“When you live with this experience of being the one dealing with this inaccessible content for over 30 years, you recognize what the issues are. And you have the skills to articulate the issues, you’re kind of in a position where if that’s something you’re interested in, that path sort of finds you automatically.”
Sarah Massengale is an alumnus of Converse University and the University of South Carolina. She holds a public relations and music degree. At the time of the interview, she was the community access specialist at Able South Carolina, but she is currently a Web Accessibility Auditor at McGraw Hill.
About
Sarah Massengale, a native of Barnwell, South Carolina, began her career in the music world after graduating from Converse University performing opera. However, she soon realized the limited opportunities for a music career in South Carolina, particularly for individuals with disabilities.
This realization sparked a fire within her, leading her to return to school and earn a degree in public relations from the University of South Carolina (USC). Throughout this journey, Massengale’s frustrations with inaccessible web content, an issue she has faced for most of her life, began to fester, fueling her passion for advocacy. Massengale recognized that inaccessible web content worked within the parameters of her public relations degree, and she soon took on the role of facilitator in her training and in her time working with a student-led public relations agency at USC, furthering her way to her current career. Eventually, during the pandemic, Massengale received a job with Able South Carolina, a disability-led organization working to create change within systems, communities, and individuals to be more inclusive of all people with disabilities.
Massengale’s typical workday changes daily based on her responsibilities of facilitating training on digital accessibility, creating accessibility content, and conducting digital accessibility audits on websites and web platforms. Though Massengale mentions the challenges in trying to reach clients to get them on board with having digital accessibility, and even still to this day, Massengale herself, outside of work, faces inaccessible content, she is most inspired by her impactful work with the South Carolina Arts Commission to continue working to make change.
From Massengale’s experience leading to her career path as a Community Access Specialist and her work with Able South Carolina, she offers advice to up-and-coming creatives interested in entering this career path and the next generation of creatives. “Do not let anyone, whether it be an academic institution, family, non-disabled peers, state agencies, or whoever, do not let anyone dictate your career path, and do not let anyone tell you that you cannot do your career path.”
Media
Sarah Massengale Interview
