NWU🎮♿

@nothingwithoutus.bsky.social

425 Followers 19 Following

NWU is a non-profit aimed at building community, awareness and inclusion for accessibility and disability within the gaming industry and gaming communities.

Radderss in her wheelchair on a stage with a red carpet holding an award and a microphone. Next to her are two presenters holding microphones.

Graphic with geometric and gaming icons along the sides. At the top is text that reads "But Where Am I? Disabled Representation in Video Games". Underneath is a photo of Li with text attached that reads "Li Usagi. they/them"
Underneath is text that reads "A brief look into existing disabled representation in video games, from the positive to the problematic, and an exploration of how we can do better."

Graphic with large text at the top that reads “Front Page Disability Pride Stream!” Underneath are four headshots of Mollie, MeleeMira, Annabel, and Laura.
At the bottom is white text that reads “Join us on the Twitch front page on 25th of July to chat about all things disability, inclusion and accessibility to celebrate Disability Pride Month and fundraise for Nothing Without Us!”

Graphic with geometric and gaming icons along the sides. At the top is text that reads "Speaker Announcement". Underneath is a photo of Grant with text attached that reads "Grant Stoner @supercrip1994 he/him"
Underneath is text that reads "Award winning disability reporter focusing on accessibility and the disabled perspective in gaming through in-depth community reports, reviews, developer features and profiles of disabled individuals."

Graphic with geometric and gaming icons along the sides. At the top is text that reads "Accessibility, Journalism and Community.". Underneath is a photo of Grant with text attached that reads "Grant Stoner @Super_Crip1994 he/him" and a photo of Poppy with text attached that reads. "Poppy Field @p0ppyfield she/her".
Underneath is text that reads "A reflection on how to communicate within the disability and accessibility space through the lens of a disabled journalist and a disabled communications specialist.."

Graphic with geometric and gaming icons along the sides. At the top is text that reads "More Than A Game: Community, Expression and Healing Through Gaming". Underneath is a photo of Annabel Ashalley-Anthony with text attached that readsd "Annabel Ashalley-Anthony. @melaningamers. she/her"
Underneath is text that reads "I would like to have a talk on the positive power of gaming in a hospital setting. Having grown up with a chronic health condition, I spent a lot of years in hospital. Gaming provided me with a lifeline and was crucial for me when it came to expressing myself and building friendships. I want to champion gaming as a community, as well as in education and entertainment."

Graphic with geometric and gaming icons along the sides. At the top is text that reads "Panelist Announcement". Underneath is a photo of Annabel Ashalley-Anthony with text attached that readsd "Annabel Ashalley-Anthony. @melaningamers. she/her"
Underneath is text that reads "Annabel is a writer, gamer and sickle-cell superhero. She is also the CEO/ Founder of Melanin Gamers, a gaming community that promotes inclusion and diversity in the video games industry. She is a Women in Games Ambassador and International Relations for the Ghana Esports Federation."

Graphic with large text at the top that reads “Front Page Disability Pride Stream!” Underneath are four headshots of Mollie, MeleeMira, Annabel, and Laura.
At the bottom is white text that reads “Join us on the Twitch front page on 25th of July to chat about all things disability, inclusion and accessibility to celebrate Disability Pride Month and fundraise for Nothing Without Us!”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Rox Steel, a white person smiling. Underneath is text that reads “Rox Steel @roxannesteelofficial www.shinewithparallax.com they/she".
At the bottom is text that reads “Roxanne Steel (they/she) is the Founder and Director of Cultural Facilitation and Consultancy at Parallax Perspectives following recent redundancy . A disabled and neurodiverse strategist, Rox leads work across inclusive leadership, cultural change, and accessibility. With a background in finance, equity consultancy, and public speaking, their work centres sector expertise, challenges systemic barriers, and makes strategy more human.
Rox is passionate about redesigning systems so everyone can succeed, including business, but especially those historically pushed to the margins. Their consultancy was founded in response to lived experience and of exclusion, and understanding of the change in narratives, and is grounded in”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Rox Steel, a white person smiling in widely. Underneath there is text that reads “Rox Steel. @roxannesteelofficial www.shinewithparallax.com They/she.”
At the bottom is text that reads “Too disabled. Not disabled enough. Invisible, medicalised, questioned, or spotlighted. For many of us, identifying as a disabled person with layers of internal and external scrutiny. This panel explores how imposter syndrome shows up in disabled communities, shaped by privilege, gatekeeping, systemic barriers and our own survival strategies."

