Ensuring all voices are heard and represented online is more important than ever.
Unfortunately, people with disabilities often remain underrepresented in the media and creative industries. Despite making up approximately 15% of the global population, individuals with disabilities face numerous barriers to visibility and participation. This disparity highlights the need for more inclusive representation and the celebration of diverse voices.
Including people with disabilities in your influencer campaign is one way to ensure your campaign reflects the society around us, driving engagement from the multiple audiences you’ve reached. As an Influencer Marketing agency, we are committed to ensuring that all campaign shortlists include a minimum of 25% diverse creators and work closely with brands to educate them on why this is essential for inclusion, and the success of their campaign!
We're shining a spotlight on 10 incredible influencers and content creators who are powerful disability advocates. They’re using their platforms to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes by sharing their perspectives and stories. Whether through fashion, lifestyle, education, or advocacy, each creator needs to be on your radar.
Tasha Ghouri gained a following online after appearing on Love Island UK as the show's first deaf contestant in 2022. In addition to sharing fashion and lifestyle content, Sasha uses her platform to share her experience as someone who is deaf and uses a cochlear implant – she calls it her superpower. She regularly speaks about ableism and consistently advocates for increased awareness of those with disabilities online and offline.
This year, Tasha released her first novel called ‘Hits Different’ about a young woman who dreams of becoming a dancer while looking for love. She continues to explore the different mediums in which she can engage people in conversations about deafness.
One of Tasha’s most notable brand partnerships is with eBay, as this was the first time that a Love Island Island alumni has partnered with a non-fast fashion retailer.
Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer is a California-based disability advocate, influencer, and actress known for raising awareness about disability rights and representation. Diagnosed with ALS at 14, she uses her YouTube channel, "Sitting Pretty Lolo," to share her experiences and promote inclusion.
Lolo also featured in the critically acclaimed film “Give Me Liberty,” where her authentic portrayal of a disabled character. Her most recent brand partnership on social media was with Anthropologie, who she worked with to showcase their accessible and adaptive clothing range.
Mesha, also known as Mr Colitis Crohns, educates audiences across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube about living with chronic illness. Diagnosed with Crohn's disease at a young age, Mesha uses his platform to share personal experiences and break the stigma of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and having a stoma.
Mesha’s content is candid and open, and he doesn’t shy away from showing the less glamorous side of his illness, as with each video he shares, he knows he could be helping the younger version of himself. As well as being an online support to millions, Mesha regularly speaks at events and collaborates with brands including the Open University and medical brand Coloplast, which align perfectly with his vision.
Milly Pickles is a high-spirited disability advocate, influencer, and most recently, an official ambassador for the Paralympic Games in Paris. After losing her leg in a traumatic accident, Milly turned to social media to document her journey with an empowering narrative, focusing on self-love, mental health, and fitness.
Through her social media channels, and now breaking into traditional media, she shares her experiences as an amputee, challenges society's perceptions of disability, and encourages others to embrace what makes them unique. Milly’s motivational outlook has made her a respected voice in the disability community and enabled her to work with iconic brands like Lululemon, Airbnb, ASOS, and Barclays.
Jessica is a UK-based disability advocate and LGBTQ+ activist known for her engaging content that blends vintage style with education across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Living with disabilities, including hereditary neuropathy and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Jessica uses her platform to raise awareness about chronic illnesses, disability rights, and accessibility issues. She also shares her experiences as a queer woman, offering representation and support to the LGBTQ+ community.
We have been lucky enough to work with Jessica and her wife Jessica on multiple campaigns with our clients Surfshark, NHS, Moneybox, and she joined us as a guest on our podcast!
Keah is a writer, speaker, and social media personality changing the narrative about disability as someone living with cerebral palsy. She started the hashtag #DisabledAndCute, which took off on Twitter, celebrating the journey to self-love and highlighting that being disabled and being cute aren't mutually exclusive.
Keah's work has inspired many to embrace their identities and disabilities with confidence. Additionally, she has delivered a powerful TED Talk on "Choosing Joy, Ambition, and Self-Love," and has published multiple books including “The Pretty One” which covers all things pop culture, disability, and love.
Toby aka Blind Tobes rose to fame on TikTok in 2022 where he gained attention for his humorous videos addressing the stereotypes of blindness. With his charismatic personality, Tobes shares his everyday experiences, making them relatable and entertaining, and in line with current social media trends.
He has partnered with various brands, including LEGO, Samsung, and Netflix, bringing awareness to accessibility and inclusivity, and he has become a popular figure in the UK TikTok space, regularly collaborating with the likes of GK Barry.
Nashville-based April Lockhart is the self-proclaimed “Disabled Fashun Girlie” bringing representation to those with limb differences in the fashion influencer space. This hasn’t always been the case for April, who until 2022, preferred to keep her limb difference hidden. Since then, she has gained over 140,000 followers and walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret’s adaptive line.
April regularly connects with other members of the disabled community to share their stories and raise awareness, as well as hosting events for children with disabilities to provide them with an accessible place to meet new friends. She has also had the opportunity to work with incredible brands including Anthropologie, Amazon Alexa, Maybelline – just to name a few!
Sam is the face behind the TikTok account “Stammer Experiences”. He has gained a lot of love and popularity online for his videos where he shows that anyone with a stammer or speech impediment is capable of tackling challenging situations. A popular feature on Sam’s channel is his ordering food series, some of which have gained almost 20 million views!
The sentiment in Sam’s comment section, also reflected in his growing following, shows the value that his content brings to those who live with speech impediments, as well as educates those who want to learn more about the topic.
Daniel’s YouTube channel, The Aspie World, is an accessible hub for education on neurodiversity. His channel is the largest channel globally focused on Autism from the perspective of an autistic individual. As someone who is diagnosed with Autism, OCD, ADHD, and Dyslexia, Daniel posts videos that showcase Autism friendly events, debunk common misconceptions about neurodivergent people, and lots more.
He is truly dedicated to raising awareness and increasing people’s understanding of Autism and uses his platform to engage with people, inspiring positive change in a supportive and uplifting way. He also supports charitable causes including The National Autistic Society, and is an international best-selling author of Autism For Adults.
By including inspiring disability advocates in your marketing campaigns, you can gain new perspectives, challenge preconceived stereotypes, help amplify voices that deserve to be heard and drive tangible results. In fact, research shows that campaigns with diverse and inclusive representation are 83% more likely to gain higher consumer preference and loyalty, according to a study by Adobe.
These creators are leading the way in promoting inclusivity and breaking down barriers, making social media a more representative and empowering space for all.
Email us at hello@digitalvoices.com to learn more about the importance of true diversity and inclusion in influencer campaigns.
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