Disability Business News
You Need to Know
November 2020
This November Kindness is Key
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We can and must do better as individuals
and as a nation.
"While the foundation of our mission is built around disability inclusion, we advocate for inclusion for all. We believe in the strength of our community, now more than ever and together we stand firm in solidarity against the undeniable injustice and inequality in this country and the resulting fear, pain, and frustration that continues to surround us."
Sophie Howard, GDIT, Chair DI DC Metro
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National Apprenticeship Week (NAW)
November 8-14, 2020
NAW is a nationwide celebration that helps businesses, communities, and educators showcase their apprenticeship programs and apprentices. The U.S. Department of Labor's National Apprenticeship Week website provides information on NAW events around the country and materials and tips on planning and promoting local observances.
Apprenticeship Pilot for Transitioning Service Members Will Boost Career Skills
Assistant Secretary John Lowry, VETS
Enabling all veterans to reach their full potential in the workplace is not just about finding jobs for veterans, it’s about finding the right job for them. Apprenticeships connect employers with talented workers and offer paths to gain critical job skills – which is why the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service recently launched the VETS Apprenticeship Pilot.
New Apprenticeship Placement Counselors, who provide counseling and apprenticeship placement services, are working with transitioning service members, and their spouses, interested in exploring apprenticeship as a post-separation career pathway. The counselors are available virtually and at eight U.S. military installations in:
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
- Naval Base San Diego, California
- Travis Air Force Base, California
- Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
- Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
- Fort Bliss, Texas
- Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
Apprenticeship Placement Counselors will participate in Transition Assistance Program workshops to highlight apprenticeship as well as assist transitioning service members and spouses individually. The counselors will work with networks of employers, industry associations and other stakeholders to connect the participants to apprenticeship opportunities in their desired industry and post-separation location.
Apprentices gain paid, relevant workplace experience; classroom instruction; and a portable, nationally recognized credential. Ninety-four percent of apprentices retain employment after completing their program, and the average annual starting salary for apprenticeship graduates is $70,000. Transitioning service members are well equipped to become apprentices since they are goal-oriented, hardworking and responsible, and have proven leadership skills and a strong work ethic.
Any transitioning service member or spouse interested in connecting with an Apprenticeship Placement Counselor should contact us at ApprenticeshipPilot@serco-na.com
Employers interested in tapping into a potential pipeline of apprentices, or for general pilot inquiries, can email VETSapprenticeship@dol.gov.
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Join us for our 4th Quarter
"In This Together" Campaign
Please Donate!
Shop Amazon Smile!
In these ongoing unprecedented times, non-profits face the situation of limited funding. The DC Metro Chapter is no different. As we continue to provide education and resources with the newsletters and free virtual programming, your support is needed now more than ever. Please consider a donation to support our mission in support of our monthly efforts! As most of us are shopping virtually these, days, please shop on Amazon Smile!
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Our Mission
“Building the Business Network for Disability Inclusion.”
Our Vision
“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”
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Upcoming DC Metro Webinar Session |
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November 18, 2020
10:00 am- 12 Noon
This year our Veteran Symposium Webinar will be kicked off by John Lowry, Assistant Secretary of the Veterans Employment and Training Service (ASVET/VETS). Mr. Lowry was sworn in as ASVET on January 20, 2020.
VETS’ staff will brief on the VR&E Apprenticeship Project –VETS and the VR&E Service have partnered with DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and Office of Apprenticeship, as well as VA’s Education Service, to launch this initiative to increase the number of Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation) Veterans participating in Registered Apprenticeship Programs. He will also brief the plans for the Disabled Veteran Program.
VETS’ staff will also provide an overview of their TAP Apprenticeship Pilot as well as Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Apprenticeships provide a path to the skilled trades, but there are also more than 20,000 Registered Apprenticeship Programs nationally in sectors such as information technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, and logistics. Apprenticeships are no longer restricted to the traditional “blue collar” occupations.
