Casey

By Casey

People should sign the Dear Everybody agreement because having a disability doesn’t mean you can’t be a news reporter.

This statement is relevant to television broadcasting, which I’m currently pursuing as a career.  When I first became involved with the Dear Everybody campaign, I was a student at Humber College. Since graduating from the Broadcast/Television/Videography program in June 2019, I’ve had a four-month contract position at CBC Sports as a Program Assistant.  This was part of CBC’s Abilicrew Placements for Excellence (CAPE) Program, which is exclusively for people with disabilities.  During my time there, I found everyone to be very inclusive and understanding. 

I’m currently volunteering as a video editor for The Disability Channel, where I interned in college. The Disability Channel is a digital platform, mainly on YouTube that is made by and for people with disabilities to showcase abilities.  I’ve enjoyed my experience and time with people at The Disability Channel.

While disability is represented behind the scenes, I feel there is not enough representation on-air.  Over time, I would like to see this change in the industry, as I’d like to be in front of the camera in the future. 

I remember seeing a female on-air reporter in a wheelchair years ago, but since then I’ve often found myself asking why there isn’t more representation on air? While some may pose there could be potential safety hazards either in the studio environment or in the field, safety issues can be worked around.

And a campaign such as Dear Everybody can bring awareness to viewers. 

I feel on-air representation is important to help end stigmas against disability and to bring awareness to the fact that people with disabilities can do their jobs just as well as anyone else.