Emily Ladau is an activist, writer, and speaker for disability rights and social justice issues. She was born with Larsen syndrome, a genetic physical disability. Emily first ventured into disability advocacy at age 10 when she appeared on Sesame Street.
Emily is from Long Island, New York, where she graduated with a B.A. in English from Adelphi University in 2013. Her first book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be An Ally, was published by Ten Speed Press in September 2021. She is proud to be represented by Laura Lee Mattingly at Present Perfect Literary and by Kaley Baron at the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau.
Emily provides communications and social media strategy consulting, as well as editorial services, for multiple disability-related organizations and initiatives. She is the former editor of Able News at The Viscardi Center. Previously, she served in roles including digital content manager for the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, editor of the Voices of Disability Economic Justice, and the founding editor in chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog. She also co-hosts The Accessible Stall Podcast with one of her best friends, Kyle Khachadurian.