Media laden…
Hello everyone,
We’ve officially reached 500 members! To be exact: 527 members, consisting of 22 paid members and 505 free members at the time I am writing this post.
I created this Patreon on the 26th of May, so that is not bad for half a year’s time.
So, what are the plans going forward?
First, my aim is to reach at least 1,000 members before the first birthday of this Patreon. 😊 The sooner, the better, of course — but outreach is the foundation I will need for any of my plans going forward.
I have basically been campaigning everywhere I possibly can: at my university, on public transport, in the club, at official networking events, on the streets, asking my Uber drivers — really, anyone — if they would be willing to give this blog a follow.
The reason is quite simple. To change society, you need to have a good representation of society in your community: people from anywhere and everywhere.
Unfortunately, prejudice towards people with disabilities runs deep within the society we have created. It happens when going out, when traveling, when doing your local shopping — everywhere. It isn’t just one group; it’s everywhere. We have built our society so thoroughly for specific groups and based around specific senses that people are convinced that life is impossible without them.
This lack of awareness translates into obstacles. These can be physical, such as inaccessible buildings, streets, or public transport. It can make it really hard to find a job or to finish your education, because those jobs and education systems are specifically not designed with the idea in mind that you exist in this world.
And finally, those obstacles can be social. They can make it hard to build friendships, go out, or exercise. You’re either an object of pity or a superhero. I don’t mind being a superhero, but let it be for the things I have done and fought for, not just because I happen to be the only blind person at a party. You always have to push past extra obstacles and raise people’s awareness before they start treating you equally.
So, how do you change all that?
When framed like this, it seems larger than life and impossible to change. That may be the case, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying.
The first things you need are a platform, a community, and outreach.
As of this moment, the mainstream is the problem — whether it’s the media, politicians, or policy advisors. Most of them don’t have a disability and don’t think of accessibility at all. If they do, it is only to the extent of: “How can we make sure society is as productive as possible so we can increase GDP?” We are completely ignoring the most important part: making sure people can live a happy and equitable life.
Not only that, but we live in a world where the people who make the most noise get their way, and if you can’t shout loud enough, people simply don’t listen.
The same goes for the media. They know accessibility and prejudice are problems, but precisely because they know, they refuse to cover it. They don’t consider it newsworthy enough and don’t see enough opportunity to increase view rates and earn money.
The only way to create change in your own way and on your own terms is to create a platform that people simply can’t ignore or look past. You need to make sure that when you’re talking to policymakers or the media, you have your own community.
If they don’t think our voice is loud enough, or that exclusion and inaccessibility aren’t news, then we just have to prove them wrong with action.
So far, this has only been a blog, but I am planning to broaden it. I bought a camera and I am planning to film various things that I and others are doing — running, other forms of exercise, festivals, and more.
Another goal I have is to highlight and share people’s personal stories. I want to interview people who have faced discrimination, exclusion, or other horrible things for awareness-raising, so people can learn from what has happened and reduce the chance of it happening again.
I am also planning to interview politicians and policymakers about their plans for accessibility and creating an equitable society.
I have a lot of plans and ideas, but everything starts and ends with all of you. Without a community, anything I do will only have so much effect. That’s why I’ve mainly been focusing on increasing outreach.
To that end, it would mean a lot if you could ask others in your surroundings to follow: family, friends, colleagues — anyone. You can share the link, and I also have a flyer with a QR code. I will share the JPG in this post, and you can download and use it to spread the word.
If you could tag me as well, that would be great: @laatje12 on Instagram or @Ihab Laachir on LinkedIn and ihabs amazing adventures on facebook.
I might have more ideas in the future, but I think this is more than enough to work on for now. 😊
Changing the world might sound very grand and abstract, but it is much more manageable if you make it concrete and focus on what you can do from where you are right now.
And having a challenge is also fun. I want a dream to work towards and strive for, not just aimlessly wander through my own life in search of its meaning. I’ve done that for the first 23 years of my life, and now it’s time to start dreaming and stop limiting myself.
I personally find being a dreaming idealist much more fun than trying to be a realist. Start with dreams and ideals, and make them concrete in to reality.
I am not sure how many of my dreams will actually become reality, but I am sure I will enjoy the journey to get there all the way.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post.
Yours,
Ihab