Why accessibility improvements help everyone

Summary

In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany, Brittany, and Erika engage in a rich conversation with Abbey Perini, a web developer and fiber artist. They explore Abbey's current projects, the intersection of fiber arts and programming, and the importance of accessibility in web development. The discussion also delves into personal experiences with ADHD, community building in both knitting and open source, and the challenges and strengths that come with neurodiversity. Abbey shares her insights on how to make coding and web development more inclusive and accessible for everyone, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding in the tech industry.

Takeaways

• There is a deep connection between fiber arts and programming.
• Accessibility should be a priority for all developers.
• Community building in knitting can inform open source practices.
• Accessibility is not just a front-end concern; it extends to back-end development.
• ADHD can present challenges but also unique strengths in coding.
• Flexibility in work can benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities.
• Negative self-talk can be harmful, and you are awesome, so stop it.
• Developers should focus on problem-solving skills rather than just technical tools.
• Creating inclusive environments in tech is essential for progress.

Links

• Abbey Perini’s website: https://abbeyperini.dev/
• Abbey on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/abbeyperini.dev
• Abbey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-perini/
• Knitting as programming blog post: https://abbeyperini.medium.com/knitting-as-programming-9c34090e4992
• Web Development === Accessibility blog post: https://dev.to/abbeyperini/web-development-accessibility-f8i
• An accessible dark mode toggle blog post: https://dev.to/abbeyperini/an-accessible-dark-mode-toggle-in-react-aop
• Coding and ADHD blog post: https://dev.to/abbeyperini/coding-and-adhd-where-we-excel-454j
• Designing data-intensive applications https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Data-Intensive-Applications-Reliable-Maintainable/dp/1449373321
• Aria article: https://dev.to/abbeyperini/what-the-first-rule-of-aria-really-means-192e
• How to do chores while drowning: https://www.amazon.com/How-Keep-House-While-Drowning/dp/1668002841/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14ND3S4IR3YLG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ue6gifKzpUZ5byIrJ4RUyA.9EOnSDfKG5rpl9Or07gVfVfYityMMWTqBEL4EAsN1Mw&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+do+chores+while+drowning&qid=1766080922&s=books&sprefix=how+to+do+chores+while+drowning%2Cstripbooks%2C83&sr=1-1
• Ask Jan: https://askjan.org/
• Study: ADHD powerful strengths - https://scitechdaily.com/adhd-isnt-just-a-deficit-new-study-reveals-powerful-psychological-strengths/

Hosts

• Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.dev
• Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28
• Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com
• Eggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead