December 3 was International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and we’re thrilled to continue our celebrations by introducing our new Meet-up Champion, @EmekaUlor ! Emeka lives in Owerri, Nigeria, and hosts some of the most popular and longest-running accessibility meet-ups for Local Guides. Here’s what he shared about his experience and learnings throughout the years.
What do you love about meet-ups?
Meet-ups provide me the opportunity to visit places while hanging with friends and fellow Local Guides. Sometimes, it is a chance to go somewhere I may not ordinarily visit alone or explore a new place and make new friends. I have hosted meet-ups on four continents, and it is always exciting.
What was the first meet-up that you hosted or attended?
My first Local Guide Meet-up was in 2017 at The George in Lagos. Top Local Guides were invited for the Map Your World meet-up; I met some Googlers and Local Guides for the very first time. It was an amazing experience because we got to learn about the impact we are making by contributing on Google Maps. From that day on, I took the activity more seriously!
The Accessibility Uncovered Webinar Series became a treasure trove for real stories and knowledge. How did you come up with the idea for it?
When the COVID-19 pandemic happened, the One Accessibility team could not continue hosting physical meet-ups, but it was one of our tasks to host meet-ups at least once a month. So, I thought we should go virtual. I remembered that we had invited the Co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) last December, which was very successful. Then the idea came to invite experts so we could continue to learn new things within the disability community until we could go outdoors. Many Local Guides loved it, so we continued to make it interesting each month.
For the Accessibility Uncovered Webinar Series, you’ve interviewed many accessibility advocates. Some of them include Joe Devon, founder of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and Iain McKinnon, a co-founder and director of Inclusive Design. Can you tell us more about how you choose your next guest, how you get in touch with them, and how you win them over to join an event?
Getting special guests every month is perhaps the hardest part of our webinar series. It takes a few weeks or even months to achieve. We look at the disability calendar to see the theme for the month, then we look for experts in the field and try to invite them. We reach out to the potential speakers in various ways. Personally, I send them direct messages on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. I tend to watch where they are more active. After that, we send them an official email and agenda.
Your other big project is the Worldwide Accessibility Walk (WAW). Can you tell us more about the idea behind it?
In 2017, @TraciC posted information about GAAD and a guide on how to improve accessibility (#a11y) on Google Maps. Immediately, I did more research and discovered the importance of removing barriers, especially in my community. I knew this is what I had been craving to do — something around disability and accessibility. I remembered how my friend in high school faced accessibility obstacles while moving around and [thought of] a relative with visual impairment who couldn’t go out without help.
I said to myself: this would be my area of focus as a Local Guide. I asked Traci if I could host meet-ups around it, and she approved and encouraged me. I started hosting accessibility meet-ups across Nigeria. When it was time to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I called on Local Guides around the world to join me by hosting [one] in their cities. That’s how WAW was born!
What are the three most important things you’ve learned from organizing accessibility meet-ups?
Organizing virtual and physical meet-ups has various levels and challenges of preparations, but I will share the common things I have learned:
- Prepare an agenda: It should include schedule, location (route), and timelines. Usually, when our guest speakers see this, they take us seriously and are encouraged to say “YES.” During physical meet-ups, [the agenda helps] attendees to not worry about where [to go] and what to do next.
- Have a plan B: I have learned to have a backup plan. Since I have unstable internet, I co-host with my team so that if I get cut off, they can continue the meet-up.
- Think about accommodating your guests: Some of our guests are people with disabilities. I have learned to ask if they would need any help. For example, we could do a trial with Google Meet for them to get familiar with it. Some may need a sign language interpreter or a screen reader to communicate better. This helps save time and avoid challenges during the meet-up.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone who’s about to host their first meet-up?
I would say, “Just do it.” Go ahead and host the meet-up. Consult Local Guides who have done it previously. Do the necessary preparations, but don’t be scared that it won’t be perfect. You have room to improve and make it unique subsequently.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself?
I want to say that this community has made a significant impact on my life. There are skills I have learned from contributing on Google Maps, which I have adopted in teaching undergraduates. I teach Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing with Google Maps (Satellite view and Street View), and I use Google Classroom for lectures and quizzes.
The first academic conference paper I presented this year to the Nigerian Cartographic Association was on Accessible Maps. It was the first unique work in their 41 years of history. I look at the feedback, and I am really proud to be a Local Guide!
Have you attended any of Emeka’s meet-ups? Do you have a question for him? Let us know in the comments below.
Want to see who else is a Meet-up Champion? Read our previous post here.
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