On Preaching to the Choir

[access_fandom_mods]

Hello, this is one of your friendly mods (sasha_feather), and I am posting this on behalf of selkiechick who is the author of the post.

I have been the Access Services Coordinator for Arisia for a couple of years now, and I feel like I am really starting to learn the job. But I have one real question- what is the best way to reach the general populace. I feel like there are some ways in which we could make the con both more inclusive, but also a better experience for everyone, but it requires a little education. I fell like posting these things to the Access Services page doesn't reach the intended audience.

This last year I sent a great article (written by Kestrell) on how to assist people with disabilities (though really it apples to everyone...) in Clear Ether, the con's Daily Newspaper, as well as a small ad asking people to leave the service dogs alone. This was great, but the newsletter is a one-sheet, and I feel like adding more will make it the access services newsletter...

What are the next best ways to reach out and ask people to do things like, say, cover their food in the elevators, minimize perfume use, and make way for people carrying heavy things and with mobility aids in crowded hallways. Facebook seems like a poor tool, as you can only post snippets. There is a Livejournal group, and I have thought about posting some of these things in the weeks leading up to the con... but will that get lost in the shuffle- or worse, invite trolls and flamewars about inclusion and accessibility?

Are there other at con and pre-con venues I am missing?

Thank you,

Selkiechick

Comments

[sasha_feather]

Hi Selkiechick,

I'm currently on the Access Team at WisCon. In addition to the venues you're already using, I'd suggest announcements at the opening ceremonies, and signage at the convention itself. We created signs that we placed on the inside of restroom stall doors where you have a "captive audience" and people will read them. The signs explained some basic things about Access at WisCon and how everyone can contribute. We also have signs by the elevators suggesting that people take the stairs "if they can" so as not to overcrowd the elevators. We keep putting new info in the publications at WisCon too-- the emailed newsletter, the print pubs, etc.

I do think that Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LJ and DW are good venues, and comments can be moderated to avoid trolls. We just have to remember that not everyone is online.

[soc_puppet]

I've barely started addressing access issues for the convention I work with/for, so this is quite helpful to me as well.

I don't know if Arisia has Opening Ceremonies, but I was planning to ask if someone (maybe even I) could make an announcement at ours covering the basics. Another thing I was going to ask was if we could have the same information included in our extensive program books. If you have booklets/pamphlets/what-have-you that have the convention schedule on them, maybe you could have some of the information included there?

[jesse_the_k]

In general, if you can break down the looming issue "access" into lots of specific behaviors, it diffuses the tl;dr reaction. It's also important to remember that education takes time. At WisCon we've been advertising/marketing like dogs with full bladders for four years, and some every-year members are just now realizing what's available.

I don't know what the microphone situation is at Arisia; this year at WisCon we had access crafts. We provided blank funeral fans and markers, as well as some printouts to stick down for those whose best handwriting is the keyboard. The little signs we made (one could pick 'em up at reg desk) said "Show me your lips" on one side and "Please use the mic" on the other. This was *much* more effective than an announcement at the beginning of the panel (but still not 100%). As someone who needs presenters to use the mic, I felt much more comfortable just holding up my sign than waving my hand and pushing my way to jump the queue to request the panelists use their mics.

So, where/when possible, signage/marketing is at the point-of-need. In addition to the signs by the elevators that sasha_feather mentioned, we had signs on the stairs explaining how you could circumvent the elevators.

If most members stay in the hotel, it would be brilliant to have a sheet in the sleeping room bathrooms about perfumes.

[selkiechick]

Thank you all for your input. I am going to put some messages out on social media before the con, and have some signage at the con.

We don't have much for microphones, but I will think about what we can do about that. I might ask for a note in the program book about that.

Followup

[selkiechick]

Arisia has no opening ceremonies to make announcements at, so what I ended up doing were some announcements in livejournal leading up to the event (which were linked on the website, FB and twitter) and these posters, which my friend robdamnit illustrated for me. If anyone would like to use them for their own conventions, you can write to him at the flickr account, or to me to get good files. (there is also an additional image "Working dog is working" which I will upload at some point.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robdamnit/sets/72157629324497717/with/6878855017/