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Lessons on Accessibility: A Humbling Experience at Dans Le Noir
SAP America, like many organizations, hosts retreats to gather strategic direction and insights on the company’s goals. This year in Madrid, Spain, the Inclusion team came together in a unique way that created a meaningful experience beyond planning. What was meant to be a simple two-hour sensory dinner experience became one of the most unforgettable and humbling lessons on inclusion I’ve ever received. Because nothing resonates like direct exposure to a topic, it shifts you, reframes you, and changes how you see the world and how you see yourself in it.
When the Lights Went Out, My Perspective Turned On
Last week, during a team offsite in Madrid, Spain, I had the opportunity to experience DANS LE NOIR—a dining experience that immerses you in the world of the blind community by removing sight entirely. The concept sounds straightforward until you realize how much of your confidence is tied to what you can see. In the dark, you’re suddenly aware of every small movement: reaching for a glass, locating utensils, finding the edge of the table, orienting yourself in a room that no longer offers visual cues.
Walking into that space and surrendering my vision was far more emotional than I anticipated. In fact, I was reduced to tears right there at dinner not from fear, but from a deep, immediate vulnerability I wasn’t prepared for. I felt my senses heighten and my independence shrink in real time. It was humbling to recognize how quickly I wanted to “get it right” and how much I relied on others to guide me.
We were led throughout the evening by wonderful members of the blind community—guides who showed empathy toward us as we struggled to navigate a world that is their everyday reality. Their patience, their calm, their confidence… it was powerful. They didn’t rush us or correct us harshly; they offered steady direction and reassurance, reminding me that inclusion is not about perfection it’s about belonging, dignity, and access.
It also made something crystal clear: I carry the privilege of being sighted, and I never want to take that for granted again. That awareness stayed with me long after dinner ended.
What I Thought I Knew vs. What I Now Understand
Here’s the thing I didn’t walk into this experience uninformed. Professionally, I have long advocated for disability inclusion. I’ve directly contributed to SAP earning a 100% score year over year from Disability: IN. Personally, I have family, friends, and colleagues who are differently abled physically and cognitively. I’ve read the research, listened to lived experiences, and used my voice to drive change where I can.
I also know the statistics: disabled people remain among the most underemployed and unemployed communities (22.7% employment for people with disabilities vs. 65.5% for those without disabilities, as reported by the DOL). Those numbers aren’t just data points; they represent dreams delayed, talent overlooked, and opportunity withheld due to barriers that never needed to exist.
And still… nothing prepared me for how profoundly this would land.
Because knowledge can live in your mind while empathy lives in your body. Sitting in that darkness, I understood—at a deeper level—what it means to navigate a world designed for someone else. I felt how exhausting it can be to constantly adjust, ask for help, or rely on systems that may or may not support you. We know data is important—but experience reaches places data cannot.
That night shifted something in me. It didn’t replace what I’ve learned; it expanded it. It made the work feel even more urgent, more human, and more personal.
Accessibility Helps Everyone
One of the biggest takeaways I’m holding onto is this: inclusion and accessibility accommodations benefit everyone. Accessibility is not a special request or an add-on—it’s a design choice that shapes who gets to participate fully.
Think about it:
- curb cuts and ramps that support wheelchair users, parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and anyone with temporary mobility challenges
- closed captions that help deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, multilingual speakers, and people watching without sound
- screen adapters and assistive technology that expand access to information, learning, and employment
- automated entrances that make public spaces usable for more people, more often, with less friction
These aren’t “nice-to-haves.” They’re part of how we build environments where more people can fully participate and thrive. And in the workplace, accessibility is closely tied to performance, belonging, and innovation. When employees don’t have to fight the environment to do their job, they can focus their energy on excellence, creativity, and collaboration.
So here’s my encouragement: lean into accessibility in the workplace. Keep enabling the differently-abled not because it’s charity, but because it’s equity. And because talent is everywhere. When barriers are removed, what people can do is truly amazing to watch. If we want teams that reflect the real world, we have to build workplaces that work for real people.
Gratitude That Runs Deep
Thank you, Rashmi Verma, for the dinner experience; and a special shout out to Luisa Karl for the life lessons I learned with you that evening. Your leadership and thoughtfulness created space for something far bigger than a team activity, it created a moment of transformation.
Even though I have tons of pictures from last week, these are the photos that matter most to me for this moment, the ones that represent a shift in my heart, not just a memory on my phone. They remind me that inclusion isn’t theoretical. It’s lived. And the more we create opportunities to learn through proximity and perspective, the more we can lead with humility, action, and care.
About the Author: Margot C. Goodson
Margot C. Goodson is VP, Head of North America Diversity & Inclusion at SAP America, Inc., with leadership experience spanning Diversity & Inclusion, finance/accounting, process improvement, and project management. She leads SAP North America’s regional D&I strategy across workforce diversification, workplace culture, and marketplace leadership, and serves her community through Christian Life Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Jack & Jill of America, Inc., while launching Mimi’s Manifestation Station, a mentorship nonprofit for young ladies ages 8–18.
#inclusionmatters #workplacefriendships #lifelessons #lifeatsap
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