Emily Ladau

Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, and communications and cultural access consultant. Her career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on multiple episodes of Sesame Street to educate about her life with a physical disability. Emily’s writing has been published in outlets including The New York Times, CNN, Vice, and HuffPost and her book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally (newly revised in 2026), was published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. She has spoken before numerous audiences, from the U.S. Department of Education to the United Nations. Central to all of Emily’s work is her belief that by sharing our stories and making the disability experience accessible to the world, we'll reach a world that's more accessible and inclusive for everyone.