**Title:** Champion for Inclusivity: A Conversation with Yasser Tamer

**Introduction**
Meet Yasser Tamer, a tireless advocate for inclusivity, accessibility, and the power of education. Each year, we spotlight exceptional individuals in the field of Open Education who are making significant strides toward accessibility and inclusivity. This year, Yasser Tamer, an undergraduate student from the American University in Cairo, was recognized with a student award for his remarkable contributions.

**Breaking Down Stigmas**
Yasser Tamer’s goal is simple, yet profoundly impactful—he aims to normalize the idea of students interacting with professors who might be different from them. He emphasizes, “I want to just normalize the idea of students coming to a classroom, finding a professor who's blind, different from them. And then I want to remove the idea of stigma.”

**Twitter as a Medium for Change**
Our conversation with Yasser delved into his experiences on Twitter, and how he utilizes the platform for advocacy. Yasser acknowledges the privilege of speaking English, which enables him to engage in global communities and later transfer that knowledge back to Egyptian societies. He uses Twitter to speak about inequities, especially those overlooking the needs of the disabled community. His commitment to educating others on Twitter not only earned him recognition but also allowed him to form networks with fellow advocates worldwide.

**Navigating Higher Education**
Despite the challenges, Yasser consistently proves himself to be highly motivated. He passionately talks about the experience of “being a student of the American University in Cairo.” He recognizes his unique position and the influence he has on the perceptions and actions of those around him.

**Advocacy in Artificial Intelligence** 
When asked about artificial intelligence's role in higher education, Yasser presents a nuanced point-of-view, suggesting a reliance on AI technology without fully depending on it. For him, AI presents opportunities for content to be more accessible—the OCR technology (Optical Character Recognition) and Be My AI technology for generating automatic alternative text being perfect examples.

**Life Beyond Academia**
When asked about his interests outside academia, Yasser revealed his fondness for football and excitement surrounding the World Cup. His passion extends to Blind Football, a sporting event where matches are played with a football containing a ringing bell, made accessible for visually impaired people.

**In Conclusion**
Yasser's unwavering dedication to promoting inclusivity and openness in education is inspiring. While he's already achieved so much, this is just the beginning. His thirst for knowledge and his drive to help others promises much more in the future.

Listening to Yasser and his experiences prompts us to reflect on our own roles in advocating for inclusivity, accessibility, and openness in education. His words encourage us to continue pushing boundaries, fostering connections, and creating accessibility for all. His work serves as a reminder that change starts with awareness, passion, and the willingness to act.