Breaking Down Barriers: VidCon Panel Champions Accessibility and Inclusion
In a powerful display of advocacy and awareness, a panel at VidCon 2025 brought together creators Peet Montzingo, Imani Barbarin, Briel Adams-Wheatley, and Pat Valentine of the Valentine Brothers to discuss the importance of accessibility in online and offline spaces. The conversation, moderated under the theme "Accessibility for All: Creating Inclusive Spaces Online and IRL," shed light on the personal and professional experiences of the panelists as they navigate the world as creators and advocates for disability rights.
Imani Barbarin, a passionate advocate for disability rights, emphasized the creative potential of disabled individuals, saying, "I personally view accessibility as imagination and practice. I think that disabled people are some of the most creative people on the planet, because we have to adapt every single day to our environment." Pat Valentine, who creates content with his brother Zach, born with Down syndrome, added, "Being accessible as a community and as society is really just honoring voices, listening to disabled people, and including them in everyday life and everyday conversations." Briel Adams-Wheatley broadened the perspective, noting, "Everyone has a disability, if they want to admit it to themselves or not, whether that’s physically, mentally, or emotionally, and we all deserve to be somewhere and everywhere."
The panel’s conversation delved into the challenges of navigating disability in the everyday world, a concept Barbarin referred to as "the disability math" required to navigate the world. They also highlighted the historical marginalization of the disabled community, particularly during the Industrial Revolution, and stressed the importance of visibility and listening to disabled voices rather than speaking for them. As Barbarin poignantly stated, "Disabled people are rarely seen as reliable narrators of their own stories and experiences, and so everybody else becomes an authority upon us, and it makes it so much harder to actually advocate for ourselves against the backdrop of a society that has stolen our voices from us."
The discussion at VidCon 2025 serves as a timely reminder of the need for inclusivity and accessibility in all aspects of life. By amplifying the voices and experiences of disabled individuals, we can work towards creating a more equitable and just society for all. As the world continues to evolve and become increasingly interconnected, the importance of accessibility and inclusion will only continue to grow, making conversations like the one at VidCon not just relevant, but essential for our collective future.
