built in from the start, barriers come down, and everyone is empowered to thrive, advocate for themselves, and feel a sense of belonging.

Imagine a world where nobody has to ask to be included, because accessibility is already built in from the start. 

We don’t need to wait until disability happens to us or our loved ones. We can build better systems, spaces, and supports now. Inclusion is not a favour to anyone. It’s a shared responsibility and the smartest investment we can make for our future. 

If you knew disability was going to be part of your life tomorrow, what would you change today?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

Every July, we celebrate Disability Pride Month to honour the history, culture, and contributions of the disability community. The celebration traces its roots to 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. This landmark legislation was a hard-won victory in the fight for civil rights, accessibility and inclusion. Since then, Disability Pride has evolved far beyond policy. It has become a powerful movement—one that confronts stigma and reclaims disability identity with pride.

For too long, disability has been framed through the lens of limitation: something to be fixed, pitied, or overcome. Disability Pride flips that narrative. It is not about inspiration or sympathy. It’s saying, “We belong— not in spite of our disabilities, but with them.” It affirms that disability is not a flaw, but a vital part of human diversity. And in a world that often devalues it, to be proud of a disabled identity is a radical act of resistance. It challenges ableism at its core and reclaims space that has too often excluded them. 

Disability Pride offers a vision for the kind of world we are working to build. A world where accessibility is the standard, where disabled leadership is expected, and where interdependence is valued. Disability Pride is a call to action for systems, institutions, and individuals to move beyond performative inclusion, toward real, structural change.

At ABLE2, we believe real inclusion demands more than policy statements and good intentions. It requires action that is informed by people with lived experience. That is why we ensure people with disabilities are meaningfully involved in shaping our programs, services, and strategy. From our Board of Directors to advisory committees and event planning teams, their voices are not just included but are leading the conversations. 

We put this commitment into action through all our programs and services that are built with inclusion at their core. For instance, the Matching Program combats social isolation by fostering genuine one-to-one friendships between people with disabilities and community volunteers— relationships rooted in mutual respect and belonging. Through the Reach Legal Referral Services, we ensure that individuals with disabilities can access justice and assert their rights.

Inclusion is our operating principle. Every program, policy, and conversation begins with a question: How are we building an inclusive community where every person is seen as able, important, and valued? Because without intentional action, inclusion remains a promise unfulfilled.

You too can have a hand in building a more inclusive world. Here are a few ways to take meaningful action:

• Support disability-led initiatives. Invest your time, resources, and platforms in organizations run by and for people with disabilities. 
• Educate yourself. It’s not the job of people with disabilities to educate everyone. Take initiative to read books, watch documentaries, and follow disability advocates online.
• Audit your spaces. Identify inaccessible practices and methods in your workplace or community, whether it’s physical, digital or cultural. Who is left out and why? Actively advocate for change.
• Speak up against ableism. Silence can be complicity. If you hear ableist jokes or see discriminatory behaviour, speak up respectfully, even when it’s uncomfortable.
• Amplify voices. Listen and ensure that people with disabilities are not only invited to the table, but empowered to shape the conversation.

Being an ally requires humility, listening, and a commitment to equity. You will not always get it right, but staying open to feedback and continuing to learn is what makes you a true ally.

As efforts around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) continue to be threatened, it’s more important than ever to hold the line. Disability Pride matters because inclusion is not a trend. It is a human right. The fight is far from over, but we are not waiting for permission to be proud. The disability community is here, leading, creating, and thriving. 

This Disability Pride Month, let us move beyond all the talk and commit to action. How will you show up for the disability community?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

June marks PRIDE month, a time to celebrate identity, visibility, and the fundamental right for everyone to live openly, fully, and freely. But beyond the colourful celebrations and hard-earned milestones, lies a quieter, more complex truth: for many, PRIDE is not just a celebration— it’s a daily act of resistance and survival.

That is the reality for many of the 2SLBGTQ+ individuals living with disabilities. According to a 2022 report by Statistics Canada, there are over 700,000 Canadians over the age of 15 who identify as 2SLBGTQ+ and live with one or more disabilities. These individuals sit at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities and barriers, which are not merely additive, but rather amplified by stigma, systemic gaps, and a lack of adequate support. Imagine living in a world that not only questions your capabilities but also invalidates your identity. 

People with disabilities have long navigated systems that were not designed with their needs in mind. Add to that the realities of 2SLBGTQ+ identities, where homophobia, transphobia, and erasure persist— the risk of isolation, harassment, and violence increases exponentially. Research shows that this population is more likely to experience mental health challenges, be denied equitable access to services, and face victimization because of their identities. 

And yet, despite the obstacles, these individuals are not broken; far from it. They are self-aware, resilient, and often more in tune with what they need. Because they’ve had to fight for it. Their lived experience as 2SLBGTQ+ with disabilities equips them with a unique kind of wisdom and strength. And that makes them not only survivors, but leaders in the movement for inclusion.

Still, as DEI efforts face growing scrutiny, we must remain vigilant. A troubling narrative is taking hold; one that suggests equity threatens merit, or that inclusion is optional. We cannot afford to move backward. Not now. Not ever. Inclusion is not a trend. It is respecting the fundamental rights of everyone, including 2SLBGTQ+ individuals with disabilities. It is foundational to a just and equitable community. 

At ABLE2, we are proud to stand by the 2SLBGTQ+ community, especially those living with disabilities. We work to provide them with tools, resources, and tailored support to live with dignity, autonomy, and confidence. Through our Reach Legal Referral Services, we connect individuals to over 200 volunteer legal professionals who help them challenge discrimination and assert their rights, whether in employment, healthcare, housing or education. ABLE2’s mission is to empower people to advocate for themselves, and live fuller, safer, and more meaningful lives. 

As we celebrate PRIDE month, I challenge us all to go beyond rainbow logos and standard written policies. To be true allies, we must listen and amplify the voices of those whose identities are too often pushed to the margins. Learn and lead with intention. Because inclusion must never be optional, nor performative. It must be woven into how we govern, support, and show up for one another. 

To fellow allies, what are you doing today to ensure that those at the margins are not only seen, but also heard, included, and celebrated? 

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

ABLE2: Support for People with Disabilities acknowledges the complex and challenging environment in which the newly elected federal government is operating. We recognize the need for thoughtful and efficient governance in times of economic and social uncertainty. However, we are deeply concerned by the decision to eliminate dedicated ministerial roles for diversity, inclusion, and persons with disabilities from the federal cabinet.

For the 27% of Canadians living with disabilities, the absence of a dedicated cabinet voice sends a message of deprioritizing critical issues that affect millions of Canadians. For decades, people with disabilities have advocated to be seen, heard, and meaningfully included in the decisions that affect their lives. In this moment of change, it’s more important than ever to reaffirm that inclusion matters, and that their voices continue to have a place at every decision-making table.

Inclusion is foundational to a healthy democracy and a strong economy. Canadians with disabilities contribute meaningfully to every sector and deserve to see their needs and rights reflected in the highest levels of decision-making. As the disability community has long asserted: Nothing about us without us.

We urge Prime Minister Carney and the federal government to reaffirm their commitment to inclusion—not only through policies, but through visible leadership and dedicated accountability. We call on this government to ensure that the rights, experiences, and contributions of people with disabilities are meaningfully represented and prioritized across all departments and levels of government.

Canada cannot afford to lose momentum on equity and inclusion. Progress must move forward—not backward.

At ABLE2, we remain committed to building communities where every person is seen as able, important, and valued. We call on our government to do the same for Canada.