Topic

Accessibility at your org doesn’t need another pitch deck. It needs a brand. In this session, you'll learn how to market accessibility like a movement: using storytelling, emotional resonance, and brand-building techniques to influence culture, elevating far above compliance. Whether you're a developer, designer, or advocate, you'll walk away with practical ways to boost visibility, build momentum, and reframe accessibility as something people want to rally around accessibility as a movement, not check boxes. (Spoiler alert: you’re the one who can make it happen!)

Agenda

The event begins at 6 pm; join early, starting at 5:45 pm for networking.

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions and announcements
• 6:15–6:45pm Presentation
• 6:45–7:15pm Q&A and discussion

About the presenter

Dr. Angela Young, CPACC (they/them) is a renowned Senior Accessibility Consultant and advocate for workplace wellbeing, specializing in empowering queer, neurodiverse, and disabled professionals. Based in the Washington DC-Baltimore area, they have dedicated nearly two decades to promoting diversity and inclusion. Dr. Young holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Maryland and has worked extensively in education, learning & development, and digital accessibility. As an international speaker, they have addressed audiences globally, advocating for accessibility and inclusion in various sectors. Dr. Young is also known for their work in personal branding and has founded "A11y With Angela," a platform focused on accessibility and inclusion.

Follow and connect with Dr. Young at https://linktr.ee/a11ywithangela.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, don't hesitate to get in touch with us before the event to discuss.

Topic

Our coaching practice blends the sharp eye of an engineer with the steady guidance of a mentor. We work directly with development teams to level up their accessibility maturity—teaching not just the how of accessible code, but the why of inclusive design. Coaches serve as half engineer, half strategist: diving into code reviews, walking through practical fixes, and helping teams adopt sustainable practices. The goal isn’t just compliance—it’s building teams that confidently deliver accessible products, sprint after sprint, until accessibility becomes as natural as writing a div.

Agenda

The event begins at 6 pm; join early, starting at 5:45 pm for networking.

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter

Jaunita Flessas is senior digital accessibility leader with 8+ years of experience combining training, development, and accessibility expertise to expand accessibility standards and practices across the industry. She's a leader in digital accessibility, defining the future of the web and accessibility standards with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). Jaunita is passionate about creating a web that's free, fair, and accessible to everyone.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, don't hesitate to get in touch with us before the event to discuss.

Agenda

Come together for an evening of accessibility sharing and learning! We'd like to hear from you, whether you consider yourself a novice or an expert. Bring your questions, projects, or ideas to discuss as a group. Or, just bring yourself to connect with other accessibility-minded folks! We'll break into small groups if needed to cover different topics. Drop in or leave at any time.

Backup date in the event of heat wave etc: Tue Aug 26th

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, don't hesitate to get in touch with us before the event to discuss.

Note: Rescheduled to Tuesday, July 29th, due to a heat advisory on the original date.

What to Expect

Bring yourself and your curiosity about accessibility to The Zipper, located at NE 27th and Sandy Boulevard. The Zipper features a vibrant food court with bars, restaurants, indoor and outdoor seating, and nearby fire pits. The food options vary, from fried chicken to tacos. Our summer social is an opportunity to informally connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for digital accessibility. We can't wait to meet you!

What to Bring

Feel free to bring some cash or a card to purchase food and/or drinks. Please note that it is not necessary to buy food or beverages to attend our meetup.

How to Find Us

Look for our Portland Accessibility and User Experience Meetup sign and table toppers.

Accessibility + COVID Safety

The location is wheelchair accessible, is conveniently located near public transit, and offers street parking for both bikes and cars. This event will be held outside in the covered patio space, which has outdoor ventilation.

Inclement Weather Plan

If high temperatures occur, we have set Tuesday, July 29th, as a backup date. Update: A heat advisory has been issued for Tue July 15th so this event has been moved to Tue July 29th.

