Washington D.C., Sept. 4 – “I am more than just one leg. I am a woman. And I am a woman with a disability. Standing forthright in power unapologetically. So, when I show up, I show up authentically. In that space, consistently,” expressed Donna R. Walton, the moderator, as she opened a panel on intersectionality at a daylong summit on the future of Americans with disabilities.

When sharing her story, Walton set an inclusive and frank tone not only for the discussion between the panelists of various backgrounds but also for all those present in the room. The summit, “From Washington to Hollywood and Beyond: The Future of Americans with Disabilities,” was sponsored by RespectAbility, a national nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities. The event consisted of panels on education, employment, media representation and intersectionality. During the day, two key journalists, Judy Woodruff of the PBS NewsHour and Joe Shapiro of NPR were presented with excellence in journalism awards for their coverage of disability stories. During the panel focused on intersectionality, the panelists, prompted by their experiences, spoke about the intersection of disability and other identities and their jobs. [continue reading…]

Washington D.C., Sept. 4 – Joe Shapiro has been working in journalism since the 1970s—but his expertise has never stopped him from going out and chasing a story. “We don’t sit in big offices with assistants. We’re doing it ourselves,” Shapiro said.

This summer RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities, presented Shapiro with an Excellence in Journalism Award during an annual summit on the future of people with disabilities. The event consisted of networking, as well as panels on employment, media inclusion, fighting bias, and intersectionality. Fellow journalist Judy Woodruff also received an award. [continue reading…]

#RespectTheAbility campaign spotlights model employers that demonstrate how hiring workers with disabilities benefits the employer, the employee and society

As we celebrate the contributions of workers to our nation’s history and enjoy one last summer weekend, RespectAbility invites you learn about the incredible talents of people with disabilities. We hope you enjoy the amazing success stories captured in our #RespectTheAbility campaign which highlights the benefits companies reap when they hire talented people with disabilities.

“Many companies hire the best talent out there, no matter what package that talent comes in,” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of RespectAbility. “Employers’ focus should be on the abilities an individual brings to the table to better the organization, not any disabilities the individual may have. It is time for all employers to look beyond the disability and understand the true value of these employees.”

The #RespectTheAbility campaign began by celebrating the success of Ernst & Young LLP as a case study and featured a conference call with Lori Golden, Abilities Strategy Leader from Ernst & Young, on “Disabilities to Diverse Abilities: Changing the Workplace Paradigm.” Arthur Young, co-founder of EY, was deaf and exceptionally talented. [continue reading…]

Washington, D.C., Aug. 31 – At RespectAbility’s annual disability summit on Capitol Hill, Jennifer Sheehy spoke about the federal government’s efforts to increase employment participation rates for people with disabilities.

Sheehy is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The Office of Disability Employment Policy is a federal resource for people of all ages who have disabilities, and are trying to find jobs. Sheehy’s previous work includes the U.S. Department of Education with the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Sheehy is an alumna of Cornell University and Georgetown University.

According to Sheehy, “we’ve seen 26 consecutive months of job improvements for people with disabilities.” She believes that because of this progress, we should take time to analyze data available to tease out factors that led to outcome improvements in order to implement them broadly. [continue reading…]

Rockville, Md., Aug. 29 – Sean McElwee and Megan Bomgaars are talented designers who have sold products featuring their designs to make a living. These entrepreneurs also happen to have Down syndrome.

McElwee and Bomgaars are cast members on Born This Way, an Emmy award-winning unscripted reality television program created by Bunim/Murray Productions and airing on A&E Network. Born This Way stars seven young adults with Down syndrome and their families, and showcases their lives in a positive, accurate way. The fourth season of the hit docuseries highlights McElwee’s and Bomgaars’ businesses, both of which have made remarkable progress in recent months. [continue reading…]

343,483 people with disabilities joined workforce last year

Washington D.C., Aug. 27 – As Labor Day weekend approaches, the disability community has a lot to celebrate. 343,483 more people with disabilities joined the American workforce in 2016. This is a four-fold improvement over the previous year when only 87,201 people with disabilities found jobs.

Earlier this summer, business experts with direct experience in hiring people with disabilities gathered together to talk about the dramatic improvement in new jobs for people with disabilities, what’s driving it and how we continue improving. This discussion took place during a summit, “From Washington to Hollywood and Beyond: The Future of Americans with Disabilities,” which was sponsored by RespectAbility, a national nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities. The event consisted of panels on education, employment, media representation and intersectionality.

Moderated by Donn Weinberg, who chairs the Philanthropy Roundtable, the panelists came from diverse areas of the business world, including Jim Sinocchi of JP Morgan Chase, Ron Painter from the National Association of Workforce Boards, and Vincenzo Piscopo of Coca Cola. [continue reading…]

Ronald Glancz

Potomac, Md., Aug. 15 – Everyone at RespectAbility is deeply saddened to share the news about the death of Ronald Glancz, after a long battle with cancer.

Until he left his post on July 31 due to his health concerns, Glancz served as the Treasurer of RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities. Glancz was a key member of the board of RespectAbility, where he led its budget and financials.

“It was truly an honor to serve beside Ron on RespectAbility’s board of directors,” said Calvin Harris, chair of RespectAbility. “His steadfast commitment to fighting stigmas in disability, especially for adults, set the standard for our board. As chair, I will forever be grateful for the grit and pragmatic leadership that Ron brought to Respectability.”

Said RespectAbility President Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, “Ron Glancz has done an amazing job for us – and on so many other things for so many people. He has been sound council and really had our backs.” [continue reading…]

Rockville, Md., August 10 – RespectAbility firmly believes that there is absolutely no room in America for prejudice or hate of any kind. We express concern about the Unite the Right rally scheduled for August 12 in Washington, D.C. Hatred of all kinds undermines all people. We are a better nation when we are welcoming and respectful of all people. Let us remember the passion of Heather Heyer and the dozens of injured activists in Charlottesville who put their lives on the line in the ongoing fight for equality. RespectAbility is inspired by their steadfast perseverance, and we will continue to play our role in ensuring that America lives up to its creed for all citizens.

RespectAbility is a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for the one-in-five Americans with a disability. People with disabilities cut across every group in America, including those of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and identities, ages and religions.  [continue reading…]

JP Morgan Chase’s Rodney Hood with RespectAbility’s Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi and Ben Spangenberg

Rockville, Md. August 8 – Rodney E. Hood’s work to support the disability community began with the assignment to “figure out a way to go beyond passive mode at a gala.” Hood is the Corporate Responsibility Manager at JP Morgan Chase, which entails managing partnerships that promote sustainable community development in underserved communities, including those with disabilities. When Hood first came on as the manager, JP Morgan Chase had relationships with the National Deaf Association and the National Federal of the Blind and other organizations, but they did not extend much beyond the bank’s presence at their conferences.

Now, JP Morgan Chase sponsors people with disabilities to attend a variety of conferences, including accommodations, from the National Urban League to the events of other groups who are doing work that impact people with disabilities despite the fact that these voices may not always be present in the room. “We need to have everyone with a seat at the table,” said Hood. He said he is always thinking, “How do we make the playing field level?” [continue reading…]