I’m a Bay Area native (born and raised in Fremont) and veteran freelance tech journalist based in San Francisco’s blissfully-foggy Richmond district. For the last 11 years, I’ve run a newsroom staffed by precisely one person—me—covering all things accessibility and assistive technologies. My byline has appeared in a number of leading publications, including TechCrunch, The Verge, MacStories, MIT Technology Review, iMore, and TidBITS, amongst other places on the internet.
Nowadays, the majority of my coverage is split between my column at Forbes and my owned-and-operated blog called Curb Cuts, launched in 2024. I’ve been a member of Forbes’ invite-only contributor network since April 2020, where I write regularly about disability matters affecting the technology industry as part of the outlet’s emphasis on bolstering its DEI coverage. In addition to its presence online, my byline has been featured in print magazines on multiple occasions.
I’ve also been on the other end of the table, having been interviewed myself numerous times about my career and related topics. Likewise, I’ve contributed my expertise in disability and technology to various stories for mainstream media outlets like the New York Times and MIT Technology Review. I’ve also been a years-long regular participant grading the annual Six Colors Apple Report Card.
What exactly is my beat? In essence, it shines a spotlight on how technology, in all its forms, impacts (and empowers) disabled people. In a Journalism 101 sense, my coverage strives to hold truth to power by holding accountable those who create things that light up and make noise to keep making their product(s) accessible to everyone. In a social justice context, disability coverage in mainstream media has long been woefully inadequate despite the societal push towards greater inclusiveness. Accessibility coverage may never enter the zeitgeist nor win me a Pulitzer nor get A1 placement in the newspaper, but I truly don’t do this for adulation. My work is one humble attempt at moving the representational needle.
Accessibility is not a beat conducive to breaking news and scoops, but I’ve had a few in my time. This one about AirPods from 2018 remains the biggest by far.
I write all my stories in Markdown. My favorite text editor is MarkEdit on macOS.
What makes my reporting distinct from that of my compatriots in the tech press is the perspective I bring. I’m a lifelong disabled person who copes with multiple conditions; this lived experience enables me to imbue my work with firsthand knowledge and expertise that transcends sheer enthusiasm for technology. The fact I’m a member of the marginalized and underrepresented group that is the disability community gives my work instant credibility, allowing me to write with the utmost authority. I’m also bilingual; I’m fluent in American Sign Language. It’s my first language, as both my parents were fully deaf. That makes me a CODA.
This one time—not at band camp—I conducted an interview entirely in ASL.
In my career, I've covered every big tech company in existence, including the five biggest in Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. I’ve written about everything from myriad software updates to the newest iPhones and MacBooks to autonomous vehicles and scooters to CPAP machines and hearing aids and many more things. If there’s a single lesson to take from my wide-ranging anthology of articles, it’s that accessibility is a dynamo. It manifests in multitudes that are utterly worthy of exploration and explanation in the name of inclusion.
I've interviewed many high-ranking executives over the years, most prominently Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2018 and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger in 2023. I've also spoken with people working on accessibility at Activision Blizzard, Adobe, Airbnb, Amazon, Capital One, Chase, Comcast, CVS, DoorDash, Ford, GitHub, GE Appliances, Indeed, Intel, Lenovo, Lyft, Netflix, OpenAI, PBS Kids, Salesforce, Samsung, Slack, Sony, TD Bank, VITAC, Webex, Xbox, Yelp, and Zappos, as well as the leaders of countless startups. In addition, I’ve covered the work of innumerable, name brand companies like Amtrak, CAI, Chime, Consumer Reports, eBay, Electronic Arts, Hilton, Honda, LG, LinkedIn, Razer, Starbucks, United Airlines, Walmart, and Whirlpool. Then there are institutions such as AbleGamers, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Department of Justice, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Fashion Institute of Technology, the FCC, Harvard University, NYU, Temple University, the University of North Dakota, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the United States Association of Blind Athletes, the United Spinal Association, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, NBCUniversal, Special Olympics, and numerous state governments. I’ve interviewed several professionals such as audiologists, dietitians, registered nurses, speech-language pathologists, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and physical therapists—all of whom work in fields adjacent to, and intersecting with, accessibility, disability, and technology. Lastly, I’ve interviewed several independent software developers, all of whom write software for Apple platforms, about their app(s) and supporting accessibility. Notable names include Marco Arment, The Iconfactory, AssistiveWare, and Procreate.
To borrow a bar from my favorite rapper in Eminem, I’ve bodied features with some legendary names. A considerable number of the interviews I’ve done have featured notable individuals who have their own Wikipedia page. They include:
Tony Coelho (D-CA), pioneer of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
Pennsylvania state treasurer Stacy Garrity
New York City comptroller Brad Lander
Gallaudet University president Roberta Cordano
Authors and disability rights activists Haben Girma and Dr. Victor Pineda
Astronaut Kellie Gerardi
Tech YouTuber iJustine
Television host Sophie Morgan
Sports broadcaster Ernie Johnson
Former NFL player Tim Wright
Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis
Paralympian athletes Brenna Huckaby, Lex Gillette, and Matt Scott
Disney Legend Andreas Deja
Musician Matthew Whitaker
Actors Chris Evans, Lou Ferrigno, Dolly Lewis, and Daryl Mitchell
OUAI founder Jen Atkin
I’ve interviewed Bachelor alums Sarah Trott and Arie Luyendyk Jr, as well as influencers Becca Moore, Laura Whaley, Rachel Chaleff, and Avery Woods.
In addition, I have extensive experience doing reporting at the confluence of disability, technology, and Hollywood. These stories are fun to do and amongst some of my best work. I’ve interviewed numerous creators and showrunners for such pieces, including heavyweights like esteemed Arthur creator Marc Brown.
Beyond my writing, I've been on podcasts, public radio, and television over time to discuss my career in the news racket, accessibility, and other topics. I was co-host of Accessible, a now-defunct fortnightly podcast on accessibility in tech, alongside my friend Timothy Buck. In 2015, I went on NPR’s Science Friday. I was interviewed for Story & Pixel's 2017 documentary, App: TheHumanStory, appearing in B-roll footage. The film examines the sociological effects of iPhone apps and their development since Apple first opened the App Store in 2008.
Besides my infrequent cameos on podcasts, radio, and television, I’ve also done my fair share of public speaking in life; topics include special education and disability in the media and in newsrooms. I’ve also served as the moderator of panels at accessibility-centric events such as the 2023 edition of the all-virtual Sight Tech Global Conference, as well as the 2024 edition of MOVE America.
My background is in special education and early childhood development. Prior to pivoting to journalism, I worked nearly a decade with preschoolers (ages 3-5) with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Most of that time was spent working children on the autism spectrum; I had extensive training in teaching methodologies specifically designed for autistic children. They include ABA, PECS, and TEACCH. I also worked with middle schoolers in a similar role. I completed Early Childhood Studies coursework, spanning the growth and development of children birth through early elementary school (ages 0-8), at my then-local community college.
If you have a story idea or just wanna say hello, I’d love to hear from you! You can email me at contact@stevensblog.co. If you have a pitch, please read this first.
In full transparency, I should say the standard disclaimer applies: I can be a lousy correspondent at times. My inbox lives in a state of constant chaos and messages have been known to slip through the proverbial cracks. Again, I’m managing a literal one-man newsroom, so if I respond after an inordinate amount of time—or don’t reply at all—please know it isn’t personal. Rest assured I’ve read your email.