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Assistant Secretary John Lowry |
President Donald J. Trump nominated John Lowry to be the Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training and he was sworn in by Secretary Scalia on January 6, 2020.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Lowry led the U.S. Supply Chain and Operations practice at Egon Zehnder, an internationally recognized corporate leadership advisory firm. Previously, Mr. Lowry was the Chief Operating Officer of Allied Recreation Group, a recreational vehicle manufacturing company. He also spent more than 12 years in various manufacturing leadership roles at Harley-Davidson and was a member of Harley’s Senior Leadership Group.
Assistant Secretary Lowry is a Marine Corps veteran. He served more than 15 years on active duty and an additional 10 years in the Marine Corps Reserve. In 1991, he led a Force Recon Platoon during the First Gulf War, and in 2005, he deployed to Djibouti in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Mr. Lowry retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 2009 at the rank of Colonel.
Assistant Secretary Lowry received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University, a Master of Liberal Arts from Stanford University, a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He previously held an International Affairs Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and a Malone Fellowship at the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations in Washington, D.C.
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Presenter:
Bill Metheny
Director of Operations at VETS
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IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE PAST TWO DC METRO SESSIONS
"Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Your Employees"
We had another huge turn out for our October webinar hosted by Deloitte!
ALSO CHECK OUT EARN!
EARN recently added a new employer profile of multinational professional services firm Deloitte to its Mental Health Toolkit. The profile details how the firm’s approach, referred to as “Empowered Well-Being,” encourages employees to prioritize “body, mind, and purpose” through a variety of programming promoting work-life balance and both physical and mental health. To amplify its efforts around the latter in particular, Deloitte appointed a Chief Well-Being Officer in 2015 and launched an internal campaign called “Mental Health @ Work” in 2019. Read the Deloitte profile.
"Focus on Disability:
What All Employers Can Learn From OFCCP’s Section 503"
If you missed these check out our YouTube Channel!
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Support Us through your Membership
Be Recognized for your Leadership Brand
Annual Membership
Corporate - $2,000
Gold - $3,000
Diamond - $5,000
Platinum - $10,000
Non-Profit - $750
Small Business - $800
Government - $2,300
Individual - $200
Introductory Corporate Friends - $600
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The Hon. Katherine McCary, CEO |
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Board Members:
- John Annand, Marriott International
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Jennifer Bassett, Secretary, JBG SMITH Companies
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Michelle Crabtree, Hyatt
- Ellen de Bremond, Treasurer
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Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
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Tom Downs, Gartner
- Dan Ellerman
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Andrea Hall, Past Chair, General Dynamics Mission Systems
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Sophie Howard, Chair, General Dynamics IT
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Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
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Chrisonna Palmer, Vice Chair, EY
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Carrie Schroeder, PwC
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Jamel Walker, Northrop Grumman
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Ryan Walters, Deloitte
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Myra Wilder, BAE Systems
Advisory Board Members:
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Orly Barbosa, Sandy Spring Bank
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Meghan Cadigan, KPMG
- Crosby Cromwell
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Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
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Rikki Epstein, The Arc of Northern VA
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Sylvia Henri-Wonasue, Lockheed Martin
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Karen Herson, Concepts, Inc.
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Bryan Moseley, TCS Associates
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Cynthia Richardson-Crooks, DC BLN Founding Chair
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Rick Rodgers, The Resource Network
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Kia Silver-Hodge, C5 Consulting, LLC
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Bob Vetere, C5 Consulting, LLC
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Sue Werber, C5 Consulting, LLC
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Get Involved with our "Sister Organization"
in the Greater Richmond Area
View the 2020 Virginia Ability "Virtual" Forum
Virginia Ability is a business-to-business association focused on building inclusive communities and cultures through disability diversity in the workplace
We provide straightforward solutions to help businesses build distinctively inclusive cultures that are accessible for all employees.
Together we have the Ability to make the workplace work for everyone.
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COVID-19 Resources
NOW ON OUR WEBSITE!
As the leading regional business on disability inclusion, it seems critical to provide our employers with important information on COVID 19. Check out the listings on our website. Contact us if you have others to add!
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IN THE NEWS - Articles of Interest |
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November is Military Families Month!
