Designing for Accessibility: Making the Industry Inclusive
Accessibility Image on Pexels
Welcome back to The Four Percent Amplified, the podcast dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices, sharing lived experiences, and building a thriving, inclusive design community. I’m your host, Sunni, and I’m so glad you’re joining us for Episode Five: “Designing for Accessibility: Making the Industry Inclusive.”
This week, we’re diving deep into a topic that sits at the very heart of inclusive design, not just checking off boxes or meeting legal standards, but reimagining accessibility as an act of compassion, curiosity, and community care.
Why Accessibility Matters, More Than Ever
This episode is a reminder that accessibility is not just a checklist, it’s a people-first mindset. We're talking about the real lived experiences of those with physical, cognitive, neurological, and emotional differences.
Whether it's someone navigating the world in a wheelchair or someone managing ADHD, sensory processing challenges, or trauma, accessibility must be rooted in empathy, not assumptions.
If you’re working in UX, Education, or Tech, this is especially important. Our work directly shapes the experiences of others. That means we have a responsibility to ask deeper questions and think:
Who might this design exclude?
What barriers are we not seeing?
Are we designing through our own bias, or are we truly considering the user?
Special Guest: Rachel Radaway | Leadership Coach & Content Strategy Expert
I’m beyond excited to introduce this episode’s featured guest, Rachel Radaway, a leadership and executive coach, former design ops leader, and author of the empowering new book, Perceptive.
Rachel recently discovered she’s an AuDHDer (someone with both ADHD and autistic traits), and her story brings a much-needed lens to our conversation about neurodivergence and inclusive design.
We dive into:
Why accessibility must include cognitive, neurological, and emotional diversity
The emotional labor of navigating a world not built for your brain
How the tech industry often prioritizes physical disabilities while overlooking others
Why intention and empathy matter more than checklists
How Rachel’s unique wiring makes her a more intuitive coach and visionary leader
Her insights are not only validating but also actionable for designers, leaders, and creatives seeking to build truly inclusive spaces. Check out her website below!
Top Takeaways
Accessibility ≠ Compliance: It’s a mindset and a commitment to understanding difference not normalizing sameness.
Neurodivergent experiences deserve visibility: They’re not just “edge cases.” They are part of the mainstream reality.
Design has the power to include or exclude—and it’s up to us to decide which side of that power we stand on.
Equity ≠ Equality: It’s not about sameness, but about creating systems that adapt to different needs and ways of being.
Lived experience is expertise: Rachel’s journey proves that our “differences” can be superpowers when embraced and understood.
Rachel’s Book: Perceptive
If Rachel’s story moved you, you’ll love her new book, Perceptive, a deeply affirming read for anyone who’s ever felt “too sensitive” or “too much.” In it, she explores how traits like empathy, big-picture thinking, and emotional depth aren’t liabilities, they’re leadership assets.
Perceptive is your guide to leaning into authenticity, self-trust, and designing a life where you lead from your core, not from societal molds.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for showing up. For listening. For being willing to unlearn and reimagine. Accessibility is a journey, not a destination, and you are part of that transformation.
Until next time, keep designing with heart. Keep showing up with courage. And most of all keep amplifying your worth!
Follow Us on:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thefourpercentamped
Website: www.sunniaesthetics.com/podcast
Instagram: @thefourpercentamped
Your support helps us continue amplifying voices that are too often left out, and gets us one step closer to a world where everyone belongs.
