Global Accessibility Awareness Day 10th Anniversary by A11yBay & Partner Meetups

Join us to celebrate the 10th Global Accessibility Awareness Day with the A11yBay community and partner Meetups!

May 20 marks the 10th Global Accessibility Awareness Day and we will be sharing our excitement by partnering with sister Meetup groups around the world. Our goal is to make this the largest Meetup on accessibility and inclusive design!

TALKS & GUEST SPEAKERS:

We'll open with word from A11yBay and a special guest appearance of GAAD Co-Founders Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion (https://globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org/about/). They will have an exciting announcement to make. We then will turn to our speakers. We have three confirmed now, with more to come.

Terri Rodriguez-Hong recently published "What it's like having a hidden disability in Silicon Valley" in Fast Company. She'll join us to reflect on the article and to have a discussion about her journey. Read the article here https://www.fastcompany.com/90625517/what-its-like-having-a-hidden-disability-in-silicon-valley

Deque System's Carie Fisher will present "The Future of Accessibility is Choice." The question Carie will address is: do designers and developers really think they can build an accessible experience for all - even though there are endless combinations of browsers, ATs, settings, and user preferences?

Learn more about Carie Fisher on Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/cariefisher

Our other confirmed speaker is Marc B.D. Greenberg. Robots are entering the public space and our lives more and more. In one form or another—from Roomba to Aibo and home, sidewalk, and in-store robots—they are getting designed and released into our lives and spaces. What accessibility considerations should be made and how can we get in front of that?

Learn more about Marc B.D. Greenberg on Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/marcbdg

AGENDA:
(subject to tweaking as May 20 grows near!)

4:30 – 4:45 pm PT – Welcome from A11yBay and GAAD Co-Founders

4:45 – 5:15 pm PT – Terri Rodriguez-Hong's talk: "Reflections and Discussion on What it's like having a hidden disability in Silicon Valley"

5:15 – 5:55 pm PT – Carie Fisher's talk: "The Future of Accessibility is Choice"

5:55 – 6:15 pm PT – Marc B.D. Greenberg's talk: "Robots and Accessibility"

6:15 – 6:30 pm PT – [Talk to be announced]

6:30 – 6:45 pm PT – Optional zoom break-out room socializing

ZOOM DETAILS:

• This is an online event and will happen through Zoom:

The Zoom URL will be published on this event page a few days before the meetup and shared via email [sent through meetup messages] with people who RSVP via the meetup site.

Check to make sure your email settings are enabled to receive "event updates from organizers" in your account settings or you may not receive the message. (https://www.meetup.com/account/comm/a11ybay/)

• How socializing in zoom break out rooms will work:

We’ll use the zoom breakout rooms feature to give folks an opportunity to network and chat with others in small group conversations with randomized participants.

If you do not feel comfortable making conversation with other people during this meetup, we'll pause briefly after the main talk content so you can log off. Those who want to chat can just stay on the zoom!

Here's a help center article from Zoom on how to participate in break out rooms if they are unfamiliar to you:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005769646-Participating-in-breakout-rooms?

• Zoom tips for controlling closed captions and screen reader alerts:

Here's a help center article from Zoom about turning captions on and off: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/207279736-Managing-and-viewing-closed-captioning

Article on adjusting alerts when using a screen reader and zoom: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360048870451-Using-screen-reader-alerts