Gov. Nathan Deal

Atlanta, GA. Oct. 4 – Gov. Nathan Deal has declared October as Disability Employment Awareness Month in Georgia. In a signed proclamation, the Governor wrote, “The full inclusion and successful employment of individuals with disabilities are essential to building a robust and competitive workforce.”

Gov. Deal’s proclamation goes on to state, “Georgia is committed to expanding employment opportunities for citizens with disabilities.”

This proclamation follows an outstanding year of job growth among people with disabilities living in the Peach State. Last year, 28,642 people with disabilities entered Georgia’s workforce. [continue reading…]

Gov. Asa Hutchinson

Washington D.C., Oct. 4 – Gov. Asa Hutchinson has declared October as Disability Employment Awareness Month in Arkansas.

“In workplaces all across Arkansas and the United States, talented employees are vital to ensure the success of various corporations, government entities, and private sector organizations,” Hutchinson stated.

Hutchinson invites employers to consider their options when they hire people with disabilities and use their creativity to come up with solutions. By hiring people with disabilities, they are building up the flow of produced work. Like people without disabilities, people with disabilities have special talents that they can contribute to the company.

“People with disabilities offer a wide range of expertise and play an integral role in our efforts to build an inclusive community and strong economy,” Hutchinson adds. [continue reading…]

Co-Author of Americans with Disabilities Act Steve Bartlett Assumes Chair, Linda Burger is New Treasurer; Richard G. Phillips Jr. Joins Board

Washington, DC, Oct. 2, 2018 – RespectAbility, one of the nation’s leading disability organizations, is proud to announce that former U.S. Representative and Dallas Mayor Steve Bartlett will serve as chair of the organization’s Board of Directors, and that Linda Burger, MSSW, the CEO of Jewish Family Service in Houston, is the organization’s new Treasurer. Bartlett takes the reins from outgoing chairman Calvin Harris. Business and social change leader Richard G. Phillips Jr. joined its board of directors.

Hon. Steve Bartlett Assumes Chair

Steve Bartlett, Chair

Former U.S. Representative and Mayor of Dallas Steve Bartlett is the new chair of the RespectAbility Board of Directors.

Among 18 major pieces of legislation he sponsored in Congress that became law, Bartlett was a principal Republican author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a landmark measure that greatly expanded the rights of individuals with disabilities and improved their access to public buildings, communities and jobs.

Bartlett previously served at RespectAbility’s Vice Chair. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor with Treliant Risk Advisors. He has more than 30 years of experience in financial services, business strategy, corporate governance, ethics and compliance as well as public policy at the highest levels of the private sector and government.

A former president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable in Washington, D.C., Bartlett’s advice is sought on a range of policy areas. He brings RespectAbility broad contacts on both sides of the political aisle and deep insights in business and job creation.

Calvin Harris, Chair Emeritus

Said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, RespectAbility’s president, “We are thrilled that Steve Bartlett will now take us to an even higher level as we fight stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. His deep expertise, passion, contacts and innovative problem-solving skills will enable us to significantly expand our impact. We are also deeply grateful for Calvin Harris’ leadership as chair. Under his tenure our National Leadership Program, where Harris is a favorite trainer, grew deeply in its impact and size. We are delighted he will remain on our board and join our co-founder Donn Weinberg as a Chair Emeritus.” [continue reading…]

On Eve of National Disability Employment Month:

Only 39 Percent of Lone Star State’s People with Disabilities Can Find Jobs, Says Ex-Dallas Congressman Steve Bartlett on Assuming Board Chair of RespectAbility

Steve Bartlett

Dallas, Texas, Oct. 2 – As National Disability Employment Month begins, RespectAbility, one of the nation’s leading disability organizations, has calculated that only 39 percent of Texans with disabilities are gainfully employed – ranking the Lone Star State number 22 in the nation in disability employment.

“Even though fewer than four in 10 Texans with disabilities can find jobs, we are making progress,” said incoming RespectAbility board of directors chair and former Dallas Mayor and U.S. Representative Steve Bartlett.

Bartlett, who was a principal GOP sponsor of the Americans With Disabilities Act while serving in Congress, was elected to chair the RespectAbility Board just as the organization began its annual commemoration of National Disability Employment Month. Bartlett takes the reins from outgoing chairman Calvin Harris.

He will be joined by fellow Texan Linda Burger, MSSW, the CEO of Jewish Family Service in Houston, who is assuming the office of Treasurer of the organization. [continue reading…]

On Eve of National Disability Employment Month:

Only 35 Percent of State’s People with Disabilities Can Find Jobs, Says PA Business Leader and Social Activist Richard G. Phillips on Joining Board

Richard G. Phillips, Jr

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct. 2 – As National Disability Employment Month begins, RespectAbility, one of the nation’s leading disability organizations, has calculated that only 35.1 percent of Pennsylvanians with disabilities are gainfully employed – ranking the Keystone State number 31 in the nation in disability employment.

“Even though only one-third of Pennsylvanians with disabilities are able to find jobs, that’s still higher than ever before,” said incoming RespectAbility Board of Directors member Richard G. Phillips, Jr.

