How to be a good ally to disabled people/people with disabilities (PWD):
1) Education!
There are many different forms of disabilities, which can change over time. Even people with the same disability can have very different experiences despite having similar disabilities. Determine how the person wants (whether it be identity-first or person-first) to engage as you talk to them. Learn about ableism, which is the discrimination in favour of the abled.
2) Accessibility
Ensure the content you are producing can reach all audiences for both visible and invisible disabilities.
Some examples: Closed captions on videos/lectures, Color-blind safe figures/images, alternative text for screen readers, ramps or elevators.
3) Advocating
Advocacy does not, and should not, only come from disabled people/people with disabilities (PWD). Abled people have a responsibility to speak up against ableism and provide an accessible space in every possible moment.
4) Continuously evaluate your allyship
Allyship is not just a one-time checklist. Always evaluate where you stand in your allyship and be open to criticism. Mistakes will happen as you're learning so don’t let it discourage you to be an ally.
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