About

The Woodstock Cafe is a nonprofit, Deaf-operated business that serves Deaf and hearing customers. ASL (American Sign Language) is appreciated, but it is not necessary to attend or order. Attendees are encouraged to support the cafe if they are able, but a purchase isn't required to attend.

Visit the cafe and feel free to bring your laptop for peer-to-peer office hours. Share questions, projects, or ideas to discuss and connect with other accessibility-minded folks! Feel free to drop in or leave at any time.

TriMet bus service, bike parking, and auto parking are available at or near the cafe. Find directions on Google or learn more about the Woodstock Deaf Cafe.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, don't hesitate to get in touch with us before the event to discuss.

Agenda

Come together for an evening of accessibility sharing and learning! We'd like to hear from you, whether you consider yourself a novice or an expert. Bring your questions, projects, or ideas to discuss as a group. Or, just bring yourself to connect with other accessibility-minded folks! We'll break into small groups if needed to cover different topics. Drop in or leave at any time.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, don't hesitate to get in touch with us before the event to discuss.

Portland Design Thinkers is proud to present Pete Denman: My journey with design, activism, and accessibility.

Our leaders have recommended that we approach diversity and inclusion with skepticism. Having spent 30 years in design and being in a wheelchair since shortly after graduating high school 37 years ago, I’ve seen significant changes fueled by people's passion for their needs and goals.

In my talk, I will emphasize the importance of diversity and activism and their influence on new technologies. I’m not your average designer; for the last 20 years, I’ve been at the forefront of emerging technologies in a research lab at Intel, working on innovative products and concepts that are still developing. My expertise spans interaction design, visual design, and user experience validation. I've tackled projects ranging from traditional graphic design to creating the interface that Stephen Hawking used to communicate and operate his computer.

If you're curious to hear about my journey and how passion and activism have informed my work, I invite you to join me for this conversation.

Agenda

The event begins at 6 pm; join early, starting at 5:45 pm for networking.

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter

Nic Steenhout has been an accessibility trainer and troubleshooter for over 25 years. He’s worked on three continents, collaborating with various organizations, from local governments to large corporations, focusing on web accessibility and digital inclusion. Known for his pragmatic, down-to-Earth approach, Nic helps his clients navigate complex accessibility challenges. When he is not off on a birdwatching adventure, you can find him speaking at events or leading workshops.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, don't hesitate to get in touch with us before the event to discuss.

Join us for a casual year-end accessibility social. Chat about your favorite accessibility topics, meet new people, and discuss what you'd like to learn at events in the new year.

Food and drinks are available to purchase. This event is no-host (each participant pays for their own food/drinks), but there's no obligation to buy something to attend.

Location is wheelchair accessible, near public transit, and there is street parking for bikes and cars available nearby.

See victoriapdx.com or email [email protected] for more details about Victoria Bar.

Cancelled Sorry, due to unforeseen events this event is cancelled. We hope you can join us for our events in November and December!

—

Adam McBride-Smith will present on state-level initiatives around the country to meet the DOJ’s new ADA Title II rule, including ongoing efforts in Oregon.

About the presenter

Adam McBride-Smith is a Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA), a Accessible Document Special-ist (ADS), and a JAWS Certified tester. He has worked as a digital accessibility and UX consultant for several organizations, including Community Vision, Clackamas: Health Housing and Human Services, and the City of Portland.

He is currently the Digital Accessibility Strategist at Oregon Health Authority and a member of the state’s Electronic Portal Advisory Board and the Multistate Digital Accessibility Collaborative. He also teaches a class on Digital Accessibility at Portland State University.

Join us for a casual end-of-summer/beginning-of-fall accessibility social. Chat about your favorite accessibility topics, meet new people, and discuss what you'd like to learn at future events.

Food and drinks are available to purchase from a variety of food carts. This event is no-host (each participant pays for their own food/drinks), but there's no obligation to buy something to attend.

