Advocacy and Policy Change - The speaker's advocacy led to the Delhi High Court's historic judgment ensuring bus accessibility for persons with disabilities nationwide [42] - Successful advocacy efforts reduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on disability aids from 18% to 5%, with ongoing efforts to eliminate it entirely [44][45] - The speaker collaborated with 85 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to create a charter of demands for persons with disabilities, presenting it to various political parties to ensure their inclusion in policy and politics [47] - The speaker worked with Zomato to add access filters to restaurants, influencing other apps to adopt similar accessibility features [36] Corporate and Social Inclusion - The speaker founded the Nipon Foundation in 2012 to help persons with disabilities get jobs in the corporate sector, focusing on sensitization workshops, accessibility audits, and disability employee resource groups [29][30] - The speaker initiated an award recognizing companies that employ people with disabilities, with Microsoft as a title partner [31] - The speaker created "Wheels for Life" in 2016-2017, connecting people who need wheelchairs with those who can donate them, costing 5,000 rupees [52][53] Thought Leadership and Research - The speaker collaborated with Zoom on a report analyzing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities across 19 countries [48] - The speaker worked with NDTV and Hyundai on the "State of Disability in India" report, highlighting the need for more thought leadership and disability studies departments in India [48] - The speaker launched a journal called "Access Point" to track disability policies across the country and inform various sectors on how disability intersects with society [52]

Diversity & Inclusion (DEIB) Initiatives - The organization emphasizes that diversity is a strength, fostering synergy and resonance through differences [1] - The organization shifted from formal to non-formal, flexible education through open schooling and distance learning [11][12] - The organization adapted teaching methods to suit individual learning styles, incorporating music, dance, and theater [14] - The organization built ramps, railings, and accessible toilets, benefiting not only students with disabilities but also the broader community [16][17] - The organization redefined success by supporting a student with Duchene's muscular dystrophy to achieve academic excellence and become head boy [18][19][20][22] - The organization embraced diversity in all aspects, including language, region, ability, gender, and socioeconomic background [26] Community & Culture - The organization instilled a sense of belonging, with students and teachers redefining triumph through inclusion [27] - The organization created a community where everyone is a success, emphasizing individual success contributing to a collective achievement [43][44] - The organization fostered empathy, experienced and shared among students, becoming a culture [25] - The organization changed its vision to focus on strengths-based inclusion, teamwork, and bringing the marginalized to the mainstream [35][36]

Autism Awareness & Advocacy - The speaker's curiosity about autism led to a calling to understand how individuals with autism perceive the world [4] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of believing in the potential of individuals with autism, rather than focusing on deficits [7] - The speaker highlights the need for self-awareness, emotional regulation, and patience when working with individuals with autism and their families [11] - The speaker underscores the significance of empowering and educating families to enable them to support their children with autism effectively [16] Program & Organizational Development - The speaker initiated a Saturday social skills training program to address the lack of socialization opportunities for children with autism [13] - The speaker's organization adopted a holistic approach, incorporating academics, life skills, and theater to support the development of individuals with autism [18] - The organization developed vocational training programs based on person-centered planning and community collaboration [20] - The organization's credibility and community support enabled it to navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic [22] Personal Journey & Resilience - The speaker's personal experience with a partial facial paralytic attack provided a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and their families [24][25][26][27][28] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-belief, self-awareness, and trust in others in overcoming personal challenges [30]

Overcoming Limitations & Achieving Excellence - The narrative emphasizes that limitations are self-defined illusions, highlighting the importance of mindset in achieving goals [1][2] - The individual excelled in the challenging International Baccalaureate (IB) program and pursued rigorous majors at the American University in Cairo, demonstrating academic achievement and leadership [2] - The individual became the first blind Egyptian woman to obtain the IB diploma and was the class valedictorian, showcasing exceptional academic performance [7] Advocacy & Awareness - Advocacy is a powerful tool for shaping lives and evoking change, encouraging individuals to stand up for their beliefs and rights [21][22] - The individual advocates for the success of visually impaired individuals, particularly within the IB diploma program, using assistive devices like talking calculators and screen readers [18] - The individual spoke at international schools and multinational companies, conducting workshops about disability and how to deal with it, promoting awareness and understanding [20] - The individual emphasizes that blind and visually impaired individuals are open to answering questions about their experiences, promoting open communication and understanding [17] Adaptability & Resourcefulness - The individual utilized extraordinary devices and machines to overcome visual challenges in subjects like biology, geometry, and trigonometry [9][10] - The individual participated in various sports and activities, including cycling, skiing, and ziplining, demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to push boundaries [12][13][14] - The individual memorized spacious places like the AU campus and traveled independently using a white cane, showcasing independence and resourcefulness [15] Philosophy & Inspiration - The individual's philosophy is that they can do everything that sighted people do, but in different ways, emphasizing adaptability and innovation [25] - The quote "disabled doesn't mean defective the same way that able-bodied doesn't mean perfect" promotes acceptance and equality [26]

