Representation Matters
By now, most of us have seen the latest cover page of the Economist, and the blatant disregard and mockery of mobility aid for whatever corporate KPI they had in mind.
Numerous disability and inclusion advocates and experts have shared their reflections and remarks. I will not talk over their essential voices.
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I will add that this image tells you more about their team composition than they would ever admit. If even one person in their leadership team, design, marketing, or even a communication intern teams were a person with disabilities, they would have pointed out that this image was in poor taste. Or they may have a team member who shared their opinion and was overlooked. Frankly, I don’t know which is worse, and I don’t want to make assumptions. But I will reiterate that this is why representation matters.
Today, an estimated billion people live with disabilities. Disabilities are not always visible and few individuals with diabilities may not declare their condition due to fear of stigma. If you’re part of the disabled community, know that you are heard, you are seen, and you matter. Navigating the world alone is challenging, but take courage; we have each other.
Image Source: https://www.economist.com/