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Brendan Williams, a white person smiling standing in front of a lighthouse. Underneath is text that reads “Brendan Williams. He/him".
At the bottom is text that reads “Brendan K. Williams is a hard-of-hearing disability advocate from the coast of Maine. He serves as the ADA Coordinator for Pride Portland! and is the Chair of the Maine Statewide Council for Independent Living. Certified through the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP), Brendan is dedicated to making festivals and events more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Brendan Williams, a white person smiling in front of a lighthouse in the distance. Underneath there is text that reads “Brendan Williams. he/him.”
At the bottom is text that reads “When we say Pride is for everyone, accessibility must be part of the conversation. In this presentation, I’ll share my experience serving as the ADA Coordinator for Pride Portland and the journey of making one of Maine’s largest community festivals more inclusive for people with disabilities. I’ll discuss the practical challenges, surprising lessons, and powerful stories that came from this work, as well as offer tips for other event organizers looking to build truly inclusive spaces."

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Anthony DeVergillo Underneath is text that reads “Anthony DeVergillo. @OurOdyssey1. he/him”.
At the bottom is text that reads “Anthony DeVergillo (he/him) is an accessibility advocate living with a muscle-weakening condition called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. As a board member of Our Odyssey, a nonprofit connecting young adults living with a rare or chronic condition, he developed the Overjoyed Accessible Gaming software. Overjoyed is a Microsoft Store accessibility app for playing video games on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus Premium using only mouse or eye gaze hardware.”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. On the left is a photo of Anthony DeVergillo, and underneath there is text that reads “Anthony DeVergillo. OurOdyssey1. he/him.”
On the right is a photo of Kenna McEvoy. Underneath is text that reads “Kenna McEvoy. OurOdyssey1. she/her”.
At the bottom is text that reads “A talk sharing the story behind the development of Overjoyed, a Microsoft Store accessibility app for playing video games on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus Premium using only mouse or eye gaze hardware. Followed by some motivational words of wisdom for how to create your own software, initiative, or advocacy project. Throughout the talk I will be demoing Overjoyed by playing Mario Kart with it.”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Laura Dale. Underneath is text that reads “Laura Dale. @LauraKBuzz. she/her”.
At the bottom is text that reads “Laura Kate Dale, an autistic accessibility consultant, speedruns the past, present, and future state of autistic player accessibility in video games.”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Laura Dalel, and underneath there is text that reads “Laura Dale. @LauraKBuzz. she/her.”
At the bottom is text that reads “A solo 15 minute talk about ways that in the past games have been accidently accessible for disabled gamers, games in the present are attempting to be deliberately accessible for autistic players, and ways future video games could make simple changes to be more proactively accessible for players with sensory and social disability barriers.”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. In the centre is a photo of Mara Shulze. Underneath is text that reads “Mara Shulze. she/her”.
At the bottom is text that reads “Mara studied Special Education in Cologne and joined the team of Gaming Ohne Grenzen in 2021. Since then, accessibility in games has become one of her biggest interests and she is a passionate ally. She spends most of her time with her senior dog and reading when she's not gaming.”