Philips, a Pennsylvania business leader and change agent, was elected to the RespectAbility Board just as the organization began its annual commemoration of National Disability Employment Month. [continue reading…]

Gavin McHugh on the set of 9-1-1

A show focused on emergency responders and the behind-the-scenes intricacies of their rescues is bound to tackle some issues relating to disabilities. But 20^th Century Fox Television’s 9-1-1 has taken disability inclusion a step further by including a recurring character with a disability and providing an opportunity for further discussion of issues relating to disability access and belonging.

The two-night Season 2 opener introduced two new lead characters – Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a nurse escaping an abusive relationship who becomes a 9-1-1 operator, and Eddie Diaz (Ryan Anthony Guzman), a LAPD firefighter and single dad to seven-year-old son Christopher (Gavin McHugh), who has cerebral palsy.

“Ryan’s character has his own issues: He’s a single father with a son with special needs, with cerebral palsy,” said executive producer Tim Minear. “And he’s an Army veteran who’s left the Army in order to raise his kid.”

The fast-paced opener shows both the lead-up to and the aftermath of a 7.1 earthquake and aftershocks. In the opening scene of the second episode, Eddie and Christopher have a conversation about dogs as Eddie walks his son to school, which appears to be a mainstreamed school. “Do you think dogs know they’re dogs?” Christopher asks. ”Do dogs just think we are bigger, less hairier, smarter dogs that walk funny?” The audience then sees Christopher walking with crutches into his school.

When Eddie works to save people trapped in a high-rise, fellow Firefighter Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark) attempts to reassure Eddie that Christopher is in the safest place he could be right now – a school, which had been reinforced after a recent earthquake. However, another scene in the episode lets viewers know that some students may still be trapped in the school. The episode ends without viewers learning of Christopher’s fate. [continue reading…]

As National Disability Employment Awareness Month Begins, A Wake-Up Call to Candidates

Washington, D.C., Oct. 1 – It’s the month before the midterm elections and one of the nation’s leading disability organizations has a wake-up call for candidates. “Fully three-quarters of likely voters either have a disability themselves or have a family member, or a close friend with disabilities,” said former Representative and Dallas Mayor Steve Bartlett. Bartlett is the chairman of RespectAbility, a Washington-based nonpartisan nonprofit that fights stigmas and advances opportunities so people with disabilities can participate in all aspects of community.

Steve Bartlett

“Our survey shows that 74 percent of likely voters are touched by disabilities,” said Bartlett, who was a primary author of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. “Our nation was founded on the principle that anyone who works hard should be able to get ahead in life. These folks deserve an equal opportunity to earn an income and achieve independence just like anyone else. Candidates for office ignore the disability community at their peril.”

According to the Census Bureau, more than 56 million Americans live with some form of disability. This can include visible conditions such as spinal cord injuries, visual impairments or hearing loss to people living with invisible disabilities such as learning disabilities, mental health or Autism.

“Of particular note from the survey is that while there are certain issues historically on which people with disabilities feel more strongly than Americans without disabilities, such as healthcare and employment opportunities, they track in a similar way to Americans overall when it comes to their political identity,” noted Meagan Buren, pollster for RespectAbility.

A recent poll of 1000 likely voters shows that fully 34 percent are grouped as swing voters, 36 percent as Democrat and 29 percent as Republican. More than half of Americans with disabilities have reached out to their elected officials or attended a political rally in the recent past versus 39 percent of Americans without a disability or any disability connection. Nearly three-quarters of people with disabilities watch, read or listen to the news 5-7 times a week.

“This is a politically active, swing vote demographic and candidates should take note of important issues they care about, especially around employment opportunities,” Buren added. [continue reading…]

Geoffrey Melada and RespectAbility Fellow Josh Goodrich

Rockville, Md., Sept. 25 – In the Odyssey, Athena, goddess of wisdom, disguised herself as Mentor. As Mentor, she encouraged Telemachus to be strong and encouraged him to find out the true story of his father. The word “mentor” was adopted into the English language to describe someone who shares knowledge and wisdom to assist a person with less experience. Geoffrey Melada is an exemplary mentor. Melada was returning for his fifth time to share his knowledge and experiences with a new cohort of RespectAbility Fellows.

Melada, the Director of Communications for Hillel International, acted as a mentor in teaching  RespectAbility Fellows about storytelling while tasking them with a quest. He explained that storytelling is the key to success in business and many personal endeavors. After showing the Pixar short film, Piper, Melada asked the questing Fellows, “Why is this a good story?” [continue reading…]

Hillel students meet with activist and community organizer Ola Ojewumi at the 2017 Ruderman Inclusion Summit (photo by Geoffrey Melada)

Three years ago this week, I took a leap of faith when I left behind a long career in journalism to become the communications director for Hillel International, the world’s largest Jewish campus organization.

I believe in Hillel’s mission, but I worried that leaving journalism meant the end of telling great human interest stories – stories about people who change, grow and overcome obstacles.

I was wrong.

Three years into my job, I find that these stories are all around me. You will probably not be surprised to learn, as a supporter of RespectAbility, that some of the most compelling Hillel stories involve disability inclusion. [continue reading…]