112 / Rotman Management Spring 20 19
have limited reach and sustainability, I wanted to flip that
concept on its head and create a platform that generates
actual information about physical accessibility that is valu-
able to the people who need it. Hopefully, through this ac-
tion-oriented approach, broader conversations will happen
that will lead to changes in how we think about design and
accessibility.You have talked in the media about how you’ve been
‘siloed’ into one of two identities: either you’re a woman
or you’re a person with a disability. Why is this so prob-
lematic for diversity and inclusion?
It’s really important to recognize that people are not born
into these little ‘identity check boxes’ that we’ve created.
You shouldn’t have to identify with one group or another
in order to raise your voice and share your perspective. We
need to acknowledge that all of the different identities and
perspectives we hold are an important part of truly realizing
diversity and inclusion.
I’ve been to lots of events and conferences lately where
inclusion and diversity are the buzz words. Although every-
one has good intentions, when diversity and inclusion are
discussed, individuals with disabilities are often left out.
That means that the 15 per cent of the population that iden-
tifies with a disability in some form is completely missing
from the conversation.What’s it like for you being a tech entrepreneur today?
Tech is a hard industry to be in for any entrepreneur, but
for women in particular, there are major issues regarding
equal access to funding. Representation is also a major is-
sue. Almost 99 per cent of the time, I am the only person in
the room who looks like me and who has my perspective.
For example, last week I was at a tech conference with over
1,000 people, and I was the only person there with a visible
disability.
Statistically, one in seven people identify with some
type of disability. Although I am very grateful to be able
to represent the disabled community at these events, Ishouldn’t be the only one. There are so many voices and per-
spectives missing that should be included.
As someone working in tech, I’m excited because there
are lots of opportunities to create new things and to help
people expand their understanding of the world. In that
sense, I’m happy to be present in those rooms and in those
conversations — but I also recognize that a lot of work needs
to be done before we get to a place where we can truly say
that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate.From the time you had your epiphany about AccessNow,
what has changed about the accessibility conversation?
I can tell you that when I was studying for my master’s de-
gree in 2014, we were not having conversations about inclu-
sion and diversity like we are today. I’m not implying that I
am the reason things have changed — but I do hope that Ac-
cessNow has contributed to the growing acknowledgement
that accessibility matters.
To date, we have received over 16 million hits online.
That’s 16 million instances where someone who either iden-
tifies with a disability (or not) had an opportunity to learn
about the importance of accessibility and has been invited
to contribute. The goal is to make this a global movement:
We want AccessNow to reach every household and every
person, and invite them to be a part of the inclusive future
we’re building.Data is integral to AccessNow. As Torontonians and the
rest of the world debate the concept of ‘smart cities’—
as well as the broader impact of data collection, sharing,
utilization and privacy—what are your thoughts about
the future of data? Are peoples’ concerns misguided, or
should we be talking about this?
We should absolutely be talking about it. Data is powerful
because it can help us gain insight in order to make better
decisions; but it should not be the primary mechanism that
changes the way we treat people, provide services or build
our cities. My hope is that we use it as an informant and as
a tool for decision-making. With AccessNow for example,I always think, ‘How did someone believe
that this was the right way to design this?’