Ability in a Jar

Why Awareness Matters

Awareness is the starting point of every inclusive action. Before we can shift a space, a relationship, or a system, we must notice what’s happening — in our bodies, in our environments, and in the people around us.

Awareness isn’t about getting it perfect.
It’s about paying attention with curiosity instead of judgment.

What This Teaches

• Many barriers remain invisible until someone notices and names them.

• Our bodies often know before our minds do.

• Inclusion begins with noticing differences — not ignoring them.

A Small Practice

Pause once today and ask yourself:
“What am I noticing right now — in myself or in this space — that affects access?”

Awareness is the first doorway to love.

Why Interdependence Matters

Interdependence pushes back against the “do it all yourself” culture. It recognizes that humans are built to support each other — emotionally, physically, culturally, and practically.

In disability communities, interdependence is not weakness.
It’s wisdom. It’s how we survive — and how we thrive.

What This Teaches

• Independence is not the highest goal — connection is.

• Asking for help is a skill, not a failure.

• Everyone relies on others, whether we acknowledge it or not.

A Small Practice

Allow someone to support you in one small way today —
or offer support in a way that honours their actual needs, not your assumptions.

Interdependence is love in motion.

Why Dignity Matters

Dignity is the foundation of every inclusive interaction. It means treating every person as inherently worthy — not because of what they can do, produce, or perform, but simply because they exist.

Where dignity lives, safety grows.
Where dignity is missing, harm happens quickly.

What This Teaches

• Dignity is non‑negotiable.

• People’s experiences matter, even when they differ from our own.

• Respect is not earned — it is given.

A Small Practice

Respond to someone’s need, emotion, or boundary with the assumption that it is valid.

Dignity is the quiet heartbeat of inclusion.

Why Identity Matters

Identity isn’t something we earn — it’s something we uncover. Disability, culture, gender, neurodivergence, and lived experience all shape how we move through the world.

When we understand our identity, we understand our needs, our limits, and our strengths.

What This Teaches

• Identity is layered, evolving, and personal.

• There is no “right” way to be disabled, Indigenous, neurodivergent — or anything else.

• Honouring identity is a form of love.

A Small Practice

Name one part of your identity that deserves more space — not less.

Why Access Matters

Access is not an accommodation — it’s a relationship. It’s the practice of shaping spaces, conversations, and expectations to fit real people, not imaginary ones.

Where access exists, people can show up fully.

What This Teaches

• Access is a shared responsibility.

• Access needs are normal, human, and valid.

• Access is love made practical.

A Small Practice

Offer or request one access need today — without apology.

Why Capacity Matters

Capacity is the truth of what you can hold — not what you wish you could hold, and not what others expect you to hold. Honouring your capacity protects your energy and allows inclusion to be sustainable.

What This Teaches

• Capacity shifts from day to day.

• Productivity does not define your worth.

• Listening to your limits is an act of care.

A Small Practice

Check in with your body and ask:
“What is my real capacity today?”

Why Needs Matter

Needs are not weaknesses. They are the foundation of belonging, connection, and safety. When we name our needs, we create space for others to name theirs.

What This Teaches

• Everyone has needs — emotional, sensory, physical, relational.

• Needs don’t make you “too much.”

• Meeting needs creates trust and stability.

A Small Practice

Name one need you have today — and honour it without justification.

Why Safety Matters

Safety goes beyond the physical. It includes emotional, sensory, cultural, and relational safety. Without safety, connection and inclusion cannot take root.

What This Teaches

• People cannot learn, connect, or love when they feel unsafe.

• Safety is created through consistency, clarity, and care.

• Safety is a shared responsibility.

A Small Practice

Notice one thing that makes you feel safe — and one thing that doesn’t.

Why Consent Matters

Consent is the foundation of respectful relationships. It means asking, listening, and honouring boundaries — not assuming.

Consent applies to touch, time, emotional labour, and access.

What This Teaches

• Consent is ongoing, not one‑time.

• “No” is a complete sentence.

• Consent builds trust and reduces harm.

A Small Practice

Before offering help, advice, or touch, pause and ask first — even if you think you know the answer.

Why Flexibility Matters

Flexibility is at the heart of accessibility. It’s the willingness to adjust expectations so everyone can participate fully. Flexibility isn’t inconvenience — it’s inclusion.

What This Teaches

• Rigid systems create barriers.

• Flexibility supports diverse bodies and brains.

• Adaptation is a form of care.

A Small Practice

Change one small thing today to make something easier for yourself or someone else.

Why Validation Matters

Validation means believing people when they share their experience — even when you don’t understand or agree. Validation reduces shame and strengthens relationships.

What This Teaches

• People’s feelings and experiences are real.

• Agreement is not required to validate.

• Validation creates emotional safety.

A Small Practice

Respond to someone today with:
“I hear you. Thank you for telling me.”

Why Belonging Matters

Belonging means being welcomed as you are — not as you think you should be. It’s the opposite of “fitting in.” True belonging is created when differences are acknowledged, respected, and celebrated.

What This Teaches

• Belonging is a basic human need.

• Inclusion without belonging is performative.

• Belonging requires intention, not assumption.

A Small Practice

Make one space today — physical or relational — more welcoming.

Why Liberation Matters

Liberation is the removal of barriers — internal, relational, and systemic — so people can live fully, not just cope. It is at the core of disability justice and inclusive design.

What This Teaches

• Liberation is collective, not individual.

• Systems must change, not people.

• Access is a pathway to freedom.

A Small Practice

Notice one barrier today — and imagine what becomes possible without it.

Why Love Matters

Love is not sentiment — it’s practice. It is the accumulation of dignity, access, consent, flexibility, belonging, and care. Love becomes expansive when it honours difference, not sameness.

What This Teaches

• Love becomes accessible when it adapts.

• Love becomes inclusive when it listens.

• Love becomes powerful when it makes room for every body and every brain.

A Small Practice

Choose one act of love today that honours someone’s real needs — including your own.