Dr. Chavon Niles

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto

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Dr. Chavon Niles is a Guyanese Canadian Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and is cross-appointed to the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. She is the founder and lead of the ACCESS Lab. Her research, teaching and community work examine the intersections of disability, race, migration, caregiving and health equity. Drawing on Critical Disability Studies, Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, she explores how ableism and other systemic inequities shape who is anticipated, who can participate and whose needs are overlooked within healthcare, rehabilitation and community services. Dr. Niles works alongside communities, service providers and policymakers to move accessibility beyond compliance and embed it within everyday policies, programs and practices. As a parent and caregiver, she also brings lived experience to her work and a deep commitment to creating systems that uphold dignity, access and full participation. Title: Who Did We Plan For? Embedding Accessibility in Everyday Practice This interactive session will offer an embedded learning experience focused on access, equity and ableism. Through guided activities and practical scenarios, participants will consider whose bodies, minds and ways of participating are anticipated in everyday planning—and who may be unintentionally excluded. Rather than treating accessibility as an afterthought or checklist, the session will connect accessibility to human dignity and full participation, supporting participants to identify practical ways of embedding it into their programs, services, communication and organizational practices.