1.3 billion people globally are disabled. So, you want a fair and realistic representation of disabled people.
Since it is the law in several countries to prioritize accessibility, disability-friendliness is part of doing business.
Although you are not an expert in this area, you want to be an inclusive place to work, shop, or visit. Part of the problem is your public-facing communications. You know that your public-facing coms are not accessible enough, but you don’t know why. Plus, some or all of the statements apply to you:
- I want to include disability issues and voices in my publication.
- I‘m developing a series of resources on chronic illness and neurodivergence. My disability resources are meant to make my workplace a more comfortable and inclusive environment.
- I’m in charge of finding guest speakers with disabled lived experiences.
Sound familiar? Work with Rosemary for more inclusive content and programming. But first, here’s more info about Rosemary:
Hi! I’m Rosemary Richings:
I‘m a writer, editor, and speaker specializing in neurodiversity education and awareness. I have been published in numerous magazines, including The Toronto Star, Reader’s Digest, Not for Profit Quarterly, Shape, and Travel & Leisure. Previously, I have worked with clients such as Yellowpages, eBay, Saatva Mattress Company, Uptimize, and Lexxic. I am the author of two dyspraxia focused books: “Stumbling Through Space and Time: Living Life With Dyspraxia” and “Studying With Dyspraxia”. I am both neurodivergent and live with a thyroid condition, two experiences that greatly inform my work as a disabled professional.
Below, you can choose from one of three options to check out more samples and testimonials related to the service offering that is applicable to your needs.
Disability lived experience-informed writing for web and print publications.
My top priority is accessibility and fair representation of disabled people. Yet, the language used to discuss certain disability communities also matters. Lived experience is a central part of my work. In-depth research and interviews with people with relevant lived experience help me capture diverse experiences.
Above all else, I expect to have revisions and feedback to address pre-publication. The clearer your requirements and preferences are, the better the results.
Take Kayti Christian, for example. When she was The Good Trade‘s senior editor, she edited my work more than once. Here’s what she had to say about my strengths as a communicator:
Rosemary always delivers her work on time and is quick with communication. She’s a talented and professional writer whom I would recommend to any editor.
sounds like something you need?
Want to see samples of my writing?
Disability lived experience-informed editing
Digital neurodiversity and disability resources are my specialty. Every project helps clients prioritize accessibility. Also, talking about the disability community with dignity and respect matters.
Before we start working together, I will ask you a series of questions about the goals of the content you’re working on. Through asking questions, I will develop individualized feedback.
Taking this approach allowed me to support Melanie Sexton in producing a website she’s proud of. Melanie Sexton is a writing instructor who hired me to support her in producing her website copy.
Here’s what she had to say about how my feedback helped make the finished product particularly good:
This is just a quick one, for now, to say that I love what you did with it! It seems to flow so much better to me. All your suggestions make sense, and I’m revising to address them.
Sound like something you need help with?
Do you want to see samples of my past editing projects?
Speaking: virtual and in-person
When I was four years old, I got a dyspraxia diagnosis. Dyspraxia affects how you plan, learn, and navigate movement-based tasks. In every new environment, I have had to educate others on my condition. I have also had to develop the vocabulary to describe my condition in a concise way. That’s exactly what has attracted me to speaking work.
I am available to do events intended to spread the values of neurodiversity (in-person and virtual). Panel events, solo guest talks, and Q&As are all speaking events I am comfortable with. My experiences doing an event with Natasha Whitehurst were a classic example of the impact my speaking events have on my clients:
We had the pleasure of hosting
Rosemary Richings, Carlota Berlanga Fernández, Krystal-Bella Shaw, and Jessica Squires, as we explored the topic of neurodiversity with our leaders at Reach plc. I felt really proud to facilitate such an important discussion with 4 phenomenal people and definitely learnt so much.
Sound like something you need?
Want to learn more about my speaking work?
