#027- Dawn Oates: Advocacy and Actions for a More Accessible World

In this conversation, Dawn Oates discusses her work with the Play Brigade and her advocacy for inclusion and accessibility. She shares her experiences in promoting inclusion without exploitation and her advocacy work in education and housing, emphasizing the rights of individuals with disabilities to access quality education and safe living spaces. Dawn highlights the ripple effect of advocacy and the impact it can have on creating inclusive and accessible environments. She encourages listeners to think about how they can make a difference in their own communities and support organizations like the Play Brigade.

Chapters

0:00 - Background and Introduction

01:04 - Starting the Play Brigade

03:28 - Promoting Inclusion without Exploitation

07:10 - Challenges of Inclusion in the Fitness Industry

11:48 - Marketing Inclusion without Exploitation

18:12 - The Importance of Representation in Advocacy

25:07 - Accessibility in Business and Digital Spaces

36:31 - Equal Opportunity in Private Education

41:37 - Addressing Accessibility Issues in Housing

48:20 - Shifting Power and Advocacy

52:57 - Being an Ally and Advocate

53:23 - Creating Change in the Community

01:00:47 - Taking Action and Making a Difference

01:01:22 - Supporting the Play Brigade

Takeaways

• Promote inclusion without exploiting individuals with disabilities, ensuring their consent and involvement in advocacy efforts.
• Representation and storytelling are powerful tools for raising awareness and promoting understanding of disability issues.
• Businesses should prioritize accessibility to attract a wider customer base and create a sense of belonging for individuals with disabilities.
• Advocacy efforts should focus on addressing accessibility barriers in education and housing to ensure equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Advocacy involves identifying decision-makers and empowering individuals to tell their own stories.
• Being an ally and advocate does not require lived experience or a specific role; it is about noticing problems and taking active steps to solve them.
• Advocacy can create a ripple effect, inspiring others to take action and leading to systemic change.
• Promoting inclusive and accessible environments requires considering the needs of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of life.