Tiffany Yu is a globally recognized voice in the disability justice movement, an entrepreneur and content director. Tiffany is also an alum of the Executive Master’s in Social Business and Entrepreneurship (EMSBE) at LSE, a programme designed for changemakers who are using business as a force for good. 

In this interview, Tiffany spoke to us on the inspiration behind her book, The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, the role of the EMSBE programme in shaping her perspective, and what it truly means to build an anti-ableist world.

MI: Your book is called ‘The Anti-Ableist Manifesto.’ What do ableism and anti-ableism mean to you, and why do you think this book is needed now?

Tiffany: Ableism is a system of oppression that devalues someone based on the way their body and/or mind works. It can manifest as the discrimination, bias, and systemic exclusion that disabled people experience in all aspects of society—from physical barriers like inaccessible buildings to attitudinal biases that assume disabled people are less capable. Anti-ableism, on the other hand, is an active commitment to dismantling these barriers and challenging the norms that perpetuate disability exclusion. 

I wrote The Anti-Ableist Manifesto because we are at a critical juncture in the disability rights movement. 2025 marks a milestone year for the Americans with Disabilities Act in the US and the Equality Act in the UK. While we have made progress, disabled people still face disproportionate levels of poverty, unemployment, and social isolation. This book is both a call to action and a practical guide to help individuals, businesses, and leaders reframe how they think about disability. It’s not just about compliance or checking a box—it’s about fostering a world where disabled people can thrive. 

MI: How did your time on the EMSBE programme influence your thinking around disability inclusion in business and leadership?

Tiffany: The EMSBE programme at LSE was instrumental in deepening my understanding of how businesses can drive social impact beyond traditional corporate social responsibility. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the realization that disability inclusion isn’t just a moral or legal obligation—it’s a business imperative. Research shows that the disability market is a $13 trillion global market including our family and friends, and that companies are more profitable when they champion disability employment and disability inclusion. 

I also appreciated the focus on impact measurement. Too often, disability inclusion efforts are reduced to quotas or one-off initiatives. But the programme challenged me to think about how we track progress more meaningfully to close the disability data gap. Are disabled employees truly thriving in an organization, or are they just present? Are customers with disabilities able to access products and services equitably? These are the types of questions businesses should be asking, and my time at LSE helped me refine how to approach these issues systematically. 

MI: Your book is a manifesto – a bold call to action. What are three things businesses and leaders should start doing today to build truly inclusive organizations and societies?

Tiffany: At the end of the book, I introduce ‘The Anti-Ableist Manifesto’—a set of 33 guiding principles to help individuals and organizations take action. Some of these statements are brought to life in the artwork below by Afrolatina-disabled artist Jennifer White-Johnson, designed to serve as both a conversation starter and a daily reminder of our commitment to inclusion. 

Not sure where to start on your anti-ableist journey? Ask yourself, “What statement or statements on this manifesto call out to me?” 

For example: 

1. Be curious, but respect boundaries. Presume competence and respect autonomy. Too often, disabled people are underestimated or infantilized in the workplace. Leaders should actively challenge their biases and ensure that disabled employees are given the same opportunities to lead, contribute, and make decisions about their own accommodations. 
2. Accommodations and accessibility promote equity. Move beyond compliance to culture change. Accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought. Organizations should integrate accessibility into every stage of their business operations, from product design to hiring practices. That means not just meeting legal requirements but embedding disability inclusion into the company culture. 
3. Hire us. Hire and invest in disabled talent. One of the biggest barriers to disability inclusion is the lack of representation in leadership roles. Businesses need to go beyond performative allyship and actively recruit, retain, and promote disabled employees. This includes creating mentorship pipelines, funding employee resource groups, and making sure disabled voices are represented in decision-making processes. 

MI: How can social businesses in particular tackle ableism in wider society?

Tiffany: Social businesses have the power to embed disability inclusion from day one, disrupting traditional models and setting a new standard. 

Here are a few ways they can do this: 

1. Nothing about us without us. Co-create solutions with disabled people. Instead of designing solutions for disabled communities, social businesses should design with them. This means hiring disabled people at all levels of the organization and ensuring that disabled perspectives shape product and service development. 
2. Design inclusively. Prioritize accessibility in innovation. Many social enterprises are at the forefront of tech and service innovation. Whether it’s fintech, education, or healthcare, businesses should prioritize accessibility and inclusive design in all new developments. This benefits not just disabled people but a wide range of users. 
3. Invest in disabled entrepreneurs. Challenge economic exclusion. Many disabled people face systemic barriers to entrepreneurship and employment. Social businesses can help break this cycle by creating economic opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs, supporting inclusive hiring practices, and advocating for policy changes that remove barriers to financial independence. 

MI: What’s next for you? Are there new projects or advocacy efforts you’re excited about?

Tiffany: I’m excited that The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: How to Build a Disability-Inclusive World, is launching in paperback in the UK on March 6, 2025. This is following a launch in the US back in October where the book was named an Amazon Editors’ Pick and is now on its third printing. This will also be my first time returning to London after my LSE graduation in 2019.  

I’m also continuing my work with Diversability, the disability-centered community business I founded, to create more opportunities for disabled leaders and amplify our voices. We recently celebrated 15 years and more than 80,000 in our ecosystem. 

Finally, I am honored to serve on the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Working Group on Local Hire and Workforce Development and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research. 

The Anti-Ableist Manifesto is just the beginning. My mission is to keep expanding this conversation—whether through my book, Diversability, or my advisory roles—until disability inclusion is no longer an afterthought but a cornerstone of every business, policy, and community. There’s still so much work to do, and I’m excited to continue pushing this movement forward.