MillerKnoll Podcast – Looking Forward: Conversations about the Future of Work
Celebrate 30+ years of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with The Harkin Institute . Join in conversations with former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and Ruth Harkin during part one and Kevin Nordmeyer and Jason Kruse in part 2 on the MillerKnoll Podcast. In S3, E9: Advocating for Inclusion, Tom and Ruth discuss the ADA’s history of impact and their commitment to inclusivity for the future. In S3, E10: Designing for Progress, Kevin and Jason talk about the design of the facility and their process of creating it.
The Harkin Institute, a driving force for social justice and accessibility, has been at the forefront of shaping policy that advances the rights of all, with a special focus on disability advocacy. The podcast episode offers an in-depth look at the Institute’s work, focusing on how it has been instrumental in carrying forward the legacy of the ADA and championing the rights of every individual.
“We met with Kevin Nordmeyer, the architect, early on. There’s this old saying in the disability community, “Nothing about us without us.” Kevin pulled together people from the deaf community, the blind community, [individuals with] cerebral palsy, autism, and developmental disabilities, and asked people or their families and others that work in this area, “What do you need in a building to not only be physically accessible but accessible in terms of getting information or inputting information?” As a result, what you see is, I believe, probably the most accessible building in America for people with disabilities.” – Senator Tom Harkin
“People just make a bunch of assumptions and don’t engage in a dialogue with the people that you’re trying to design for. We just make assumptions or we just design to the minimum… We would not have thought of many of the things that we incorporated into this building and that Jason then started to think about wrapping into this book idea, had we not engaged with that diverse group.” –Principal Kevin Nordmeyer, AIA, LEED AP
Listeners can now access this podcast episode, which offers insights into the Harkin Institute’s journey and the importance of inclusive design in shaping the future. Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking discussion about the importance of creating a more inclusive and accessible world for all.
