Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility - Learnings From a Recent Industry Conference

Building an Inclusive Online Presence - Summary of Upanup's Talk on Website Accessibility 

Upanup had the privilege of attending and speaking at the 2023 IDEA conference in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Here are some highlights!

Presenters

• Elliot Lange, Senior UX Designer, Upanup Studios, Inc.
• Charlotte O’Reilly, Marketing Director, Upanup Studios Inc.

Description

Summary

1. Elliot and Charlotte led an inclusive and collaborative session, starting with visual descriptions of themselves for anyone in the audience with visual disabilities.
2. They shared personal stories about people in their lives who inspire a dedication to online inclusivity--Charlotte telling about growing up with a blind grandfather who would have loved to see this future with web accessibility at the forefront, and Elliot telling about his first week on a job needing to fill out a form that asked for their gender when it wasn't even relevant.
3. The team then explained web accessibility through analogies (Elliot's famous frog village analogy, for example!), through common questions from our municipal clients about web accessibility, and through the takeaway mantra: Web Accessibility is a Mindshift (Not a Checklist). Check out that link for a list of additional resources such as podcasts, courses, articles, and tools.

Quotes from keynote speaker Jesse Lipscombe

• "When you have the ability to jump in and out of the battle, that’s when you know you have a privilege, and that’s when you should stay longer."
• "Know the difference between the intent and the impact."
• "Say sorry meaningfully."
• "Who’s responsible for the change that needs to happen? Whoever has access to resources and represents other people."
• "Use your privileged/superpower to take rocks out of someone else’s backpack, without asking."
• "Change moves at the speed of empathy."
• "We collectively can deal with the thing/issue."
• "What’s the right way to be an activist? There are many ways. There’s only one wrong way: by doing nothing."

Some questions for keynote speaker Garry Gottfriedson

• Question from Upanup: How do you feel about non-Indigenous people teaching about Indigenous history in the public school system? Or how could we make it better? 
  • Summary of Garry's response: He suggested getting involved with the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) to create opportunities for local Indigenous Peoples to come to the school and share their culture.
• Question from Upanup: Is buying Indigenous art such as paintings or jewelry by non-Indigenous people considered cultural appropriation? 
  • Summary of Garry's response: It's okay to buy the art, as long as you are giving credit to the artist and not taking any credit for yourself.

Take-aways from the Session on Inclusive Meetings

• Some cultures will not attend a meeting unless they have been invited and directed to attend by an elder, so you may need to reach out to them and invite them. 
• Provide meeting materials or agendas in advance (helpful for people where English is not their first language). 
• In some cultures, arriving up to 30 minutes after the start time is still considered on time. In some cultures arriving before the start time is rude because it puts pressure on the host. 
• Similarly, in some cultures eye contact is rude (or polite). 
• Handshakes are also culturally ok or not (e.g., it’s not appropriate for men to shake a Muslim woman’s hand). It’s ok to ask. Don’t be offended either way. 
• Depending on the culture, the person at the head of the table or across from the door could be leading the meeting.
• Talking: a talking stick or item is used for some Indigenous Peoples—but don’t assume this applies to all Indigenous Communities. 
• Sometimes not speaking is the norm for certain people/positions. 
• Ethnocentrism—don’t say “it’s wrong” (it’s just different). Example: driving on the other side of the road, not the wrong side of the road.  
• “Food considerations” not food restrictions. Includes cultural needs. 
• Indigenous elders should be served food first. They might want to be served first or brought their food or have their plate carried while they get their food—ask their preference. 
• “Welcome everyone”, not “welcome ladies and gentlemen”. 
• Women or youth or elders or people with disabilities can be overlooked or dismissed or rushed for speaking, so be careful not to do this. Be careful not to interrupt. Allow anyone who wants to speak to speak once before someone speaks a second time. Call out inappropriate comments. 
• Having video turned on in meetings allows lip reading. Include closed captioning. Chat messages are encouraged, with a moderator who’s not speaking. 

Attendee advice:

• Multicultural or intercultural terminology excludes Indigenous Peoples because these terms signify immigrants. Use instead: Diverse cultural backgrounds. Different racialized backgrounds also work. 
• Co-creating the agenda can be more inclusive. 
• Idioms aren’t plain language, and should be avoided.
• The issue with people talking too long? Could set an expectation of two minutes per person upfront. 
• Ask about the smudging protocol as well.  If you invite an Indigenous elder they should be allowed to smudge inside. 
• What does psychological safety look like? Anonymous questions and surveys, like an online Excel sheet.
• Consent for photographs at an event like this? Include a model consent form for photography. Or ask people as you take photos if you can share the photo online.