Become an Ally for Communication Equity

The Center for Independent Living in Central Florida believes in the importance of supporting an equal level of accessible communication and building a stronger voice for those who need it most. If you want to become an ally in this cause, then you can do so by encouraging fair opportunity and treatment for individuals in our deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

One of the most important ways to support communication equity is through education. Recently, we provided a post going over common myths and misconceptions regarding our deaf and hard-of-hearing community. By spreading the truth behind these common misunderstandings, you are already taking meaningful action by educating people on why these ideas are incorrect and harmful.

Even if you do not personally feel that there are factors in your life hindering your ability to communicate or be understood, that does not mean you cannot help others in achieving the same level of communication access. In many ways, accessible communication is beneficial to everybody as it creates a more connected and inclusive community for people with different language, speaking, or understanding backgrounds.

By spreading the importance of incorporating assistive technology into everyday life, such as captioning devices and assistive hearing devices, you are working to create a world where people can communicate more freely. Educating yourself on, and encouraging others to learn alternative forms of communication, such as sign language, can also be beneficial not only when speaking with an individual who uses that as their primary form of communication, but also in situations where a family member or friend may not be able to communicate verbally under certain circumstances.

If you accidentally share incorrect information, do not feel discouraged. By helping others to better understand communication equity, you will be helping yourself to learn more about it as well, and will gain feedback from people in the community or from other allies who have more experience in advocating for the cause.

When we speak up to ensure that access is built into everyday spaces, we create more equitable environments where everyone can understand, be understood, and fully participate without barriers. By removing communication barriers, you are helping to prevent exclusion and isolation and create a more inclusive world where individuals can feel equal and proud of their personal qualities and differences.

When communication access is built into the environments people rely on every day, it encourages those who may have once felt voiceless to try new experiences and pursue opportunities they may have once feared judgment or being turned away. Nobody should feel guilt or shame for a factor in their life that is simply a part of who they are.

Through becoming an ally, you are stepping into a leadership role by using your voice to drive meaningful change for communication equity. When accessibility is built into how organizations share information and engage their communities, more voices are included, collaboration becomes stronger, and innovation grows. We begin to see more perspectives, lived experiences, and voices that had previously gone unheard.

The Center for Independent Living is encouraging you to take action and become an ally who champions inclusive communication practices. Through your help, you can grow into a leader who creates environments where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, lead, and succeed.