Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Diverse, Vibrant, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!

About Us

Welcome to The Shining Lamp

Accessibility for people with disabilities should not be treated as charity given at one’s convenience and out of generosity. Rather instead, it should be treated as service to humanity and viewed in the light of Justice! It should not be an afterthought, but should always be planned for, and integrated into all communications and community activities and life events.


Montage of people making up a diverse vibrant community including multiple ages, races, genders and disabilities

This space is about community.  

It is about the kind of community that you want to be a part of.  A community where you feel like you belong and you have value.  A vibrant active community full of opportunities and lots of ways to participate and be involved.  A community that is inclusive of your children and your older parents as well. One that strives to be accessible in all settings.  A community full of a variety of interesting people of different backgrounds who all bring something of what they have to offer to help make things better for everyone.  Imagine a rich blend of racial backgrounds and cultures with different kinds of foods and activities to learn about and participate in.

This space is about exploring and learning about ways to remove the barriers that prevent us from building a community of exactly this kind.  No matter who you are;  No matter what your background, your race, disability, gender, age, or culture... You probably want to be a part of a community like this.

Barriers Do Exist for Many People.

The truth is, because of barriers related to race, disability, gender, age, and culture, some people have had a much more difficult time than others being a part of their community.  Sadly, this leaves us with an unbalanced community.  One which is not at all like what is described above. 

So what can we do about them?  

How can we learn about and remove barriers that prevent us from building Diverse, Vibrant, Inclusive, Accessible Communities?

Let's find out together!


illustration showing the guidelines for the different components, detailed description at https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/components-desc.html#guide

Learn and Use the International Accessibility Standards

To ensure your communication is accessible and inclusive in emails, meetings, events, videos, newsletters, websites, apps, and other materials produced and used, it's vital to follow International Accessibility Standards. Thankfully, Accessibility Training offers free and easy-to-learn standards for you to utilize.

Read More


Plan for Accessible Events - A diverse group of people, including individuals with disabilities, sit around a table in a planning meeting. The universal disability symbols are shown in the lower right corner.

Plan and Host Accessible Events

Abdul-Baha exemplified unity, justice, and inclusion of marginalized people, including those with disabilities. It's crucial for event planners to prioritize accessibility for participants.  Removing barriers and establishing just relationships is key to uplifting everyone and building vibrant communities.

Read More


Medical Model of Disability: An icon of a person using a wheelchair and a medical symbol with the text "They need to be fixed! Change!". Social Model of Disability: An icon of a happy person using  a wheelchair and an image of people with raised fists, symbolizing the removal of barriers to promote inclusivity.

Change our Mindset from the Medical Model to the Social Model of Disability

Shifting from the medical to the social model of disability is important because it emphasizes the need to address systemic barriers and promote inclusivity, rather than solely focusing on individual impairments.

Read More


Community Resources - People with different skin tones reach for a colorful orb in the center, giving and taking from it.

Take Advantage of our Resources

Remove barriers and unlock the full potential of the Shining Lamp Collection of Resources!

Read More


Stay informed with our Articles - A woman is multitasking in the kitchen, using both a tablet and a smartphone to read online articles.

Stay informed with our Articles

Discover a world of illuminating knowledge and inspiration at the Shining Lamp's online collection of articles.

Read More


Thousands of small galaxies appear across this view. Their colors vary. Some are shades of orange, while others are white. Most appear as fuzzy ovals, but a few have distinct spiral arms. In front of the galaxies are several foreground stars. Most appear blue, and the bright stars have diffraction spikes, forming an eight-pointed star shape. There are also many thin, long, orange arcs that curve around the center of the image.

Use ALT Text and Descriptive Images

Boost your image accessibility - learn how to write meaningful ALT text. Learn to tell the difference between simply identifying what's present in the image and offering a clear and concise description of it.

Read More


Write Inclusive Accessible Email Messages -  email icons and people networking overlaid with hands typing on a laptop

Write Inclusive Accessible Email Messages

Effective communication is crucial in creating diverse, inclusive communities, and email messages are a common tool used for sharing information. If messages aren't inclusive and accessible, they can hinder community building by creating a sense of "otherness" instead of belonging. It is essential to remove these barriers and create truly diverse, vibrant, and inclusive communities.

Read More


Audio Description Icon: A black square with a rounded white rectangle inside containing the uppercase letters AD and three curved lines ))) representing sound waves.

Learn about and Use Audio Description in Video for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility

To ensure accessibility for those who are Blind or have Low Vision, be sure to use videos with Audio Descriptions for presentations and enable Audio Descriptions during presentations and video creation. This article emphasizes the importance of Audio Descriptions, their role, and how to incorporate them for a more inclusive digital world.

Read More


Braille: An image of a page of braille text, with raised dots forming letters and words with two hands reading from a Braille book. Audio: An image of a speaker, indicating that the content is available in an audio format. Large Print: An image of text with larger font size and a yellow contrasting background, indicating that the content is available in a large print format. Electronic: An image of a refreshable Braille mobile device, indicating that the content is available in an electronic format such as a PDF or Word document.

Make Materials Accessible to Your Blind Friends.

Include blind friends in meetings by providing accessible formats like braille, audio, large print, or electronic copies. Check privately for their preferred format which can be obtained easily through a certified transcriber, enabling full participation.

Read More


Fresh white brush strokes form the lettering, “What’s New” on a freshly painted blue canvas where the wet paint is still dripping.

Keep up to date with What's New!

Stay up-to-date with the latest and most intriguing content on the Shining Lamp website. Explore a variety of captivating articles, videos, and resources that will keep you informed and ready and able to remove barriers. Don't miss out on the opportunity to discover something new and exciting every time you visit the site.

Read More


Explore more related topics:


Be an Upholder and Defender of the Victims of Oppression

Be an Upholder and Defender of the Victims of Oppression - Clear blue springtime sky with a sunburst-colored 9-pointed star featuring centered Universal Accessibility Symbols, and buds on a twig in the background.

Take action to remove barriers that prevent us from building inclusive and just communities. Establish equitable relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions of society that uplift all and reject the idea of "othering." Uphold and defend the rights of those who suffer from oppression and be a beacon of hope and compassion.

Read More

Remove Barriers

Removing Barriers - Diverse group of people smiling with arms up in the air and a Block showing the Universal Disability Symbols with a green Go Button in the center

Our 9 Year Plan includes a call to action for us to remove barriers to building vibrant communities. By identifying and addressing the barriers that exist, we can foster a more inclusive and equitable environment that empowers individuals and supports collective growth.

Read more

Unity in Diversity

"Unity in Diversity" - An AI-generated abstract oil painting depicting a profile of a human head filled with various other human head profiles, all in different skin tones. The central profile is surrounded by a diverse group of human head profiles, symbolizing the unity found in our differences. The image promotes inclusivity and highlights the beauty of diversity.

The Baha'i concept of Unity in Diversity holds that despite differences in race, gender, disability, age, and culture, there is a fundamental unity underlying all human experience.

Read more

The Baha'i Faith and People with Disabilities

The Baha'i Faith and People with Disabilities - Sunburst colored 9 Pointed Star withuniversal disability symbols inside over a sunset background

As members of society, it is our collective responsibility to remove barriers and promote inclusion for people with disabilities. We should strive to ensure equal opportunities, educate ourselves and others to combat prejudice, and eliminate stereotypes and prejudices. Let us work together towards building diverse, vibrant, and accessible communities where everyone is valued and included.

Read more