How to be an Ally!

Want to be an ally to a person with a disability? Here are some suggestions!

The Three A’s of Allyship

Listen up! Acknowledge and respect individual experiences with disabilities.
Learn and practice person-first and identity-first language: “A person with a disability,” and “A disabled person.”
A service animal (such as a guide dog) cannot be pet or played with when it is working. Such action confuses the animal and potentially endangers the individual the animal is assisting.
Even if you think you are helping, do not push, grab, or lift a person’s wheelchair without their express consent.
If a person who is blind asks you to guide them, offer your elbow- do not grab their arm.
Language matters! Recognize that there may be language those within a group use, that should not be used by those outside the group. For example, a person with a disability may self-identify as "crip" but that doesn't give others permission to use the same term.
Support the voices of people with disabilities. Follow them on social media and invite them to speak at events.

Avoid pity! When we view someone with a disability as inspirational or deserving of pity, we are denying that person their own human agency and individualism.
Be aware of common microaggressions and work to eliminate them from your language and actions.
Choose media that authentically casts individuals with disabilities.
Consider supporting brands and businesses led by individuals with disabilities.
Step back! Allow people with disabilities to voice their observations on barriers.

Be knowledgeable about what bias looks like, and be empowered to report it.
When you’re having a meeting in Zoom, be sure to always enable the captioning.
When you’re giving a presentation, and your slides include an image, describe the image so someone who may not be able to see it can understand your point.
Learn how to make your social media posts accessible: https://disabilityin.org/resource/creating-accessible-social-media-content/
If you are a professor, include a statement in your syllabus informing students how to access accommodations at Rutgers. Here are some examples: https://ods.rutgers.edu/faculty-staff/syllabus-statement
If you notice an accessibility barrier such as a ramp covered in snow, blocked accessible parking, a broken elevator, or a door opener not working, be a Barrier Buster and let someone at Rutgers know: https://radr.rutgers.edu/resource/barrier-buster-information
If you are recording a video, make sure captioning is available. Numerous video platforms, such as YouTube, now include auto-captioning to make this easier.
Have emergency and response plans both ready and inclusive for people with disabilities.
Call out ableist language or actions when you are witness to these behaviors.

Allyship is a process! Know that you will make mistakes. When you do, own it, apologize, and try again.