Seating area and restrooms are wheelchair accessible, via side/rear entrance. Location is accessible by public transit from multiple nearby bus lines, there is bike parking out front, and street parking is available nearby.

See hinterlandpdx.com or call (503) 231-4333 for more details about Hinterland.

Many neurodivergent professionals work in the fields of accessibility and user experience. Yan Vishnepolsky joins us today to discuss his career as a neurodiverse user researcher. He will talk about aspects like living abroad as a UX professional, launching a podcast, and the benefits and challenges of being neurodiverse in design tech.

Event begins at 6:00pm; join early starting at 5:45pm for networking.

Agenda

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter

Yan's family knew from an early age that he was neurodiverse. As such, he attended BOCES Gifted Special Education, a program in upstate New York for neurodivergent children, throughout most of his school years. A couple of years after college, he launched a UX agency in India and lived there for nine years. While in India, Yan learned Hindi and Indian culture, teaching him firsthand the impact of different perspectives. Also in India, he met his wife, an Iranian expat studying as a pharmacist. After marriage, Yan moved back to the US, where he pursued a career specific to user research. In the last few years, Yan has been particularly interested in the impact of AI on the future of user research work (and vice versa). Last year, he started speaking publicly about the impact of neurodiversity on his career.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

Hello fellow a11y PDXers!

Join us for a social gathering on Thursday, June 20th, at Laurelhurst Park, Picnic Area D, near SE Ankeny St and SE Cesar Chavez Blvd.

This is an opportunity to network, reconnect with old friends, or make new ones! Previous experience or accessibility knowledge is not required, but curiosity is welcomed. We'll provide some light snacks & beverages, but BYO is also encouraged.

A few rules from Portland Parks and Rec:

• No smoking
• Beer/wine only, no other alcohol
• Clean up after ourselves

Accessibility Notes

Parking

• Street parking
• Paved pathway to play area
• 250 feet to play area

Play Area

• Engineered mulch surface
• Ramp into play area

Play Equipment

• Transfer station
• Sensory play elements
• Adapted high-back swing
• Ramp onto play structure

Other Amenities

• Accessible restroom
• Accessible picnic table

Join us for a casual year-end accessibility social. Chat about your favorite accessibility topics, meet new people, and discuss what you'd like to learn at events in the new year.

Food and drinks are available to purchase. This event is no-host (each participant pays for their own food/drinks), but there's no obligation to buy something to attend.

Location is wheelchair accessible, near public transit, and there is street parking for bikes and cars available nearby.

See victoriapdx.com or email [email protected] for more details about Victoria Bar.

Even for digital products and services, there is still always some kind of physical interaction. Whether it's by keyboard, touchscreen, voice, or something else, people choose a way to interact that works for them in their unique situation.

The Community Vision Assistive Technology (AT) Lab is a collaborative education and resource center that is open to the public. The Lab demonstrates a wide variety of AT, from communication devices and browser extensions to voice-controlled lights and adaptive video game controllers. Community Vision will be hosting us for the night to learn about these tools and explore them firsthand.

Note: The event is capped at 25 attendees; please RSVP on Meetup. Be sure you can attend in person; if your plans change, please remove yourself from attendance.

Agenda

• 5:30pm: Arrive and network
• 5:45pm: Introduction and guided tour
• 6:00pm: Open exploration of the lab, with AT Lab staff available for questions
• 6:30pm: Post-event socializing at a nearby location (TBD)

About Community Vision

Community Vision's mission is to make Oregon a place where people with disabilities can live, work, and thrive in the communities of their choice. Community Vision takes a person-centered approach in providing quality supports tailored to the unique needs and wishes of each individual and family. Learn more at cvision.org.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

As an accessibility professional, do you ever feel like you’re swimming against the tide as you try to make your company’s offerings more accessible? If so, you’re probably aware that the organization could be “better” with respect to accessibility, but you may have trouble identifying just what it would take to make real progress. Accessibility maturity models can help by providing objective assessment criteria and concrete steps for leveling up. In this talk, we’ll cover what is a maturity model, how they’ve been applied to accessibility, and strategies for getting started with your first assessment.

