Who Gets Seen? Visibility, Accessibility, and Community

What does it really mean to be seen — and what happens when being seen is paired with access and community? In this episode, Zaakirah shares reflections from attending SXSW London, the vision behind her panel "Who Gets Seen: Building Accessible Media, Events, and Experiences," and why accessibility can't be an afterthought — on stages, in content, or in business, the history of Black Business Month, and the power of LinkedIn networking. This episode weaves together visibility, accessibility, and community into one cohesive conversation that remains relevant long after any voting deadline. 0:41 — Black Business Month: history, policy, and barriers to capital 1:13 — Travel philosophy: accessibility and disabilities in mind 1:37 — See Life Different: childhood eye cancer, seeing in one eye, finding your platform 2:29 — Gaps on stages: invisible disabilities and the need for safe spaces 3:08 — Building See Life Different: podcast, book, summits, and accessible content 3:46 — The gap: speaking opportunities that don't pay you 4:04 — Same mission, same vision: making sure the overlooked are no longer overlooked 4:34 — Lived experience: no captions, can't lip read, being left out 5:00 — Don't leave out people who want to work with you + SXSW panel submission 5:16 — Chapter: Who Gets Seen? — SXSW history 5:26 — SXSW London: accessibility at the forefront, not the back 5:52 — "Who Gets Seen: Building Accessible Media, Events, and Experiences" 6:13 — Captions, image descriptions, sensory spaces 6:43 — Co-panelists: Erin Perkins (deaf-blind) and Derra Howard (epilepsy) 7:15 — All Three Coasts (A3C) in Atlanta and the SXSW connection 8:02 — Applied to speak, didn't get accepted, attended two days SXSW London 8:23 — Setting intentions: what am I gonna do at this conference? 8:58 — Long-term goals: speak on a panel, premiere a documentary 9:35 — Building blocks for community, advocacy, and a speaker bureau 10:00 — People with disabilities have stories to tell  10:18 — SXSW London's accessibility: interactive app, scheduling, networking 10:45 — Real connections vs LinkedIn, Instagram, or WhatsApp 11:01 — Disability accommodations 11:46 — Sensory overload and the quiet networking hack 12:27 — Trust your intuition: the best networking moments 12:54 — Fora co-working space  13:18 — Documentary about travel, disability, woman of color, faith, and childhood eye cancer 13:53 — Healthcare SXSW panel and the power of LinkedIn 14:28 — Don't underestimate LinkedIn or in-real-life connections 15:23 — Hidden disabilities and airport accessibility 15:45 — invisible disability and asking for help 16:02 — Accessibility as a business strategy: stronger brand, bigger audience, more clients 16:25 — Supporting the diaspora economy 16:31 — The Accessible Content Creator: getting on stages and getting started 16:57 — How to work with Zaakirah on your Goals for the quarter Connect with Zaakirah: Reach out via DM or comment to learn more about the Accessible Content Creator program, speaking opportunities, or working together. Email: [email protected] Website: http://zaakirahnayyar.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illuminousone/ Profile: https://www.facebook.com/zaakirah.n.muhammad/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@illuminousone Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illuminousone/ Email Newsletter: https://zaakirah-nayyar.kit.com/ Shortlink: https://bit.ly/seelifedifferentyoutube Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaakirahmuhammad/ Book: http://bit.ly/seeinglifedifferentlens Work with me: https://www.zaakirahnayyar.com/workwithme