07/08/2026
During Disability Pride Month, we are reminded that inclusion does not start and stop in public meetings, programs, or formal conversations. Sometimes, inclusion begins with a simple conversation in passing.
Our founder once traveled from London to Paris by train. During the trip, he struck up a conversation with an American student who happened to be blind. It was a normal conversation, and after they went their separate ways, he did not think much more about it.
But of all places, they ended up staying at the same hotel.
When our founder saw him again, he asked how the young man had arrived so fast. He said, “I used Uber.” Then he asked how much our founder had paid for a taxi.
Our founder replied, “About $35.”
The young man laughed and said, “We only paid about $8.”
Not only did this young man, who experiences life with a visual disability, introduce our founder to uber, but he also knew our founder was being overcharged.
That moment stayed with him.
It was a reminder that people with disabilities are not simply people to be helped. They are leaders, teachers, problem solvers, innovators, and everyday people with wisdom, humor, independence, and insight.
Inclusion is not just about making space at the table. It is about valuing people in everyday life, in daily greetings, in passing conversations, and in the moments we least expect to learn something.
Disability Pride is a reminder that ability shows up in many forms.
