Today we are excited to be celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD)!
This year’s theme established by the United Nations, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, is particularly relevant to our mission at Remarkable and the role disability tech has to play in gender equality.
Every day, we work to nurture and grow the global disability tech ecosystem empowering the people that it serves. That includes being intentional about working to achieve gender balance across the founders, mentors and speakers we work with, as well as our team.
Because representation matters. As does who gets to shape the world through technology.
“When women and girls are left out of tech and innovation spaces, it’s no surprise that digital tools fail to meet their needs. But the creation of tech that meets their needs is possible.”
Learn how on UN Women’s website.
So to celebrate this year’s IWD, we’ve asked some of the women in our community to share with us what this year’s theme means to them. Read what they have to say below.
We invite you to amplify their voices and work, and also those of remarkable women, girls, feminine identifying, and non-binary people in your community.
“Growing up as a young girl with neurodivergence and becoming the woman I am today, my work at the intersection of emerging tech and disability inclusion means that we can influence a future where women and young girls could experience what I would’ve loved to experience: technology that would’ve made me feel safe, empowered, and included” – Giselle Mota, Creator of NFTY Collective.
“The future is inclusive and this means in every way – for people with disabilities and to empower women and girls who have been traditionally underrepresented in technology. All technology is assistive, and we’re working to make sure technology is inclusive and accessible for all.”
Cheryl Gledhill, Director of Product at Culture Amp & Accelerator Alumna
“More and more people are building accessible technology with the idea of embracing and celebrating our differences, our individual and shared experiences, and personal expression in product development, because they want to break down digital and physical divides.”
Urwah Nawaz, Co-Founder of Vertere & Launcher Alumna
“Technology, especially tech used for communication and community, can be the great equalizer for everyone regardless of gender, geography, race, and disability, but only when we incorporate accessibility and equity — the idea that everyone should be able to use and experience that technology in the best possible way, and benefit from it equally.”
Nidhi Jaisoor, Partnerships Manager of Diversability.
“To create change, it starts with being brave to take the first step.”
Sophie Li, Co-Founder of Signhow & Launcher Alumna
“The world relies on technology, however, a large amount of the tech and innovation available today isn’t built to be inclusive, accessible or equitable – the theme DigitALL is a call-to-action to fix this. It is a reminder of how grateful I feel to work in a community of people who are driven by a mission to harness the power of tech, innovation and our platforms for advocacy to amplify human potential and work toward this future that is truly inclusive, accessible and equitable for all.”
Viv Mullan, Marketing & Communication Manager of Remarkable
You can also check out some of the female-led content from our Remarkable community below!
Inspired by Maya Angelou’s quote: “Do what you know until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better” Launcher Alumna Kelly Schulz has launched a new podcast that brings to the forefront how the uniqueness of being human impacts how we experience the world.
Kelly looks at products, services, retail, digital and experiences that you might not notice as you go about your day.
Want to know how to run an inclusive event? Curious to know more about fundraising for your disability-focused startup?
Molly Levitt, the Director of Remarkable US has recently launched a bi-weekly newsletter called ‘Build Accessible’ that features musings on accessibility, assistive technology & entrepreneurship.
Some of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, innovations and technologies have been shaped by lived experience of disability but how much do we know about the intersection between innovation and disability?
Remarkable Insights host Viv Mullan, takes us across the globe to speak with disability-tech pioneers who are pushing the boundaries of innovation, business and social norms. We talk tech, we talk disability, we talk to real humans about real change.
We hope you enjoyed this women-focused, written and designed story and have a wonderful International Women’s Day!