Event begins at 6:00pm; join early starting at 5:45pm for networking.

Agenda

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter

Andrew Hedges is a co-founder of Assistiv Labs, providers of a platform that simplifies manual testing of websites with assistive technologies. He is a longtime web developer having started building websites professionally in 1998. Soon thereafter he discovered this thing called accessibility and has been advocating for it ever since. Most recently, he led the design system team at Zapier where he was a major contributor to the company’s accessibility guild, including helping initiate Zapier’s first self-assessment of their digital accessibility maturity.

Accommodation requests

If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

Special thanks

Thank you to Assistiv Labs for providing tonight's Zoom hosting!

Join us for a casual summer-end accessibility social. Chat about your favorite accessibility topics, meet new people, and discuss what you'd like to learn at future events.

Food and drinks are available to purchase from a variety of food carts. This event is no-host (each participant pays for their own food/drinks), but there's no obligation to buy something to attend.

Seating area and restrooms are wheelchair accessible, via side/rear entrance. Location is accessible by public transit from multiple nearby bus lines, there is bike parking out front, and street parking is available nearby.

See hinterlandpdx.com or call (503) 231-4333 for more details about Hinterland.

Hello fellow PDXers! We have been dormant for a while, and want to gather for some networking and socializing this summer.

Join us on July 26th for a gathering at Laurelhurst Park, Picnic Area D near the intersection of SE Ankeny St & SE Cesar Chavez Blvd.

We'll provide some light snacks & beverages, but BYO is also encouraged.

A few rules from Portland Parks and Rec:

• No smoking
• Beer/wine only, no other alcohol
• Clean up after ourselves

Accessibility Notes

Parking

• Street parking
• Paved pathway to play area
• 250 feet to play area

Play Area

• Engineered mulch surface
• Ramp into play area

Play Equipment

• Transfer station
• Sensory play elements
• Adapted high-back swing
• Ramp onto play structure

Other Amenities

• Accessible restroom
• Accessible picnic table

How can employees at any level help companies embrace inclusive design? How can existing employees drive an organization towards more inclusive hiring?

At a young age, Janna realized that not everyone can access the world in the same way. Both through her own experience on and off crutches and her experience with a mixed hearing/deaf theater troupe, she gained a passion for making life accessible for all. This talk will focus on how to grow, and nurture, the practice of inclusion in your organization.

Agenda:

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter:

Currently a Manager of User Experience Research at Hinge Health, Janna C. Kimel has practiced design research for over 15 years. Her current role ensures that the organization's experiences are seamless and help participants build healthy habits for a pain free life. In her past 2 roles, she has also led employee ERGs focused on accessibility. Janna has focused on health technology and wearables over the course of her career. She has run her own small consultancy and has worked at Intel, Microsoft to Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield and Dexcom.

She has published and presented on accessibility, behavior change, user research and wearable technology. She is a ramblin' wreck with a master's degree in industrial design from Georgia Tech.

Join the Portland Accessibility and User Experience Meetup to celebrate the 10th Global Accessibility Awareness Day in partnership with the A11yBay community and many other partner Meetups!

May 20 marks the 10th Global Accessibility Awareness Day and we will be sharing our excitement by partnering with sister Meetup groups around the world. Our goal is to make this the largest Meetup on accessibility and inclusive design!

TALKS & GUEST SPEAKERS:

We'll open with word from A11yBay and a special guest appearance of GAAD Co-Founders Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion. They will have an exciting announcement to make. We then will turn to our speakers. We have three confirmed now, with more to come.

Terri Rodriguez-Hong recently published "What it's like having a hidden disability in Silicon Valley" in Fast Company. She'll join us to reflect on the article and to have a discussion about her journey.

