This year marks the 29th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). After years of hard work, activism and protest by thousands of people with disabilities, an American president lifted his pen to tear down “the shameful wall of exclusion.” In signing the ADA, former President George H.W. Bush called on all [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., June 28 – Throughout National LGBTQ+ Pride Month (June), the LGBTQ+ community has been reflecting on the ongoing struggle to secure, protect and expand their rights. The LGBTQ+ community and the disability community intersect in significant ways. According to a study published in 2012, fully 36 percent of women in the LGBTQ+ community [click to continue...]
Los Angeles, CA, May 7 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities, submitted the following public comments last week to the City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board. The Board is in the process of finalizing their new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Year 20/2019-2020 Annual Plan. [click to continue...]
Job Growth Slows for People with Disabilities Only 111,804 people with disabilities entered the workforce in 2017, down from the previous year’s increase of over 343,000 new jobs for people with disabilities. Florida experienced the biggest growth in job numbers with over 23,000 people with disabilities entering the workforce. Of the 50 states, 29 states [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., Dec. 19 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit disabilities organization, thanks Senator John Cornyn for his leadership on criminal justice reform. Said Hon. Steve Bartlett, the former Dallas mayor and member of Congress who now chairs RespectAbility, “While a large number of Members of the House and Senate were pivotal in creating and passing Criminal [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., Dec. 18 – As Congress advances our national dialogue on criminal justice reform, it is critical to remember that criminal justice issues are issues that dramatically impact people with disabilities. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 32 percent of federal prisoners and 40 percent of people in jail have at least one disability. RespectAbility, [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., Oct. 24 – Gov. John C. Carney has proclaimed October 2018 to be Disability Employment Awareness Month in Delaware. “People with disabilities bring their own unique strengths to the work environments and deserve an equal opportunity to pursue careers and success,” writes Carney in his proclamation. “Employers throughout our state must continue the [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C. Oct. 18 – Gov. John Kasich has declared October 2018 Disability Employment Awareness Month in Ohio. “Maximizing the skills and talents of all Ohioans is essential to our state’s success and the skills that individuals with disabilities bring to our workforce, in both the public and private sectors, are vitally important,” writes Kasich [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., Oct. 12 – Gov. Brian Sandoval has proclaimed October 2018 to be Disability Employment Awareness Month in Nevada. “Those with disabilities are entitled to full inclusion in our communities,” writes Sandoval in his proclamation. “All persons, regardless of their conditions or abilities, should have equal access and equal opportunity in the workplace.” This [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C. Oct 11 – Gov. John Hickenlooper has declared October as Disability Employment Awareness Month in Colorado. “It is a time to raise public awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many contributions of people with disabilities,” write Hickenlooper in the Proclamation. “People with disabilities are the sum of many parts, including their [click to continue...]
