Looking Past Limits
Post #727
Friday Video: TED Talk – Activist Caroline Casey tells the story of her extraordinary life, starting with a revelation (no spoilers). In a talk that challenges perceptions, Casey asks us all to move beyond the limits we may think we have.
First, Caroline Casey put Ireland on the accessibility map. Now she’s changing the global social landscape for people with disabilities.
Why you should listen
Caroline Casey has dedicated the past decade of her life to changing how global society views people with disabilities. In 2000, she rode 1,000 kilometers across India on an elephant to raise funds for Sight Savers. Then, as founding CEO of Kanchi in Dublin, she developed a set of best practices (based on ISO 9000 quality standards) for businesses, to help them see “disabled” workers as an asset as opposed to a liability. Hundreds of companies have adopted the standards, changing their policies and attitudes.
In 2004, Casey started the O2 Ability Awards to recognize Irish businesses for their inclusion of people with disabilities, both as employees and customers. The initiative has received international praise and, in 2010, a parallel program was launched in Spain.
What others say
“She is one of those people who, instead of just talking about changing the world, gets up and actually does it however tough the doing of it turns out to be. ” — The Irish Times
[ted id=1116]
