Reflections on the CSUN accessibility conference, or how I found my calling

I attended my first CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities conference last month, also known simply as CSUN. The week-long event attracts thousands of people from all over the world who share a common interest in accessibility(a11y). Now, one month later, here are some reflections on what I took away from my experience in San Diego.

CSUN is a place to learn

As a relative newcomer to the world of accessibility, I focused on attending sessions related to building accessibility programs from scratch. I also attended several sessions on inclusive design. I found all of these sessions to be immensely valuable. I left with a clear idea of how to begin creating a culture of accessibility awareness at my company, and how to be a resource to our Product teams working to make our products accessible. For resources on inclusive/universal design, check out https://accessibleux.org. Special thanks to Blackboard, SSB, finn.no, and Salesforce for their sessions on building sustainable accessibility programs.

CSUN is a place to make connections

I left San Diego with dozens of new connections, both personal and professional. I feel much more engrained in the international accessibility community, with a diverse group of people I can reach out to for guidance, expertise, and support. This is critical for me as we embark on our accessibility journey at Medallia. I also made tons of friendships at the conference. It’s only natural that a conference focused on access and inclusion would, itself, be inclusive. My advice is to not be shy about reaching out to people in the community. There are active Twitter and Slack communities of a11y practitioners and advocates. Thank you SSB, Deque, and Google for hosting great events (read: parties) that encouraged networking.

CSUN is a place to build empathy

Meeting so many amazing people with such a broad range of ability was inspiring. I left the conference with a renewed sense of passion for accessibility, and a stronger dedication than before. I’d encourage everyone to go beyond your comfort zone and put yourself in situations where you meet people different than yourselves. The unknown can be uncomfortable, and the only way to change that is by immersing yourself in it. Thank you to all of the attendees from around the world who helped transform the unfamiliar into the familiar for this one newcomer.

I found my calling at CSUN

This was by far my biggest takeaway from the conference. While before I had only dabbled in accessibility, attending the occasional event, now I know that I want to build my career in accessibility. Accessibility combines my passions for advocacy, technology, and people in a way that other pursuits have not. I’m excited to continue my personal and professional journey into the world of accessibility and I look forward to seeing you at CSUN 2017, if not sooner!

Stay tuned for another article soon about how we’re building a culture of accessibility awareness at Medallia.