“I want to grow up to be someone who makes sure that we are always creating that level playing field for everyone to thrive.” - Edmund Asiedu
Edmund Asiedu (he/him/his) is a black man originally from Ghana, West Africa, now living in the United States. Edmund's primary focus is on promoting independent living for individuals with disabilities.
His career has spanned various fields, including career development and education. Throughout his career, Edmund has accumulated knowledge about resources and tools available for individuals with disabilities. Currently working as an accessible transportation professional, he has strategically worked in different sectors to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to this goal: Education: as a crucial tool for individuals with disabilities. Employment: in career development, helping people with disabilities secure jobs. Transportation: making transportation more accessible for individuals with disabilities. And Housing: Edmund aims to work in public housing in the future, addressing the lack of accessibility in many buildings globally.
Edmund contracted the polio virus as a kid, which resulted in a mobility disability. He uses a wheelchair, leg brace and crutches. Edmund describes his journey as long. He decided to share his story because of the contrast between where he started and where he has reached. With support from his mother carrying him to school and a lot of personal perseverance, he managed to get an elementary school education and eventually attended journalism school, working hard to gather the necessary funds and even to make sure classrooms were accessible for him.
“There is one thing that I want people to really know and it's not going to be about my disability. I think it's going to be about my attitude of never giving up.” - Edmund Asiedu
Edmund became determined to never look down on himself or let his disability define his potential, seeing his life as an ongoing journey toward his goals. As a disability expert, Edmund notes that the work is not only in DEI, he knows it has to be DEIA: diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. The reason is very simple: how disability intersects with all the things that we deal with, including gender, race and age. That includes both visible and invisible disabilities, and creating environments where people with a disability feel safe enough to share that they have this situation. And it also includes diverse cultural perspectives around disability.
“Before you respect someone, you really want to acknowledge where they are coming from.” - Edmund Asiedu
Our conversation with Edmund explores the financial and business benefits of embracing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Edmund recognizes that DEIA initiatives should start from leadership positions within organizations. He believes that leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone for inclusivity and creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. He also stresses the need to collect data on disability inclusion and accessibility, as much as for gender, race and other diversity dimensions. He also strongly believes in the power of employee resource groups, being the coach of one that has been able to achieve a lot for a more inclusive workplace.
“Being non-disabled - or being able-bodied, depending on how you want to phrase it - that's a temporary thing. Everyone in their lives will, at some point, be disabled.”- Marjolijn Vlug
We acknowledge the way in which disability isn’t static: it’s actually something that most of us will experience a form of at some point in our lives. Whether it is a physical disability from an accident injury with a long recovery time, like Vivian’s, or reduced abilities from growing older, adjusted needs during pregnancy, or even a visual disability accommodation like your glasses or contact lenses - and many other reasons. Putting this into context: disability inclusion and accessibility ultimately benefits so many of us.
Edmund talks about the importance of disability inclusive language, navigating the choice between disability-first or person-first language. His own preference is to acknowledge the person first, saying ‘a person who uses a wheelchair’ rather than ‘wheelchair user’, or ‘person with a hearing disability’ instead of ‘deaf person’.
Sharing a personal challenge, Edmund is enjoying the challenge of raising three girls, how they make him laugh and how parenthood is shaping him. He really wants them to experience him as one of the best parents in the world.
“You are also creating new teachers who will teach you, but also teach others about disability inclusion.” - Vivian Acquah
Being a father has helped Edmund understand even better what accommodations parents in the workplace need.What is important to keep reminding yourself of? Marjolijn asks. I always remind myself not to give up, Edmund replies. He also reminds himself to be able to adapt, no matter what. “And I've been adapting throughout my life.”
He shares stories about the challenges that he faced in the Ghana Institute of Journalism, getting to class in a building without elevators: He told the person on the interview panel directly: once I get in, I would know how to survive. It's either I advocate for myself, he realized, that a class upstairs is brought down for him to give him access, or the school finds a way to get him in there.
“All that you need to do is adapt when you get there. So if you have a disability and you are listening to me and you have not been adapting, do that and know you have that strength.” - Edmund Asiedu
Edmund's advocacy played a significant role in the passing of Ghana's first national disability act in 2006. He shares his experience of keynote speaking at the University of Ghana about the lack of accessibility in the educational system.
“I really wanted to be one of the leaders of the movement so that I would be able to build those collaborations, partnership with the civil society, and get what will really benefit.” - Edmund Asiedu
We discuss cultural perceptions and severe discriminatory practices against marginalized groups, such as albinos across Africa and LGBTQ+ individuals in Ghana. Edmund expresses his determination to lead and advocate for disadvantaged groups, including pursuing a doctoral degree to acquire more knowledge and use it to protect disability rights around the world. That’s who he wants to grow up to be.