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Congratulations to BroadFutures! |
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BroadFutures has been awarded with the
2020 Annual Award for Accessibility in Gap Year Education!
Ensuring Workforce Diversity Includes Neurodiversity
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the 30th anniversary of the ADA, Co-Founder and CEO Carolyn Jeppsen was featured in a program produced by Beacon College geared towards families with children with learning and attention issues.
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Our Together Towards Tomorrow Virtual Night of Celebration was a huge success - Thank You!!
Thank you to our wonderful community for helping us every step of the way, and a HUGE thank you to Game Genius for helping us put together a fantastic show. We could not have done it without you!!
We are grateful to our sponsors, donors, guests, and of course our amazing alumni interns and participants for a successful and fun evening. And the best part of a virtual event? You can watch it over and over again. If you were unable to attend last night, or just want to watch it again, you can watch the event here!
We have surpassed our original challenge grant of $100,000, so every dollar up to $100,000 will be matched dollar for dollar. Due to the incredible generosity of an additional donor, we have a matching grant initiated at our event last night of $25,000 and we were able to raise $12,000 of the $25,000. We will be leaving the event open so that we can reach our $25,000 goal. If you are able to help us reach our $25,000 goal and receive the matching $25,000, you can donate here.
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Ensuring Inclusive Recruitment
in a Virtual World
Based on a recent analysis of strategies used by 40 Fortune 500 companies, EARN developed a suite of new materials to assist employers in ensuring their online outreach and recruitment efforts are inclusive of and accessible to people with disabilities. The new resources include assessment checklists for career pages and job descriptions and announcements, as well as a practice tool with examples to assist in crafting language that attracts qualified applicants with disabilities. Access the Career Pages checklist, Job Descriptions and Announcements checklist, or practice tool.
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Now Open!
NOD’s 2020
Disability Employment Tracker
Leading employers realize that workforce inclusion drives innovation. But, are your company’s disability inclusion efforts keeping pace with the competition? Take the first step and find out how your employment practices and policies stack up with the 2020 Disability Employment Tracker™.
Complete the free and confidential online survey and receive:
A free Scorecard benchmarking your performance against other hundreds of other companies
Leading practices to advance from NOD's employment experts
Data to identify and build internal support for new goals and strategies
DEADLINE MARCH 3RD!
Developed by the National Organization on Disability with input from some of the country’s most recognized companies, the Tracker is offered annually to employers of any size and any industry.
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A Conversation About
Disability Employment
Forbes small business strategy contributor Rhett Buttle recently interviewed Disability:IN President and CEO Jill Houghton to discuss the impact the pandemic has had on employees and business owners with disabilities, ways that employers and policymakers can support them in the months and years ahead, and resources to assist in doing so. As part of the discussion, Houghton also shared information about her organization’s “Are You IN?” campaign, which encourages employers to recognize their role in creating an inclusive economy and commit to positive action. Read the interview.
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Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, wrote a blog on "NDEAM 2020: Building a Future that Works."
The blog recapped the U.S. Department of Labor's celebration of the 75th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This virtual event featured conversations with thought leaders, disability advocates, and experts in accessibility, transportation, and emerging technologies. "In this milestone year, the discussion this week was a great reminder of why increasing access and opportunity will be so critical over the next few decades," said Sheehy. "Success will take ongoing collaboration between tech industry leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, advocates, government leaders, and others. By working together, we can build a future that works for all Americans."
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Events In The DC Metro Area and Beyond |
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Thursday, November 5, 2020
1pm-2pm EST
Register,Scroll down, select this event, and RSVP to receive the Zoom link.
One of the biggest challenges for an injured veteran— impacted by a service-related injury, post-traumatic stress (PTS) or military sexual trauma (MST) is finding and keeping a good job. And job losses during COVID-19 have made the situation worse.
But, did you know that nearly 25% of veterans express interest in starting their own business? According to the U.S. Census, nearly 10% of small businesses are veteran-owned and one out of every seven franchise businesses are owned by veterans.
So, what are the entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for injured veterans? What are the transition challenges from military to civilian employment? Join us for the next event in our 2020 Neurodiverse Employment Summit series to learn more!
