...YOU can help raise accessibility awareness at this iconic tech festival

What is Knowbility?

An advocate for tech equity, we teach practioners why and how to ensure digital equity, and we engage others in the effort and work to make it so.

How does Knowbility promote digital equity?

By building joyful understanding and alliance around the powerful idea that humans can build an equitable world in which disabled people equally participate as active, contributing members.

What does that have to do with SXSW?

The year 2002 was the beginning of a great relationship. That was the year that SXSW honored Knowbility with the Dewey Winburne Award for Community Service and suddenly we had a bigger megaphone to broadcast our mission of digital inclusion. In the years since, Knowbility has had a number of great experiences there. We led several panels, MeetUps, and workshops, including one where we heard Jeff Veen claim that he didn't care about accessibility and another where we invited a contingent of accessibility advocates from Mexico. For that one, we provided oral language translation and both American Sign Language (ASL) and Lengua de señas mexicana (LSM). Audience members brave enough to ask questions were rewarded with tequila shots. Invitations to speak on our panels helped launch accessibility careers. We were honored to interview luminaries like Jeffrey Zeldman and the late, terribly missed Molly Holzschlag about the newly emerging WCAG2.0. For several years, Knowbility exhibited in the vendor hall - we even held an AIR competition for bands. We'll always be grateful to SXSW and Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest for these memorable events and the lasting impact they have had on our mission.

Emerging Themes

SXSW has grown past recognition from those early days and is being replicated in other locales. While the event has been generous in providing a forum to talk about digital equity, SXSW still struggles to deliver accessible experiences for all. We have offered what we hope is constructive criticism at times and always applaud the sincere effort and progress we see. For example, we were delighted when Hugh posted to LinkedIn an article that began "The importance of technology accessibility for disabled users was a big theme that emerged [from the 2024] SXSW Conference..." His post went on to summarize highlights of accessibility themed sessions. We loved that he promoted our own AccessU as well - thanks Hugh!

Jump In - Help Keep Accessibility Momentum Going for SXSW 2025

Knowbility is a small nonprofit agency but our dreams are big. We envision a world where all tech is born accessible, where the needs of disabled people are considered as part of all developing tech. We succeed when our dream is shared and amplified. The support of SXSW and corporate sponsors make it more possible and YOU can make it real. The Panel Picker process at SXSW allows public input to have real impact on the programming choices. Together we can move the needle on accessibility at SXSW and the entire digital world. If you care about digital equity and are ready to jump out of our echo chamber to the wider world of tech innovation and change, consider these recommendations. Take a look, vote them up if you agree, and we hope to see you there in March 2025.

I learned today - Aug 16 - from Kai Wong that she and her colleague who presented so brilliantly at AccessU last May have also submitted proposals to SXSW. Please consider these as well: