Bridging the Gap: Disability Advocacy & Activism & Its Importance to HR

In this episode, Unmuted Podcast host, Jeff Waldman, gets into a conversation with well-renowned motivational speaker and accessibility consultant, Marco Pasqua, about disability advocacy and activism and why it's important to HR. It's a well-known fact that, while diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts have increased in organizations, only 4% of them include people with disabilities. While this needs to change, it's also an excellent opportunity for businesses to play a lead role in this change.

The following areas are discussed:

The notion of "activism" versus "advocacy within the context of people with disabilities is an interesting one. What do activism and advocacy mean, and what are their differences? Why should HR care?

Are there solid examples of advocacy efforts and how they made a positive impact in the workplace?

We know that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in organizations do not typically take into account people with disabilities. How can HR play a role in boosting inclusion through advocacy and activism? Where do they start?

How can HR professionals provide employees with disabilities the tools, resources or support to help them engage in advocacy or activism efforts?

Does our virtual and hybrid work environment change anything? If so, what are those changes and how can we solve them?

About Marco Pasqua
Marco Pasqua is an award-winning Entrepreneur, Accessibility Consultant and Inspirational Speaker with Cerebral Palsy. Throughout his life, Marco has been involved with a number of organizations as a spokesperson, helping to spread advocacy for persons with disabilities across Canada.

Advocating for universal design and inclusion is among his passions. He is a designated Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) Professional and has consulted with municipalities & business leaders on creating universally designed spaces and inclusive employment strategies for people with disabilities, including the Province of BC's employment advisory committee the Presidents Group.

He has worked with some of North America's biggest change-driven leaders who are champions for more accessible, inclusive communities and workplaces. It's through these experiences that he is helping to pave the way for all members of society to have universal access to the programs, services and places where they live, work, play and learn.