Windsor Hackforge has announced a series of free events in recognition of National AccessAbility Week, taking place May 25 to 31.
Observed across Canada during the last week of May each year, National AccessAbility Week celebrates the contributions of people with disabilities and highlights the work being done to build a more accessible and inclusive country.
The full schedule is available on Hackforge’s events calendar, and includes interactive workshops, lectures, and conversations on topics such as equitable and inclusive artificial intelligence, assistive reading technology, and labour market interventions. Sessions will feature speakers from Windsor-Essex and beyond, including Dr. Jutta Treviranus, Ioana Gandrabur, and David Best.
Many events will be held online to ensure accessibility, and — as always — Hackforge events are free and open to all.
Forward Together: Accessibility and Inclusion for All with David Best
📆 Date: Monday, May 26, 2025
🕦 Time: 6pm-7:30pm
📍 Location: Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom
As part of National AccessAbility Awareness Week, Forward Together invites changemakers to reimagine Windsor’s future through the lens of accountability, transparency, and responsiveness. This event explores the systemic barriers that limit community engagement and economic participation, and offers bold, practical strategies to transition from symbolic inclusion to true belonging, dignity, and justice.
Hosted by David Best of BEST Accessibility Consulting, this free, one-hour session will examine the global and local forces shaping Windsor’s path forward, and offer innovative approaches that will empower every citizen to thrive.
Reserve your spot: https://www.hackf.org/event/forward-together-accessibility-and-inclusion-for-all/
Accessible Reading Technology: Where We Are and Where We’re Going
📆 Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
🕦 Time: 6pm-8pm
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
Join Hackforge for an engaging virtual session during National Accessibility Week, featuring Ioana Gandrabur, Peer Trainer with the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA).
Focused on accessible reading technologies, this session will explore:
- CELA’s services for people with print disabilities – who can access them and how to get started
- What accessible contents does CELA offer and how are these made available?
- The current and future state of accessible reading tech
Whether you’re a community member, accessibility professional, or content creator interested in accessible publishing, this free event offers valuable insights, practical resources, and time for open discussion.
Reserve your spot: https://www.hackf.org/event/accessible-reading-technology/
Labour Market Interventions Roundtable
📆 Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
🕦 Time: 12-1pm
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
This free lunchtime round table session will explore how we can increase connections between people with disabilities and opportunities in the Canadian tech ecosystem and will feature representatives from:
- Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities
- Social Economy Through Social Inclusion (SETSI)
- Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience (CCNDR)
Reserve your spot: https://www.hackf.org/event/labour-market-interventions-roundtable/
Government of Canada Accessible & Equitable AI Standard: Group Review
📆 Date: Thursday, May 29, 2025
🕦 Time: 3:30-5pm
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) develops national accessibility standards to help build a barrier-free Canada — by and for people with disabilities. As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly evolves, ASC is working to ensure accessibility and equity are built into these emerging technologies.
In May 2024, ASC released a technical guide on accessible and equitable AI, and a draft standard is now available for public review. The final standard is expected to be published in winter 2026. While these standards will be mandatory for federally regulated organizations (like banks, air travel, and Canada Post), all AI developers can benefit from aligning their work with them.
Join Saamer Mansoor, creator of BeAware Deaf Assistant, for an overview of the draft standard and a discussion on what it means for developers. Come to explore highlights of the standard, ask questions, and take part in conversations at the intersection of artificial intelligence, accessibility, and equity.
This session leads into Friday’s event, where Dr. Jutta Treviranus — chair of the Technical Committee on Accessible and Equitable AI Systems — will offer a free online talk for the Hackforge community.
Reserve your spot: https://www.hackf.org/event/government-of-canada-accessible/
Equitable AI: Designing for Inclusive Access
📆 Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
🕦 Time: 11am-12:30pm
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
Join Hackforge for an engaging and interactive conversation with Dr. Jutta Treviranus, Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University and a global leader in digital inclusion. As part of Hackforge’s National AccessAbility Week programming, this session will explore how artificial intelligence can both empower and marginalize — and why equity, accessibility, and responsible design must guide the future of AI systems.
Details and registration: https://www.hackf.org/event/equitable-ai-designing-for-inclusive-access/
Disability Pride: Informed and Committed Actions Towards Undoing Ableism
📆 Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
🕦 Time: 3-5pm
📍 Location: Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario (1100 University Ave W, Windsor)
This session is designed for community leaders, educators, advocates, and anyone interested in fostering deeper understanding and more meaningful inclusion. Through personal stories, guided reflection, and collaborative discussion, we’ll explore how to move beyond surface-level inclusion and toward practices that truly support equity and connection.
Facilitator Evelina Baczewska offers a space to reflect on the ways our experiences, identities, and systems intersect — and how we can support belonging, dignity, and shared responsibility in our communities.
Reserve your spot: https://www.hackf.org/event/disability-pride/