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons. On the left is a photo of Nina Kiel, and underneath there is text that reads “Nina Kiel. @Beurkeek. They them.”
On the right is a photo of Mara Shulze. Underneath is text that reads “Mara Shulze. she/her”.
At the bottom is text that reads “With an estimated 1.3. Billion disabled people worldwide, an aging population and numerous legal requirements, it's important to educate game developers across disciplines on how to make their products more accessible, but many still struggle with their first steps. To remove access barriers to education and support (aspiring) game developers, our team at the InclusiveGameLab is currently developing so-called Open Educational Resources: Educational material for people to freely access, share, and modify according to their needs. This talk will discuss our project guidelines, our didactical approach, and the advantages of the OER format.”

Graphic with grey background and various coloured gaming and geometric icons along the edge.
There is large text that reads "Funding Announcement! Apply for funding to go to Develop Brighton"

Graphic with a grey background and various geometric and gaming icons on the side. There is large text in the centre that reads “Funding Announcement! We want to send a disabled dev or creator to Develop Brighton and it could be you!”

Graphic with the progress pride flag as the background. In the centre is large text that reads "Happy Pride Month!".

Graphic with grey back ground and various coloured geometric and gaming icons on the sides. There is text that reads “Call for Talks and Panels! Have a panel or talk about disability, accessibility or gaming you want to share?
We would love for you to submit it and be part of our Disability Pride Month events! Don’t doubt yourself!
Submit by 13th June!”

Graphic with a green background and various coloured geometric and gaming icons. There is text that reads "We hit 50% of our goal now help us hit 100%". In the centre is a thermometer which is half full.

Graphic with various coloured geometric and gaming icons around the edge. There is gradient text at the top that reads "Fundraiser Announcement!"
Underneath is white text that reads "We want to send a disabled dev to Develop: Brighton but we need your help."

A yellow background with various coloured geometric and gaming icons around the edges. There is large text in the centre that reads "5 Cheap Resources to Help You break Into the Games Industry."

YouTube thumbnail that has various coloured geometric and gaming icons around the edges. In the middle is text that reads "What is Nothing Without Us Doing?". In the bottom-right is a shot of Radderss smiling.

A man holding 4 Oscar trophies. Next to each Oscar is text. The first reads “change background contrast for captions”. The second reads “being able to adjust caption size”. The third reads “options to customise caption colour”. The fourth reads “directional indicators for captions”.

Graphic featuring gaming and geometric icons around the edges in the colours of the disability pride flag. There is text at the top that reads “Nothing Without Us is here to encourage joy and community all year round.” Underneath is a cartoon of a calendar with arms, legs and a face.

Graphic featuring gaming and geometric icons around the edges in the colours of the disability pride flag. There is text in the centre that reads “it’s time to celebrate us all year round!”

Graphic featuring gaming and geometric icons around the edges in the colours of the disability pride flag. There is text that reads “Nothing Without Us evolved quite naturally into a non-profit”. Underneath is an image of two hands holding a cartoon heart.

Slide 6: Let’s Get to Work!
We’re just getting started, and we can’t wait to build something amazing with you all.

Follow along, support, and let’s make gaming more accessible—for everyone.

Slide 5: Our Goal? Equity in Gaming.
Disabled creators should be in the room.
Disabled devs should have ease of travel.
Disabled gamers should find community and support.

We’re here to make it happen.

Slide 4: Why Travel Funding Matters
Did you know? It costs nearly £1,000 more per month to be disabled in the UK.

For many, the cost of travel is a huge barrier to attending industry events, networking opportunities, and PR events.

Slide 3: How Are We Doing This?
We’re taking two key approaches to drive change:

Education & Awareness – Using social media to create content on disability, gaming, and accessibility.

Funding & Support – Raising funds to cover travel costs for disabled devs and creators attending UK events.

Slide 2: We’re Now a Registered Non-Profit!
That’s right—NWU is officially a non-profit, and we’re ready to get to work!

Our mission? Closing the employment and community gap for disabled:
Gamers
Creators
Developers

Slide 1: Nothing Without Us is Levelling Up!
You may know Nothing Without Us (NWU) from the events we’ve hosted over the past two years to celebrate Disability Pride Month.

But we’re not stopping there. We want to make an impact all year round!