Inclusivity and accessibility.

Beth, the Community Director for Bevy and CMX, shared this thought with me recently as she was chatting about moving to online events during the pandemic.

“I learned that there are bylaws and laws in place for in person spaces like buildings and offices to they have to include certain accessibility details, right?

Like ramps. And tactile paving and the pedestrian signals that beep.

But there are no rules like that for virtual spaces”

Beth, the Community Director for Bevy and CMX, shared this thought with me recently as she was chatting about moving to online events during the pandemic.

It struck a chord with me.

Inclusivity and accessibility isn’t about ensuring everyone’s happy. It’s ensuring everyone can experience what you’re trying to share. It’s being respectful of your guests.

As software progresses, there are plenty of fantastic tools for making your websites more accessible in terms of navigation and text readability. Many video conferencing tools now include live captions.

However, technology isn’t the only area you should be thinking about;

- How are you communicating with people?

- What time are your events? What days?

- Who, in your messaging, are you excluding?

- Is the barrier of entry set for people... who look just like you? What about those without fast internet and laptops costing four figures?

Ask your community for feedback.

Accessibility isn’t one-size-fits-all, and the best insights come directly from those impacted. By listening to and acting on feedback, you not only improve your current offerings but foster trust and show commitment to an accessible future.

Remember, true accessibility is an ongoing process, not a one-off project. As Beth pointed out, virtual spaces might lack standardised rules, but we can voluntarily adopt practices that make our spaces welcoming to all.

Let’s set the example: not just because it’s “nice,” but because it’s necessary.

Inclusivity in our virtual spaces is respect in action.