Deque System's Carie Fisher will present The Future of Accessibility is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" Book. The question Carie will address is: do designers and developers really think they can build an accessible experience for all - even though there are endless combinations of browsers, ATs, settings, and user preferences?

Our other confirmed speaker is Marc B.D. Greenberg. Robots are entering the public space and our lives more and more. In one form or another—from Roomba to Aibo and home, sidewalk, and in-store robots—they are getting designed and released into our lives and spaces. What accessibility considerations should be made and how can we get in front of that?

AGENDA:

(subject to tweaking as May 20 grows near!)

• 4:30 – 4:45 pm PT – Welcome from A11yBay and GAAD Co-Founders
• 4:45 – 5:15 pm PT – Terri Rodriguez-Hong "Reflections and Discussion on What it's like having a hidden disability in Silicon Valley"
• 5:15 – 5:55 pm PT – Carie Fisher's talk: "The Future of Accessibility is a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Book"
• 5:55 – 6:15 pm PT – Marc B.D. Greenberg's talk: "Robots and Accessibility"
• 6:15 – 6:30 pm PT – Talk to be announced
• 6:30 – 6:45 pm PT – Optional zoom break-out room socializing

ZOOM DETAILS:

• This is an online event and will happen through Zoom:

The Zoom URL will be published on this event page a few days before the meetup and shared via email (sent through meetup messages) with people who RSVP via the meetup site.

Check to make sure your email settings are enabled to receive "event updates from organizers" in your account settings or you may not receive the message.

• How socializing in zoom break out rooms will work:

We’ll use the zoom breakout rooms feature to give folks an opportunity to network and chat with others in small group conversations with randomized participants.

If you do not feel comfortable making conversation with other people during this meetup, we'll pause briefly after the main talk content so you can log off. Those who want to chat can just stay on the zoom!

• Zoom tips for controlling closed captions and screen reader alerts:

More details on our Meetup event page.

When loading a web page, a sighted page visitor can take in almost all information at a glance and home in on what they want to explore — a whole-to-part approach. A blind screen reader user, on the other hand, must reverse the process and gather bits of information through page exploration to create the full picture — a part-to-whole approach. If sighted design stakeholders are not mindful of the differences in these strategies, they may disregard helpful bits of information that allow the most efficient exploration and understanding for blind visitors. Using parallels from pedestrian navigation such as the importance of “landmarks” and “boundaries,” our presenter Dr. Michele A. Williams will help create common ground between sighted and blind communities to ensure blind screen reader users are best accommodated in Web and other digital design.

Event begins at 6:00pm; join early starting at 5:45pm for networking.

Agenda:

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter:

Dr. Michele A. Williams has 15 years of academic and industrial experience in UX, accessibility, and technology. She is passionate about ensuring people with disabilities are not excluded from technology. Her well-rounded experience includes training, design consultation, field research with people with disabilities, and code remediation for building WCAG-compliant technology.

Dr. Williams holds a B.S. in Computer Science, Masters of Software Engineering with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction, and PhD in Human-Centered Computing with a focus on accessibility. Along with industry project contributions, her research and designs have resulted in several cited publications, international presentations, and a patent application (see LinkedIn for more details).

Coupling her passion with her expertise, she now offers consulting services including accessibility training for UX professionals and key stakeholders, and project advising including research facilitation and design consultation. Contact her for a consultation experience tailored to your needs. More about Dr. Williams' work on her website or follow her on Twitter.

Curious about what's happening in the digital accessibility legal space? Wonder why accessibility is even a legal issue to begin with? Lainey Feingold will bring us up-to-date about accessibility as a civil right and how advocates are using the law in the United States to advance disability inclusion by eliminating digital barriers. Come learn about pending accessibility lawsuits, what courts say about digital accessibility, and what strategies are available to advocates besides the confrontation and expense of a lawsuit. We'll also talk about the importance of avoiding fear when thinking about the law and what to expect from the Biden/Harris administration in the digital accessibility legal space. Plenty of time for questions and conversation.

