Nothing About Us Without Us

A foundational principle of the disability rights movement asserting that people with disabilities must be meaningfully involved in decisions, policies, research, and design processes that affect their lives. In technology and AI development, this principle demands that disabled people participate not merely as test subjects or feedback providers but as co-designers, decision-makers, and stakeholders with real power throughout the development lifecycle. Research consistently shows that AI systems designed without meaningful disability community involvement produce solutions that miss actual needs, cause unintended harm, or reinforce ableist assumptions.