By: Mary Sahagun

Jessica Fabus Cheng never imagined she would become an accessibility advocate after losing her voice, but that’s exactly what happened. A rare thyroid cancer survivor now living with 80% vocal function, she’s Mrs. DC International 2025, a registered nurse, and the host of All the Best with Jess, a podcast that highlights stories often left out, amplifying voices that may be quieter but still deserve to be heard.
And if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that the digital world isn’t nearly as inclusive as many believe, especially on social media.

Let’s be honest: platforms like Instagram and TikTok claim to be inclusive, but once you begin engaging with them from a different perspective—such as using a screen reader, needing captions, or processing information differently—you quickly realize just how many doors remain closed. And most people don’t even notice.

“It’s not that people are intentionally excluding others,” Jessica says. “It’s just that they’ve never had to think about who isn’t in the room—or in the feed.”

What Digital Exclusion Looks Like in Real Life

It’s easy to assume accessibility is something only tech companies should address. But every creator, brand, and person posting online makes choices that either welcome more people or unintentionally exclude them.

Jessica’s cousin, who lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, once tripped on an inaccessible sidewalk outside a doctor’s office, which led to him using a wheelchair earlier than expected. “That moment was pivotal,” she recalls. “It made me realize that accessibility isn’t about sympathy or politics; it’s about people.”

That lesson applies just as much to sidewalks as it does to social platforms. The exclusion may look different, but the effect is the same: someone is left out of the conversation.

You Don’t Need to Be a Tech Genius to Make a Difference

Jessica founded Turnkey Accessibility to help creators and businesses rethink how they engage online. Her approach? Start small, stay human, and remember that inclusion isn’t about achieving perfection—it’s about intent.

Her signature Triple A Framework (which stands for Awareness, Allyship, Action) helps demystify what accessibility truly involves. And here’s a spoiler: it’s not a checklist. It’s a relationship.

“Most people get stuck between awareness and action,” Jessica explains. “They know they should do something, but they don’t always know where to begin. That’s where allyship comes in—connecting with the real stories behind the stats.”

Once people understand how image descriptions help those with low vision or how capitalizing hashtags aids a screen reader in parsing words, it resonates. Accessibility stops being an abstract concept and becomes something personal.

So… What Can You Actually Do?

Here are five simple changes you can make today that Jessica strongly recommends:

Add Real Captions

Auto-captions are better than nothing, but edited captions are invaluable. They assist deaf users, but also benefit sleepy parents, busy commuters, ESL speakers, and anyone in noisy or quiet environments.

Describe Your Images

A brief alt-text or caption, such as “Two women clinking mimosas at brunch in bright dresses,” gives context that screen readers can share and helps bring your content to life for everyone.

Use CamelCase Hashtags

Write hashtags like #StartWithAccess instead of #startwithaccess. Capitalizing each word makes them more legible for screen readers—and easier to read for everyone else too.

Boost Contrast

Pale pink text on a beige background might match your aesthetic—but it may not be legible for everyone. Think of your graphics like street signs: clear, bold, and easy to read.

Keep Your Language Simple

Plain language isn’t “dumbing it down.” It’s about making information accessible to more people. Neurodivergent users, older adults, and distracted scrollers will benefit from text that gets straight to the point.

None of these requires special software or a design team. Just care and consistency.

Accessibility Is the New Influence

Here’s a reality check: accessibility isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore. It’s a brand advantage.

The disability community has over $13 trillion in global buying power. And they, along with their families, tend to stay loyal to brands that show they care—not just in their mission statements, but in their actual content.

“We don’t need more brands telling us they care,” Jessica says. “We need them to show us, with every post, caption, and story.”

Social media has the potential to connect people. Let’s make sure it does. Not someday. Not when the platforms catch up. But today, starting with you.

Ready to turn “we care” into “we did”? Jessica’s your next great click.