We are thrilled to publish Road Map for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media, a report by Ford Foundation Senior Fellow Judith E. Heumann, with Katherine Salinas and Michelle Hess. The culmination of a year of intensive research and meetings, this remarkable report highlights the scale of a problem that has been overlooked for far too long: the media’s failure to adequately represent the one-in-four Americans who live with disabilities. Judy methodically documents the evidence and consequences of this problem, and puts forth a radically simple argument: People with disabilities should be represented proportionally, both in front of and behind the camera. To get us closer to that goal, she offers a set of clear, practical recommendations for change.
“It is no longer acceptable to not have women at the table. It is no longer acceptable to not have people of color at the table,” Judy writes here. “But no one thinks to see if the table is accessible.” It is an observation that rings uncomfortably true for me. Two years ago, I was confronted with the fact that the Ford Foundation’s work on inequality did not account for the more than one billion people around the world who live with one form of disability or another. It was an unsettling moment and a humbling one.
Since then, we have been thinking seriously about disability issues and working to confront ableism and expand participation across the foundation. And we have taken concrete steps to integrate an inclusive, accessible perspective across all of our grant-making. I am proud of how far we have come, but it is still early in our efforts. We are committed to making a meaningful difference and being a model for the field—and we know we still have a lot to learn.
And that is why I am so grateful for Judy Heumann’s expertise and counsel, and the profound impact she has had on the foundation during her tenure as a senior fellow. Through this paper, she extends that impact to the field of philanthropy and the broader media landscape. Regardless of the field you work in, or your experiences with disability inclusion, this paper offers a road map for living up to the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion to which we all aspire.