Panelists:
- Antonio Taguba, MG, U.S. Army (Retired)
- Laura K. Wages, U.S. Army Retired, Programs Director for Boots to Business, Office of Veterans Business Development, U.S. Small Business Administration
- De’andre Wells, Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired, Founder and CEO, AGX GROUP (Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB))
- Lisa N. Wolford, USMC Veteran, Founder and CEO, Constellation West (SDVOSB)
Moderator: David Blackledge, BG U.S. Army (Retired), Executive Vice President, Melwood Veterans Services
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NTIDE
Friday, November 6, 2020
12:00 pm EST
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Join us for our monthly webinar detailing findings of the latest Jobs Report release, announcements from the disability employment field, and guest presenters Fredda Rosen, Rachel Pollock, and Carly Teichman from Job Path NYC.
Agenda
12:00 pm: Overview of National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Jobs Report Release – Andrew Houtenville, UNH-IOD & John O'Neill, Kessler Foundation
12:15 pm: News from the field of Disability Employment – Denise Rozell, AUCD
12:30 pm: Guest Panelist - Fredda Rosen, Rachel Pollock, Carly Teichman, Job Path NYC
12:45 pm: Open Question & Answer period for attendees
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2020 Fall Internship and Job Fair
Friday, November 6, 2020
Noon - 4:00 PM
Join us in connecting with deaf and hard of hearing students at Gallaudet University. Access information will be sent to those who register.
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The Top Ten Veteran-Related Accommodation Questions and Answers
Tuesday November 10, 2020
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern
Tune in to find solutions to the top ten veteran accommodation questions JAN addresses on a regular basis and find out how you can best support the veterans in your workplace. Topics include exacerbation of symptoms due to COVID-19, service animals, communication difficulties, attendance concerns, and more. The most common requested veteran resources for self-employment and small business opportunities will also be featured.
Presenters:
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2020 HIRE Vets Medallion Award Ceremony
November 10, 2020
1:00 pm EST
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You are cordially invited to join the U.S. Department of Labor to recognize job creators who demonstrate a strong commitment to hiring and retaining veterans!
Contact Ogrady.meg.m@dol.gov with questions regarding this event.
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Washington Metro ILG
Webinar
November 12, 2020
11:00 am - 12:30 pm EST
We are pleased to host our OFCCP and EEOC representatives, along with an expert panel moderated by Naomi Tyre from Northrop Grumman.
The feature presentation will focus on what we can expect in terms of OFCCP Policy post-election.
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Disability:IN Minnesota's INclusive VIRTUAL Career Fair
Friday, November 6th from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Employer booth registration is required for the event and space is limited. Join us for this exciting day and share this email with employers who might be interested in the event!
Here's how to register:
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Go to the Elevate Futures sign-up page
- Select "Employers"
- Enter the requested contact information and select "Sign Up"
- Once logged in, watch the short welcome video to learn how to build your booth
- Begin building your booth right away; to provide payment, click the "Pay For Booth" button (after selecting yes to the "I would like to participant in the Disability:IN Minnesota INclusive Career Fair" question) which will connect you with PayPal
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Friday, November 13th
Live, Online via Zoom meeting
Guided Wine Tasting: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Optional Q & A Session: 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Don’t miss this chance to try a tasting flight of four exceptional wines from Walsh Family Wine, known for its delicious, authentic Virginia wines. This virtual wine tasting will be led by Nate Walsh, a career winegrower dedicated to the production of premium wine right here in Virginia. The one-hour tasting will allow you to taste four different four-ounce varietals from Walsh Family Wine. And stay for the bonus half-hour where you can ask Nate additional questions to deepen your wine knowledge further.
The best part? The wine will ship right to your home! You can experience this tasting right from your home, even if you’re not in Northern Virginia. Four 4oz tasting-size bottles will be sent to you. It’s the perfect way to start the weekend. Just be sure to purchase your tickets by Monday, November 9th in order to receive your wine in time for the tasting event.
Tickets are $75 and Walsh Family Wine is donating proceeds to support The Arc of Northern Virginia.
