“What Are You Doing for Accessibility?”: Joe Devon on the Origins and Evolution of Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Joe Devon — co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) — sat down with Double Tap’s Steven Scott for a heartfelt and reflective conversation about how a single blog post launched a worldwide accessibility movement. As GAAD marks another year of raising awareness for digital inclusion, Joe looked back at its roots, explored how far it’s come, and posed a powerful challenge to tech leaders, businesses, and communities: “What are you doing for accessibility?”

From Blog Post to Global Movement

Joe Devon never expected a blog post written more than a decade ago to ignite an international movement — but that’s exactly what happened. “I wrote the blog post that turned into Global Accessibility Awareness Day,” Joe explained, recalling the moment that changed his life. At the time, he had just begun learning about assistive technologies, inspired by a demonstration from Victor Tsaran, a blind program manager at Yahoo who introduced Joe to screen readers.

“I’d always been on the bleeding edge of technology,” Joe said, “and had never heard of a screen reader. It fascinated me technically.” That fascination sparked a deeper mission — and when accessibility expert Jenison Asuncion responded to his blog post on Twitter with “Let’s do it,” the idea of GAAD was born.

Watch: The Untold Story Of Global Accessibility Awareness Day

The Power of Partnership: Jennison Asuncion’s Role

A huge part of GAAD’s success is thanks to Joe’s co-founder, Jennison Asuncion. “The event would not be what it is today without Jenison. He is a force of nature,” Joe said, praising Jennison’s vision, mentorship, and ability to galvanize support within the accessibility community.

Their first in-person meeting at the CSUN accessibility conference was unforgettable. “I was standing in line at Starbucks when he called,” Joe recalled. “And people around me were like, ‘Jennison? You know Jennison?’ He was already a star.”

From that moment on, the two have worked together to scale GAAD into a global phenomenon.

From 16 Events to Welcoming Sir Tim Berners-Lee

The first Global Accessibility Awareness Day featured just 16 events — but it quickly gained traction. “Back then, I was kind of shocked that it went viral from the first year,” Joe said. “We had an article syndicated throughout Canada, including my hometown of Montreal.”

Since then, GAAD has become a cornerstone of accessibility advocacy. “There are tech companies doing homepage takeovers, Stevie Wonder performed a concert, and Jenison co-keynoted with Sir Tim Berners-Lee,” Joe said, still amazed at how far the day has come. “It’s grown beyond any expectation. You have to pinch yourself.”

Accessibility: From Awareness to Accountability

While GAAD has evolved into a high-profile event, Joe emphasized the need for deeper accountability. “It was really important that this not become a day where people pat themselves on the back and then go about their business and do nothing,” he said.

He recounted a moment during an early GAAD talk where he got visibly frustrated. “I started to raise my voice and said, ‘This is really important. The work you do is in front of millions of people.’” To his surprise, the president of the organization stood up and said, “I agree with you 100%… and it’s my mission to change this culture.”

Joe’s passion stems from a sincere desire to avoid what one Twitter user once cynically called “364 days of global accessibility oblivion.” For Joe, that sentiment is a painful but honest reflection of the work still left to do.

Usable vs. Accessible: The Hidden Challenge

Even when websites and apps meet technical standards for accessibility, Joe warns that they might still be unusable. “If someone using a Braille reader has to go through 14 steps just to access content, is it really accessible?” he asked. “You need to pay attention to reducing clicks for people using assistive tech — otherwise, it becomes unusable.”

Joe’s point is clear: real accessibility isn’t just about meeting criteria; it’s about thoughtful, inclusive design that respects user experience.

The Employment Divide: Technology vs. Attitudes

As the conversation turned to employment, Joe reflected on a paradox many in the disabled community face. “We’ve had decades of growth in accessible tech,” he said. “But when it comes to employment, the numbers remain stagnant.”

He highlighted a powerful example from Spain, where the Lottery Commission (ONCE, pronounced “On-fay”) provides high employment among blind citizens. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, and maybe we can do something similar here,” Joe suggested, urging governments and businesses to think creatively.

But changing attitudes, he noted, is harder than changing code. “There’s still a lot of fear when it comes to disability,” he admitted. “People see it and think, ‘I don’t want to be that person.’ They don’t see potential — and that’s the real barrier.”

Holding on to a Bullet Train

So what’s it like to run a global awareness movement more than a decade on? “It turned into a train — a bullet train,” Joe said with a laugh. “I’m just trying to hold on and support it as much as possible while keeping it true to its roots.”

Despite the challenges, Joe remains motivated by a single mission: to push accessibility forward — not just once a year, but every day.

“The goal is not to celebrate a day. The goal is to make a difference in accessibility.” — Joe Devon

Final Thoughts

Joe Devon’s journey from tech entrepreneur to accessibility advocate is a powerful reminder of how one idea — when shared at the right time — can spark a global movement. But as GAAD grows, Joe continues to challenge us all to go beyond awareness. He wants companies, developers, and individuals to ask themselves not just if they support accessibility, but how.

As he put it best: “Do your own thing. Start your own event. Start your own company. Be an entrepreneur. Nobody will do it for you.”