Event begins at 6:00pm; join early starting at 5:45pm for networking.

Agenda:

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15–7:00pm Presentation
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

About the presenter:

Lainey Feingold is a disability rights lawyer, an international speaker, and the author of Structured Negotiation, A Winning Alternative to Lawsuits. Structured Negotiation has a twenty-five year track record in resolving complex accessible technology claims without the expense and conflict of traditional litigation. Lainey has worked in the digital accessibility space since 1995 and helped negotiate the first web accessibility agreement in the United States in 2000. She also serves as the accessibility subject matter resource for Disability:IN, the leading business disability global inclusion non-profit organization. Lainey has spoken to #a11y and #UX meetups across the United States and in Toronto and is excited to join us in Portland! More about Lainey’s work on her website or follow her on Twitter.

Curious about how to make rich data visualizations accessible? Doug Schepers will share some of his work on how to create equivalent data viz experiences.

Images, charts, and diagrams are an important part of the web, but often hide critical information from people with disabilities of vision, cognition, and others. But there are many ways to provide inclusive affordances that use other senses, especially hearing and touch, to convey complex information. This talk will explore some of the challenges and different methods to overcome them using advanced techniques like text equivalents, sonification, haptics and tactiles, and more.

Event begins at 6:00pm; join early starting at 5:45pm for networking.

Online/call-in meeting info will be announced on Meetup.

Agenda:

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15-7:00pm Presentations
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

Accommodation requests:

If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

About the presenter:

Doug Schepers is the founder and director of Fizz Studio, an accessible data visualization startup in Chapel Hill, NC, USA. He develop his ideas and early prototypes for accessible charts while working with the accessibility community at W3C. As a developer who defined Web technologies and standards at W3C for a decade, he launched or worked on fundamental projects such as SVG (and the Accessible SVG Task Force), WebApps, Web Audio API, Touch Events and Pointer Events, Web Annotations, and many other technologies, as well as starting the W3C developer relations program. He believes in positive social change through building communities and interoperable open technology.

Springtime brings many annual events, including accessibility conferences! Even these days, events are still happening. Join us to hear about three recent events: CSUN Conference, HXD Conference, and AccessU. We'll have hosted presenters talking about their experiences, and will open the floor for others who attended to share their learnings as well.

Event begins at 6:00pm; join early starting at 5:45pm for networking.

Online/call-in meeting info will be announced on Meetup.

Agenda:

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions & announcements
• 6:15-7:00pm Presentations
• 7:00–7:30pm Q&A and discussion
• 7:30–7:45pm Wrap up

Accommodation requests: If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

There’s a lot that goes into writing good microcopy for accessibility: Identifying what needs it, writing for something spoken aloud versus read silently, and finding a champion to help you develop it.

Join Portland Accessibility and User Experience Meetup (PDX A11Y UX, https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Accessibility-and-User-Experience-Meetup/) for a co-meetup with Portland UX Writers (https://www.meetup.com/Portland-UX-Writers-Meetup/). Kate Knappett and Josh Hetrick will share guidelines and tips and try them out in a group activity. Together, we’ll find solutions to make your writing more accessible and help you become an accessibility champion on your team.

Agenda:

• 6:00-6:15 Networking, topic post-its, job opportunities, food, and drinks
• 6:15-6:30 Presentation
• 6:30-7:00 Panel Q&A and group activity
• 7:00-7:30 Wrap-up

Food and drinks provided by Cvent, our host for the event. Attendance is capped and IDs required.

Venue accessibility and accommodation requests:

Please review the accessibility information of the venue and let us know if you have questions! http://bit.ly/pdxa11yux-venue-cvent If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

Francis Storr (https://twitter.com/fstorr) will be sharing some of his accessibility knowledge with us. Full details coming soon!

Doors open at 5:30pm for socializing & snacks; presentation begins at 6:00pm.

