Introducing: The DisCo Collective
In an effort aimed at enhancing disability representation online, the World Institute on Disability (WID), alongside Scribely and disability inclusion advocate Daniella Decker, we proudly announce the launch of the DisCo Collective, short for Disability Community Collective. This innovative initiative, in collaboration with GIPHY, aims to bridge the gap in disability representation online by providing shareable GIF content featuring Disabled creators and advocates.
You can find the DisCo Collective collection of GIFs on WID’s official GIPHY Channel: WID GIPHY Channel.
To announce the launch of this initiative, the DisCo Collective partnered with GIPHY to create a collection of readily available GIFs for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2024. Coupled with well-written, descriptive alt text crafted by Scribely, this initiative aims to foster greater visibility and inclusivity of the Disability Community and promote diverse representation in online culture and communication. .
As the world's largest library of animated GIFs, GIPHY provides a dynamic canvas for creative expression and digital storytelling. In the realm of social media and communication, reaction GIFs and memes reign supreme, shaping countless interactions and conversations. The DisCo Collective leverages GIPHY's expansive platform to showcase a diverse array of GIFs featuring creators and advocates from the Disability community.
"Social media has the power to connect people and share diverse perspectives," said Marcie Roth, Executive Director for the WID. "However, the lack of disability representation online can perpetuate stereotypes and hinder true access. The DisCo Collective is a crucial step towards creating a more accurate and empowering portrayal of people with disabilities in the digital world.".
GIFs are visual forms of communication that require textual descriptions to be accessible. We are proud to announce that every GIF in this collection has been made born-accessible to blind and low vision communities with contextual, human-crafted alt text written by Scribely. And we didn’t stop there. Because GIFs serve as authentic snapshots of human identity and lived experiences, Scribely also incorporated self-descriptions into every alt text description, ensuring cultural identities were accurately represented and communicated through words.
Scribely Founder & CEO Caroline Desrosiers shared her perspective on this initiative. “GIFs are a creative outlet for expression, a powerful mode of communication, and a catalog of what makes us human. Visuals without alt text are incomplete and exclude millions. This collection of GIFs addresses a space too often left empty, filling it with words that capture the beauty and authenticity of these moving messages.”
Influencers who participated in the initiative also shared their thoughts. Alexa Orban, Director of Marketing and Communications at Cephable, stressed the significance of representation, stating, “Disability is such a diverse spectrum. Some disabilities are invisible, and some are dynamic, or progressive. By sharing our stories and being represented in the media, we create a new lens through which people view disability.”
DisCo Collective Goals & Principles
The DisCo Collective seeks to achieve several key goals:
- Challenge Stereotypes: By showcasing the diverse experiences of people with disabilities, the initiative aims to bring representative reflections of the Disability community globally and ensure disabled voices are represented along non-disability related topics.
- Promote Accessibility: Accessibility features on social media platforms are essential for ensuring full participation for everyone. The DisCo Collective is kicking off with an accessible library of GIFs created by everyday disability advocates and accessibility leaders. The collective also empowers creators to Self ID within their content.
- Build Community & Advocacy: Social media empowers individuals with disabilities to share their stories and perspectives. The DisCo Collective provides a platform for voices to be represented, fostering a sense of pride within the Disability community and educating the public on issues that directly impact the DisCo.
The Valuable 500, an initiative focused on promoting disability inclusion in business, found that just 2% of disabled consumers feel accurately portrayed in media and marketing. In light of this, initiatives like the DisCo Collective offer a promising avenue for our community to create and generate content that is about us - and not without us, empowering us to shape narratives that authentically reflect our experiences and perspectives.
Scribely stands by this initiative, as it represents a significant step forward in promoting disability inclusion and empowering creators to foster an authentic and respectful representation of people with disabilities online.
Please note this was a voluntary initiative. WID employees, Scribely Employees and GIPHY employees contributed resources and spare time to produce this collective. The group reached out to New York based disability advocates and creators to participate and contribute their time to create GIFs for a full day shoot in NYC. These creators contributed their time voluntarily. The outreach extended to a broad range of people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds including race, gender and disability. A handful of people were available to attend and partake in the shoot in their free time. We recognize the content reflected in the collective does not display all different disabilities, races, backgrounds or genders. We hope in the future there’s more opportunities to produce a wider range of GIFs and Content.
