Digital Accessibility at Harvard and Around the Globe

A Celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)

Jennison and Kyle in conversation on stage.

Digital Accessibility Services (DAS) celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) with Jennison Asuncion, the co-creator of GAAD, on Thursday, May 18 at a special hybrid event.

Remarks were made by special guests Alexis J. Stokes, Associate Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, Kyle Shachmut, Director, DAS, and Michael Tran Duff, Chief Information Security and Data Privacy Officer, Information Security and Data Privacy.

At the event, DAS presented an award to the Content Strategy team in Harvard's Public Affairs and Communications department for their work promoting accessibility through the special In Focus topic on the Harvard homepage, The Accessible World.

Watch the video of the event

Event Video With American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation

Event Photos

An ASL interpreter and captions are on a large projection screen above Michael speaking from a lectern and Jennison and Kyle seated nearby. — Michael Tran Duff highlights Kyle's dedication and commitment to accessibility across Harvard and public realms.

Kyle speaks from the podium. — Kyle speaks at podium on the importance of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

Alexis speaks from the podium. — Alexis Stokes shares insights on how accessibility is an important part of Harvard's equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives.

Kyle passes a trophy to Melissa, they're both smiling. — Kyle presents an accessibility award to Melissa Lesica and the HPAC Content Strategy Team for their work on harvard.edu.

Michael smiling, standing behind a large lectern. — Michael Tran Duff speaks on Harvard's digital accessibility work.

Jennison speaks while Kyle listens, both are seated on stage. — Jennison and Kyle engage in a discussion on current accessibility trends.