<div dir="ltr"><div><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-dfdde8a2-7fff-92cc-7b23-58c6be66c32f"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:624px;height:135px"><img alt="Logo: Global Accessibility Awareness Day; Committing to Change; May 15, 2025. Sponsored by; University of Minnesota, University of Illinois System, and University of Michigan" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe1dp2sgO-28mlYtaYAz3TwJrFR5oc_E_nAUSfC9_raimI7rS8N4ogho1cuOMrD9bWXYGxOSU9Ckmgk9-af4kRZfHxbisBHVh9Ch1oCLDEmfLksSi4S29Xo9ugStV6-F_kapiHpcg?key=9S0YTFdwdd8KUodPs6NyIA" width="624" height="135" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Mark your calendars for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on May 15, 2025. This online event will get the accessibility community talking, thinking, and learning more about digital access and inclusion. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">This year’s keynote presenter will be </span><a href="https://www.vanguard.edu/about/vunews/posts/~board/news/post/this-is-ludmila-praslova" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Dr. Ludmilla Praslova</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">, author of </span><a href="https://thecanarycode.com/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">The Canary Code</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">. As a first-generation academic and a neurodivergent woman, Dr. Praslova knows first-hand that single-focus “inclusion initiatives” leave people behind.  She supports organizations in creating human-centric, culture-add, productive work environments through her expertise in organizational change, global diversity, systemic intersectional inclusion, creating neuroinclusive organizations, and supporting autism inclusion at work.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">GAAD will also feature engaging sessions for people at all levels of accessibility awareness and skills. Check out the </span><a href="https://z.umn.edu/gaad" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">GAAD webpage</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> for more information about the keynote and presentation tracks. Registration information will be available in April.</span></p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">If you have any questions, please email </span><a href="mailto:gaad-conference@umn.edu" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">gaad-conference@umn.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> to reach the planning committee. </span></span></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Luke Kudryashov</font><div><font color="#000000">Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst, Deputy ADA Coordinator </font></div><div><font color="#000000">Office for Digital Accessibility | <a href="http://accessibility.umn.edu" target="_blank">accessibility.umn.edu</a></font></div><div><font color="#000000">University of Minnesota | <a href="http://umn.edu" target="_blank">umn.edu</a></font></div><div><font color="#000000"><a href="mailto:kudry003@umn.edu" target="_blank">kudry003@umn.edu</a></font></div><div><font color="#000000">Pronouns: He/They</font></div></div></div></div>