Accessibility from the Start w/ Jessica Oddi

Works In Process

Welcome to Works In Process / Ep 28

I wanna get into how we can make our environments as accessible as our design process. We need more classes in schools so that younger and even newer designers can actually learn the basics from the start and it implemented into their design work.

I want agency, design, and corporate design spaces to adapt a more accessible and good life balance, even just for their designers. And I feel like that's where we need to go to get better designs out there from the foundations.

— Jessica Oddi

disabled designer [my top defining title],

freelance graphic/web designer [more specific to what I do],

accessibility design [passion and consulting aspects of what I do]

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That’s my guest Jessica Oddi. Jessica is a designer with a passion for disabled spaces. She's been freelancing for over 10 years and has had the privilege of working with incredible groups across the globe. Jessica is in the dream phase of Access Design Collective, which hopes to learn from disabled creatives one interview at a time.

In this episode, Jessica discusses her espresso-fueled craft, her passion for disabled spaces, and her goal to empower communities.

Key Takeaways from our conversation:

• Identity-first Language
• How Yahoo reached out to Jessica for Global Accessibility Day
• The difference between Alt Text and Image Descriptions on the Web and social media.
• Ways to include accessibility from the start of projects.

I hope you learn as much as I did during this conversation. Enjoy!

Enjoy!

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Mentions

People Mentioned:

• Aubrie Lee - https://aubrielee.com/
• ‎Maurice Cherry - https://www.mauricecherry.com/
• Jennifer White Johnson - https://jenwhitejohnson.com/
• Liz Jackson - https://linktr.ee/eejackson
• Kae Tran - https://www.kaetran.com/
• ‎Higher Priestess - https://www.instagram.com/higher_priestess/
• ‎Djamal - https://www.instagram.com/design.by.dj/

Companies / Sites Mentioned:

Access Design Collective - http://accessdesign.co/

Access Design Collective [archive project I'm building in 2023 to accumulate disabled perspectives in design].

The Disabled Life - https://www.thedisabledlife.ca/

The Disabled Life [a funny space where my sister Lianna [lee-anna] and I document the perks and jerks of living the disabled life].

• WCAG= Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/wcag3-intro/
• The A11Y project - https://www.a11yproject.com/
• Disability & Philanthropy Forum - https://disabilityphilanthropy.org/
• Aroko Cooperative - https://www.aroko.coop/
• Where Are the Black Designers? - https://www.watbd.org/
• Color Blindness Simulator - https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/

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Follow Jessica Oddi via Jessica's Website / @oddi.jessica on Instagram

Full Transcript of Episode

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Credits

• Editor: RJ Basilio
• Research and Transcription Reviewer: Or Syzflingier and Stephanie Erazo
• Intro / Outro Music: The System Has Failed Us - The Passion HiFi

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About the Works in Process Podcast:

A podcast series by George Garrastegui, Jr. — designer, educator, and curator. Works In Process is a collection of discussions that explore the creative process. I interview individuals to gain more insight into the ways they work and the projects they produce.

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