Challenges Faced by LGBTQI Individuals in the Corporate World - The speaker experienced bullying and discrimination due to perceived gender nonconformity and sexuality from childhood through adulthood [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] - Societal norms and expectations pressure individuals to conform to heteronormative standards, leading to hiding one's true identity [3][4][5] - Microaggressions and insensitive comments from colleagues can create a hostile work environment [7] Initiatives and Solutions for LGBTQI Inclusion - The speaker created an online platform to support LGBTQI individuals in the corporate world [9] - The speaker advocates for creating psychologically and physically safe working environments through allyship and addressing bullying [11] - The speaker initiated a cross-company leadership program for LGBTQI individuals [14] - The program has over 70 alumni and fosters a supportive network to encourage openness and career advancement [16] Recommendations for Organizations - Ensure representation of visible LGBTQI role models at the top of the organization [12] - Regularly discuss safety and address microaggressions in meetings, setting clear boundaries [12] - Acknowledge the global disparities in LGBTQI rights, noting that same-sex marriage is legal in only 39 out of nearly 200 countries, and being LGBT is illegal in 60 countries, with the death penalty in 6 countries [13]

Merhaba ya. Şu ışıkları biraz kısabilir misiniz. gözümü alıyor da neyse ben alışkınım aslında.Ben bu ışıltının içine doğdum. Küçükken annem hep anlatıyor. Bebek arabasıyla sokağa çıktığımızda her duraksadığımız noktada insanlar arabanın etrafına toplanıp bir sürü soru sorarlarmış.Yani daha 2 yaşındayken bile saçımın, kaşımın rengi soruluyordu. Bayağı popülerdim aslında. Tabii ta ki okul başlayana dek.Okul başlayınca fark ettim ki ben popüler değil farklıydım. farklı, kötü bir şey gibi. Hatta o kadar farklıy ...

Career & Experience - The speaker has extensive experience in cloud architecture and AI, starting from IBM during the Y2K era, moving to Red Hat and VMware, and eventually becoming a principal cloud architect at AWS [1] - The speaker was an early member of the Amazon Alexa team, contributing significantly to its initial codebase and developing applications focused on mindfulness and kindness [2] - The speaker was recruited by Microsoft to help productize AI research models into Azure AI services (cognitive services), successfully transitioning 17 research models into production [4][5] AI Development & Leadership - The AI industry is currently in a "baby tiger mode," where the focus is on the potential of AI without fully considering the risks and long-term implications [6][7] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of asking critical questions about AI's future impact, including security, accuracy, and trust (SAT), to ensure responsible AI development [8][17] - The speaker founded the AI Leadership Institute in 2016 to teach the world to listen to problems and build AI that responds to those problems [11] - The speaker wrote a book called "Scaling Responsible AI: From Enthusiasm to Execution," highlighting the need for clarity of thought in leading machines [12] Human-AI Interaction - The speaker stresses the importance of designing the human-AI experience, where humans and AI work together, requiring individuals to actively participate and contribute their expertise [18][19] - The speaker notes that the number one skill to manage a machine is clarity of thought [13] Challenges & Perspectives - The speaker's unique perspective as a woman, Latina, and mother of a child with Down syndrome influenced her work and highlighted the need for diverse perspectives in AI development [2] - Companies often struggle with security, accuracy, and trust when implementing AI [16]

Social Issues and Inclusion - The speaker's personal experience highlights the challenges faced by transgender individuals, including legal restrictions and safety concerns [2] - Sharing personal stories and experiences can be an act of resistance and can empower others facing similar challenges [2][5] - Lack of support for transgender individuals can have catastrophic consequences, with 52% of transmen considering suicide and 18% attempting it in the past year [7] - States that passed anti-trans laws aimed at trans minors saw up to a 72% increase in suicide attempts by transgender and gender non-conforming teens [9] - The trans story can be seen as a universal story of daring to ask "Who am I?" and answering honestly, despite societal shame [11][12] Privilege and Discrimination - Being perceived as male in society carries privilege, as demonstrated by the speaker's experience in a retail setting [14][15] - Black trans artists faced discrimination and were initially denied entry to a performance venue, highlighting the intersection of race and gender identity [16][17] Call to Action - Individuals are urged to assess their power and use their voices, strength, talents, skills, and wealth to uplift those with less privilege [19] - There is a need for people to see, believe, and fight for trans rights, as their story is interconnected with everyone else's [20]

[Music] Mother's Day. I see all of you smiling in the audience. No, I am not talking about that Mother's Day.You know, the one that comes with the flowers and the hugs. Not that one. Today, I am talking about Zambia's Mother's Day leave.A day that any woman can take off work. No medical report required. Zambia is one of only seven countries in the whole world that has a ministration leave policy.In Zambia, we call this day Mother's Day. The name itself is a euphemism. Not necessarily because Mother's Day is ...

[Music] [Applause] I'd like to start by asking you to imagine a situation where a group of friends are at a park playing pickup basketball and on the sidelines is a individual with a disability watching the game. One friend notices the person and wants to invite them to join their game, but out of fear of saying the wrong thing or not knowing how it would impact their game, they decide against it in return to their friends. You may have seen diversity, equity, and inclusion campaigns with images related to ...