This image breaks my heart and explodes my heart at the same time.

I’m proud to live in a country that has equal rights written into our Constitution- including those with disabilities. 

I am blessed to have a close family member who has disabilities – it means everyday wearing your heart on your sleeve.  

When he is ignored, not treated fairly, or denied rights he’s legally entitled to – my heart breaks and my anger rises.  But when I see him never give up, take the high road with people, and accomplish things I never imagined possible – then my heart overflows with pride and love.  I’ve learned so much from him.  Honestly, how people treat him—and others with differences—is my litmus test for character.  

It’s not words that change the world.  It’s actions.  

So what can we do to include all people?

Take a closer look at the image?  At first glance, you might see a “poor girl” crawling up the Capitol steps.

Look again.  

This girl and many like her – crawled as an act of rebellion, of finding their voice, acknowledging their rights and fighting for equal rights.  I see bravery, persistence and love.

This is a picture from the consequential Capital Crawl of 1990. 
On March 12, 1990, over 500 disability rights activists, led by ADAPT, marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol. Many left their wheelchairs and crawled up the Capitol steps to demand passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And it worked!

Are disability “assists” just helpful for the disabled?  No – they help us all and include all voices.

• Curb ramps? Required by the ADA, but also used by parents with strollers, cyclists, runners—and, let’s be honest, people walking while staring at their phones.

   

• Simplified curriculum? Supports cognitive disabilities but improves learning for all.

   

• Flexible work arrangements? Initially created for those needing accommodations—now embraced by millions.

   

• Text-to-speech tools? Essential for many, but also a game-changer for multitaskers who listen to audiobooks or news.

   

• Elevators and escalators? Life-changing for some. Convenient for all.

Disability rights are human rights.

Those with disabilities have the same rights to access our world – and this includes our digital world.

Today is “Global Accessibility Awareness Day” GAAD – May 15, 2025

The mission: to disrupt tech culture and make accessibility a core requirement of digital product design. The internet is essential to how we live, work, and connect—so why would we build websites that exclude people?

Accessibility isn’t just good design. It’s the law.

Make sure your company website is created to be accessible to all.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for making web content accessible.

Causes of the Most Common Website Accessibility Failures:

• Low contrast text
• Missing Image Alt text
• Empty Links
• Missing Form Input labels
• Empty Buttons
• Missing Document Language 

These aren’t minor errors—they’re barriers. They frustrate everyone, not just those with disabilities. I’ve personally felt annoyed and excluded when websites are unreadable due to poor contrast or tiny text. It sends a message: “We don’t care if you can access this.”

But we should care.

Accessible websites are better for everyone.
They reflect who we are and what kind of society we want to build.

If you’re unsure whether your company’s website is accessible—or want help improving it—I’m here to help.
Pat Haug |  pat@MarketDesigned.com