Liam Gilchrist-Blackwood, FUTURES Activation Project
Social media has become one of the main ways we connect with one another.
We use it to share our lives, find communities, discover information, build careers, follow current events, and connect with people around the world.
But for Disabled people, the experience of navigating social media isn’t always equally accessible.
For FUTURES alumnus Liam Gilchrist-Blackwood, this became the focus of his Activation Project: Social Media and its Accessibility.
What began as a learning experience has grown into something much bigger, a continuation of Liam’s advocacy for accessible digital spaces.
Starting with the tools
Liam’s project grew from exploring his own experiences using accessibility tools such as JAWS and VoiceOver.
These screen readers allow blind and visually impaired users to navigate digital content, but how well do major social media platforms actually work with these tools?
Liam began exploring that question by looking at the accessibility of social media platforms and identifying both their strengths and their barriers.
His project examines important aspects of digital accessibility, including alt text, captions, and screen reader usability.
These features might seem small to someone who doesn’t rely on them.
But when they aren’t available, or aren’t implemented effectively, they can determine whether someone can meaningfully participate in an online space.
Accessibility beyond the physical world
Accessibility conversations often focus on physical spaces: buildings, transportation, entrances, washrooms, and public spaces.
But our lives increasingly happen online.
A social media post without meaningful alt text can leave a screen reader user without access to important visual information. A video without captions can exclude people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. A confusing interface can create barriers for people using assistive technology.
Digital accessibility isn’t an optional extra.
It is part of creating spaces where people can communicate, participate, and belong.
Liam’s project asks us to consider what happens when the platforms we use every day aren’t designed with everyone in mind.
From learning to advocacy
Liam’s project has changed a lot since he started it.
What started as an exploration of accessibility tools has developed into an expansive assessment of major social media platforms.
Through this process, Liam has been able to build his knowledge while also strengthening his role as an accessibility advocate.
The project isn’t simply about identifying what’s wrong. It is about recognizing what works, understanding where barriers exist, and thinking meaningfully about how digital spaces can improve.
Creating space for everyone
At its core, Liam’s Activation Project is about inclusion.
Social media has the potential to bring people together across geography, Disability, and difference. But that potential can only be realized when people can actually access and participate in these spaces.
Liam’s work encourages us to think about accessibility as something that should be built into digital experiences from the beginning, not added later as an afterthought.
His journey through this project reflects the heart of the FUTURES program: taking something you’ve learned, connecting it to your own experiences, and turning that knowledge into action.
Because the future of accessibility isn’t only about making physical spaces more inclusive.
It’s also about making sure everyone has a place in the digital world.
Read more about FUTURES Core.
You can also read what 60 Disabled and neurodivergent young adults taught us about leadership.
Apply to FUTURES
FUTURES is a free leadership program for Disabled and neurodivergent young people in Canada, ages 18 to 30.
Every participant builds their own activation project, like the one you just read about.
FUTURES Core Virtual meets Thursday evenings on Zoom, starting September 24.
Registration closes Wednesday, September 23, the day before the cohort starts.
Want to talk through your access needs first? That conversation is optional, and it is yours to book: book an access needs conversation with Ratsamy
0 Comments