Venue accessibility and accommodation requests:

Please review the accessibility information of the venue and let us know if you have questions! http://bit.ly/pdxa11yux-venue-cvent If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

Ever wonder about how to use and test all of the different accessibility tools and devices? Natalia Voegele will tell us all about her personal story, and how & why she got started with accessibility testing. She’ll give us a sample of different tools, from Android and iOS devices to Braille displays and Chromebooks. Learn about some of the common problems encountered while testing and what to do about them. We’ll also have some time for questions and hands-on work.

About the speaker, in her own words: I am Natalia Voegele. An ambitious, strong, 36-year-old woman who happens to be blind. I have always loved technology. In addition to working, passions of mine include mental health, the environment, reading, traveling, singing, cooking, baking and spending time with those I love. I am in the process of writing a book about my life and creating an album. Connect at https://accessibleandroid.com.

Note: If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us in advance of the event to discuss.

It's summer, so we're taking a break from presentations to have a casual accessibility social. Come out to chat about your favorite accessibility topics, meet new people, and discuss what you'd like to learn at future events.

Even for digital products and services, there is still always some kind of physical interaction. Whether it's by keyboard, touchscreen, voice, or something else, people choose a way to interact that works for them in their unique situation.

The Community Vision Assistive Technology (AT) Lab is a collaborative education and resource center that is open to the public. The Lab demonstrates a wide variety of AT, from Braille readers and browser extensions to voice-controlled lights and adaptive video game controllers. Community Vision will be hosting us for the night to learn about these tools and explore them firsthand.

Agenda:
5:30pm: Arrive and network
5:45pm: Introduction and guided tour
6:00pm: Open exploration of the lab, with AT Lab staff available for questions
6:30pm: Post-event socializing at a nearby location (TBA)

About Community Vision:
Community Vision's mission is to make Oregon a place where people with disabilities can live, work, and thrive in the communities of their choice. Community Vision takes a person-centered approach in providing quality supports tailored to the unique needs and wishes of each individual and family. Learn more at https://cvision.org.

Apparently, you can download inner peace. There are countless applications that can put meditation in the palm of your hand, and allow a guru to live in your pocket. How is the technology that is supposed to balance us throwing the rest of our life into imbalance?

Enter mindfulness. A tenet of Eastern philosophies for centuries, now it’s a comprehensive inclusion in the therapeutic arsenals of therapist’s, psychologist’s, and psychiatrist’s toolkits.

Using mindfulness allows for awareness of the present moment through attention and non-judgement. But now, mindfulness can be used as an accommodation. This talk will show how people with disabilities fuse with technology and vice versa. This can be done as a great boon for a person’s mental health and wellness. Mindfulness is essentially vigilance before acting. It prevents against impulsive actions, and is a discipline of thought. It’s like taking that extra step before you buy junk food at grocery store while you’re hungry and asking, do I need this? But being mindful in technology design means a focus on the design that works for the person in the moment. Our presentation will focus on how accessible design can accommodate mental health disabilities. Instead of impulsively choosing accommodating or try to fit a square peg in a round hole, it’s changing a way of thought. This presentation will be focused around user empowerment, but also be a call to action for developers. Through case studies that we will present with actual data and use feedback, we’ll argue that being aware is crucial for technology, especially accessibility.

About Sharon Rosenblatt
Sharon Rosenblatt is an accessibility professional working to improve the overall experience by a user with disabilities. She has been a part of the Accessibility Partners team for the over eight years, and specializes in document remediation and web compliance testing. Her efforts have enabled developers and manufacturers to see the tremendous potential that accessibility has not just for users with disabilities, but of all abilities.

She is a strong advocate for abolishing the stigma of mental health and researching accomodations in the workplace to support a mental health diagnosis. With her enthusiasm highlighted in several publications like The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Fast Company, Information Week, CNN, Mint.com, and more, Sharon enjoys participating in the constant dialogue between accessibility and innovation.