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Why DEI?… The Benefits to Federal Contractors of Participating in the Disability Equality Index (DEI)
November 18, 2020
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
The webinar will feature 3 federal contractors who used their DEI results to develop affirmative action plans, comply with Section 503, & create data-driven, inclusive roadmaps.
Sponsored by:
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National Center for Disability Entrepreneurship First-Ever PitchFest Competition!
November 19, 2020
1:15-3:15 PM
Join us for an exciting PitchFest Competition, featuring 12 Diverse & Creative Founders with disabilities from across the country, pitching to a panel of exacting judges in a battle to win thousands of dollars in equity free cash grants, as well as pro-bono mentoring and special prizes.
This engaging event will also feature Keynote Speaker Arlan Hamilton, Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, who built this venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless. Our virtual audience will play an interactive role in this engaging event that is advancing the disability entrepreneurship movement, so Save Your Spot Today!
Note: CART services will be provided.
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An Evening with Charlie Cook
November 30, 2020
The Harkin Institute is pleased to welcome renowned political analyst Charlie Cook back to his annual event, where he will share his analysis, insights and stories about the state of American politics.
The discussion will take place online on November 30, just weeks after one of the most highly-anticipated elections in American history.
Cook is a non-partisan political analyst for National Journal magazine and NBC news, editor and publisher of the Cook Political Report, co-author of the 2020 Almanac of American Politics, and member of The Harkin Institute’s National Advisory Council. He is widely regarded as one of the most astute, impartial analysts on the Washington political scene.
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International Day of People with Disabilities
December 3, 2020
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Harkin International Disability Employment Summit
2020 Harkin Summit
December 10-11, 2020
Washington, D.C.
“The unemployment rate among adult Americans with disabilities who want to work and can work is over 60 percent. That is a blot on our national character.” – Senator Tom Harkin in his farewell speech to the U.S. Senate.
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Tuesday-Friday February 9-12, 2021
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm (Eastern)
We hope you will join us for our four-part virtual release of the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium on February 9-12, 2021, 12:00-1:15 pm. During this webinar series, experts will present three web-based tools (Compendium, Supplement, and State Report) that make finding and using disability statistics easier for individuals working on legislative and other matters relating to persons with disabilities.
Agenda
Day 1 – Release of the Annual Report, Compendium and State Reports
Day 2 – Updates on Federal Data Collection Efforts
Day 3 – Implications of COVID-19 for the Population with Disabilities
Day 4 – Intersectionality – Disability and Black/African Americans
(subject to change)
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Disability:IN Annual Conference & Engagement Expo 2021
JULY 12 - JULY 15, 2021
Las Vegas
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NILG 2021 National Conference!
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
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Our focus is on Culture Change!
Our organization, formerly the DC Metro Business Leadership Network, is the largest regional member network of a variety of industry employers advocating for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in today's workforce, marketplace and supply chain. A non-profit business-led network established in 2006, our purpose is to bring the business community together in a dialog through education, training and resources with a focus on removing attitudinal and organizational barriers by exchanging best practices to ensure that the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as smart business.
Our Members and Guests have access to resources, programs and partners to strengthen the disability inclusion efforts and outcomes.
- Thought leadership
- Business to business networking
- Introductions to community partners
- Access to talent
- Hot topic programming led by Subject Matter Experts
- Webinars
Join our
Follow us on
Our Staff
The Hon. Katherine McCary, President, C5 Consulting, LLC serves as CEO and Executive Director. Katherine served as founding chair of the USBLN (now Disability:IN) for nine years, the founding chair of the VA BLN (Now Virginia Ability) for 13 years and has launched more than 11 chapters. She received the USBLN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. She recently joined GRACE Global Response and Collaborative Environment as Director of Inclusion.
C5 is a global disability inclusion strategy consultancy comprised exclusively of private sector disability leaders, experienced disability from a variety of areas; as individuals, as caregivers, and as parents of individuals with disabilities. With more than 50 years combined expertise and a deep knowledge of culture change developed through customized business strategies. C5 is the pioneer of disability inclusion "for business by business" with just in time training Disability Inclusion IQ designed for enterprise wide learning.
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