“I want to go out to be the person with all the tools, all the knowledge, so that nobody can try to convince me otherwise. I want to grow up to be someone who makes sure that we are always creating that level playing field for everyone to thrive.” - Edmund Asiedu
To amplify the talents and skills of individuals, especially those with disabilities, Edmund advocates for reasonable workplace accommodations. He explains that small adjustments can create equal opportunities and make a big difference in the lives of employees with disabilities - and business benefit. Edmund and Vivian touch on the potential tax breaks and financial incentives like grants and subsidies available to organizations that accommodate individuals with disabilities, noting that hiring such individuals can be financially advantageous. Marjolijn encourages us to actively deprogram from biases and prioritize DEIA plans.
“This is an invitation for you, when you're listening to this, to think: let me start deprogramming my bias around the belief in the capabilities of people that also happen to have a disability. Yes, this is your call to start deprogramming.” - Marjolijn Vlug
Edmund urges recruiters to rethink their hiring processes, advocating for reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities and for a more inclusive, human-centered approach that recognizes the business advantages of diversity in terms of disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and all other dimensions. It's about making practical changes that can have a significant impact. Interacting with people will change your perspective, getting to know individuals can enhance your and their life and be beneficial for business.
“You will be able to hire somebody who could be neurodivergent. At the end of the day, your being able to understand them, and understand the process. Being ready because they are coming to change you the way you see things, and not in a negative but in a positive way. Be ready to embrace that, and you will never regret doing that.” - Edmund Asiedu
Edmund lights up when he starts sharing his wide array of recommended readings and podcasts, spanning various topics including race, gender, disability, and LGBTQ+ perspectives. He strongly recommends reading ‘Dare to Lead’, a book that has profoundly influenced his approach to DEIA, and he highlights specific episodes in the podcasts ‘Code Switch’ and ‘Disability Visibility’. Of course you’ll find the full list below, enjoy!
“Our eyes have been deceiving us over the years, have been making us put people into unnecessary boxes. Boxes some of us are still trying to break. And still we have not been able to do that just because of how our eyes deceive us. Being able to talk to people can change the way you see individuals, the way you see people.” - Edmund Asiedu
Interacting with people brings positive energy into one's life, Edmund experiences, he takes his strength from people. When he smiles, he sees people smiling back at him and he absorbs that energy to carry around throughout the day, throughout the week. Understanding others’ perspectives benefits everyone, both personally and professionally.Thank you for listening and being a part of this journey. Together, we can create spaces where everyone feels valued and included.
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About Edmund Asiedu
Edmund Asiedu is a proud person with disability, a passionate accessibility, disability inclusion, and inclusive mentoring advocate who raises awareness on the needs of persons with disabilities in educational institutions and workplaces. He uses he/him/his pronouns.
Born and raised in Ghana, Edmund studied at St. Mary’s Boys High School and the Ghana Institute of Journalism. He relocated to the United States in 2010. Before joining New York City Department of Transportation as a Policy Analyst for Accessibility, he held positions at Columbia University School of Public Health, Berkeley College, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, Lehman College, National Disability Rights Network, and Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled.
Edmund holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the Lehman College and a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College School of Public and International Affairs. He served on the Disability Access and Accommodations Committee at the Columbia University Medical Center. Edmund currently serves as the Co-chair of the Advisory Council of the National Disability Mentoring Coalition (NDMC) in the U.S.
Connect with Edmund via LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/edmundasiedu
Resources & references in this episode:
Books:
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum - Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? https://www.beverlydanieltatum.com/published-works/
Ijeoma Oluo - So You Want To Talk About Race https://www.ijeomaoluo.com/books
Roxane Gay - Bad Feminist https://roxanegay.com/books/bad-feminist/
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - We Should All Be Feminists https://www.chimamanda.com/we-should-all-be-feminists/
Frances A. Koestler - The Unseen Minority: A Social History of Blindness in the United States https://www.aph.org/product/the-unseen-minority-a-social-history-of-blindness-in-the-united-states/
Judith Heumann - Being Heumann https://judithheumann.com/being-heumann/
Leslie Feinberg - Stone Butch Blues https://www.lesliefeinberg.net/
Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray
Cherríe Moraga and Gloria E. Anzaldúa - This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Bridge_Called_My_Back
Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan - The Inclusion Dividend: Why Investing in Diversity and Inclusion Pays Off https://thedagobagroup.com/offerings/publications/the-inclusion-dividend/
Brene Brown - Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead/
Podcast:
Code Switch https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/484785516/the-code-switch-podcast particularly the episodes “A Decade Of Watching Black People Die” and “Why We Don’t Say That”Why Now, White People? https://www.npr.org/2020/06/16/878963732/why-now-white-people
Disability Visibility https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/podcast-2/, especially the episodes “Care Work” and “Disabled Writers”
Article:
“We are all only ever temporarily Not Disabled” by Jake Horton, quoting an ‘Introduction to Access Needs’ workshop from the UK Home Office https://www.batimes.com/articles/we-are-all-only-ever-temporarily-not-disabled/
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