Mostly Unlearning: What we Unlearnt 2024 and What’s Ahead in 2025
Briar Harte
Winner of Disability Inclusion Changemaker of the Year 2024 | Inclusive Design | CX Strategist | Enterprise Transformation | Digital Inclusion | Accessibility Uplift | Intersectionality | Speaker & Advocate
In this edition, I reflect on my top LinkedIn posts of 2024 and what to expect in 2025.?
The unifying theme?across the posts you liked, shared, and commented on was you are not alone.?The stories that captured our collective attention were about sharing personal experiences and amplifying disabled voices. These posts connected us, reinforced our shared strength, and celebrated the power of community. There is strength in shared experiences.
In Uncertain Times, Inclusive Leadership Matters More
Inclusive leadership is most impactful during times of uncertainty. When it’s hard, it’s almost always harder for those we are striving to include. When it’s unpopular, we need inclusive leadership more. On here, in 2025, I’ll strive to make it easy to do the right, more inclusive thing.?
As we wrap up 2024, let’s reflect on what we’ve unlearnt together this year and what’s next for 2025.
Representation Matters
The year’s most popular posts drew parallels between Christina Applegate using a cane at the Emmys and my workplace experiences. It resonated because it made a bold statement: Disability is not shameful or need to be invisible.
Breaking down social norms—like seeing disabled people confidently owning spaces considered exclusive—creates ripple effects. It challenges unconscious biases and reminds us that disability is a natural human variation. Seeing ourselves represented truly matters.
What to expect in 2025: More amplification of disabled representation in media, workplaces, and leadership.
Post Highlight: “Christina Applegate walking onstage to present at the 75th Emmy Awards. Publicly and confidently, showing the world the impact MS is having on her body... Representation matters.
Workplace Adjustments
Reasonable adjustments remain the most significant barrier to disability employment and career progression. This year, I’ve guided countless individuals and leaders through the process of requesting or implementing workplace adjustments.
These conversations shouldn’t be necessary, but until progress renders them obsolete, I’ll keep sharing knowledge and empowering others.
What to expect in 2025: More resources, myth-busting, and advocacy around workplace adjustments for disabled employees and carers.
Post Highlight: “Workplace adjustments are legal entitlements, just like holidays... Anything less risks discrimination.”
Accessible Social Media
Accessibility on social media ensures everyone can engage. This year, we collectively expanded five tips into eight actionable ways to make posts more accessible. As assistive technology becomes more mainstream, how we create all types of content must evolve.
What to expect in 2025: More guidance on accessible communication and demystifying assistive technologies.
Post Highlight: “Accessible communication is tied to the assistive technologies people use. Emojis, hashtags, captioning and alt text make a difference.” Eight tips for more accessible social media.
Post Highlight: Accessibility in beauty products
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Personal and Professional Reflections
Getting personal on a professional platform like LinkedIn has been the foundation of this community. On my disability anniversary, I shared a reflection on the 12 things I’ve learned since acquiring a disability 12 years ago. The response showed me just how much these stories resonate—they remind people they’re not alone.
What to expect in 2025: More personal reflections?- what else would you expect!
Professionally, I am a lived expertise professional. Going from a disabled person with lived experience to a lived expertise professional has itself been a journey of unlearning. No one beamed accessibility into my head when I acquired a disability. Certainly, no one did when I started working full-time in accessibility. Having a lived experience of disability gives me a sense of others' experiences but not the lived experience itself. I had to learn it, like everyone else.
Today, my role goes beyond disability and accessibility. Inclusive design addresses every aspect of people’s experiences that traditional design and business decisions often delay or overlook.
In my role, I work across a broad spectrum of protected attributes under discrimination legislation and demographics defined by the Banking Code of Practice. These are lived experiences further and further away from mine. In 2025, I’ll be learning and unlearning about these groups—and understanding the intersectionality of their experiences
What to expect in 2025: More exploration of diverse experiences, intersectionality and how inclusive design can serve diverse lived experiences.
Post Highlight: “No one beamed accessibility into my head when I acquired a disability. I had to learn it, like everyone else.”
Professional Milestones
Thank you for celebrating with me this year. Highlights include:
What to expect in 2025: More milestones—and more opportunities to celebrate progress together.
This year brought unexpected experiences, learning and unlearning. I couldn’t have imagined the year that was nor where I’d be today. In 2025, I’ll continue to lead, unlearn, and amplify the voices that need to be heard forever, striving to make it easy to do the right, more inclusive thing.?
For now, I’ll be taking a break to live the learnings of years gone by and rest.?
Join the unlearning.
You can subscribe to learn with me. I'll share what I learn (and unlearn) about accessibility, inclusion and disability. Together, we will consider the implications for impactful commercial and human outcomes.